23 replies to this topic

[hey_herb]

Hey_All,

I accidentally stumbled upon the WSIKF last year and almost bought a Rev, I just didn't have the resources. This year we made a point of going to Long Beach just for the festival and I went planning to buy.

I purchased a Signature Series 1.5 in purple and grey, non-vented. It came with handles and 80' string that I think is 90#.

I eagerly took it down to the beach where I promptly set up my trainer stunt kite to teach a friend how to fly. He had a lot of fun and I got a lot of exercise walking back and forth just out of his range to relaunch the kite. When he was finished plowing sand I set up my stunt kite and was showing him some basic tricks until I broke a lower spreader. Finally, I got to set up my Rev.

I didn't ask a lot of questions while I was buying the kite, I didn't do any research, and I had no idea what I was doing. I am a visual learner and the stuff I was hearing didn't make sense. Besides, how hard could flying a kite be?

After about 10 minutes of rolling my kite around on the ground and terrorizing a nearby family, a wise lady who was passing through stopped and helped me get the kite set up properly. What do you mean the poles go on the back side of the kite??? I didn't actually ask that because I could tell right away she knew what she was doing and that would have been insulting. She then helped me get the strings right and told me how to hold then handles, then she said I should protect my investment and go over to the Rev section of the festival and get a lesson. What a wonderful and smart person she was. I knew she was right, and I knew I should go, but I really wanted to just fly my kite.

So I started flying my kite. I got pretty good and going straight up, and slowly setting it back down, but every time my kite turned sideways it would do a long graceful arc and powerdive into the sand. When I planted the kite between the parents and the kids of the family I was previously terrorizing, I decided I should probably get some lessons before I killed someone. So I put away my kite and strings (wish I had seen that video about how to do it properly first) and strolled over to the Rev area.

The lady running the Rev area was busy, but there were a couple people in the area flying a kite who knew what they were doing. So I went up and started asking them questions. They were very polite and eager to help and let me fly their kite and in just a few minutes I had the basics down. I could stop the power dives, I could hover it on it's side and make it go up and down, I got it to hover upside down for bit but it would flip upright at the slightest twitch. I did have one more power dive while they were showing me the basics, and I almost killed the Rev lady. Turns out I was flying one of her kites, and my teachers were trying not to laugh about it. I learned a lot in those few minutes, but then I had to go home and couldn't practice any of it. The gentleman I was working with then told me to come check out this site and join the forum. He said the guy whose initials are on my kite lives in Portland and there is a strong helpful community that I can tap into.

After just an hour of reading through some of these topics I can see he was also a very wise man. Thank you whoever you are.

Although I am not sure if I should have my wife look through these forums though. It might make her panic knowing what I just got myself into. However....... Maybe if she found out now that I would eventually have 11 kites, 7 string setups and kite bags loaded with gear and spare parts then she would be resigned to the fate and maybe even have fun with the lunacy.

Anyway, that is my hello to the forums. I look forward to flying with you.

Herb

[stroke survivor]

First of all - Welcome!! Do you have a place to fly in your area?? Try if you can to hook up with other fliers, they can help take a lot of time away from the learning curve!! If not, find a place to practice your skills!! I'm in a search right now for such a place, between Mcminville and Clackamas! We are looking in the Sherwood, Newburg area!! Anyway, there is no substitute for time on the lines!! You've made a good choice, now go and get some time with it!!!!

[SkyHook]

Herb,
Welcome to the darkside
Enjoyed your story.

You certainly chose the right starting location to learn how to fly your Rev.
In the Rev Area at WSIKF, you were surrounded by some of the most experienced Rev pilots from all over the world.

There are other Rev fliers on this forum from Hillsboro.
You can find them by doing a Advanced filter search of members with Hillsboro in Location. If you want to, you can send them a personal message.

Good Luck, enjoy, and have fun

Bruce

[katrina]

 Welcome! Just got back from WSIKF myself. Yes, those sticks do go on the back, strange, eh?  I put them on the front too, the first time.  I did the same up up up and to the right and crash.  Luckily a nice man came out and gently let me know where those sticks go, and he even ran out and fixed them for me himself.  Turned out it was John Baressi, although I had no idea who he was at the time.   Can you make it to the Lincoln City fall kite festival? Just come up and ask anyone for help.  I'll be there.   

[hey_herb]

Katrina,

I should be able to make it to Lincoln City on the 9th. I will have to tell my wife to add it to her Calendar.

Thanks for the heads up.

Herb

[stroke survivor]

Skyhook, stroke victim, and tumor boy all plan on attending!! We have all flown before, and would be happy to help!!! Who knows, might learn something from you!!!! Looking forward to meeting you!!

[flyinken]

Yes Padawan, welcome to the dark side... ah.ha.ha.ha............
Anyways. A place I fly in the hillsboro area is at the Washington County fairgrounds in the grassy area by the gravel parking lot.
Not too much doggy poo-poo. ( can I say that?) And not used for soccer, baseball or other kinds of practice but ours. (so far.)
I'll be glad to hook up with you to offer any suggestions, though I not that far along either in my skills.
There are 2 other Rev fliers that also use that area. Chuck is there from time to time. ( drives a BMW convert) he's a real nice guy, and I have not met the other gent yet.
And I fly over at Rock Creek PCC from time to time, but winds are a little shifty there. Chuck says he is sometimes at Verbort elementery school.
It would be nice to find a field where we can all meet. ( forum and non-forum flyers)
I'll spend more time on that over the next few days.
If you saw my whineing, I only made it to WSIKF for a few hours, but I am also planning on going to LC at least on the 9th, maybe the 10th.
I look forward to talking to with you.
Ken

[Kitelife]

I'm thinking my wife and I will be at West Delta Park (overflow parking next to Portland International Raceway) this weekend, if anyone would like to come out... Always happy to share experience, just drop by for some fun and flying.

[stroke survivor]

JB. - If there is any way to get there, count me in!!

[flyinken]

Fly going on this Sat and Sun at Delta park.Delta park

Ken

Edited by flyinken, 26 August 2010 - 05:00 PM.

[bartman]

Hey Herb it was Kite Cowboy (Paul) and myself who were helping you get those basics under your belt! Glad you took our advice and joined the forum! You will find plenty of people eager to answer your questions and help you get past that initial learning curve. You have lots of opportunity in your neck of the woods to fly with other skilled pilots and that will also greatly speed up your learning and take care of any bad habits before you even learn them!

Best make plans to stay the whole week next year at WSIKF since you are going to be in our group through a lot of it and we have a hard time letting people go once we have them!

You were flying Lolly's (from Revolution) kite and that is what it was there for. We were laughing about the handles as we swapped out, if you recall, her handles for yours so you would have better control in the higher winds. I don't think she would have cared, but it was just a little fun to do it without her knowing about it. It's all good and you'll find in the company of other Rev flyers we're just one big family.

Welcome to the forum!

Bart

Edited by bartman, 26 August 2010 - 09:12 PM.

[kitecowboy]

SEE! Lolly it was him that crashed into you! then he just handed me the lines to make me look guilty

Hi Herb welcome to the dark side, remember we have milk and cookies...

[stroke survivor]

Report from Saturday at Delta!!! Wow! Lots of fun, met new folks ,saw some others, and learned a new skill!!! I'd say that adds up to a good day!!!! We plan on going again on Sunday!!!

[bartman]

SEE! Lolly it was him that crashed into you! then he just handed me the lines to make me look guilty

Hi Herb welcome to the dark side, remember we have milk and cookies...

I didn't get any cookies....

Bart

[flyinken]

See Watty next year at WSIKF.

Ken

[stroke survivor]

Report from Sunday at Delta - NO WINDS!!! The only kite that handled these conditions was JB's Zen!!! All of us flat foots got a first hand look at what a GREAT pilot can get this kite to do!! He had a hybrid frame in it, but I'd like to try it again with the Zen frame!! Just to see if it makes any difference! That kite flies on a thought!!!! Thanks to all that came, it was nice meeting new people, hope to do it again, but with better winds!!!

[hey_herb]

Been a busy couple weeks for me here at the end of the summer. My wife is a teacher and was trying to cram as much family vacation time as she could before going back to school. Now that she is back to work, I get a bit more me time. Sorry I haven't been here much to reply lately.

I wonder how she will take it if I go to Lincoln City by myself tomorrow. Hmmm. Maybe I will try to find out the fun way... When I get back. I have an appointment back in Hillsboro at 3:00 so I will only be able to be there for a few hours in the morning. Hopefully my wife hasn't made any plans for me tomorrow that I don't know about yet.

Thanks for the warm welcomes.

Herb

[stroke survivor]

Sneaking off!! Is that what having a Rev does to a person??!! Shame on you - I'm jealous really!! Have fun - if your conscience lets you!!

[hey_herb]

It was beautiful at Lincoln City today. Had a wind blowing NNE almost paralleling the shore at 4 - 8 mph (per the people at the kite store across the street). It was mostly cloudy but pretty warm. It is suppose to be only partly cloudy tomorrow so should be even better. I had people few watching me and a few took pictures. That was new for me.

Unfortunately I got started about 90 minutes late. I could not find the Barresi handles that came with my kite and spent over 90 minutes looking. I am pretty sure I brought them home from the WSIKF, but I just can not find them. I did make a stop at Above It All kites on my way back to the van to get my HQ stunt kite fixed. There is a chance I left my handles there, but I hope not.

Anyway, I bought a new set of handles from the store across the street from the D River park, and a stake. The cords on the new handles are a lot shorter and they don't have the series of knots like the Barresi handles. After I bought the handles I spent about 2 hours flying my kite. I would have like to have stayed longer, but my wrists are pretty glad I stopped when I did. I was surprised they were getting so tired. They are even aching a bit as I type this.

I used the method of setting up the kite that is shown in the cord winding videos. Wow that really makes setting up the kite easy. I did need to untangle my lines because I didn't know this method when I put my kite away last time. It was also very easy to take the kite down when it was done properly. I am sure I won't need to take 5 trips between kite and handles the next time I set my kite up.

I was not very successful with inverted hovering. But I was starting to get consistent with standing it on it's side and hovering and then going forward and reverse across the field. There is definitely a lot of learning that needs to happen still. But all in all, I had a great time.

Now for the Doh! moment. Today is the 9th. I thought it was weird that the Lincoln City kite festival was on a Thursday and Friday this year. When I got there however, there was no kite festival. I was a month early for the festival. October 9th is on a Saturday. September 9th is not. That makes so much more sense now.

But I got to drive my new Camaro to the beach, I had a great parking space, I had the beach to myself, I got to fly my kite in a nice smooth wind, and I had a wonderful day overall. So my Doh! moment worked out fantastically. About the only way it could have been better is is my wife had been with me. She would have loved the day.

I have another free day tomorrow. Not sure I want to drive that far to fly my kite though. Maybe Seaside. Maybe over at the fair grounds.

I think I will go look for my handles some more. My wrists are tired of me typing. Hmmm. Maybe I won't fly tomorrow.

[Kitelife]

Hi Herb, glad you had a fun day out.

FYI, I'd guess your wrists were tired due to the lack of brake that the knotted extensions provide on your usual handles.

In lieu of finding your originals, you can use 90# bridle line to make new extensions, or smaller pieces to extend the shorties you have on your new handles.

Rule of thumb, about 2-3" long on the bottom, 7"-9" long on top, knots along the top so you can adjust as needed.