Havin'aBlast!

Was looking around before I started a new thread, and I know that re-starting an old thread isn't always the best thing to do but my thoughts seemed to fit quite well, here.

I have a Blast - a little abused as it was my first Rev and I went through four center leading edge spars quite early on. I have no doubt that the sail is not as it was when new.

Since starting to fly again, I've noticed the Blast is really noisy - a bit farty, if you like. This evening I was flying on a hill in really light winds and the flutter from the trailing edge was very noticeable and came on with pretty much any forward movement. I could see it loose from the ground.

I am pretty confident that it's not line setup that's causing it - I've got a pretty good feel for how it flies and have been adjusting my grip and line lengths to a point where it feels right, I (and it) will only fly (powered, rather than floating) with appropriate tension on all four strings. With the Blast, it feels quite hard to get it wrong, if you know what I mean.

Here's what's on my mind that I'd like to run past folk here:

• leading edge bungee tension - fairly high
• vertical bottom bungees tension - fairly high
• trailing edge - flappy

On the Blast, are there bungee tensions on certain spars that affect the trailing edge? For example, I don't know, loosing the inner verticals and keeping the outers tight?

If not, can you reinforce or pleat a trailing edge to take up the slack in the fabric, assuming that my power lust has stretched it? I'm not going to get a new sail for it if I can tune/adjust the frame/bungees and/or make minor modifications to the sail.

Very interested to hear anyone's comments, or to flag up topics/posts already on here that I may have missed.

Regards,
Matt.

[Edit - posted too soon - the following thread (Making less noise) actually already contains more appropriate discussion - recutting sail, leech lines and catenary - nevertheless, any comments on the aforementioned topics or any fresh advice?]

Hi Matt
Wow you are having a fun time, where are you at in scotland, I am in Aberdeenshire nice to see another scot!
Take care Terry.

Hi, Terry.

Fun, aye!!!

I'm in Fife, so plenty beaches - and therefore sail care. Do you know many/any other Rev flyers up this way?

Matt.

Cheers, Michael/Kent.

I'm glad I kept all the old bits of broken spar, then!

Kent - that's an interesting one! Looking at the photo of the three kites I posted in the first post, looks like all three including the Blast have the bridle correctly attached around the center of the center spar. Ho, hum... Next time it's out I'll check the tension on that section when it's staked. I guess flexing the wing a little to simulate load and checking again wouldn't hurt, either.


I've just been reading up on spar labels and spar types. I think most are 3-wrap but I'm sure I've got (or had) some Pro-Only (2 wrap?) somewhere... not sure which kite, nor whether intact or broken, but it's probably about time I learned the difference. But I'm not saying that I haven't had some hard ground contact, either...

Bring on the extra hour of evening light, next week!!!!
Matt.

[Edit: re ferrules - I'll enquire in the UK, but failing that, are you able to quote for half a dozen shipped to the UK?]

Thanks, Kent.

That's a good point. I think with the vertical on the 2.4, stress fractures being the root cause of the bust is quite likely. My lady even said that - "you don't know what it's been through before". I just have to buy another (...and see which one goes next).

Regarding the Blast center spars, the first did split at an end. Thereafter, I wrapped the ends tightly with tape (for what it was worth) and the other three all went somewhere near the middle. Early on there would have been some high-impact crashes, but I think I was just seriously over-egging it.

I've read on here about ferrules coming loose and the troubles that can cause. It's something I'll check on all the kites soon. Another top-tip! Thanks.

With all my broken bits, do you think it's reasonable to consider making up a four section leading edge (if I can get hold of some new ferrules)?

Regards,
Matt.

Hi, Laura and Jim.

I know with power on my arms are often up. One of the reasons I wanted to get back into the Revs was for upper body exercise - I'll work at keeping it all a bit tighter. For the rest of the time, I don't actually know! I used to fly a lot with my old handles dangling on a finger tip so there must be some muscle memory left over from that and I'm certainly an elbows-in flyer. But as for arms up or down, I'll have to check next time I fly. Thinking about it, I probably spend a lot of time flying the Blast with my left arm behind my back - it seems to either be figure of eights for power with a snap turn to hover, or low-level floats across the window generally right to left. I'll pay more attention to my hands next time...

As for spars - I don't actually remember the details of any of the center spar breaks, other than that last biggy! I do remember ordering the second pair of spares and I've now got enough cracked bits, given a Dremel and half a dozen ferrules, to make a super-stiff new leading edge. I also don't know any other fat leading edge flyers, only a couple of 1/4" EXPs, so all these bits must be mine. I guess it was repeating the rush of the rapid onset of power that fatigued them so quickly. As for the vertical on the 2.4, that was my first vertical ever to go. It can't have been any more than 8-10mph because I had literally just switched from the Blast to the 2.4 and I was only on my second figure of eight under power. It just went limp. I thought it had popped out completely because I've not tightened the sail yet but I then saw 2/3rds of it dangling from the lower endcap/bungee, at the back of the kite of course! Still, that's a longer stake I've got now.

I tried going along to a kite club meet recently, but I either turned up too late or I think I actually went to the wrong beach. Hopefully meeting up next weekend with the EXP flyer who introduced me to Revs. Don't know if I'll ever meet Supersonic-Stan again - I believe he had to fork out for damage to a car roof after flying too close to a road (and apparently loosing it!)

Cheers for now,
Matt.