Date: Sat, 9 Sep 1995 09:59:53 -1000 From: jburka@Glue.umd.edu (Jeffrey C. Burka) Message-Id: <42srnp$b5c@geog25.umd.edu> Organization: Project Glue, University of Maryland, College Park Subject: a few newish Rev observations A month or so ago, I got around to building a Rev 1.5. (actually, the sail had been started a while earlier, but I was inspired to applique it and put on the leading edge by the completion of my 5m Sputnik -- the idea of working on something small and light was too tempting to resist). The kite is 1/2oz icarex. All spars are SkyShark -- the verticals are IIIp, the center of the leading edge is Vp, and I have a pair each of III's and V's for the outside leading edges, depending on wind conditions (the overall stiffness of the leading edge is improved by using the the Vp center even in light winds). The kite is bridled in 80# spectra. For anyone looking to make their 1.5 lighter, I'd recommend using a similar set up -- get 4 sticks of SkyShark IIIp and replace the vertical sticks and the outside leading edges -- I imagine the ferrules will fit either kite. Ditch that heavy black dacron bridle and build a new lightweight bridle. While there's not much you can do about the extra weight on the sail (like the heavy duty leading edge), this should help significantly, and should cost under $30. First of all, I did *not* like the kite without a bridle. Even on my extra-long handles, there just wasn't enough throw to get the kite to do what I wanted, when I wanted. In light winds, the (bridled) kite flies fine on extended handles. In medium to high winds, I like the kite best on stock Rev I handles. Overall, there seem to be two conditions in which I like the 1.5. One is in high winds, when the Rev II is just buzzing around. The other is indoors. For some reason, I just don't find the kite to be much fun outdoors in light winds. But move it inside, and the kite becomes an absolute pleasure. While I could make the frame substantially lighter, right now I see no need for that. The kite floats beautifully, with a wonderful hang time. While it doesn't quite have the small turning radius of the II, it's faster than the I, which I've always found a bit dull inside. While I don't know if this kite will supplant the II as my favorite indoor kite, it may very well! Still, for most outdoor conditions, especially those pseudo-no-wind days we see so much of during DC summers, I find myself flying and enjoying the II an awful lot more. Even though the kite has less sail area and weighs proportionately more, the II remains a lot more versatile. I suppose a lot of this is comes down to a question of speed. Indoors, I love a kite to be slow, graceful. Outdoors, I like to do a lot of the same sorts of slow 360's, floats, glides, whatever, but I also like to be able to pump the kite through whatever part of the 360 degree window I want. The II is far more capable of this sort of maneuvering outdoors. I can fully understand all the folks who have written saying that the 1.5 has become their favorite in the Revolution series -- it's a wonderful kite, and beautifully fills a niche between the other sizes. But now that I've had a bunch of time on the new size, I'll still say that the Rev II is my favorite. Jeff -- |Jeffrey C. Burka | Pithy, insightful quote to be inserted when one | |jburka@glue.umd.edu | occurs to me. *If* one occurs to me. | |http://www.wam.umd.edu/~jeffy/html/home.html | = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Mon, 11 Sep 1995 05:06:59 -1000 From: mgraves@leadingedg.win.net (Michael Graves) Message-Id: <2320@leadingedg.win.net> Subject: Re: a few newish Rev observations In article <42srnp$b5c@geog25.umd.edu>, Jeffrey C. Burka (jburka@Glue.umd.edu) writes: > >The kite is 1/2oz icarex. All spars are SkyShark -- the verticals are >IIIp, the center of the leading edge is Vp, and I have a pair each of III's >and V's for the outside leading edges, depending on wind conditions (the >overall stiffness of the leading edge is improved by using the the Vp >center even in light winds). The kite is bridled in 80# spectra. I have a similar kite, but adapted for indoor use only. I use SS3p across the leading edge and SS2p in the uprights. I tried 2p in the leading edge, but had repeated breakage problems. Michael -- Michael Graves mgraves@leadingedg.win.net Leading Edge Productions http://www.interlog.com/~lepkites Brampton, Ontario, Canada "Bear in mind, just bears in mind." phone(905)456-9494 fax (905)456-9493 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Tue, 12 Sep 1995 09:31:41 -1000 From: jburka@Glue.umd.edu (Jeffrey C. Burka) Message-Id: <434n6t$goo@geog25.umd.edu> Organization: Project Glue, University of Maryland, College Park Subject: Re: a few newish Rev observations In article <2320@leadingedg.win.net>, Michael Graves wrote: >I have a similar kite, but adapted for indoor use only. I use >SS3p across the leading edge and SS2p in the uprights. I tried 2p >in the leading edge, but had repeated breakage problems. Is this the kite that Lam complained was "too light"? Or was that a different one? Honestly, I didn't expect great indoor performance out of my 1.5 with III's and a V, and was *very* pleasant surprised. Jeff -- |Jeffrey C. Burka | Pithy, insightful quote to be inserted when one | |jburka@glue.umd.edu | occurs to me. *If* one occurs to me. | |http://www.wam.umd.edu/~jeffy/html/home.html | = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =