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What is the line weight, is where I'm getting at.

Can it also fly quite close to the ground say 30-45 meters?

Hi, I think this was flown on a 110kg line, that’s about 240lbs. But you could fly it on a much lighter line. It really depends on the wind speed and how gusty it is, a strong gust can put a lot of strain on a line. The wind is quite light in this video so I didn’t really need such a strong line. You can fly this as high or as low as you like. Usually, stronger more stable wind is higher up though.

@@SMALLsails thanks alot i appreciate it.

Thanks Ron. Appreciate you liked it

Thanks Ron

No, not in that wind. In a much stronger wind it would pull harder but not as much as the newer octopus kite design.

Thank you. I appreciate the comment.

Thank you, pleased you liked it!

Thanks Jim. Unfortunately the middle part of the three-section cross spar broke on the Levitation, so needs replacing. I’m not sure if a cross spar in three parts is the best design for flying. The outer sections with their metal ferrules don’t allow the whole spar to flex, mostly just the centre piece. I’ve ordered a new centre but I’m wondering whether to change the whole spar. What’s your experience of replacing breakages? Thanks for watching and commenting. I’ll be flying in the Downs before the British weather turns! Tim

@@SMALLsails Tim, the three-piece cross-spar was introduced by Into The Wind some years ago after several complaints about the original two-piece breaking. These came mainly from people using the kite for aerial photography, for which it was a favoured lifter at the time, and obviously they were putting added strain on the camera in lifting sometimes quite heavy gear. I don't like the three-piece idea, and I think a single spar is best, except of course that it means the kite can't be packed down so small, which was one of the selling features of the Levitation. If you have a choice, I'd go for a single spar of suitable strength. Your long tails do, of course, put quite a bit more stress on the kite so you need to allow for that, and I think the pockets are big enough to allow for a slightly bigger and stronger spar. I don't have the 9ft Levi anymore, although I still have a 7ft one with 2-piece spar, which has given no trouble. I'll look out for your videos on the Downs - have fun!

Thanks Jim, great advice. Back to the shops for a single spar…..

Thanks NB, appreciate your comment!

Hi, I think the top bridle has two functions. I’ve never used a lifter so haven’t used the bridle for attaching one. I fly the octopus with the top bridle thrown out of the way on top of the kite and only use it when bringing the kite down. When it’s within reach, take hold of it and pull it down in front of the kite and it acts as a brake that quickly deflates it. You may find this is less important in the 12m version. The difference in pull between 12 and 20m makes the top bridle really useful. Hope this helps. Happy flying!

@@SMALLsails Thanks very much for that--makes sense. One more question-on the back of the kite roughly where the head and tentacles meet is a zippered opening maybe 6 inchers or so wide. When unzipped there's a piece of red kite material sewn to the top and bottom of the opening but not on the sides so it's almost like a shallow pocket but the sides aren't sewn. Any idea what this is? Thanks.

Hi, apparently it’s a vent to unzip in higher winds, although I haven’t really experienced much of a difference whether it’s opened or closed. If it’s a really high wind it’ll pull hard either way.

@@SMALLsails That's what I was thinking but the existence and red color of the of the interior piece of kite fabric had me wondering. Maybe it's there to act as a fail safe to keep the vent hole from getting larger by tearing if the winds get too strong. Thanks.

Thanks PF, really pleased you liked it. It was a gentle, end of the day flight

Cheers Dustin, thank you. A little more sedate than your flying!

Thanks NB. The tail was my addition. A rare inland gentle breeze!

The kite is a bargain. Despite the cost cutting corners it’s been pretty well made and flies great. The tail is my addition and I had to sew tail attachments but, all round, a great bargain. Thanks for watching and commenting Jim. I’m enjoying your winter videos.

Thank you. It was a great day for flying 🪁 🪁 🪁

Thank you

Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed them.

Hi NB, yes, it was a good day and the kites (mostly) performed well. I’ve had a look at some of your videos too. You’ve filmed some good ones. I especially like the little star delta - looks great in blue.

Thank you. Yes, a great location. I’m kind of pleased that a number of fields there have been given over to ground nesting birds. W. H. Davies would have found time to stop and stare!

@@SMALLsails or Wordsworth watching clouds and daffodils.

Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it 🤗

Hi Ian, it’s a Chinese copy of an Into The Wind Sweet 16 Delta. It is very well made and flies in almost no wind. I bought it from AliExpress, there’s a number of kite manufacturers/shops who sell them but they may not all be the same quality. Mine was from here: a.aliexpress.com/_EQWUbNt The tails I designed and cut out myself to match the kite and I had a local seamstress do the sewing. Thanks for your comment, glad you appreciated it all.

@@SMALLsails ah brilliant, yes I thought that might be the case. I'd like one in my collection too. I'll take a look.

@@ianriches5545I’ll look forward to the video!

Thank you. Sea Palling beach does seems to go on forever. Yes, shame about the wind dropping, at the end all the kites just gently made their way to the sand. Interestingly, the larger delta managed to stay up with nearly zero wind even with its heavy centre tail, but eventually even that came down. Thanks for watching and commenting👍

Hi Jim. Yes, Sea Palling Beach on the Norfolk coast is a great place for kites. The wind started good but sadly disappeared at the end of the day. I’m looking forward to our summer here to fly more but still not the clear blue skies that you seem to capture! It was a great day and the first outing of the homemade outer tails on the Chinese Sweet 16. Thank you for watching.

@@SMALLsails It shouldn't be a problem, as tails are usually straight! Even I find straight sewing fairly easy, but curves are much more difficult. Good luck with your project anyway!

It was a little bit blustery, the cloud dude had to hang on for dear life!

Thank you, I was lucky with the weather and wind allowing a great day of flying.

Thanks PF. The gecko is a real easy flier. Thanks for watching and commenting

Thanks PF, the octopuses are my favourites. I’m trying to find suitable conditions to get all five of them up at once, but I don’t seem to have quite managed it yet…. hopefully this summer…

Thanks for the watching and commenting, pleased you enjoyed the video. Thanks for sharing your videos too, the snowflake kites are great!

Hi, I bought both through the AliExpress app. The first kite is from the iKite store for about £6. Strangely, it came with no end caps for the wing spars, so I had to buy these separately from Ebay for about 50p. The second kite is from the Weifang factory, for about £25. It is 2.8m wide, sewn very well but sadly the cross spreader rod snapped shortly after filming as it was too thin/poor quality, so I need to replace it. The tails were bought separately. Thanks for watching, pleased you enjoyed them both.

Thanks Paul, glad you liked the video. The kite’s a great colour and flies beautifully in a coastal breeze. Every time I fly it people come up and ask about it. Cornwall is great too!

Thank you, I’m pleased you like it. I’ll share a longer video of it in the summer, hopefully without it collapsing!

Thank you. The two outer tails are from Prism, the centre tail is from Premier kites but bought a long time ago. The kite is new, a Chinese replica, but is really well made and flies really well. Thanks for commenting and pleased you enjoyed…

Thanks for watching. Looks like you had some great Easter Day weather for your kite flying too.

Hi, I bought the tail about 20 years ago, sorry I have no idea where from. Probably some now closed seaside kite shop in Cornwall. It’s pure luck it looks like it should come with the 2022 kite. It’s a shame HQ don’t make long tails available to match their new kites rather than the just the little tails they come with. Try Ebay, the closest you’ll find is probably something from China. Thanks for watching….more to come in the summer…

@@SMALLsails Thanks for your quick response. FYI, it is not luck that you bought the tail and 20 years later bought the kite. It is pure fate! Lol. Cheers, Keep a tight line.

Hi James, thanks for watching again. I’m pleased you enjoyed the video. These are great kites and are so easy to fly. Adding this one to your others would make a great display.

Ah, the illusion of TH-cam… What I haven’t shown is shortly afterwards the white octopus attacked the red one and took them both to the ground and then the wind dropped completely and they all fell out of the sky! It was a rare blue sky day here, your Wisconsin skies seem to be perfect everyday.

@@SMALLsails there always seems to be a bit of chaos with each kite fly. Haha.

Hi, I’ve had this a couple of years now. I bought it through AliExpress from iKite store. Unfortunately most kites seem to be made in, what are actuality really good, kite factories in China. I believe even Prism kites, a great American? brand, even outsource to China, which is probably why you can’t get Prism kites easily anymore. AliExpress is like a Chinese Amazon. I’ve bought several kites through them and the quality of the stitching, fabrics etc have been first class. However, there are a few good suppliers and several less desirable. Either way, this is a great kite. The world seems to have changed since I bought this, so you makes your own choice. Prices have rocketed recently….

Thanks, appreciate you watching and commenting. There was just enough wind for the kite to pull the tails. Although you can’t see in the video it’s nice to see people stopping and watching as they walk across the beach. Looking forward to your Quantums…