Using a hoop reel with your kite
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ต.ค. 2024
- My 1,484th kite video. I'm often asked what reels I use with my hundreds of kites. Here's the answer, but what you use is a question of preference. My reels have come mostly from www.picturepret... and www.intothewind.com . I always use braided dacron line, mostly from the same sources and from www.emmakites.com . In Europe, www.metropolis... is a good source.
Anyone wanting to check out all my "How to..." videos on various aspects of kite-flying can now find them all easily on my Playlist at / jimskitesnz
![일상 속 기분 좋음 [Proto disco meme]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DwmEIaZ7XGQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I hadn’t thought of turning the real to prevent twisting, that’s a great tip
Glad to be of help. I've always done that, but I can't remember where I got the idea from.
I remember also your parafoil launching video where you demonstrate the advantage of placing your arm through the hoop while needing two hands to shake out the kite and release.
Yes, Carl, the hoop can be handy in many ways.
Good advice Jim. Always important to "have fun"!!
That's certainly the main point, David. I hope you're keeping safe.
Nice video Jim. Good advice. I always wondered about line twist. Thanks Jim!
Glad it was useful, Dewey. As I said, it's just what I use, but there are other reels too. See the comment from ratoneJR for example.
Thanks Jim. I'm going to make a few. I got a little free time right now.
Cool video Jim ! I use those too!! Although I love the vintage American style wooden spools 🧵 also ... recently I order from States a wooden spool from 1947 !! Original and sealed! Only for my collection of course!
I have a few wooden reels which my friend Peter made, which you may see occasionally in my videos. Wood is good!
Thank you Jim, very helpful video. Taking the Family to the beach and looking forward to using your tips!
Glad it was helpful, Jeffrey, and I hope you have a lot of fun.
Thanks Jim. I didn't think I was going to learn anything but I had to make sure. The flipping trick totally makes sense.
We can all learn, Dave - I try to learn something new every day!
Thank you for the great videos!
Glad you like them!
I beg to differ on the Hoop Spool not breaking. I've been using them for 25+ years or more and have had them brake. I love the way they work and prefer them even over my wooden ITW Windbreaker reel.
The only ones I've had break are when I've trodden on them. Other than that, I've used them in thousands of hours flying on everything up to the Mega Fish and similar large items, with never a problem. Maybe I've just been lucky! It's interesting to note that the ones sold by Into The Wind used to carry the word "unbreakable", but haven't done so for some years. Too many complaints, maybe?
@@JimNicholls Probably too many complaints is right.
I agree stepping on the reel can break it, but I've had two that were crushed by the line being reeled in too tightly & left on without taking the pressure off. These were 250# & 500# test lines and the were wet when I brought them in!
I have an assortment of reels, hoops, and winders. For ease of use for most kiting, it is hard to beat a simple hoop. I see we do the same thing...labeling the weight of the line on each hoop.
I use nothing but hoops for 99.9% of my flying, Richard. Simple is best, I think.
I had the bearings bust out on one of those cheap reel types. It was a very windy day and the guy was pulling very hard. I think I'm going to take your advice and just get some of these
That would probably be a good move. I've never had a hoop reel break, except when I stood on one in my kite room.
I’ve had very good success with some of the metal mechanical reels. They are a little pricy, heavy, and difficult to travel with compared to loop but the convenience and functionality just is worth it in my humble opinion. The cheap plastic one that you compared to the loop is junk in my opinion for all the reasons that you stated and more. Just a different point of view from a less expert kite pilot.
You're right, Jack, that blue plastic reel is junk, but thousands of them have been sold so I thought I would give a warning about their shortcomings. Some of the very expensive mechanical reels are good, I know, but I would never be able to justify the cost. I need lots of reels for the many kites I often fly together, and of course different strength lines for different kites, so the plastic hoop spools are the only things that are viable for me. I hope you have a lot of fun with your flying in the coming season.
Turning the hoop over is a genius idea! I had considered 'upgrading' the hoop that came with my Prism kite, but now I won't bother. If you happen to read this comment though: do the little swivel connectors you can buy help avoid line twisting, or are they just a weak point that don't help?
I'm glad the video was helpful. The swivels can be useful with a fairly small kite, but I certainly wouldn't use them on a hard-pulling one, as I've seen them break. I only ever use a larkshead knot to attach my line to the kite, with kites large and small. There's a video or two on my playlist showing how I do that.
I just went flying and I flew two kites from those cheap mechanical reels from China. One had the handle fall off, the other had the eyelet come off, and so I'm here seeing how to use a hoop reel because getting those kites down with broken reels was an experience. Another problem was that the reel was just too small for my hands. Many thanks for the demo so I can see how an expert does it.
I'm glad it was useful. Have fun!
@@JimNicholls I knew that winding around a reel like that would twist the line, so I especially appreciated showing me how to deal with it.
Like a lot of things, it's easy once you know how!
Very professional advice
Thank you. I try to keep things as simple as possible as I know what it's like to be a beginner and need advice that is easily understood.
From my opinion, using carabiner is good to bring your kite down, but it is better to use pulley to avoid friction from carabiner to the kite line, this friction sooner or later will damage your kite line.
I agree and I have a pulley which I can use, but I don't usually carry it with me as I very seldom walk-down a kite. It's not really practical where I fly as there is no space to do it.
I'm wondering why a carabiner would cause friction? The inside of most carabiners are pretty smooth. Just got to avoid the sharp bit.
I find that letting the line off the side of the hoop by turning it 90 degrees to the kite that winding it back onto the hoop on the same side will keep twisting to a minimum. Also note that winding the line while under tension from a pulling kite can later crush the hoop as the stretched line returns to its normal length. I reach out along the line to a flying kite then pull in so as to create slack while winding back on to the hoop.
That idea does not work with hard-pulling kites, and is not the easiest way with any kite in my experience. Launching a kite smoothly is much easier if you just let the line come off the spool in the way I showed., but everyone has their favourite way of doing things and that's fine. Having flown hundreds of kites on thousands of occasions over many years, I've never had a problem with a hoop being crushed, and the method I use is probably much like yours, creating slack as the line is wound on. I think people who have that problem are probably trying to wind the line directly on to the spool, which could indeed bring problems and is a very slow method of winding anyway.
Hi Jim, you're right that the wheels with bearings are sensitive to sand. The ones with bearings with steel cage are beter than the blue type reel. When flying in thight spaces and unreliable wind i find wheels indespensable because you can react very quickly to avoid a desaster. It is a fact that hoops without bearings don't give problem with sand.
When using a wheel with bearings it is best to tilt the reel a bit downwards so that the eye has no pulling force on it and only guides the line to the spool. Otherwise indeed the eye breaks off. The eyes only purpose is to guide the line, not
For pulling.
Jim
Once again thank you very much, excellent advice
I'm glad it was useful, Gilbert.
Hi Jim, how do you store your hoop spools without the line falling off in the bag?
Hi Andrew. I just have a loop of elastic around the reel to stop the line from unravelling.
I have many types of reels I've tried while flying. I find myself using the hoop spools most often as well.
I'm totally happy with mine.
Does the hoop leave your hand sore and slightly burn from the un wheeling." spinning'
No, I've never had that problem. I guess it might happen if you were very careless and let a strong-pulling kite go up at great speed, but I've always found it fine.
Nice video, Jim. I now have a few spools..some travelers..and a mechanical. And you are right.. on the mechanical. If you are going to own one..should be the best one could afford. Mine is wonderful..but almost too big. Got it gifted to me at Christmas-well made. Spools are really the easiest by far..but I like the feel of the travelers too for the ability to tether them to field implements that spools can’t hold. But spools by far are the easiest to pack in the pouches and wind. Thanks for sharing..good info !
Priscilla, I don't quite follow your remark about "field implements that spools can't hold". If you're talking about tying them down, spools can be tied off to anything. I'm going to upload a slightly revised version of my video about tying down kites in a few days time.
Jim Nicholls There are usually farm implements in the fields to tie down to . Or some hunk of hardware left behind by my neighbor. Some of us are lucky enough to have driftwood.😺
You can tie a line to any of those, Priscilla, when you're using a hoop reel. Look for my video later in the week.
@@JimNicholls I sure will...looking forward to it. Take care :)
How do you attach/affix the line to the reel? What knots do you use
I use a simple slip knot or sometimes a double slip knot, but I'm sure there are several other suitable means of doing it and it's a question of personal choice - anything that does the job is fine.
I have one 25cm hoop which just barely holds 500' of 500# dacron. What size hoop would you use for 250' of 120#? Or 200#? Or 300#?
Thanks! And thank you for all your videos.
As you obviously appreciate, the thinner the line the smaller the reel you can use. However, if you use a small reel, it takes more turns to wind it up, so I prefer to use a bigger one if possible. My favourite is the 8-inch (20cm) one, since it's easier to handle than the 25cm one. For 250ft of line, the 20cm would be ideal for 300lb, but 17cm would be quite sufficient for the 120lb and 200lb. You could get the 120lb onto a 15cm reel, but I'd go for the 17cm.
Thank you, that's exactly what I needed!
After trying out the hoop reel I have decided to stay with it. I have one question, how would you attach it to a ground stake anchor?
I never attach the reel to an anchor. Rather, I attach the line to the anchor, and I explain how I do that here: th-cam.com/video/q5qAgwY-B00/w-d-xo.html . Also see my video on sand anchors, which is linked in the description to the other video. Enjoy your flying!
Aaaaaaaahhhhh.....that's clever!!! Thank you!!
@@chrisp6072 You're welcome!
1:07 Absolutely Breathtaking scenery Jim!
Question:
Have you ever experienced any kiting injuries?
Watching this reminded me of a severe finger laceration I experienced from kite string. Taught me not to wrap the line around a finger real quick.
2. Where is this shot?
No real injuries.
I fly on the beach in Christchurch New Zealand, either at New Brighton or North Beach.
By the way, see this as it might be useful - Carl said you were asking about tying kites down: th-cam.com/video/q5qAgwY-B00/w-d-xo.html .
Jim, how much 100 Dacron will a 8 inch and 10 inch hoops hold? What size hoop and amount of 100lb line do you suggest for flying the Patriotic Levitation Delta by Into the wind?
Thanks, Eric B
How high do you want to fly your kite, Eric? Here in NZ we have a 400-ft height restriction, so there's no point in having too much line. The 10" hoop spool is a bit awkward to handle unless you have very big hands. The 8" is my favourite, and will comfortably hold 1000 feet of 100-lb line. Unless you particularly want to fly high, I think 500 feet is more than enough line, and you could fit that on a 7" spool. Most of my spools are fitted with 250 feet of line, as I seldom, if ever, fly higher. Above that kind of height, even a big kite looks small.
@@JimNicholls Thank you. I'm about to order the Patriotic Levitation Delta from Picture Pretty Kites Website. I already have a 7 inch yoyo with 300ft of 100lb Dacron on it. I'll order a 1000ft spool of 100lb Dacron and split that between two 8 inch yoyo winders. That way if I want to fly above 300ft I can and also have a backup winder.👍🏿
@@thelivinlegend1 Sounds like a good idea!
How do you anchor the hoop to the ground when you're walking down the kite?
The same way I always tie kites down - see th-cam.com/video/q5qAgwY-B00/w-d-xo.html .
I really like the idea of 'walking down' the kite but it's a pity you can't do this if you're flying directly over water (or molten lava.)
Are you sure? I haven't tried either, so I can't rule them out!
Very helpful, thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Where do I get that red plastic reel from I cant seem to find thx
Most good kite stores should have them. Mine mostly came from Picture Pretty Kites and Into The Wind, both in the USA (we have no kite stores here in New Zealand). In England, Kiteworld are the most likely source.
Hi Jim.
Question do you now where I can buy some kite paper from or high quality tissue paper
Ps if anyone els pls feel free to share your in put thanks a lot kite flyer
No idea, sorry. I live in New Zealand, so anything I came up with here would probably not be of use to you anyway.
What is the best method of anchoring a large kite to the ground please?
I just saw your vid 'how to tie down a kite'. Thnx
That depends a lot on how "large" the kite is (your idea of large might be different to mine), and on the ground where you're flying. At the beach for very big kites I use sand anchors: th-cam.com/video/GUBB1xrcWVU/w-d-xo.html . But mostly I tie down to driftwood using the method shown here: th-cam.com/video/q5qAgwY-B00/w-d-xo.html . I don't often fly in different areas, but if I do, I use the same tie-down method and anchor to any convenient tree, fence, or passing cow. You can use various types of stakes, but making sure they will stand the pull is essential. For large kites I sometimes use this: intothewind.com/kites/accessories/other-kite-accessories/the-claw.html .
@@JimNicholls thnx Jim. What is the beach you are on please?
I am in Christchurch, New Zealand, and these days I fly mostly on the beach near the North Beach Surf Club, whose building appears often in the background of my videos. I used to fly on New Brighton beach about a mile south of there, near the pier, and still do occasionally.
@@JimNicholls thnx. I see the 'claw' you recommended for anchoring a big kite to the ground is from a shop in Colorado. Can you recommend other overseas stores online for all things kites please.
@@michaelrosspearson9756 I live in New Zealand, with no kite stores and not much of anything else. All my buying is done online, paying what are now very high prices for postage. The "Claw" that I have came from the store I linked to, as did many of my earlier kite purchases. Many buys in recent years have been from www.pictureprettykites.com which is an excellent place to deal with, I've found. And I've bought a lot of kites from various sellers on AliExpress, which is where most new designs come from these days.
Thanks for the informative video. I'm guessing it was recorded before the realization of a pandemic? I was out flying my train kite the day before we went into lockdown here in the states. Watching your video made me smile. Please share more if you get the chance and stay healthy. 🙏😊
Yes, I did that just a day or two before the lockdown started. I still have one video of the last kite-fly before the lockdown, plus a few other odd items, that I can upload in the next week or so, but I wish I could get out and record more! If you get really, really bored, there are another 1,482 videos on my channel already.
I've been using hoops for years... Had a mechanical and the line just chewed up the mount for the eyelet... Burned right through it. Thought about building a metal replacement bought a hoop for less money...
Sensible decision! I've never found a good reason to use anything else.
Use Kite Connector [Ball Bearing Swivels] and forget twisted line and do not need to change direction of your hoop reel.
I've seen several of them break, so prefer not to use them, but yes, they can be useful and some people prefer to use them always.
Just reminded me I need a new reel for one of my F-tails, even these occasionally get broken, although in this case Someone might have trod on it🤔
I've trodden on several over the years - it's the only way they've ever broken.
@@JimNicholls Order placed:) Might take a while to get here but I'm not going anywhere in a hurry:D
where do you get these reels?
I put links in the video description to where I buy mine. There are plenty of other sources if you look around.
I need this so bad! Sadly the plastic thing they provide with kites are trash 😪
That's true of both the handle and the line, sadly.
How do you tie the line to the reel?
I usually use a double slip knot, but anything's OK if it's secure.
@@JimNicholls I think I will use figure-8 knot to form a lasso around my reel :) Thank you.
Good idea!