The Next

The Next by Jeff Howard

Our Kites

Created By: Reid Wolcott 8/3/2003
Last Modified By: Reid Wolcott 8/8/2003

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When we first began our search for kites to fly as R.A.W. Power we thought about what we wanted to do in our routines and the type of flying that we do. After flying several types of kites in 1999 and 2000 our choice was the Precisionists by Jeff Howard, because they we fast, snappy, nice looking and extremely well-built. We ordered two complete sets of Precisionists, (SUL+, SUL, UL, Mid-Vent, and the Vented).
At the 2000 American Kitefliers Association National Championships in Treasure Island, FL we flew in Masters Pairs Ballet with the SUL (Super-Ultra-Light) Precisionists, just as our routine was beginning the wind came up so they were extremely fast and squirrely but we got through it for our first National Championship as a pairs team. We flew to an overature to the musical Gypsy.

R.A.W. Power practicing in Ocean Shores, WA in 2001 with Precisionists

   In early 2001 Jeff Howard came out with a new kite, an updated version of the Precisionist, which he called the Next. We ordered our new kites (SUL+, SUL, UL, and Vented) and recieved them in the middle of the 2001 season. Compared to the Precisionists the Nexts were more stable and acted like a bigger kite, while still having all of the tricking ability of the Precisionists.
    At the 2001 AKA National Championships in Billings, MT we took first place in Masters Pairs Precision with the Next, unfortunately we were disqualified in Masters Pairs Ballet for going out of bounds due to a severe lack of wind. Individually however, Reid took first place in Masters Individual Ballet with the UL Next while flying to the theme from Robin Hood.
    At the 2002 AKA National Championships in Ocean City, MD we took first place in Masters Pairs Ballet with the Next while flying to Rhapsody in Blue.
    Currently we are working on a new routine to music from the musicl Oklahoma.
    We have been extremely happy with the Next's performance and do not plan of switching kites anytime soon.

    In early 2003 Rick Wolcott joined up with Jim Barber and Jerry Cannon to form Team Cutting Edge who after long dicussions and many hours of flying choose to fly Nexts as well (For some reason though they choose a tinky-winky purple).

Tinky-Winky posed courtesy of MVM ;-)

R.A.W. Power's Modifications to the Next

Reid Wolcott's set of Next's August 2003. (SUL+, SUL, UL, and Vented)

Photos of our kites

The UL (Ultra-Light) Next.
This is the same as a Standard in most kite sets.
The kite pictured is Reid Wolcott's favorite kite, this poor kite has been broken countless times and has been attacked by one dog (A new sail has been put on since then).

The Vented Next.
This is the kite that has seen the least amount of air-time.
Right now Jerry Cannon of Team Cutting Edge is working on creating another vented Next that will retain more of the flight characteristics of the UL Next.

   Like many fliers we have made a few modifications to our kites both to enhance the flight characteristics and to reduce the risk of entanglment during flight.

#1    The first change that we make to all of our kites is to double lark's head the pigtail to the bridle so that the adjustment point does not change.

#2    The second thing is to make sure that there is a line that goes from the outer stand-off connectors to the base of the spine, this line is to keep the bridle from getting caught around the tail, because this predicament is very difficult to recover from.

#3 The third modification is still in being worked on. This is a line that attaches to the Top Spreader Leading Edge Connector and goes to the middle of the outhaul of the bridle. This is to keep the bridle from getting caught around the back of the outer stand-off.

#4 The fourth modification is still in being worked on. This is a line that once again attaches to the Top Spreader Leading Edge Connector and goes to the middle of the lower bridle connection (the line between the pigtail and the Center-T). This line is to keep the bridle from getting caught around the tail.

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The Time Before The Next,
The Precisionist Years

The Next and Its Following

Nexts are available at Cutting Edge Kites in Ocean Shores, WA.
1-800-379-3109 (US Only)
(360) 289-0667
E-mail: flying@cuttingedgekites.com
Website: www.cuttingedgekites.com

Team Cutting Edge and MVM (Marcia Cannon, Vicki Casal, and Mary Bos) are the two Masters class teams that are competing in the Northwest conference. MVM flies the Shiva, to the music from Chicken Run. While Team Cutting Edge flies to a medly of Cowboy Round-up Music.

NOTE:
Currently, Jerry Cannon of Team Cutting Edge is working on creating another vented Next that will retain more of the flight characteristics of the UL Next.
If you have flown a vented Next you may have notice the difference between it and a UL Next is quite large, as the Vented version has almost no pull whatsoever and is very squirrely compared to the UL. Hopefully a resolution to this dilemma is in the near future. We will keep you posted!