June 2, 2021 • 45 mins
In this episode host Nic O'Neill sits down with two folks that have been a part of the Sportkite podcast that have just announced they are launching their own boutique high end sport kite brand, Canvas Kite Designs. We get to know more about their efforts, their intentions, and what spurred them to branch out on their own.
Find out more about Canvas Kite Designs on Facebook!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(02:31):
25 years?
20-21.
Yeah, the long time.
I got involved with Skyburner Kites about 2011.
I was always kind of helping them doing some modding,
dialing things in, et cetera, on other prototypes
then I got into the design aspect of the solace around then
in 2011.
(02:52):
And that's kind of been where I find myself
to be the happiest in Kiting is the design and the nuts
and the bolts and all that fun stuff.
And that being said, I work with John on a lot of stuff,
obviously in Canvas, but the design aspect, the media,
the bright als, et cetera, those will all come from me.
(03:14):
And John, of course, will be literally doing all of the building.
So--
Awesome.
So when did you guys kind of come up with this idea
to start out on your own with a sport kite building?
Oh, geez.
(03:35):
We talked about it for a while.
And it was kind of one of those things
that was way off in the distance.
And then it just kind of came to fruition, almost out of nowhere.
Devon was-- and Devon correct me if I'm wrong--
was with John and Mary and Treple of Skyburner and Kites
(03:58):
and Fun Things when we were working on some of the intention
prototypes and they kind of suggested, hey, why don't you guys just
do it?
And we kind of took it in random.
Yeah, we had talked about it.
So back when the spur was a thing, if anyone looks around on the inner--
(04:19):
Still is.
Well, yeah, like, sorry.
Like when it was being developed.
Yes, as it was being birthed, which is kind of a gross term.
But we--
I had sewn the first prototype, the blue and black one,
that's all over the Facebook world.
And then John had come in, give or take, about a week after that.
(04:43):
And at this point, you were sewing a bunch.
And we had a bunch of time in the pandemic.
And he had come over to my place for about a week.
We had sewn six, five, I think.
Yeah, quite a few of them.
And it was kind of a nice match because I
tend to be a bit of a fundamentalist and very rigid.
(05:03):
And everything needs to have something for a reason.
And John was like, very like, what's just do it and open-minded.
And I think actually that started with even just being ambitious with picking colors.
And then we got the spurs done.
We took them to the shop.
And they actually thought, John and Mary had originally were thinking we were going to go
off on our own.
(05:24):
We didn't want to because they're basically our kind parents at that point.
And then they had manufactured the spur for that year.
And we had obviously had a lot of other things being
more done at the same time.
And then when we did come to them, the intention was actually supposed to be a surprise for them,
(05:44):
which didn't go very well.
John was going to golf one day and ended up being on the same kite field that we were
with a sleet of kites.
And we were like, it was dark.
It was.
Like we were testing these kites and this was what November, maybe December.
(06:09):
And it was like seven o'clock.
It was dark.
We're flying under the lights next to a dog park and it up walks John Treniple.
And I look at Dev and I'm like, you've got to be kidding me.
What is he doing here?
Yeah.
At Mary and at this point, she knew that it was going to be a surprise.
Like they were all on board for it.
But ultimately, yeah, they suggested and they were very much behind it.
(06:33):
Just us standing on our own, you feel as times change and as things go on.
And obviously we thank them a lot for that.
At first, it kind of felt really weird.
Yeah, there was a part of it that, at least on my part, I was a little hesitant because I didn't
(06:53):
want to disrespect them, going out on an own like that.
And then to have them turn and say, why don't you guys do this?
It felt good.
It was nice.
The element of trust was good.
And we obviously trust them.
I'd always both of them for various reasons, obviously.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Any, any Kiter, that should be a staple name, the Treniples and Kites and Fun things and
(07:16):
Sky Shark.
So to be kind of raised, if you will, under that tutelage and that guidance and also
that standard standard for sure is a lot.
And I realize that Kiting is a small niche, but like just that standard in general is a lot,
(07:39):
but to have them say, like, you know, you should, you know, do it, go out on your own, it
was reaffirming in that essence because I don't think this would have happened if we weren't
at that point.
So anyways, it was crazy.
Some of it was intentional, no pun intended.
(07:59):
Some of it was a hilarious, are you kidding me?
But ultimately we knew that as times changed, like, like the new generation, like someone's
got to step up and we've got to get new younger blood into the sport at the same time, you
know, like, you have to at one point, you know, like, the older generation gives us all their
(08:24):
expertise and is very open with their knowledge and very generous.
They still are, again, some of them basically helped raise me, but then there comes a time
where you have to, you can either just take that knowledge and keep it and be able to
maybe a little selfish or you can give it back.
(08:44):
And that's where we are.
Yep, insert canvas.
Nice.
All right.
So what's with the name?
Why did you guys pick canvas kite designs?
What story do you want?
(09:06):
There's three.
But see, there's the sport kite podcast.
So it doesn't have to be PG 13 if it's not.
Oh, yeah, that's fine.
There's no like canvas loin cloths and like, there's none of that.
Hey, I'm advocating that would be great merch for later on.
And just loin cloth and the sport kite, you know, song loin cloth with pockets, a thong
(09:33):
for like, look like a 50 pound laser pro right in the bomb crack.
No.
Like, so that contract.
Sorry, honey.
So my side of it was in the design process.
(09:53):
We kind of always started with a blank canvas.
We didn't we dev in didn't really look at anything.
Yeah, yeah, there's inspiration and other stuff, but, you know, nothing was like, I want
it to do that like that kite does.
It was very much what start from scratch.
(10:13):
Let's start with a blank canvas and go from there to to the point where we were working
on a design on some paper and he was like, why don't we call it canvas?
I'm like, okay.
And that was that was tabled for the time being.
I think it's now codename Herman in my computer.
(10:35):
But that's kind of how I see it.
You know, we started on the blank canvas side of things and the art person will take the
artistic side of things and explain hopefully the side.
Kind of tapping into my fundamentalist nature like when you build and are inspired by so
(10:57):
many people and also have people that trust you to share information and for you to share
information with them.
Like, yeah, I didn't really have a goal for any of these when I started.
It was kind of like, okay, I want different personalities.
And instead of thinking like, I want to kite that as everything or this or that and the other
(11:18):
I said, well, I want it a little bit.
I want it to have this feature and then that influence whether that's like the leading
edge shape, the trailing edge shape, the peaks in the trailing edge, the broad seamy eventually
the depth.
The bridles were always a given.
I kind of had a, I guess you could say it was like a fuzzy barrier because you can't,
(11:39):
if you start something with no goal at all, it could be a little hairy.
But yeah, so we did that and then ultimately it was very clear that because of the fuzzy
boundaries, we needed three, three kites with three different personalities and we were
working on and still are kind of like a beginner kite.
(12:00):
And at one point, we toggled between the name canvas and shape shifter in Herman and which
is now Herman.
And the point was to be able to take a kite with various frames or bridles and you can
keep the sale but have a setup that was so good or so efficient or whatever you want to
call it that you could order a different frame set or something like that and you could see
(12:23):
how the various differences in the equipment worked hence the name shape shifter.
I guess you could call it feel shifter but that's also maybe a little awkward.
That's so freebie.
Yeah, so we don't like that.
Stay away from that.
And we went back and forth through a couple hundred names.
Oh my goodness.
Way more than that.
Yeah, and we always joke saying the name would be it literally in front of our face and
(12:49):
it was in front of our face.
It was it was rolling under the couch.
Yep, well, under our face.
So but there's that and then like John said, you know, you're starting with the blank canvas
and ultimately with my philosophy and how would I take very seriously and kiteing
and progression both this and how it was influenced through my line of work being a classical musician
(13:11):
and at one point a college teacher.
I wanted to do you know have something basically just say like here's your tool, here's your
piece of equipment like the sky or whatever you want to conceive it as like is your canvas
like go do it up.
These kinds will do whatever you need them to but you need to know how you work.
(13:35):
And you need to be deliberate and intentional again, no pun intended.
There's a reason why I named the kite intention.
That's another reason.
So that that words going to come up a lot just just in my vocabulary.
But you need to know what to do and where to place them.
And then again, you can you can make this blank canvas, whatever you want.
It's lit the sky's the limit in this case, the sky's the sky.
(13:57):
But you know what I mean?
Sky's the like.
So very short answers to that.
Yes.
Whoops.
So the too long didn't read answer is it comes from blank canvas and your thought process
there and her man and her man.
(14:19):
Yeah.
We love her man.
Old her man.
All right.
So right now you guys have three models, the crux, the spur and the intention.
What makes each one of those models unique or special?
So like what are some characteristics that make them different from other kites?
(14:43):
Oh, you I got the designer.
I got the pointer the finger.
I was going to say the finger, but that's weird.
So there's three distinct personalities in this.
One of them will come with a short story.
I'll try to keep it short.
All of the names obviously mean something spur to like be spurred on or to have a spur
(15:04):
of motivation that crux or in this case like the cornerstone, which is actually a name
that we toyed with for the kite.
That is this going to fall in the fun category.
And the intention is basically a kite that reflects the lessons of one of the most influential
people in my life.
I actually have the word intent tattooed on my arm from her.
(15:29):
So I think it's really important in a line that a line is a line, right?
It's not theme and variations.
Yes, they're all dual lines, but in this case they need to have three distinct personalities.
Otherwise, why would there be three?
Right?
Like why wouldn't there just be one?
Updated if you will.
(15:50):
So the spur is the small kind of fireball of the group.
Reasonably deep pitch.
It's a trick kite.
It is a three quarter kite.
It's fairly shallow for kites around this time.
So it can be very spinny, not oversteer like flat spinny, lots of tazas, multiple tazas,
(16:13):
etc.
Moderate pull.
For those that like the three point bridal, it has that feeling of connection between all
three legs, all that fun stuff.
And one of the other reasons why I wanted to make these kites different is that the spur
has straight tubes in the leading edges, which we'll get to in a second.
(16:34):
The next one is the crux, which I won't lie to you in that.
It came across as a joke.
We were kind of drawing it up and we were like, what if this is going to be like the most
hilarious, like just fun kite that we've done?
And that actually became the goal.
Yeah, that became the goal.
(16:55):
We laughed about it and as we were redrawing the plan for the second shape, we did various
things.
Whether that be moving, we moved the curve downward in the leading edge.
We changed the trailing edge peaks, some things like this, which ultimately impacted quite
a bit of the kite.
And that kite is actually kind of goes against my firm thoughts on kite.
(17:20):
This one is by far the most it's a riot.
Yeah, it's you can just go out and bang a crap out of it and have a good time.
The kite was my saving grace when I was developing these.
John would always call me or when he was here, I'd get really caught up on one detail.
And he's like, don't lose sight of what the crux gave you.
(17:42):
We would go fly the crux and just laugh.
Like it's hilarious.
It's by all means refined, but it's hilarious.
It's just good fun, good extreme fun.
And that kite does have an adjustable reverse turbo bridal to give it a, you know, if you don't
want to go too far out, you can dial it in.
(18:04):
But yeah, and then the intention is, oh, sorry, the crux is a full tapered frame, which distinguishes
a little bit from the spur.
And then the intention has the larger OD tubes in them.
So they're an itral line.
And that one was always, it kind of falls into what I take very seriously in kiteing.
(18:27):
And I want, I want to kite that forces me.
Not forces, but it is very deliberate in showing me where it's sweet spot is.
It'll do something.
Say you're doing a 540 and you don't hit the sweet spot.
The intention will do it.
But as you exit the trick, it'll kind of give you this little persona that's like, yeah,
(18:47):
you could have done that better.
Like, and it that was intentional, no pun intended.
Because you don't have to say no pun intended.
I was going to say you say that after every guy.
I feel so stupid saying it.
Yeah, just go.
It was intentional.
(19:09):
And I like this because when you're kind of egg don or spurred on into hitting the sweet
spot, that wasn't intentional.
That wasn't intentional.
No pun intended.
I hate you.
But when you're pushed into hitting that sweet spot, I think it kind of inadvertently forces
(19:30):
you to have a little bit of a higher standard for yourself and develop your eye, your hand,
or whatever.
And ultimately, for me, again, growing up, I grew up, I didn't go to a bunch of fighting
events.
I grew up around a kite shot where I was exploring various models and different people coming
in.
And I love all kinds of different kites and I respect all of their personalities.
(19:53):
And to have a kite that kind of coerces you into hitting its sweet spot helps you train
your eye and train your ear or your mind or whatever.
And to raise that bar into me, it's opened up my enjoyment and appreciation to all the
nuances in so many different kites.
(20:15):
Really just in the last year, year and a half, I think John can speak for this.
Both of us have been just about a year now.
Yeah, it's like, whoa, it has been a game changer.
Yeah, I mean, the intention, the best way, I guess, the line altogether, we've got our
(20:38):
three, we've got our fast little guy and then the crux in the middle, that's just, it's
a hoot.
And then we've got our elegant, refined intention.
And like Devon was saying, the intention likes the right touch, but it also is a kite that
very much gives back what you put into it.
(21:00):
If you're going to go out there and ham fisted around, it's going to ham fisted back.
But if you take that elegant approach to it and are gentle and talk nice to her and she'll
give you everything.
Well, you're meeting what it was built for for what it is.
And that goes back to, again, the lessons from my mentor on the horn.
(21:23):
Like when I was going through injury recovery, when you're talking about like, like the horn
will tell you when it's right in terms of the sound production, it will tell you where
things need to be, where the sweet spot of the note is, et cetera.
At this point, I couldn't feel anything.
My nerves were blown out and I had no choice but to listen as much as I didn't want to.
(21:44):
I wanted to like feel again.
And that sounds terrible, but it's true.
Like actually feel again.
So when I had that kind of moment there, I was like, man, like how, like what a profound
experience that was.
And from that point on, I had been looking for something in the sky that in the words of
(22:07):
wisdom, my mentor enables you to go out and simply just present your preparation in the way
that you can.
And for me, that was the intention, which is why it's named after her.
Like I always say is that we need to turn, you know, you need to turn your nerves when you're
presenting this, you turn your nerves into intent.
(22:27):
And the second we finished the spur, I looked at John and said, I want to do a, I want to do
a grand addy kite and that's the name.
And we just looked at it and said, okay.
Yeah, thank God it didn't turn out to be a full size spur.
Oh.
That was the original plan was let's blow up the spur and go from there and we got so much
(22:47):
more out of starting this kite at ground zero than we would have if we just blew up the
spur and it went that route.
There's a place for theme and variations and that might come down the road, but right now
it's not the place.
Yeah, it's, I don't, honestly don't know if we could have gotten more out of this kite.
I don't think so.
(23:09):
You know, through the various versions, you know, we, look how I have in my prototype
box, what, 10 sales easily at least and then drafts in my computer, probably 15 and in
those 15, those are raw probably changed at least 20 times.
(23:33):
Yep.
So I mean, it was a labor of love for sure, but it 100% worth it.
So we're in good.
So, ask me that again after I finished sewing the first batch, but certainly, certainly
great.
So speaking of your first patch, right now you guys are offering fully customizable colors.
(23:59):
Is that for all three kites?
It is.
Yeah.
So all three kites have a full custom option.
The intention has two custom options, a partial where you can just kind of change the
stock colors, if you will.
There's a light and a dark option for that and then a full blown custom option that you
(24:22):
can do as you please.
And I've already seen some interesting ones from Devon that I will never make.
I know all the colors.
He doesn't like to put together.
Yes.
So I just had fun.
But yes, full customs across all across the line are available and in all versions in our
(24:48):
ultra light standard standards and they are available.
I know with some previous boutique filters, they kind of had a right over refusal when it
came to certain color combinations or layouts or what have you.
Are you guys implementing a policy like that or are you just saying, or this is what you pick?
(25:12):
This is what you get.
Is the best answer probably?
Okay.
I understand why some of these other designers and really wanted to go that route.
Hence the partial customs.
That was a big thing for me.
(25:32):
I really wanted to be able to have the intentions look like intentions.
And you know, after talking with some good people in the community, you know, with both Devon
and I, they pushed us and rightfully so to do full customs.
And at this point, I won't flat out refuse anybody.
(25:54):
I don't think unless it's a color that I don't have or am waiting on.
But other than that, I may make suggestions, but I'm not going to flat out say no, I don't
think.
And my one is just like, just bad.
Oh, Jesus.
(26:18):
We inherited in our house, a kite from one of Paul's previous endeavors that we jokingly
call the brown one.
No, we call this one the Sherbert.
Oh, my God.
It is one of those designs today.
Yeah, it's like flamingo pink orange and yellow all together.
(26:40):
Oh, yeah.
Crypto white.
So that's exactly.
Yeah, that's very similar to the Paul's cross.
Yeah, yeah, but it's right.
Right, right.
All together, they all blend together.
You can't see the difference.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's personal preference.
(27:02):
That's not for me.
I like something that stands out.
So in the line of customization stuff, right now, the three models you have, they're all
considered standard, correct?
Or are they ultra light or where do they fall in that kind of model range?
Two versions of each.
We have a standard of an ultra line ultra light in each model.
(27:25):
Yep.
There's a super ultra light crux in development that should knock on wood be done with the next
couple of weeks.
And there's also a vented intention that we're dabbling with because there's there's a need
for a vented kite.
Yeah, so I'll bring the knife next week.
Yeah, and feel free to say you don't want to give away trade secrets, but as far as venting,
(27:51):
are you going to be doing it with the traditional mesh or the holes in the kite or we select
the animals?
We really don't know.
Yeah, whatever is most effective for the kite, we've talked about both certainly.
And I've ordered some samples of different meshes and just trying to see what might work
(28:14):
best, but ultimately it's right now.
It's a laying the kite down on the ground with a knife and hacking it to pieces to figure
out what's best.
And, you know, fully, it's, I don't, if there's an exact science to venting, nobody's telling
anybody.
Yep.
So it's what we think and where we think it'll be most effective.
(28:38):
And first version, we are kind of close.
Yeah, I mean, it was trickable.
Well, the high wind tricks and it was manageable in terms of pull up up to 30.
And there are pictures and videos, if you look hard enough, online of it.
And pictures of the bridal, like, properly supporting the frame or efficiently supporting
(28:59):
the frame.
And it's just nitros and we, but with Holi2O fiberglass, we're all for standoffs.
So it, whatever it will come out, it, it'll come out when we think it's reached its, you
know, yeah, we're not, we're not going to release anything that isn't right.
(29:23):
Yep.
So I mean, to, to the point where tights will not leave my house if I'm not confident in
them.
Nice.
So I mean, I think that goes with, I mean, it's the cover lucky, it goes with a lot of
the kind of community as a whole.
And that, that standard, and in essence makes us all better.
(29:47):
So if we can contribute to that, then hot damn, you know, yeah, you guys are both nodding
and staring off the corner of the straights out of the house.
There are some of the profounders too.
Yeah, I'm thinking about, you know, how, like little things like that, they, they do kind
of hold the community to a higher standard and elevate it.
(30:12):
Even if it's kind of low key, elevating it and, and very passively.
So I definitely appreciate, appreciate that.
Yeah, it's, no, sorry, go ahead.
It doesn't help that I'm a perfectionist too.
So there will be a time at some point if I shoot you a note and say, hey, your order is
(30:33):
delayed.
It's probably because I had to read it to say, 'cause I wasn't happy with it.
I'm sure it'll happen at some point.
I hope it never does because I hope I'm perfect all the time, but it's, let's be real.
Yeah, that's a standard.
I hope I'm perfect all the time.
I mean, you've seen me fly.
Yeah, in a wacky shack in two weeks.
(30:53):
Yeah, right.
Yeah, no, it's, it's good.
His, if it's any consolation, we have to call each other as we're developing things on each
other's end.
So how we work is John gets kind of the final say if he wants to do something, whether
that's a different wingtip tensioning system or this, a better one, have you.
(31:15):
He says, hey, I'll send you a sale.
I want to try this.
I will respond to him saying, you know, this, those are, does not fall in line with things,
like ultimately he's going to have the final say on the build and I'm going to have the final
say on design.
The beauty of that is is that we're playing to each other's strengths and, you know, he
(31:36):
wants to learn to design more and I want to learn to build more when I like, you know,
get this bloody degree done and keep working like I am.
It would be great to have like a real studio and get more into that.
So again, this goes back to what we're talking about with the standards in other parts
of the community.
We're like a pretty good, very blunt team.
(32:00):
But yeah, so that's kind of how that, that whole thing works, which is pretty nice.
All right.
So knowing we're kind of still in post pandemic restrictions, getting lifted and everything's
kind of up in the air as far as kite events and travel.
(32:20):
I know you guys can't really lock down this question or give a very definitive answer.
But when it comes to people maybe seeing one of your kites in person or getting their hands
on it and getting to fly one, what are some opportunities that are coming up that they
might be able to chat with you guys or get their hands on one of your kites?
(32:46):
Nine township next weekend for sure, two rivers, Labor Day, Al Goma, Al Goma the week before
Labor Day was constant.
There's been talk of Whiskiff and kite party, but we cannot confirm or deny that.
I'm a sucker for kite party.
(33:07):
I was going to go before good old Rona shut down the world.
Do you get your ticket bought and everything?
I did.
I actually didn't get refunded for them, which was terrible.
But I really want to go, that vibe is just so much like where I excel, just it's a nerd
vibe.
(33:27):
Yeah, they're, where can we talk about going a while ago?
Was it wildwood?
I mean, obviously we could go this year.
Yeah, well, it was this weekend.
Yeah, so there are plans.
We need to get out, I mean, we want to get out of the Midwest.
We're both in the Midwest.
Evans and Michigan and I'm in Iowa.
(33:50):
I spent some time on the West Coast last year with a spur, a little bit kind of touring
around.
Nick, you saw it and Paul saw it a couple others, but we need to get out to some coast and let
people with, with happy wind fly it.
Yep, Midwest wind is angry.
Yep.
There are plans, but we can't really give you a clear picture because God knows the world
(34:15):
could change tomorrow.
Yeah, and on the talk to us side of things were currently very, very available.
Shoot us a Facebook message, email, whatever.
Devon can speak to flight and design a heck of a lot better than I can.
You know, if you have build questions or or ham fisted questions, I can help you with those.
(34:41):
Yep.
Like for, for, for, yeah, for example, like for lion township coming up June, 5th and 6th,
a group of people are coming in from out of town.
So I'm meeting one with John on Thursday at the shop.
We're going to go to dinner and then we're going to split some time on the field, both
teaching and also filming for the lion.
(35:03):
We're going to get, um, great crew coming in.
I'm organizing like a big dinner, which is kind of like dinner as well.
Kind of like a, you know, go to the shop if you're coming in on Friday, get what you need,
hint in their great people and they have great stuff.
So go do it.
(35:24):
Um, kites and fun things.
Yeah, and then we're all going to either meet them at the shop or meet at a brewery
right next to the venue.
Um, and we're going to fly on Friday night and then I am doing and asking me anything kind
of clinic format Saturday night into a night fly.
Um, so that's obviously day after Friday and then Sunday, we're just going to be around
(35:44):
until people are not a question.
Whether that is flying, whether that's, yeah, we don't intend on really going anywhere
until it's, until it's all done.
Yep.
So if we have to get up early and like I'm, for example, I have to teach a summer intensive
for music this summer, like, if I have to get up early, which I will at four or five o'clock
and do prep, prep, yeah, and prep believe it.
(36:07):
Eight, this is what I usually do in johns here.
Then whatever.
I mean, there's people that open Starbucks at four.
What the, why is it a problem?
Nick, you're up at like three o'clock and jumping in icy lakes and lifting heavy things.
Yep.
Yep.
I wake up about three, 45 very morning.
Yeah.
Like you do what you got to do.
(36:28):
It's not even, it's, it's not that question.
You just kind of do it.
Yeah, and very much to Devon and I are on being available and open and honest and all that,
but it's also part of part of kind of our, what, what canvases too.
Like we're here to give back to the community.
(36:48):
We don't, I mean, I'm not going to flat out give you the blueprint to scale, but you know,
it's we're going to be there to talk to you, to listen to you and, and help you along the
way.
And I know why you're laughing, Devon.
Yeah, I just sent it to her too.
I know.
So we want to be open.
(37:12):
We want to be available.
Yeah, life will happen at some point and work might get in the way of me answering your
message within five minutes, but what I usually do, I'm usually typically very responsive
and that's just who I am.
And we want to be able to be open to answer questions and, and how people out in their
(37:34):
guiding journey or, or life journey or whatever may have it.
So what's the best way for folks to contact you?
I mean, I, you guys are regulars on the sport guide podcast, but if they wanted to contact
Canvas kite designs, go ahead and plug where they can find you, your website, your Facebook,
all that of the good stuff.
(37:55):
Yeah, I do take pigeons, although my cats may not.
Oh, yeah.
Facebook is probably going to be the quickest through our Canvas kite designs page on Facebook.
Also through our website, our email is on there in foletcampuskitedesigns.com.
Devon and I both have access to all of those.
(38:17):
So, you know, if, if I see an email come through and I don't know the proper answer, I'll
say, hey, can you respond to this?
Um, vice versa.
So, uh, typically outside of once we're signing our emails, you know, who it's from, but
Facebook will be the quickest response would be my guess.
(38:38):
We do have an Instagram too, which I check frequently.
But Facebook messaging is, is going to be the quickest, in my opinion.
Are you guys going to have a YouTube channel with videos and stuff like that?
Um, to be determined.
We're not sure if we're going to make a separate channel like we might just put it online
(39:01):
because there's a bunch of kairas that have already like subscribed to me.
And there's some a lot of arts colleagues that are actually interested, which I'm kind
of excited about.
So yeah, we're not sure.
We are going to film or try to film with multiple different cameras and some tripods in the
next couple weeks.
(39:22):
I need to get a slot machine video is like a rough tutorial for a good friend on the West
Coast and he'll give me some feedback and we'll see what, you know, what that kind of looks
like and how much time it takes because being separated, uh, when, whether I'm living
(39:42):
in Wisconsin or Madison, with, with, with, with, with, with, at the time, um, at
still hike from Iowa, so getting together and hoping for the proper wind and all that
is we need to make sure that we know what's going on with time cables.
So yeah, we have some, I do have an agenda for next week.
So yeah, he told me to write out an itinerary and he got a big old email this morning.
(40:04):
Yep.
That four o'clock.
Thank you.
There's that early thing.
But yeah, we have plans and I know there's, there's so many people that just say we have plans,
right?
Like, so ultimately you can believe it or not.
Like when it comes out, you can decide for yourself.
There's not really another way to say it.
(40:26):
So yeah.
YouTube channel.
I, I would like to, but it takes away from time building rights.
Correct.
And yeah, I feel you know, it does.
And if you know you want your kites this year, I suppose we might have to table that for
now.
All right.
Well, if we do get video, you know, either from sport kite camp or something else, we'll
(40:52):
definitely put it out on sportkite.org and help promote you guys.
Yeah.
I mean, we're absolutely going to film when I'm in town next week.
So there will be filming done.
I post a snippet of the cruxie other day and Devon's posting some snippets of.
Of spurs and.
(41:13):
There was an intention it would be nice to.
Yeah, it'd be nice to put a full full video out there.
Yeah.
Kitty.
Stewart.
Hi, kitty.
Glad to listen.
The cat just walked across the screen.
(41:34):
Yeah, sometimes we forget this because we're doing this either in person over or over a video
conferencing that our listeners can't actually see us nodding our heads or cats walking across
the screen.
So if you can imagine a one eyed cat walking in front of me, you've got it.
(41:58):
Yep.
But yeah, I don't know.
Well, we'll see where all of this goes.
Ultimately, just like the vented intention and everything else like.
It needs to be right before it goes out and right is a relative term.
It's going to change as standards change or the market or.
(42:21):
Whatever.
So yeah, I don't necessarily know if a timeline is.
Healthy.
I think maybe a projected timeline for further assessment down the road of like, okay,
we've either gotten ahead or fallen behind or whatever is good, but.
Right is the end goal.
So.
Well, that's a that's a really good stopping point.
(42:44):
So we'll go ahead and leave it with that and we'll make sure to include all your contact
info.
Again, folks can get a hold of you on Facebook at campus kite designs or on Instagram.
And if they're feeling really edgy, they can always try and reach you through here at the podcast
because you guys are frequent attendees and co contributors to the sport kite podcast.
(43:10):
So.
All right, you guys got any very last parting words before I go ahead and move on.
Thank you.
Thanks.
Thank you.
We've had.
It was in my eyes the launch that we did on Monday.
I was worried.
Is this actually going to happen?
(43:30):
And we've had a very nice response through social media, through orders.
So it's reassuring that what we're doing is is the right thing.
Yeah.
Piggy backing off of that.
It was a little nuts.
It's no secret that my confidence tends to be a little low.
And a lot of I got a lot of calls.
(43:52):
I got texts for people that I haven't heard of in a long time saying, like, you know, we're
so glad that you're coming into your own.
Like, we support you.
We're thrilled.
We know how much you know, this matters and bubble block.
You know, we're really looking forward to it.
I did not see that coming.
I just kind of happy to like cool another kite company.
(44:13):
Like, let's see how this goes.
And I knew people were excited, but yeah, it was really nice.
And it also it pushes us both like we talked about it.
It makes it a bit more personal in a good way.
And it's, I think it's just going to keep the bar where it should be.
So the bar where it needs to be.
(44:33):
Yep.
So that's, that's good.
I'll tell you that's all you can ask for.
Doesn't matter what you're doing.
So anyways, that's that.
Yep.
Thank you to the people.
Yay, people.
Thank you, everyone for listening to this episode of the sport kite pod.
(44:55):
Don't forget to hit that subscribe button.
And we'd love it if you shared this with your friends, family and anyone else.
You know that might be interested in sport kite flying or actually kite flying in general.
So we hope to be bringing you something new every week.
And we're gathering your questions together and bringing them to the crew or to other experts
(45:17):
to discuss on future episodes.
So if you have something you would like to ask or you're just kind of wondering about
something sport kite related or even just kite related, go ahead and send us an email
at info@sportkite.org.
We would love to hear from you.
By the way, if you like what you've heard here and you'd like to see it continue, consider
(45:37):
becoming a supporter, go to buymeacoffee.com/sportkite.
Thanks for listening and let's get out there and get to flying.
[Music]
25 years?
20-21.
Yeah, the long time.
I got involved with Skyburner Kites about 2011.
I was always kind of helping them doing some modding,
dialing things in, et cetera, on other prototypes
then I got into the design aspect of the solace around then
in 2011.
(02:52):
And that's kind of been where I find myself
to be the happiest in Kiting is the design and the nuts
and the bolts and all that fun stuff.
And that being said, I work with John on a lot of stuff,
obviously in Canvas, but the design aspect, the media,
the bright als, et cetera, those will all come from me.
(03:14):
And John, of course, will be literally doing all of the building.
So--
Awesome.
So when did you guys kind of come up with this idea
to start out on your own with a sport kite building?
Oh, geez.
(03:35):
We talked about it for a while.
And it was kind of one of those things
that was way off in the distance.
And then it just kind of came to fruition, almost out of nowhere.
Devon was-- and Devon correct me if I'm wrong--
was with John and Mary and Treple of Skyburner and Kites
(03:58):
and Fun Things when we were working on some of the intention
prototypes and they kind of suggested, hey, why don't you guys just
do it?
And we kind of took it in random.
Yeah, we had talked about it.
So back when the spur was a thing, if anyone looks around on the inner--
(04:19):
Still is.
Well, yeah, like, sorry.
Like when it was being developed.
Yes, as it was being birthed, which is kind of a gross term.
But we--
I had sewn the first prototype, the blue and black one,
that's all over the Facebook world.
And then John had come in, give or take, about a week after that.
(04:43):
And at this point, you were sewing a bunch.
And we had a bunch of time in the pandemic.
And he had come over to my place for about a week.
We had sewn six, five, I think.
Yeah, quite a few of them.
And it was kind of a nice match because I
tend to be a bit of a fundamentalist and very rigid.
(05:03):
And everything needs to have something for a reason.
And John was like, very like, what's just do it and open-minded.
And I think actually that started with even just being ambitious with picking colors.
And then we got the spurs done.
We took them to the shop.
And they actually thought, John and Mary had originally were thinking we were going to go
off on our own.
(05:24):
We didn't want to because they're basically our kind parents at that point.
And then they had manufactured the spur for that year.
And we had obviously had a lot of other things being
more done at the same time.
And then when we did come to them, the intention was actually supposed to be a surprise for them,
(05:44):
which didn't go very well.
John was going to golf one day and ended up being on the same kite field that we were
with a sleet of kites.
And we were like, it was dark.
It was.
Like we were testing these kites and this was what November, maybe December.
(06:09):
And it was like seven o'clock.
It was dark.
We're flying under the lights next to a dog park and it up walks John Treniple.
And I look at Dev and I'm like, you've got to be kidding me.
What is he doing here?
Yeah.
At Mary and at this point, she knew that it was going to be a surprise.
Like they were all on board for it.
But ultimately, yeah, they suggested and they were very much behind it.
(06:33):
Just us standing on our own, you feel as times change and as things go on.
And obviously we thank them a lot for that.
At first, it kind of felt really weird.
Yeah, there was a part of it that, at least on my part, I was a little hesitant because I didn't
(06:53):
want to disrespect them, going out on an own like that.
And then to have them turn and say, why don't you guys do this?
It felt good.
It was nice.
The element of trust was good.
And we obviously trust them.
I'd always both of them for various reasons, obviously.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Any, any Kiter, that should be a staple name, the Treniples and Kites and Fun things and
(07:16):
Sky Shark.
So to be kind of raised, if you will, under that tutelage and that guidance and also
that standard standard for sure is a lot.
And I realize that Kiting is a small niche, but like just that standard in general is a lot,
(07:39):
but to have them say, like, you know, you should, you know, do it, go out on your own, it
was reaffirming in that essence because I don't think this would have happened if we weren't
at that point.
So anyways, it was crazy.
Some of it was intentional, no pun intended.
(07:59):
Some of it was a hilarious, are you kidding me?
But ultimately we knew that as times changed, like, like the new generation, like someone's
got to step up and we've got to get new younger blood into the sport at the same time, you
know, like, you have to at one point, you know, like, the older generation gives us all their
(08:24):
expertise and is very open with their knowledge and very generous.
They still are, again, some of them basically helped raise me, but then there comes a time
where you have to, you can either just take that knowledge and keep it and be able to
maybe a little selfish or you can give it back.
(08:44):
And that's where we are.
Yep, insert canvas.
Nice.
All right.
So what's with the name?
Why did you guys pick canvas kite designs?
What story do you want?
(09:06):
There's three.
But see, there's the sport kite podcast.
So it doesn't have to be PG 13 if it's not.
Oh, yeah, that's fine.
There's no like canvas loin cloths and like, there's none of that.
Hey, I'm advocating that would be great merch for later on.
And just loin cloth and the sport kite, you know, song loin cloth with pockets, a thong
(09:33):
for like, look like a 50 pound laser pro right in the bomb crack.
No.
Like, so that contract.
Sorry, honey.
So my side of it was in the design process.
(09:53):
We kind of always started with a blank canvas.
We didn't we dev in didn't really look at anything.
Yeah, yeah, there's inspiration and other stuff, but, you know, nothing was like, I want
it to do that like that kite does.
It was very much what start from scratch.
(10:13):
Let's start with a blank canvas and go from there to to the point where we were working
on a design on some paper and he was like, why don't we call it canvas?
I'm like, okay.
And that was that was tabled for the time being.
I think it's now codename Herman in my computer.
(10:35):
But that's kind of how I see it.
You know, we started on the blank canvas side of things and the art person will take the
artistic side of things and explain hopefully the side.
Kind of tapping into my fundamentalist nature like when you build and are inspired by so
(10:57):
many people and also have people that trust you to share information and for you to share
information with them.
Like, yeah, I didn't really have a goal for any of these when I started.
It was kind of like, okay, I want different personalities.
And instead of thinking like, I want to kite that as everything or this or that and the other
(11:18):
I said, well, I want it a little bit.
I want it to have this feature and then that influence whether that's like the leading
edge shape, the trailing edge shape, the peaks in the trailing edge, the broad seamy eventually
the depth.
The bridles were always a given.
I kind of had a, I guess you could say it was like a fuzzy barrier because you can't,
(11:39):
if you start something with no goal at all, it could be a little hairy.
But yeah, so we did that and then ultimately it was very clear that because of the fuzzy
boundaries, we needed three, three kites with three different personalities and we were
working on and still are kind of like a beginner kite.
(12:00):
And at one point, we toggled between the name canvas and shape shifter in Herman and which
is now Herman.
And the point was to be able to take a kite with various frames or bridles and you can
keep the sale but have a setup that was so good or so efficient or whatever you want to
call it that you could order a different frame set or something like that and you could see
(12:23):
how the various differences in the equipment worked hence the name shape shifter.
I guess you could call it feel shifter but that's also maybe a little awkward.
That's so freebie.
Yeah, so we don't like that.
Stay away from that.
And we went back and forth through a couple hundred names.
Oh my goodness.
Way more than that.
Yeah, and we always joke saying the name would be it literally in front of our face and
(12:49):
it was in front of our face.
It was it was rolling under the couch.
Yep, well, under our face.
So but there's that and then like John said, you know, you're starting with the blank canvas
and ultimately with my philosophy and how would I take very seriously and kiteing
and progression both this and how it was influenced through my line of work being a classical musician
(13:11):
and at one point a college teacher.
I wanted to do you know have something basically just say like here's your tool, here's your
piece of equipment like the sky or whatever you want to conceive it as like is your canvas
like go do it up.
These kinds will do whatever you need them to but you need to know how you work.
(13:35):
And you need to be deliberate and intentional again, no pun intended.
There's a reason why I named the kite intention.
That's another reason.
So that that words going to come up a lot just just in my vocabulary.
But you need to know what to do and where to place them.
And then again, you can you can make this blank canvas, whatever you want.
It's lit the sky's the limit in this case, the sky's the sky.
(13:57):
But you know what I mean?
Sky's the like.
So very short answers to that.
Yes.
Whoops.
So the too long didn't read answer is it comes from blank canvas and your thought process
there and her man and her man.
(14:19):
Yeah.
We love her man.
Old her man.
All right.
So right now you guys have three models, the crux, the spur and the intention.
What makes each one of those models unique or special?
So like what are some characteristics that make them different from other kites?
(14:43):
Oh, you I got the designer.
I got the pointer the finger.
I was going to say the finger, but that's weird.
So there's three distinct personalities in this.
One of them will come with a short story.
I'll try to keep it short.
All of the names obviously mean something spur to like be spurred on or to have a spur
(15:04):
of motivation that crux or in this case like the cornerstone, which is actually a name
that we toyed with for the kite.
That is this going to fall in the fun category.
And the intention is basically a kite that reflects the lessons of one of the most influential
people in my life.
I actually have the word intent tattooed on my arm from her.
(15:29):
So I think it's really important in a line that a line is a line, right?
It's not theme and variations.
Yes, they're all dual lines, but in this case they need to have three distinct personalities.
Otherwise, why would there be three?
Right?
Like why wouldn't there just be one?
Updated if you will.
(15:50):
So the spur is the small kind of fireball of the group.
Reasonably deep pitch.
It's a trick kite.
It is a three quarter kite.
It's fairly shallow for kites around this time.
So it can be very spinny, not oversteer like flat spinny, lots of tazas, multiple tazas,
(16:13):
etc.
Moderate pull.
For those that like the three point bridal, it has that feeling of connection between all
three legs, all that fun stuff.
And one of the other reasons why I wanted to make these kites different is that the spur
has straight tubes in the leading edges, which we'll get to in a second.
(16:34):
The next one is the crux, which I won't lie to you in that.
It came across as a joke.
We were kind of drawing it up and we were like, what if this is going to be like the most
hilarious, like just fun kite that we've done?
And that actually became the goal.
Yeah, that became the goal.
(16:55):
We laughed about it and as we were redrawing the plan for the second shape, we did various
things.
Whether that be moving, we moved the curve downward in the leading edge.
We changed the trailing edge peaks, some things like this, which ultimately impacted quite
a bit of the kite.
And that kite is actually kind of goes against my firm thoughts on kite.
(17:20):
This one is by far the most it's a riot.
Yeah, it's you can just go out and bang a crap out of it and have a good time.
The kite was my saving grace when I was developing these.
John would always call me or when he was here, I'd get really caught up on one detail.
And he's like, don't lose sight of what the crux gave you.
(17:42):
We would go fly the crux and just laugh.
Like it's hilarious.
It's by all means refined, but it's hilarious.
It's just good fun, good extreme fun.
And that kite does have an adjustable reverse turbo bridal to give it a, you know, if you don't
want to go too far out, you can dial it in.
(18:04):
But yeah, and then the intention is, oh, sorry, the crux is a full tapered frame, which distinguishes
a little bit from the spur.
And then the intention has the larger OD tubes in them.
So they're an itral line.
And that one was always, it kind of falls into what I take very seriously in kiteing.
(18:27):
And I want, I want to kite that forces me.
Not forces, but it is very deliberate in showing me where it's sweet spot is.
It'll do something.
Say you're doing a 540 and you don't hit the sweet spot.
The intention will do it.
But as you exit the trick, it'll kind of give you this little persona that's like, yeah,
(18:47):
you could have done that better.
Like, and it that was intentional, no pun intended.
Because you don't have to say no pun intended.
I was going to say you say that after every guy.
I feel so stupid saying it.
Yeah, just go.
It was intentional.
(19:09):
And I like this because when you're kind of egg don or spurred on into hitting the sweet
spot, that wasn't intentional.
That wasn't intentional.
No pun intended.
I hate you.
But when you're pushed into hitting that sweet spot, I think it kind of inadvertently forces
(19:30):
you to have a little bit of a higher standard for yourself and develop your eye, your hand,
or whatever.
And ultimately, for me, again, growing up, I grew up, I didn't go to a bunch of fighting
events.
I grew up around a kite shot where I was exploring various models and different people coming
in.
And I love all kinds of different kites and I respect all of their personalities.
(19:53):
And to have a kite that kind of coerces you into hitting its sweet spot helps you train
your eye and train your ear or your mind or whatever.
And to raise that bar into me, it's opened up my enjoyment and appreciation to all the
nuances in so many different kites.
(20:15):
Really just in the last year, year and a half, I think John can speak for this.
Both of us have been just about a year now.
Yeah, it's like, whoa, it has been a game changer.
Yeah, I mean, the intention, the best way, I guess, the line altogether, we've got our
(20:38):
three, we've got our fast little guy and then the crux in the middle, that's just, it's
a hoot.
And then we've got our elegant, refined intention.
And like Devon was saying, the intention likes the right touch, but it also is a kite that
very much gives back what you put into it.
(21:00):
If you're going to go out there and ham fisted around, it's going to ham fisted back.
But if you take that elegant approach to it and are gentle and talk nice to her and she'll
give you everything.
Well, you're meeting what it was built for for what it is.
And that goes back to, again, the lessons from my mentor on the horn.
(21:23):
Like when I was going through injury recovery, when you're talking about like, like the horn
will tell you when it's right in terms of the sound production, it will tell you where
things need to be, where the sweet spot of the note is, et cetera.
At this point, I couldn't feel anything.
My nerves were blown out and I had no choice but to listen as much as I didn't want to.
(21:44):
I wanted to like feel again.
And that sounds terrible, but it's true.
Like actually feel again.
So when I had that kind of moment there, I was like, man, like how, like what a profound
experience that was.
And from that point on, I had been looking for something in the sky that in the words of
(22:07):
wisdom, my mentor enables you to go out and simply just present your preparation in the way
that you can.
And for me, that was the intention, which is why it's named after her.
Like I always say is that we need to turn, you know, you need to turn your nerves when you're
presenting this, you turn your nerves into intent.
(22:27):
And the second we finished the spur, I looked at John and said, I want to do a, I want to do
a grand addy kite and that's the name.
And we just looked at it and said, okay.
Yeah, thank God it didn't turn out to be a full size spur.
Oh.
That was the original plan was let's blow up the spur and go from there and we got so much
(22:47):
more out of starting this kite at ground zero than we would have if we just blew up the
spur and it went that route.
There's a place for theme and variations and that might come down the road, but right now
it's not the place.
Yeah, it's, I don't, honestly don't know if we could have gotten more out of this kite.
I don't think so.
(23:09):
You know, through the various versions, you know, we, look how I have in my prototype
box, what, 10 sales easily at least and then drafts in my computer, probably 15 and in
those 15, those are raw probably changed at least 20 times.
(23:33):
Yep.
So I mean, it was a labor of love for sure, but it 100% worth it.
So we're in good.
So, ask me that again after I finished sewing the first batch, but certainly, certainly
great.
So speaking of your first patch, right now you guys are offering fully customizable colors.
(23:59):
Is that for all three kites?
It is.
Yeah.
So all three kites have a full custom option.
The intention has two custom options, a partial where you can just kind of change the
stock colors, if you will.
There's a light and a dark option for that and then a full blown custom option that you
(24:22):
can do as you please.
And I've already seen some interesting ones from Devon that I will never make.
I know all the colors.
He doesn't like to put together.
Yes.
So I just had fun.
But yes, full customs across all across the line are available and in all versions in our
(24:48):
ultra light standard standards and they are available.
I know with some previous boutique filters, they kind of had a right over refusal when it
came to certain color combinations or layouts or what have you.
Are you guys implementing a policy like that or are you just saying, or this is what you pick?
(25:12):
This is what you get.
Is the best answer probably?
Okay.
I understand why some of these other designers and really wanted to go that route.
Hence the partial customs.
That was a big thing for me.
(25:32):
I really wanted to be able to have the intentions look like intentions.
And you know, after talking with some good people in the community, you know, with both Devon
and I, they pushed us and rightfully so to do full customs.
And at this point, I won't flat out refuse anybody.
(25:54):
I don't think unless it's a color that I don't have or am waiting on.
But other than that, I may make suggestions, but I'm not going to flat out say no, I don't
think.
And my one is just like, just bad.
Oh, Jesus.
(26:18):
We inherited in our house, a kite from one of Paul's previous endeavors that we jokingly
call the brown one.
No, we call this one the Sherbert.
Oh, my God.
It is one of those designs today.
Yeah, it's like flamingo pink orange and yellow all together.
(26:40):
Oh, yeah.
Crypto white.
So that's exactly.
Yeah, that's very similar to the Paul's cross.
Yeah, yeah, but it's right.
Right, right.
All together, they all blend together.
You can't see the difference.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's personal preference.
(27:02):
That's not for me.
I like something that stands out.
So in the line of customization stuff, right now, the three models you have, they're all
considered standard, correct?
Or are they ultra light or where do they fall in that kind of model range?
Two versions of each.
We have a standard of an ultra line ultra light in each model.
(27:25):
Yep.
There's a super ultra light crux in development that should knock on wood be done with the next
couple of weeks.
And there's also a vented intention that we're dabbling with because there's there's a need
for a vented kite.
Yeah, so I'll bring the knife next week.
Yeah, and feel free to say you don't want to give away trade secrets, but as far as venting,
(27:51):
are you going to be doing it with the traditional mesh or the holes in the kite or we select
the animals?
We really don't know.
Yeah, whatever is most effective for the kite, we've talked about both certainly.
And I've ordered some samples of different meshes and just trying to see what might work
(28:14):
best, but ultimately it's right now.
It's a laying the kite down on the ground with a knife and hacking it to pieces to figure
out what's best.
And, you know, fully, it's, I don't, if there's an exact science to venting, nobody's telling
anybody.
Yep.
So it's what we think and where we think it'll be most effective.
(28:38):
And first version, we are kind of close.
Yeah, I mean, it was trickable.
Well, the high wind tricks and it was manageable in terms of pull up up to 30.
And there are pictures and videos, if you look hard enough, online of it.
And pictures of the bridal, like, properly supporting the frame or efficiently supporting
(28:59):
the frame.
And it's just nitros and we, but with Holi2O fiberglass, we're all for standoffs.
So it, whatever it will come out, it, it'll come out when we think it's reached its, you
know, yeah, we're not, we're not going to release anything that isn't right.
(29:23):
Yep.
So I mean, to, to the point where tights will not leave my house if I'm not confident in
them.
Nice.
So I mean, I think that goes with, I mean, it's the cover lucky, it goes with a lot of
the kind of community as a whole.
And that, that standard, and in essence makes us all better.
(29:47):
So if we can contribute to that, then hot damn, you know, yeah, you guys are both nodding
and staring off the corner of the straights out of the house.
There are some of the profounders too.
Yeah, I'm thinking about, you know, how, like little things like that, they, they do kind
of hold the community to a higher standard and elevate it.
(30:12):
Even if it's kind of low key, elevating it and, and very passively.
So I definitely appreciate, appreciate that.
Yeah, it's, no, sorry, go ahead.
It doesn't help that I'm a perfectionist too.
So there will be a time at some point if I shoot you a note and say, hey, your order is
(30:33):
delayed.
It's probably because I had to read it to say, 'cause I wasn't happy with it.
I'm sure it'll happen at some point.
I hope it never does because I hope I'm perfect all the time, but it's, let's be real.
Yeah, that's a standard.
I hope I'm perfect all the time.
I mean, you've seen me fly.
Yeah, in a wacky shack in two weeks.
(30:53):
Yeah, right.
Yeah, no, it's, it's good.
His, if it's any consolation, we have to call each other as we're developing things on each
other's end.
So how we work is John gets kind of the final say if he wants to do something, whether
that's a different wingtip tensioning system or this, a better one, have you.
(31:15):
He says, hey, I'll send you a sale.
I want to try this.
I will respond to him saying, you know, this, those are, does not fall in line with things,
like ultimately he's going to have the final say on the build and I'm going to have the final
say on design.
The beauty of that is is that we're playing to each other's strengths and, you know, he
(31:36):
wants to learn to design more and I want to learn to build more when I like, you know,
get this bloody degree done and keep working like I am.
It would be great to have like a real studio and get more into that.
So again, this goes back to what we're talking about with the standards in other parts
of the community.
We're like a pretty good, very blunt team.
(32:00):
But yeah, so that's kind of how that, that whole thing works, which is pretty nice.
All right.
So knowing we're kind of still in post pandemic restrictions, getting lifted and everything's
kind of up in the air as far as kite events and travel.
(32:20):
I know you guys can't really lock down this question or give a very definitive answer.
But when it comes to people maybe seeing one of your kites in person or getting their hands
on it and getting to fly one, what are some opportunities that are coming up that they
might be able to chat with you guys or get their hands on one of your kites?
(32:46):
Nine township next weekend for sure, two rivers, Labor Day, Al Goma, Al Goma the week before
Labor Day was constant.
There's been talk of Whiskiff and kite party, but we cannot confirm or deny that.
I'm a sucker for kite party.
(33:07):
I was going to go before good old Rona shut down the world.
Do you get your ticket bought and everything?
I did.
I actually didn't get refunded for them, which was terrible.
But I really want to go, that vibe is just so much like where I excel, just it's a nerd
vibe.
(33:27):
Yeah, they're, where can we talk about going a while ago?
Was it wildwood?
I mean, obviously we could go this year.
Yeah, well, it was this weekend.
Yeah, so there are plans.
We need to get out, I mean, we want to get out of the Midwest.
We're both in the Midwest.
Evans and Michigan and I'm in Iowa.
(33:50):
I spent some time on the West Coast last year with a spur, a little bit kind of touring
around.
Nick, you saw it and Paul saw it a couple others, but we need to get out to some coast and let
people with, with happy wind fly it.
Yep, Midwest wind is angry.
Yep.
There are plans, but we can't really give you a clear picture because God knows the world
(34:15):
could change tomorrow.
Yeah, and on the talk to us side of things were currently very, very available.
Shoot us a Facebook message, email, whatever.
Devon can speak to flight and design a heck of a lot better than I can.
You know, if you have build questions or or ham fisted questions, I can help you with those.
(34:41):
Yep.
Like for, for, for, yeah, for example, like for lion township coming up June, 5th and 6th,
a group of people are coming in from out of town.
So I'm meeting one with John on Thursday at the shop.
We're going to go to dinner and then we're going to split some time on the field, both
teaching and also filming for the lion.
(35:03):
We're going to get, um, great crew coming in.
I'm organizing like a big dinner, which is kind of like dinner as well.
Kind of like a, you know, go to the shop if you're coming in on Friday, get what you need,
hint in their great people and they have great stuff.
So go do it.
(35:24):
Um, kites and fun things.
Yeah, and then we're all going to either meet them at the shop or meet at a brewery
right next to the venue.
Um, and we're going to fly on Friday night and then I am doing and asking me anything kind
of clinic format Saturday night into a night fly.
Um, so that's obviously day after Friday and then Sunday, we're just going to be around
(35:44):
until people are not a question.
Whether that is flying, whether that's, yeah, we don't intend on really going anywhere
until it's, until it's all done.
Yep.
So if we have to get up early and like I'm, for example, I have to teach a summer intensive
for music this summer, like, if I have to get up early, which I will at four or five o'clock
and do prep, prep, yeah, and prep believe it.
(36:07):
Eight, this is what I usually do in johns here.
Then whatever.
I mean, there's people that open Starbucks at four.
What the, why is it a problem?
Nick, you're up at like three o'clock and jumping in icy lakes and lifting heavy things.
Yep.
Yep.
I wake up about three, 45 very morning.
Yeah.
Like you do what you got to do.
(36:28):
It's not even, it's, it's not that question.
You just kind of do it.
Yeah, and very much to Devon and I are on being available and open and honest and all that,
but it's also part of part of kind of our, what, what canvases too.
Like we're here to give back to the community.
(36:48):
We don't, I mean, I'm not going to flat out give you the blueprint to scale, but you know,
it's we're going to be there to talk to you, to listen to you and, and help you along the
way.
And I know why you're laughing, Devon.
Yeah, I just sent it to her too.
I know.
So we want to be open.
(37:12):
We want to be available.
Yeah, life will happen at some point and work might get in the way of me answering your
message within five minutes, but what I usually do, I'm usually typically very responsive
and that's just who I am.
And we want to be able to be open to answer questions and, and how people out in their
(37:34):
guiding journey or, or life journey or whatever may have it.
So what's the best way for folks to contact you?
I mean, I, you guys are regulars on the sport guide podcast, but if they wanted to contact
Canvas kite designs, go ahead and plug where they can find you, your website, your Facebook,
all that of the good stuff.
(37:55):
Yeah, I do take pigeons, although my cats may not.
Oh, yeah.
Facebook is probably going to be the quickest through our Canvas kite designs page on Facebook.
Also through our website, our email is on there in foletcampuskitedesigns.com.
Devon and I both have access to all of those.
(38:17):
So, you know, if, if I see an email come through and I don't know the proper answer, I'll
say, hey, can you respond to this?
Um, vice versa.
So, uh, typically outside of once we're signing our emails, you know, who it's from, but
Facebook will be the quickest response would be my guess.
(38:38):
We do have an Instagram too, which I check frequently.
But Facebook messaging is, is going to be the quickest, in my opinion.
Are you guys going to have a YouTube channel with videos and stuff like that?
Um, to be determined.
We're not sure if we're going to make a separate channel like we might just put it online
(39:01):
because there's a bunch of kairas that have already like subscribed to me.
And there's some a lot of arts colleagues that are actually interested, which I'm kind
of excited about.
So yeah, we're not sure.
We are going to film or try to film with multiple different cameras and some tripods in the
next couple weeks.
(39:22):
I need to get a slot machine video is like a rough tutorial for a good friend on the West
Coast and he'll give me some feedback and we'll see what, you know, what that kind of looks
like and how much time it takes because being separated, uh, when, whether I'm living
(39:42):
in Wisconsin or Madison, with, with, with, with, with, with, at the time, um, at
still hike from Iowa, so getting together and hoping for the proper wind and all that
is we need to make sure that we know what's going on with time cables.
So yeah, we have some, I do have an agenda for next week.
So yeah, he told me to write out an itinerary and he got a big old email this morning.
(40:04):
Yep.
That four o'clock.
Thank you.
There's that early thing.
But yeah, we have plans and I know there's, there's so many people that just say we have plans,
right?
Like, so ultimately you can believe it or not.
Like when it comes out, you can decide for yourself.
There's not really another way to say it.
(40:26):
So yeah.
YouTube channel.
I, I would like to, but it takes away from time building rights.
Correct.
And yeah, I feel you know, it does.
And if you know you want your kites this year, I suppose we might have to table that for
now.
All right.
Well, if we do get video, you know, either from sport kite camp or something else, we'll
(40:52):
definitely put it out on sportkite.org and help promote you guys.
Yeah.
I mean, we're absolutely going to film when I'm in town next week.
So there will be filming done.
I post a snippet of the cruxie other day and Devon's posting some snippets of.
Of spurs and.
(41:13):
There was an intention it would be nice to.
Yeah, it'd be nice to put a full full video out there.
Yeah.
Kitty.
Stewart.
Hi, kitty.
Glad to listen.
The cat just walked across the screen.
(41:34):
Yeah, sometimes we forget this because we're doing this either in person over or over a video
conferencing that our listeners can't actually see us nodding our heads or cats walking across
the screen.
So if you can imagine a one eyed cat walking in front of me, you've got it.
(41:58):
Yep.
But yeah, I don't know.
Well, we'll see where all of this goes.
Ultimately, just like the vented intention and everything else like.
It needs to be right before it goes out and right is a relative term.
It's going to change as standards change or the market or.
(42:21):
Whatever.
So yeah, I don't necessarily know if a timeline is.
Healthy.
I think maybe a projected timeline for further assessment down the road of like, okay,
we've either gotten ahead or fallen behind or whatever is good, but.
Right is the end goal.
So.
Well, that's a that's a really good stopping point.
(42:44):
So we'll go ahead and leave it with that and we'll make sure to include all your contact
info.
Again, folks can get a hold of you on Facebook at campus kite designs or on Instagram.
And if they're feeling really edgy, they can always try and reach you through here at the podcast
because you guys are frequent attendees and co contributors to the sport kite podcast.
(43:10):
So.
All right, you guys got any very last parting words before I go ahead and move on.
Thank you.
Thanks.
Thank you.
We've had.
It was in my eyes the launch that we did on Monday.
I was worried.
Is this actually going to happen?
(43:30):
And we've had a very nice response through social media, through orders.
So it's reassuring that what we're doing is is the right thing.
Yeah.
Piggy backing off of that.
It was a little nuts.
It's no secret that my confidence tends to be a little low.
And a lot of I got a lot of calls.
(43:52):
I got texts for people that I haven't heard of in a long time saying, like, you know, we're
so glad that you're coming into your own.
Like, we support you.
We're thrilled.
We know how much you know, this matters and bubble block.
You know, we're really looking forward to it.
I did not see that coming.
I just kind of happy to like cool another kite company.
(44:13):
Like, let's see how this goes.
And I knew people were excited, but yeah, it was really nice.
And it also it pushes us both like we talked about it.
It makes it a bit more personal in a good way.
And it's, I think it's just going to keep the bar where it should be.
So the bar where it needs to be.
(44:33):
Yep.
So that's, that's good.
I'll tell you that's all you can ask for.
Doesn't matter what you're doing.
So anyways, that's that.
Yep.
Thank you to the people.
Yay, people.
Thank you, everyone for listening to this episode of the sport kite pod.
(44:55):
Don't forget to hit that subscribe button.
And we'd love it if you shared this with your friends, family and anyone else.
You know that might be interested in sport kite flying or actually kite flying in general.
So we hope to be bringing you something new every week.
And we're gathering your questions together and bringing them to the crew or to other experts
(45:17):
to discuss on future episodes.
So if you have something you would like to ask or you're just kind of wondering about
something sport kite related or even just kite related, go ahead and send us an email
at info@sportkite.org.
We would love to hear from you.
By the way, if you like what you've heard here and you'd like to see it continue, consider
(45:37):
becoming a supporter, go to buymeacoffee.com/sportkite.
Thanks for listening and let's get out there and get to flying.
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