Three line bar system for Blade 4.9

[cave_raver]

In case anyone is interested I finally managed to get my blade working on a three line bar system at the weekend and it is excellent!

 

I originally wanted to try using a bar instead of handles and then progress to kitesurfing. However the cost was astronimical for my pocket. I therefore moved to research, improvisation, skip diving, general scavenging and now I'm at trial and error. Next comes improvements!

 

I have used a 900mm x 28mm piece of dowling which is so much better than 700mm I tried first of all. Best to start big and then trim to size.

 

Letting go of the bar slackens the power lines bringing the brakes on and the kite falls cleanly out of the sky. To reverse launch involves letting go of the bar or pulling the ONE brake line.

 

Admittedly dowling is not the strongest of materials but until I can get a proper bar I will be strengthing it. I may also get a crossover kit for each of my machines which should allow a shorter bar.

 

I can now fly one handed or even no hands at all with a harness. I have copied the chicken loop quick release from the kitesurfing world so that I am not part of the system if I'm in a 'get out quick situation'.

 

Next attempt will be with a board and then water. Woohoo!

 

My sources:-

 

http://www.downhaul.com/kites/030112/

 

and

 

http://kitesurfingschool.org/board.htm

 

CR

[cave_raver]

[power10_4_now]

Sounds like a good effort mate (let us know how it turns out)

 

Just be cearful with the dowling - Can snap pretty unexpectedly!!!

[Greenman]

Hi am doing my B3 now as we speek am doing the brake lines all yje way down to the bar then to one line . apart from the drag factor on the line one big so more drag 2 thinner dut 2 so more drag do u no of any other differences that u no off. thanks for any help u can offer

 

GREENMAN

[cave_raver]

I've had the same thoughts about the dowling and I think I may be replacing it at some point

 

Concerning the lines, from what I have seen when flying mine on the bar, the brake line is always slack. Even when jumping. Whereas on handles the brake lines often support you on the way down. Therefore I think it is possible to get away with having one standard strength brake line thereby minimising drag. Besides once this summer wind situation improves there'll be so much breeze that drag won't be an issue!

 

If I suffer from a broken line (and anything else) with this setup I'll be sure to be lamenting about it on here and everyone can laugh at my stupidity.

 

CR

[9thLayer]

I've just set up my lines the same :

 

control bar

3-line setup (brake lines joined by Y-shape & threaded through

hole in centre of bar to a 'de-power loop)

 

I also have a piece of rope making a 'strop' to connect me to the

hook on my harness.

 

When holding the bar, the loop is around my wrist so if the kite inverts i can put the kite up the right way by pulling on the loop !

 

Only problem is : Sometimes, when launching the kite inverts .

But once the kite is in the air, control is perfect.

 

I can't understand this as both the power lines are of equal length & the 3rd line (brake) is not too tight when this happens.

 

Any tuning tips ?

 

Blade II 3m

[ExtreemDude]

i tryed this and it failed badly. Do u need to have a X-over kit on ?because mine didnt. It flew fine on 2 line. But as soon as i connected the breaks and put then on the depower line running through my bar it went crazy.!!!!! when i launched it it turned left and when i turned the bar right the left went very very slack and the right tight and it all spann and fell down !!!!!!!! wht the hell is going onnnnn .

 

My lines are all the same length and it flyes ace on 4 line handles. I cant work out whats wrong !!!!!! help!!!

[9thLayer]

2 start with, on the 3rd line -

 

The knot on the riderside needs to be in the right place so that when the knot/stopper is pulled against the bar the 3rd line is loose enough so that the brakes are not being pulled (if they are then the kite will spin/invert)

 

Thing is, My brake lines are NOT being pulled but still sometimes the kite inverts on takeoff (only sometimes) with slack brakelines ?????????

 

When i pull this line manually it spins (which is correct)

Most of the time the kite launches ok but i can't work out why my setup can be 'fussy' when all the lines seem to be tuned correctly ?

[9thLayer]

I think i have the answer,

 

Go to :

 

http://freespace.virgin.net/enri.ght/page16.html

 

There is a pic of a closeup of the pully

 

The line that connects the L & R brakes & threads through the pully has a loop in it, Causing the tension on the L & R brakes to always be equal.

 

My setup does not have this, so sometimes when my kite inverts for no reason : It's probably becouse the tension is not equal on the brake lines ......................

 

I'll try it tomorrow !

[AliB]

wot du u do wiv the brakeline bridles if ure flyin on 2 line

[9thLayer]

The L & R brakeline bridles are connected to a piece of line (2-3 metres) which is threaded through a pully,

 

The pully is then connected to a brake line (creating a Y-setup)

 

The brakeline is then connected to about 1 metre of leader which is threaded through the hole in the centre of the bar

 

A loop is made in the leader, to put around your wrist.

 

Voila !

 

Now you can depower the kite or just correct an invert just by moving your wrist............

 

Have a look at : http://freespace.virgin.net/enri.ght/page16.html

 

I think i've sorted out the prob. i had with it but i'll have to wait till tomorrow to try it out.

[Seratoga]

Originally posted by bob10

wot du u do wiv the brakeline bridles if ure flyin on 2 line

 

 

You could always attach some nice streamers to them.

[9thLayer]

Some what ?

[8015]

I've been trying to get my head round this and as far as i can tell what you guys have produced isn't proper depower. All we are doing (my waterfoil uses a similar setup) is applying the brakes, with a proper depower system the whole kite tilts forward and back to vary the power and speed properly rather than just spoiling the flight charactersitics.

 

Mee's website (search for it, he posts often enough!) has an excellent bit about converting a buster to depower - I don't think you could do that with most kites (certainly not my LD) without major modifications to the bridle, but it gave me a better understanding of how the tilting back and forward can be acheived.

 

Before anyone gets the wrong idea, i'm not saying these systems are a waste of time, quite the opposite it gives an essential safety system, I just think it's important that we understand that we aren't going to get the total flexibility of a frenzy or flysurfer. Hope the fine tuning goes well!

 

JIM

[9thLayer]

Yeah you're right , This isn't a proper de-power system (something like flexifoils VPS has this ability i'm told).

 

I think lots of people confuse this system with one, but it does act as a 'kite killer' & spin the kite back from an invert. which is fine by me.

 

In a fast wind it gives me that security of being able to kill the kite's power whenever i need to.

 

This may be a different story if i get myself a Peter lynn 'Guerilla' next year.

 

See i only have the one kite (Blade II 3M) and up until now i have just been into 'scudding' but now i'm using a sandboard so i'm up against control bars,de-power/chicken loops etc..........

[eLvIs PaRsLeY]

i have a similar set up on my 4.9 & it just gives u that peace of mind knowing that u can kill the kite dead when the wind starts getting hairy. when i flew on 2 lines it scared the carp outta me when it got too windy.

[tarzan]

I tried this 3line system too and it worked fine so far. All I need is to get the kite down when I want and launched when I want.

 

And what do you think, is there any sense to have "real" depower in kites under 5 meter? What would be the limit for you?

[cave_raver]

I wanted to put my Blade on a bar so that I could use it for kitesurfing. This system allows me to be attached to the kite, release when needed and kill it when things get too much. Above all I can now fly one handed when I need to. You're right, it is not a variable power system. Fitting one of those on my 9m this weekend and I can't wait!

 

I should stress to everyone that is having a go at this that you should be able to easily release yourself from the system under tension. DO NOT tie yourself in, the result can hurt.

 

Later dudes

 

CR