can i wear a harness with handles

[CraigH]

I am going to listen to the years of experience and I think I am going to upgrade from the barton block to a wichard with cones as many people have said the barton doesn't release well under pressure. Cheers Garry

[Foilman]

Theres a lot of sense being talked on page 2 of this thread.

 

This is the way to do it right - Ignore my harness - thats your own choice. but if you are going to hook in with a QR make sure its a Wichard of the type illustrated below. If its a pin release it will NOT come undone if its really loaded up.

 

Bear in mind also, that on handles, to release you have to let go with one hand. This means that if you are already in the air [likely...] you are going to fall. you may be better off riding it out & landing before pulling the safety!

 

http://www.howarths.eclipse.co.uk/bucket/qr_roller_strop.jpg

 

The bigger Wichards tend to work a bit better - they don't get clogged up with mud or sand so easily, and are easier to thread rope etc through. Mines home made with gell pen cone points, stopper balls & stainless bike brake cable. The handle strop stubs larks-head onto the ends of the blue cord you cant see in the pic.

 

If its gusty, leave this lot in the car!

[boat man]

I got it for £39 on ebay but if you do a google search for barton snatch block it should come up.

 

Sorry Guys have to agree with KiteBoyza this block / quick release is a bad idea. The reason being it is not designed to release under load (which is when you need it to release if you are in the sh!t). what you need is a whichard quick release snap shackle which is designed specifically to be releasable under load (Do a search on the forum and you will find loads of info on what to get).

 

Having said that as has been commented here unless you pull the damn thing soon enough no release system is quick enough. The number of times I have seen people (Including me) bounced all over the place before they even have time to think about the quick release you would not believe.

 

Oh and im not providing months of experience more like 15 years

 

 

 

Sorry to go against this bit but im a sailor and we use these blocks all over the boat and the whole idea is for them to reased underload if the boat is brouching (lieing right over in the water) and they work fine with loads that would if they held on to it would thrash them around like a rag doll

[Foilman]

Try hanging all your weight off a pin release shackle & giving the release a tug. Nothing will happen.

 

Now think what the forces will be if you are being lifted - or worse dragged through water - maybe 5 times your weight.

 

This is well documented - the forces on such a shackle in an emergency situation will make it lock up.

 

I have one with a bent arm which sort of proves my point. It no longer closes after the kite powered up while I was under water after stacking a jump.

 

But then - if you want so save yourself 30 quid at the risk of 6 months of a sore back - thats your choice I guess.

[boat man]

well anyway we use tham on yachts and they do fine and we havent had any bent arms even the one that holds one of the biggest sails on the boat about 200 square feet and they still release with out problem i suppose it does depend on the shackle but i think with those figures nobody can say there crap

[bradking]

i agree with boat man, its what theyre designed to do, ive hung off mine and it does release. The load put on them by sails is much greater than any kite will ever beable to do, unless youre buggying with one of peter lynns giants... No? Thought not.

[boat man]

You would probabley need about 100 of 10m kite surfing kites to match the weight of 1 sail ive almost been knocked over board by a sail and that was only on a dinghy but thats not really stupid my dad managed bizaly to get out in the river hoist the sale and realise that its upside down lol

[Goldie1599968717]

I fly a blade 4.9m mk3. I currently fly hooked in with a bit of climbing rope between the two handles which i then hook in to when flying with the hook on the spreader bar. Reading this post has made me think of getting a QR system just in case as i realise my way isn't the safest. Which QR system is the most sutiable for someone who boards/static flies. I am a bit confused by the differing advice given above. I used to fly my friends my 10mlei and never had a problem with the QR release on it not releasing even when jumping or body dragging. can't remeber what shackle it was lol

Goldie

[spooky]

hi

 

can i wear a harness while using handles for jumping

how do i kill the kite with a harness and how do i atache the kite to the harness?

I'm a bit confused about this thread, most of the advice given so far is correct, espcially about the shakles, some are quick release, some are designed for quick release UNDER LOAD.

NB True the non load ones may work, but they were not designed for that so can fail, espcially if they corrode (not rust but that build up of salt etc).

 

Also whech ever you get, if it comes with a wire sply ring to attach the grab tag, REPLACE IT!!! I have seen/expereinced these unfurle when you pull hard so your left with a locked shakel with no way of releasing. Normally happens when you need it the most

 

But the original question was "how do you kill the kite"? easy you apply the breakes

 

QR's are required when using any form of captive system, ie racing or freestyle, when there is no room for accidental release.

 

But for everything else just hooking into spreader bar is fine. I agree that if powered up that trying to apply breakes when unhooked is hard as all you can use are your wrists, and you normally only manage to drop the kite low enough to hit the power zone

 

But if hooked in, just slide your hands down to base of handles and pull, very very easy as you have more leverage plus your using your arms/shoulders to apply so alot more force

 

Killers? IMHO you should always have some way of prevnting your kite from effcting others, be it killers or a leash.

 

I'll accept the view that for some advanced riders that killers may get in the way or risk wrapping round wheels etc so do not use them, thats fine as they normally risk asses the conditions/locations. But also if they wipe out there first reaction is to kill the kite (as above) or control it rather than release, which does take some skill and presence of mind if turtled.

 

My only concern with the increase in captive systems/lack of killers, is for some of the less experinced kiters their first reaction on wipe out is to release the kite. Even on minor ones which IMHO is not really acceptable as putting others at risk, when your situation is not serious enough to warrent it re;easling?

To me releasing a kite should only be done as a last resort when the kiter is at great risk (and preferably once kite is on ground as all the do then is roll up) as that IMHO is the only time that you can put your self before others.

 

All other times you should be in control of your kite

So IMHO the 2 options are.

Non captive system is spread bar hook/roller, with killers.

Captive system with QR, with or with out killers but if with out shoudl have the skill to control kite in all but the serious wipe outs.

Is that fair??

NB I have soe pics some where of a captive system WITH killers that do not get in teh way as they run through seperat pull on the Shakle that does not get released, so automatically applies killers when the rest is released. I'll try and find them as works very well

 

Hope that helps,

 

Fly safe, Jon