Power Kite Forum

Building a depower bar

Seanny - 25-1-2011 at 05:00 PM

K, well, I decided to make a new thread. I discarded the idea of drilling my fixed bridle bar, and I now have enough spare parts to make a completely new bar (thanks guys!). I'm pretty sure I've done everything right... but I do have a few questions...

the one that's popping into my head right now is, where do the small metal rings for flagging the kite go? I had thought that one is attached to one front line leader, and then the flying line is passed through this ring and larksheaded onto another ring so they lock together, and the safety leash is then connected to the flying line ring. Yes? No?

BeamerBob - 25-1-2011 at 05:24 PM

You are correct. Make sure you end up with even length front lines after all your knots and rings. The kite has the think they are even and same length.

Kamikuza - 25-1-2011 at 05:24 PM

Yes.

Go to peterlynnkiteboarding.com and grab the Zero4 manual - should be detail in there about the setup ... I imagine you're doing the same thing.

The problem with the Zero4 bar (and to a lesser extent the Zero7) was that it wasn't spinnable without a special or canny spreader bar - the safety line doesn't go through the hole in the bar ...

Seanny - 25-1-2011 at 05:42 PM

So could I make a safety line and connect that to the flying line ring, then run it through the bar and connect it to the leash? Would that solve that problem?

tridude - 25-1-2011 at 05:46 PM

is this your strap?

http://www.oceanextremesports.com/kiteboarding-gear/kiteboar...


your leash should connect to your front line ring

Seanny - 25-1-2011 at 05:54 PM

@tridude
I lost you on the phone! Not sure what happened. I thought maybe your phone died or something because it went straight to your voicemail. That looks like it's it... kind of hard to tell... all I did was put the depower line through the pulley at the bottom and tied it off. The pulley serves no function that I can tell other than anchoring the depower line. At least on this bar... maybe it does something on the Airush bars.

Because part of my leader lines are made of parachord, they're slightly stretchy... so I tied the end knot about an inch short of 36". When stretched taught they're at 36 exactly. This is okay, right?

Seanny - 25-1-2011 at 05:57 PM

By the way, the chicken loop I'm using is a Zero 4 CL. It seems to work fine to me... pretty basic... anything I should be concerned about?

tridude - 25-1-2011 at 05:57 PM

sounds like youve got it and yes my cell died or the airport hf radios killed it.................................

Kamikuza - 25-1-2011 at 07:57 PM

The Zero4 and all those "pull a pin" CLs had a reputation for not releasing easily under high loads ... and being tough to grab the right loop and pull when the pooh hit the fan.

You can't put the safety line through the bar hole - when you pull the release, the bar will run up that line and then jam on the ring : the kite won't flag. Which is why the Zero4 bar had the safety going to the harness and NOT through the hole. Unless of course the hole is big enough to allow the hardware (rings) to go through ...?

I need pics to comprehend all this :lol:

tridude - 25-1-2011 at 08:54 PM

yes that what I told him on the phone.................pics would confirm what Im thinking is correct

Seanny - 25-1-2011 at 10:15 PM

I just want to keep it basic. It doesn't have to be the greatest bar in the world... it just has to be good enough to function properly :lol: Don, I got the trim strap figured out. As soon as I get the rings hooked on, I'm going to call this bad boy finished :thumbup:

Seanny - 26-1-2011 at 06:43 PM

DONE! As far as I know. I have everything rigged to Bobalooie's gold bar, not sure of the make. I also have a Slingshot Profire bar that I may use (hasn't come in the mail yet) and a Slingshot C kite bar that I haven't paid for yet... I'm still resolving that little issue... I took a pic, but my Bluetooth suddenly decided to stop working? So, can't transfer it from my cell phone to my laptop yet. I'll try later on with the desktop. It's a very, very simple rig. Now all I need is a safety leash... I connected a small Takoon CL to a Peter Lynn kite killer to improvise. I guess that'll work for now :wee:

erratic winds - 26-1-2011 at 07:25 PM

As far as I know the "profire" slingy bars are 2003-2005 era, not the best safety system but perhaps you can hack it into something better.

Seanny - 26-1-2011 at 07:47 PM

It's just the bar, nothing else. :) The chicken loop I'm using is a Zero 4 loop, which is not the best safety system either :lol:

Seanny - 26-1-2011 at 07:49 PM

Oh, and Profires were made until 2007 I think.

PHREERIDER - 27-1-2011 at 08:08 AM

the "stretchy" concerns me.

lay out the bar, take a pic full frame. bar all the way in, trim strap all the way out .

all straight and tidy.

bar end leaders and center line connects ALL should terminate equally in this position.

you need to able to REACH the slide on the center line above trim strap.

like this

this is actually a takoon bar, CL , and trim and sailing grade leaders and main

0115091305.jpg - 46kB

Seanny - 27-1-2011 at 08:12 AM

I can reach it. I made part of the leader lines out of parachord, and one is just slightly stretchier. When put under tension they're the exact same length; 36 in.

van - 27-1-2011 at 08:26 AM

What are you using this bar for? Reason I'm asking is each kite flags differently. Depending on the bridal (or lack of) , the kite will safely flag on the front line (how you got it now) or on the brake lines ( rings should be on one brake line then). Just be aware , especially if you plan to use it on a LEI type kite in the future with this bar.

Seanny - 27-1-2011 at 08:44 AM

No no, it's a 55cm bar I made for my Venom 13. No LEIs yet for me!

BeamerBob - 27-1-2011 at 09:20 AM

I'm concerned about your leader lines. It's my opinion that they should be maybe triple the strength of your lines which typically would be around 600 lb each, so 1800 lb test or better on your leaders. The paracord you chose might meet those requirements but maybe not. It's worth getting good stuff. Breaking one of these in a high pressure situation will mess up your day.

Seanny - 27-1-2011 at 09:22 AM

I believe it's 2000 lb parachord. I'll be finnnnneeeee :)