Power Kite Forum - Safety too short on new depower? (Pics)

Safety too short on new depower? (Pics)

IIWest - 24-4-2014 at 08:36 AM

I've just aquired a new (used) 10m ozone catalyst to be used for kiteboarding. I've been landboarding up and down the beach with a 3m 2-line for a while, so the depower control system is quite new to me. Looking at the control bar it seems the safety rope is too short (or the chicken loop cable is too long). It is quite perplexing. Any ideas?

Photos.
http://i57.tinypic.com/5oxoix.jpg
http://i60.tinypic.com/2rqy5qs.jpg

B-Roc - 24-4-2014 at 09:15 AM

I'm not familiar with that kite or what type of safety it uses but you seem to have taken a picture of the trimmer which adjusts the AoA and is not a safety feature. I assume that uses some kind of flagging or 5th line system in which case it can be short as you should have a longer leash to reach it.

Bladerunner - 24-4-2014 at 10:45 AM

Your picture is of the adjustable trim strap ?

Your issue isn't clear to me ? Are you confusing the terms " safety and depower " ?

The cleat that you show allows you to fine tune your Angle Of Attack = depower. It makes your center fly lines longer or shorter like you are doing with the bar. Short = minimal power, long = maximum. Typically people launch trimmed in and then add trim to suit the days wind.

Cleats are pretty fool proof ? Are you saying you can't adjust your trim because your cleat is stuck ?

Like B-Roc suggests that looks like a 5th line safety of some sort but the safety isn't in your picture.

Chrisz - 24-4-2014 at 10:46 AM

I think your 5th line safety is down at the chiken loop

DAKITEZ - 24-4-2014 at 12:10 PM

looks ok. The red ball at the upper swivel does not need to sit right on the swivel. When things tighten up the ball will be short from the swivel. That little line (5th line) will pull through the swivel and have plenty of slack.

MAybe this video will help a little.

RedSky - 24-4-2014 at 03:38 PM

I'm not familiar with the Ozone bar either so please correct me if I'm wrong but I think Chrisz is right.

The flagout line is on the chicken loop, thats where I'm sure your leash attaches to. The other end of your leash attaches to your spreader bar hook. Then in an emergency you pull the red safety tab on the loop and the kite is flagged out and retained.

The trim is above the bar. Do you have a leash IIWest ?

PHREERIDER - 24-4-2014 at 03:49 PM

must demo in tension or simulate tension. the flag line may be bungee type and be under tension slightly. it should spring to length or trim til proper setting.

some riders choke up slack on safety(shorten) for more manageable lines , in unhooked the safety line can bag out and a be hazard.

looks ok to me as well

bobsalinas - 24-4-2014 at 04:41 PM

As you saw on the video, that is a flag-out 5th line to totally depower the kite and it works.
I have a 5M frenzy with this set up, however there is a major drawback to this so called "safety"
Let us imagine you are hooked in on the beach crusin and get launched 10-15 foot high and eject
the main chicken loop. The kite will flag and you will drop like a rock and possibly get hurt. I broke my arm, cracked a vertebra, and tore my rotator cuff but the kite did flag out as it should have. Lots of guys out there love to get big air and do it well and I guess you have to decide for yourself if you be one of those guys. Good luck and be safe.

Bladerunner - 24-4-2014 at 04:58 PM

Nice answer Dino. The video makes it all clear.

In the video it looks like that bar is a 4 line flagging out on 1 front line safety line. It is just a nice neat set up that runs through the bar and connects below.

As mentioned, you NEED a leash for this system to work ! No leash in your picture ???

Red Flag !? Not everybody thinks a leash is part of an RTF kite sale.

RedSky - 24-4-2014 at 08:19 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bobsalinas

As you saw on the video, that is a flag-out 5th line to totally depower the kite and it works.
I have a 5M frenzy with this set up, however there is a major drawback to this so called "safety"
Let us imagine you are hooked in on the beach crusin and get launched 10-15 foot high and eject
the main chicken loop. The kite will flag and you will drop like a rock and possibly get hurt. I broke my arm, cracked a vertebra, and tore my rotator cuff but the kite did flag out as it should have. Lots of guys out there love to get big air and do it well and I guess you have to decide for yourself if you be one of those guys. Good luck and be safe.

Thats a good point made.
It may not always be obvious to those making the switch to kites with quick release safeties that they should only ever be activated once on the ground.

At least you know it flags out as it should.

IIWest - 25-4-2014 at 03:12 AM

Ahh, thanks guys. Video helped a lot. I didn't realise the flag-out cable was elastic. It looked like normal rope until I gave it a good pull. System is just a normal 4 line, with flagout on one of the main lines. I will make sure I don't release chicken loop in the air

Purely Luck - 6-5-2014 at 06:27 AM

Be careful with that 10m. It is a pretty big step up from a 3m. I would take it out in winds where it will barely fly so you can get the hang of it.

Also, buy a heavy duty anchor that you can screw into the ground and a heavy duty carabiner. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Vortex-16-in-Steel-Spiral-Folding...

The anchor can assist in self launching and landing.

To be honest, I feel like you are making too big of a kite leap. A 5m or 6m would be more appropriate.

PHREERIDER - 6-5-2014 at 06:38 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Purely Luck

To be honest, I feel like you are making too big of a kite leap. A 5m or 6m would be more appropriate.

kinda agree esp. with "control system is new to me " definitely go light air first maybe 10mph

@Bobsalinas

propylene22 - 8-5-2014 at 03:29 PM

Quote:

Bob,
Being lofted is the last situation that you would want to pull the flag out safety on any kite. You want to make use of the lift your kite provides to bring you down gently. Looping the kite overhead near apex will drop your altitude significantly. This pared with modulation of the the power at the control bar should bring you down in a much safer manner than instantly dropping yourself. Sorry to hear that you got hurt. I hope you have better luck in the future.