RussianGrizzly - 20-6-2009 at 05:04 AM
Hey!!
I got a really noob question here (probably cos Im a noob in kites). 
Anyway,
got myself a 4m power kite... The cheapish variety, no cool trademark or anything. Its a two liner, but the brake lines (the bottom ones) are always
completely slack. 
What's the poblem here can anybody tell me?
BeamerBob - 20-6-2009 at 05:08 AM
You say it has brake lines that are slack but that it is a 2 line kite. Those two can't go together. If it is indeed a 4 line kite and your brakes
are completely slack, you can shorten the brake lines or lengthen the top lines to get more response from the brakes which can enhance your turning
and help you land the kite (or keep it on the ground).
RussianGrizzly - 20-6-2009 at 05:15 AM
Yeah, I meant its a 4 line one. *blush*. Thanks a lot... How should I shorten them? :puzzled:
Kamikuza - 20-6-2009 at 05:33 AM
Welcome! 
What makes you think they're too slack? And what is your definition of too slack :D
You can shorten them at the handles easily - tie another knot in the leaders, the thicker rope, then re-attach them.
RussianGrizzly - 20-6-2009 at 06:31 AM
Thanks a lot! Didnt think of that lol. Errmm... Well, there just too slack. :embarrased: always hanging loose. But yeah, that should do it.
acampbell - 20-6-2009 at 07:48 AM
It is perfectly natural for the brake lines to arch back from the kite to some extent. Their own weight and aerodynamic drag serve to keep some
tension on the trailing edge for proper trim.
Signs of loose brakes...
Kite (too) easily overflies the zenith (overhead) and flies past you/ behind you and luffs.
Difficult in light or moderate wind to stop and stall the kite, or back it down, by applying both brakes.
Brake turns, or applying one singe brake in the direction of a turn, do not appear to have much effect in tightening a turn.
Signs of brakes too tight...
Kite is sluggish to get off the ground, even in moderate winds.
Bottom skin of kite "puckers" (dimples outwards) at bridle attachment points.
Kite is slow to accelerate, if it does at all.
You find yourself pointing the bottoms of the handles way forwards to correct the above three symptoms.
To tighten the brakes...
Some kites have several knots on the brake toggles (where the lines attach) up at the kite's brake bridle. Loosen the larkshead knot on the brake
line and move it up closer to the kite. Do the same on both sides, left and right.
If you do not have a bridle with adjustable length, tie a knot farther up the brake leader towards the handle by an inch or two, and adjust as
necessary.
To loosen the brakes...
If you have an adjustable bridle as described above, obviously move the lines farther away from the kite.
If not adjustable bridle, tie a new knot up the top power line leader, closer to the handles by an inch or two and adjust as needed.
RussianGrizzly - 20-6-2009 at 08:57 AM
Yeah my kite is always flying behind me, and the turns are dodgy too. Will tighten them a bit. Thanks a lot for the input guys. 
markite - 20-6-2009 at 09:50 PM
This is interesting, a new kiting friend showed up with a mixture of foils and handles he purchased from a couple of people as used kites and he
couldn't get one of them to fly. It was a nice looking foil but no markings on it - all one colour and by the looks of the bridling it looked like
either a very well made home-made kite or a knock off of some kind.
When he gave it to me to try to sort out he didn't give me lines - I hooked it up to a set of my lines/handles and the kite wouldn't launch at all -
ended up grabbing the top lines up about 3 feet to get it to fly. Looked at the kite and there weren't any brake line leaders to extend the lower tow
points. I ended up making extensions/leaders for him and explained it all to him. When I took the kite back he pulled out a few sets of line and
handles that came with the different kites and he wondered why the kites came all wrapped with lines attached and he decided to clean up the storage
by removing all lines etc. We found the set that he thought came with the kite and sure enough the brake lines were a good three feet longer.
No name kite+HQ handles+Concept Air line sets
So he could either use install my nice no-notted extensions and create equal length line sets that he could use on other kites or leave that
mismatched lines specific to that kite.
I had to draw him a little picture to explain (I'll attach it here) but yours was loose - not tight. You may have this leader with knots already on
the kite that you can use to make adjustments.
Hope you got your sorted from all of the good tips already posted above.
