Hi Guy,

First post from me, im hoping you kind people can help me with my entry to the world of power kiting.. So far, i have mostly flown stunt kites, recently got a cheap 2m 2 line power kite and was bitten by the bug immediately. Always being a fan of the controlability of a good stunt kite, so i was eager to get my hands on a good 4 line kite.
Just days ago i picked up a 2nd hand flexifoil sting 3.3 (in perfect condition). Due to either no wind or too much wind, ive had little time on it so far, however the few times conditions were good, i had problems immediately.
When launched it wanted to spin violently to the right. from what ive read, this is most likely due to break lines being too tight? is this correct? i did try a few adjustments, but when id try to launch it would invariably spin and leave my lines in a mess. Can you tell how to safely tune the kite in a way that means i dont have to launch and risk twisting lines, in order to test each tweak?
Other problem, packing/winding. At one stage i used the around-the-handles method but when i unwinded, the lines were completely twisted from end to end, both power over brake and left over right. I dont understand how this is even physically possible, all lines were untwisted before winding. Is it a case of keeping tension on the lines while winding? ive read about various methods but i feel im missing the basic principles of this process.

Anyway, i would hugely appreciate any guidance.. im determined not to let frustration get the better of me!

Casmo

Sounds like one of two things. First check your line lengths to make sure they are equal. You can do this by staking down one end through the loops on one end of the lines. Then walk them out. All four lines should be of equal length.

If all lines are equal length, reattach the lines to the handles, stake them out again, then attach to the kite. Brake leads first then power leads. Once you have done that, try to stand at the back of the kite, lift it up in the middle to help air get in the kite to make your lines taught. Now walk back around to the front of the kite and look at the bridal and make sure there are no twist in any of the bridle lines. Just one twist and it can make the kite do what you described. Check on the right side as you say this is the way the kite spins, my bet there is a twist in the bridle lines somewhere on that side.

Check that out and report back!

and as far as winding the lines afterwards, I hook one side power line to the same side brake line. separate the lines with my fingers as I am winding and do not rotate your wrist as you wrap. You can use the handles or the line holder either way as the flexi line winder is really nice and holds lines great. Make sure you hold everything the same way as when you put it away and the will help minimize the tangles. Practice will make this better with time.

Welcome to the forum!

If your kite is spinning you have uneven brakes.

Check and see all lines are = . Look at te bridle and make sure it is OK. If so then you are possibly holding the handles wrong. Brakes should have an arc in them when not being applied.

As mentioned you can stake your handles and then walk to the kite and fill it to see how it looks up close. You can fly it 2 line if you don't think it's the brakes.

Go to www.coastalwindsports.com for great tutorials.

Line management gets better over time.One way to undo them is to stake 3 lines then pull the 4th out . Then 2 lines ...

Hi, just having a look at my handles.. I noticed that the brake line cord on one side had an extra knot, shortening it by a half inch or so, would this be enough to cause a problem? Cheers....

Yes, it could cause the spiraling problem. Line lengths should be equal. Length of leader lines should also be equal.

Any inequalities in length in either the brake or power lines as a result differences in flying lines or leader lines will translate into steering input even when your hands/control handles are in the neutral position (no steering input).

ATB,
Sam

Hi Guys,

Checked the line lengths and yes indeed, one brake line was almost a foot longer than the other. I tried correcting this by tying a loop into the longer one, i found this tricky and im pretty sure the loop slipped once i launched. Wind died soon after, so i had to leave it at that. Can anyone advise how to properly correct this situation? your help is much appreciated....

Equalizing flying lines

Even though the tutorial is for Revolution Flying lines, the procedure is the same for power kites. John outlines two methods.... opt for the first. Addition knots weaken lines. Less so when sleeved, but take the extra time and use the first method.

End loops in flying lines are finished off using stitching or knots, both do the same thing (lock the flying lines into the sleeving).

If your end loops are sewn, you are going to have to carefully remove the stitching, shorten the line and then you can lock it in using knots.

If the flying lines slip from the sleeving, a piece of thin piano wire or similar will help in inserting it back through the sleeving. Kite stores generally sell the little piece of wire and lengths of tubular woven polyester together as something called a sleeving kit.

Post back if any of the above is unclear.

ATB,
Sam

Ouch, the lines are sewn .. was hoping there might be an simpler way to do this but fair enough... In that case, (apologies if this is a stupid question) is there a way of sizing up the lines in a smaller space to do this? the park wouldn't be the ideal place for attempting this process. Further complicated by the fact that my lines are handle wrapped at the moment ( living in an apartment and having no easy access to an open space) Looks like my mint condition 2nd hand kite came with unexpected complications, annoying....

There are no stupid questions (well, ok maybe there are but most of those people have met with untimely and inexplicable deaths )

It really does help to have the lines laid out. The problem with doing something like having them partially rolled up is that if the winding isn't symmetrical, one side can still be off by a bit. Maybe not a foot, but enough to be annoying.

If your apartment has a basement that you can get access to, you might find an 80-85' run of floor there.

If you don't mind people pointing and staring and know someone on the 5th/6th floor, you could always do a vertical drop of the lines to get them all out. Be prepared for explaining this to the local constabulary and a lot of eye rolling.

If you don't mind burning some more money, you can always buy another lineset till you have the chance to equalize the current set.

If none of those will fly (2 demerits for bad pun), and you can wait a week or so, I am pretty sure I have an old lineset from a Bullet 4.5 that you can have for free. I would have to check on the lengths and condition (no promises from the senile) and they would definitely fall into the category of "AS IS", but they are yours if I can dig them up. I got them in a 2nd hand kite purchase where the kite came to me soaked and the lines tangled. I cleaned the kite to minty fresh and untangled all the lines, but never bothered to check them or use them. I just replaced the lines because I had had enough fun.

ATB,
Sam

Thank you for your very kind offer Indigo (what a lovely forum this is!) but im going to at least have a go at equalizing them. Ive checked out the revolution tutorial and it seems reasonably straightforward. There is one difference between the sewn and knotted sleeve someone might be able to advise me on. The ends of my sleeves appears to be heat sealed, as opposed to the ones in the video where the line was exposed at the end. If I was to snip off the end of the sleeve, will i be able to get at the line? i dont want to be in the situation where i need to rethread the line back through the sleeve... Cheers

Casmo it is also worth checking out dealers close outs on linesets

I know Angus at CoastalWind Sports has a good price on Spectra linesets

Can you make up the difference by adjusting the knots on your kites leader lines ? Handles? Combo of both ??

Pig tails ?

I did try this but had no luck at all, i put this down to there being at least a foot of difference between the two break lines and both as i remember are shorter than the power lines. Being new to this, i found that having this many variables made it very hard to get right... Maybe ill have another try before i go adjusting the lines.

Oh, could you explain what exactly is meant by 'pigtails'? Ive seen it mentioned a few times but im not entirely sure what it involves.. thanks a lot

On the leaders (thicker lines) attached to the handles or the terminating segments of the bridle lines you will see one or more overhand knots.



when they are cinched down they look like the natural curls formed in ... well... a pig's tail



Granted the knot isn't complete in a real pig's tail, but that's the nature of "nicknames" and the ASPCA switchboards are already too busy.

The pigtail acts as a "stopper knot"/toggle to prevent the larS-P-A-M-L-I-N-K-s head knot from slipping off when attaching the flying lines to the kite's bridle or the leader lines on the handles.



In many cases, the leaders (power, brake or bridle) will have a series of pigtails.



Depending on which pigtail you make the attachments to, you can change the net length of the flying lines or you can alter the tension of the brake lines in relation to the power lines.

Hope that makes sense.

As to your other question. Sometimes, prior to stitching the sleeving they cut the ends of the lines/sleeving with a hot knife. This prevents the sleeving from unravelling and tidies of the end. Depending on how aggressively they melted it the sleeving may just pull free relatively easily as soon as you undo the stitching. Otherwise snipping the very end of the melted portion will release it.

If you have to go this route, which it seems like you might have to, a sleeving tool (store bought or home made) pretty much becomes a requirement. Thin gauge wire should be readily available from the local hardware/electrical store/music though.

• Fold the wire in half
  
• Feed it through the sleeving.
  
• When it peeks out the other end of the sleeving, pass a couple of inches of line through the eyelet formed by the sleeving and wire.
  
• Pull the wire back out, and the flying line should have been dragged back out through the sleeving with it.
  
• Might take one or two tries, but then you will be ready to equalize.
  
  

ATB,
Sam

You can also make up your own 'pigtail'/line extension to lengthen the shorter line/s. Like these I made for use with my Turbo bar: (It's 1.5mm Spectra from a boat supplies)