Hello, I got a power kite for my birthday and um um is there a better way to wrap the strings? >: ( ...there's 4 strings and whenever i wrap them up they always get tangled and i have to spend ages untangling them.

Ta. Pete

Pete,
This is a problem that has been addressed repeatedly here and on other forums.
Look through past postings on various bb's here at pkf.

The long and short of winding lines is this:

Many techniques out there.
When you find the one that works for you, the tendency is to believe that way is the "right" way.
But it's merely the way that works for you.

The common thread that binds all the techniques is the idea of "wax-on, wax-off" - a mirror-image between unwinding and winding.

With soft foil kites, there is no need to remove your lines.
Bag your kite.
Hold the handles together in your left hand, left/right correct (this is right-handed style - lefties do the opposite).
I reach over the top lines with my right hand, grab the bottom lines and bring them up and around the top of my handles with a clockwise wrap.
As I come around the top of the handles and pass my top lines, I add them to the figure-8 wrap, as I walk to my bagged kite.
When I get to the bridles, I start wrapping them around the handles, securing the figure-8'ed lines to the handles.
Squeeze a spot on the inside of the bag, out of the way of the bridles, and slip the lines and handles into the bag.

Next time out...
Open the bag, remove the lines & handles, drop the bag.
Walk away from the bagged kite, allowing your lines to unwrap off the handles in the opposite (counter-clockwise) direction you put them on.
With your lines out, stake your handles (a wrap around the brake lines if you don't have a brake loop), walk to your kite and remove it from the bag.
With your brake lines wrapped around your stake, your kite should sit there, on its tail, waiting for you to quit futzing around and fly already.

Look at what you are doing.
There are secrets to the process, but they're not magic.

Practice and patience, grasshopper.


Safen Up! Buggy On!

"Often wrong... Never in doubt"

the coreylama

Quote:

Originally posted by pea Hello, I got a power kite for my birthday and um um is there a better way to wrap the strings? >: ( ...there's 4 strings and whenever i wrap them up they always get tangled and i have to spend ages untangling them. Ta. Pete

The best way I have found is to never remove your lines from the kite or handles.

If your kite comes with lines attached and are wrapped around the handles, first lay your kite out on the ground "top of the kite on ground" the bridles should be facing the sky, the nose of the kite or inlets should be facing away from you. The lines should have been wrapped on one end of the handles, grasp the other end of the handles with one hand use your other hand to unwrap the lines.

Reverse to wrap and pack up.

Lines are wrapped around the handles not rolled. The handles should not be rolled to wind your lines.

Yes, this is my problem. I tried doing it int he figure of eight style but the string ended up getting twisted...

PARA PACK

I definitely concur with the para pack method, although I have winded around the handles and had no problem. If you choose to para pack, start at the kite end, and get it into the bag, I personally don't believe that it matters if you fold it pretty, or cram it in, as long as it gets into the bag and you have room left over (I usually cram, as it's too hard to fold it nice when it's windy). From there I secure my bridles to the kite (Ozone's have a nice piece of velcro for this). I make sure that the bridles are fully packed down into the kite, away from the lines. Then I start stuffing 1-2 feet at a time into the bag. It takes a little effort when putting the kite away, but getting it out is a breeze. Put your kite stake in the ground, attach your kite killers, and walk with the wind. Your line should pull itself out of the bag nicely. As you walk, it may appear that you have some tangles, but as you move on, they'll work themselves out (just don't tighten them up if they don't work themselves out). Once you get to the kite, unsecure your bridles from your kite (not detach, you'll need them to fly the kite :o) ) and let the kite fill up with air. This will force any twists that have shown up down to the handles, and will automatically have you ready to launch, no need for someone else to assist. Of course this only works with 4 line kites, kite killers, and a kite stake. I still use the winder on my 2 line Imp.

Chris

Ah that sounds easier

Thanks

Winding vs. packing:
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=577

Ok, read all that. I think it's just because i'm not unwinding it the correct way. I tried the parapack today but there's no wind so i can't unpack for a while. I'm going to devon (england) next week so i can really practice

..mm those land..rollerblade whatsits look sexy.

if you go to devon you gotta check out westward ho!, its an amazing beach to kite on, especially if you board/buggy

i'm going to somewhere called Wareham. I'll be on a camp site on a cliff next to a beach. Maybe next year we'll go to westwood ho, we go camping in devon/cornwall every year anyway.

I don't do buggying or anything, i'm a complete n00b. Got my first kite 2 days ago

o btw... para pack worked better for me. Any kind of winding seems to create tangles.

I'll chime in here with my $0.02 worth...

I've tried parapacking, and the firgure-of-8 on the handles method. 6 of one, half-a-dozen of the other. Do what works for you.

But I struggled with my lines for quite some time, even though I was winding and unwinding properly. Ever play with a yo-yo? Ever notice what happens to the string when it gets real twisted and then you put some slack on it? Remember how the line will bunch up into a twisted spagetti mess as you put more and more slack on the line? I believe this effect also can happen to kite lines.

What worked wonders for me was on one of those calm days, I layed out the lines, layed out the kite, disconnected the lines from the handles and the bridals, and staked the lines. Then I folded a rag over one line at a time, pinching the line in the rag with my fingers, and walked the length of the line to remove all of the twists (and a bit of dirt, salt, etc.). Repeted this process for all 4 lines, hooked 'em back on to the kite and the handles, and bingo! No more mess.

Probably in my haste to get the kite up in the air, I didn't get all those twists out that were there from the factory. Who knows...

What I also like to do every so often, is wind the lines up on a bit of cardboard and spray them with some silicone spray (nothing with solvents, just 100% silicone). Prestone has some in a yellow spray can. Fly them dry, or keep them in a plastic bag away from your kite or kite bag until ready to use. This makes the lines slip over one another lots easier when they twist from doing loops with the kite.

Hope that helps...

yes, the pinching thing is a bit like what i did. I started at the kite end and pinched each line away ffrom each other with my fingers and walked back to the handles. Then if there were any twists i could just turn the handles round.

I understand the twisting thing, but it shouldn't happen unless you wind the lines disconnected from the kite or handles.

Last time I flew I was flying my 1.5 profoil. It doesn't have kite killers and I can get by without them on a small kite like that. Since you kinda need KKs to wind around using the figure 8 technique, I tried just winding the line round and round the two handles. I noticed after getting halfway to the kite that I was getting those yo yo twists in the line. I just started walking backwards to unwind everything and then went back to the figure 8. It usually works great but I think I will try parapacking again since I still get some twists while either packing or unpacking. When I tried it before I was stuffing as I walked toward the handles. If you walk to the kite with the handles then all the line is there so you no longer have to hold the bag.

I try not to grab my lines so tight that the twists get pushed down the line. I sort of pinch tight then allow the line flop through the circle of my thumb and finger as I turn around the handle. I think that allowing the twists onto the handles is key ? I only do the figure 8's on my bars and then I avoid allowing twists. I just wrap and unwrap onto my handles the same way and have no problems. Probably because I'm not used to it, I have worse luck if I try the figure 8 on my handles ?

I have also reduced problems on one set of lines by working them out individualy .

I'm a parapacker. At first it is a mess, but you'll get it down to a science eventually, and you'll love it!

Handle winder here & leaving the lines attached to the kite when put away, makes a big difference, If theres no need to switch lines to another set or disconnect them from the kite for whatever reason... I usually find that any twists in my lines will be un-twisted, the next time, I do get the kite laid out with/without the lines attatched for any type of inspection...

I wind figure 8 like Corey above, but unfold the kite first and secure the trailing edge in the wind first with sand or water bottles. Often when I finish unwinding I just spread my arms so the lines pop apart and they will be fine with no need to walk back to the kite. Just launch
If I do need to walk the lines, it's only for a single twist.

Only time I've had big problems is when unwinding line wound by someone else; maybe by a righty (i'm a lefty). Not the same "wax off" as "waxed on" as Corey puts it.

I para pack when in moderate to high winds by myslef with no help, or when I have to bail in a hurry (storm, rain, etc). Then re-pack at home in the quiet of my yard.

Quote:

Originally posted by acampbell I para pack when in moderate to high winds by myslef with no help, or when I have to bail in a hurry (storm, rain, etc). Then re-pack at home in the quiet of my yard.

Angus, why do you feel that you need to repack later when you've parapacked? Is there a reason that kites/lines shouldn't be stored like that?

I'm asking because I'm still new at this and I've only done parapacking so far. I read about parapacking before my first kite arrived and I thought that it worked so well that I've never even tried winding.

Normal parapacking involves folding the kite normally, then wadding the lines inside the folds.

I was talking about wadding the entire kite in the bag when I need to make a hasty exit or for some other reason can't fold neatly- should have been more specific. Then of course I repack asap at home with neat folds to keep it from getting crinkly creases.

Proper parapacking is fine and works. I just like winding for whatever reason, one of which is that it is easier to remove the line set at home if I need to unpack the kite for cleaning, maintenance, display, whatever.

Para pack - So simple - Fold kite in on itself put in bag, make a pocket and stuff in the lines - Job done.

To unpack - stake handles walk into wind unpack kite, return to handles and fly - No messin.

But at the end of the day try a few methods and go with what suits yourself best....

I parapack, once you have tried it you will like it. It save s so much time setting the kite up. Stake the handles , walk the bag and kite down wind paying out the lines, let the kite stand up with the break line taut and you are ready to launch. One key peice of advise- do not disturb thhe lines after you have packed them and it will work perfectly. You would think that just stuffing the lines in would cause a massive mess but it doesn't. Sailors have used this method for years to pack spinacres on race boats and it works. If I need to remove the lines at home, I parapack the line into another bag or a box. As long as you don't disturb the lines greatly they will pay back out the same way that they went in. The trouble that I find with winding the line is that it does tend to put a twist in them that makes them stick to each other.