I don't understand kite lines. Surely heavier lines would create more drag, but they're more expencive than the lighter lines. I was thinking of getting some new ones but £50?! pfft.

Remember, you get what you pay for. Better line is more expensive and will stretch less saving you a lot of hassle. Each kite should have its own set of lines. If you believe the lines are creating to much drag. Use a bigger kite.

so what wight line would you use with a 3 meter kite??

so heavy lines don't create drag but won't stretch?

Pea,

You'll find that line length is a bigger drag factor than line strength.

All my power (land-based, fixed-bridle) kites fly on 300#/200# spectra lines.
From the little .7m to the big 9m.
All of them.

It's the length that changes.

My smaller kites (under 3m) typically have 50'-70' sets while the mid-size (3m-4m) haul slightly longer lengths (70'-85') across the sky.
My bigger foils have lengths from 90'-120'

When you double your lines (either length or number) you will quadruple drag.

It's a trade-off.

The smaller kites are out in the stronger winds and don't need as much rooom to zoom around to generate their power.
The biggest foils fly in the lightest conditions and often generate their power while looping out towards the edge.
The longer lines allow them to dwell in the power band a bit longer.
The passage across the sky is a longer moment.

To optimize the aerodynamics and tranfer-of-energy of power kites, we seek the lightest, thinnest, least stretchy flying line we can find.

Spectra fiber is a patented (Allied Signal) long-chain polymer.
.97 specific gravity - It floats!
Virtually no stretch.
Thinnest fiber for its strength available.

Dyneema fiber is an overseas copy, also a long-chain polymer, but not as long a chain, to avoid patent infringement.

Premium spectra line sets usually come "pre-stretched" which is a bit of a misnomer.
Spectra fibers do not "stretch", however a certain amount of elongation may occur as the braid sets, usually the first time it is under pressure.
As this is a one-direction elongation, with no recoil, it is called "creep".

The critical factor in our sport is the uneven way this occurs between the top and bottom lines.
Top lines on fixed-bridle foils take the pressure and so are the most likely to "creep", essentially shortening the bottom lines, slowly applying the brakes.

This can be a slow process and not much of an issue in the park.
Having the brakes on a bit makes the kite more responsive to steering inputs and helps moderate the pull a bit.

As a traction engine, these are not desireable characteristics.
Having the brakes on a bit keeps the kite from flying out to the edge, limiting your ability to go cross-wind or up-wind.
Having less power should be an obvious flaw, not needing more explanation.

The solution is to add a short length of, say 200# dacron, to the bottom leads on your handles. Let your bottom lines out on this extension until your kite is properly adjusted.

So... In a nutshell... Of course, Everything Matters.

Some things matter a lot, and some things don't matter much at all.

Did you get this?
Make sense?


Safen Up! Buggy On!

"Often wrong... Never in doubt"

the coreylama

Yeh that explained everything, thanks