Hi peeps
I have taken my 3meter ozone kite out for its second time this afternoon and it was blowing around 10-15mph and it was amazing! i'm so hooked!!
BUT after 10-15 minutes of none stop flying and been pulled all over the place! i was totally dead, my arms and legs! i could hardly walk back to the car!!
GOD i'm so unfit:puzzled:

So i have just bought a radsail harness only £30 i know its crap but i'll buy a better one when i upgrade to a bigger kite.

My question is can i use my two handles with this harness, or do i have to buy a control bar?

you can use a STROP between the handles and hook in to a spreader bar harness.

ohh right, is there a how to guide for this?
how long should the strop be?

Would a bar be better and easyer to use?

I'd like to know that as well. What's a good length for a strop? Thanks.

Quote:

Originally posted by lee_m ohh right, is there a how to guide for this? how long should the strop be? Would a bar be better and easyer to use?

16-18" works well for me. It will depend on the length of your arms and the leads coming off the bgacks of the tops of the handles.

Start long; you can always re-tie the knot and make it shorter & cutt off the free end, but you can't add to it to make it longer.

I use spectra running line that is sheathed for abrasion protection. I get it at the local marine store. about 1/4 - 5/15 inch. they will wear out but are not expensive or difficult to replace.

photo:
http://www.coastalwindsports.com/HandleStrop.jpg
http://www.coastalwindsports.com/HarnessStrop.jpg

I used figure eight knots to make the loops for a larks head, but the line is strong enough to use the less efficient but smaller simple overhand knot. The weak point will be where it wears in the middle over the hook, rather than the knot, provided you start with strong enough line in the first place.

For what it's worth, I've started with my rock climbing harness, carabiner, a Wichard quick release shackle, a Petzl Mini pulley, and some 6mm climbing rope. It has worked well so far, but it is more of a captive system than Angus' setup. At least with his, you can pull both handles to put slack in the strop to free it from the harness hook. With mine, you need to reach down and pull the quick release shackle to release the strop from the harness.

I've used it with my 3.0m Pansh Legend and the 4.9m Blade IV in 10-12 mph winds and enjoyed flying for hours rather than minutes!

Here's a picture:

Quote:

Originally posted by lee_m Would a bar be better and easyer to use?

The bar is easier in higher winds, when you do not need to finesse the brakes in a turn

In light winds I like the control and finesse offered by the handles that you give up on a bar.

If I'm in the bug and one of the tacks is slightly downwind, then I will unhook for the gain in maneuverability. Downwind, the handles are light in you hand. On the upwind tack when the strain is great, I hook back in.

Quote:

Originally posted by GulfSandEater For what it's worth, I've started with my rock climbing harness, carabiner, a Wichard quick release shackle, a Petzl Mini pulley, and some 6mm climbing rope. It has worked well so far, but it is more of a captive system than Angus' setup.

I should have added the the setup I describe is quite "captive" often when you do not want it to be. A brown-trouser moment when you want to unhook could be when you are overpowered with a large foil and may not have the strength to pull in enough to slack the strop.

I've bought the hardware similar to yours but have not experimented with it yet. I like being able to hook and unhook for the reasons described above and that may be difficult with this rig. Maybe if I put the quick release on a semi rigid checken loop.

In a dangerously overpowered situation, you may not be able to pull the handles low/down enough to release the rope from the hook which is why I am considering the wichard->carabiner->pulley approach. I fly a Blade IV 4.9 and it healthy winds, I stand like a goal post. I have also had the misfortune of flying in overpowering conditions (actually the windspeed progressively grew stronger) and only way to safely end the session was by launching the kite-killers. Had the strop been hooked-in like in a spreader bar, there is no chance I'd have pried the strop from the hook. I just didn't have the strength to pull the handles down that low. I think kite-killer and Wichard release system would be better in an bad (or condition that has become bad but didn't initially start as bad) condition than say a hook which would require superhuman strength to release the rope/strop from the hook. Just drop the handles, pull the string attached to the Wichard release pin and let the kite-killers do their magic.

Atleast for now, this is all theory and I'll defer to the experience kiters for further suggestions.

Also, rock climbing harness solution might be cheaper. What do you think?

Quote:

Originally posted by GulfSandEater For what it's worth, I've started with my rock climbing harness, carabiner, a Wichard quick release shackle, a Petzl Mini pulley, and some 6mm climbing rope. It has worked well so far, but it is more of a captive system than Angus' setup. At least with his, you can pull both handles to put slack in the strop to free it from the harness hook. With mine, you need to reach down and pull the quick release shackle to release the strop from the harness. I've used it with my 3.0m Pansh Legend and the 4.9m Blade IV in 10-12 mph winds and enjoyed flying for hours rather than minutes! Here's a picture:

Ok, I didn't see this post before responding to GulfSandEater. I had a similar experience but I was not using a harness. A harness without an emergency release system would be very dangerous.

Quote:

Originally posted by acampbell Quote: Originally posted by GulfSandEater For what it's worth, I've started with my rock climbing harness, carabiner, a Wichard quick release shackle, a Petzl Mini pulley, and some 6mm climbing rope. It has worked well so far, but it is more of a captive system than Angus' setup. I should have added the the setup I describe is quite "captive" often when you do not want it to be. A brown-trouser moment when you want to unhook could be when you are overpowered with a large foil and may not have the strength to pull in enough to slack the strop. I've bought the hardware similar to yours but have not experimented with it yet. I like being able to hook and unhook for the reasons described above and that may be difficult with this rig. Maybe if I put the quick release on a semi rigid checken loop.

lee-
Since it seems you are fairly new to kiting and just got your kite, I'd hold off on hooking into a harness for a bit longer. Learn how the kite behaves and wait until you can feel where it is in the sky and fly it with out looking at it. As others have said, things can go alot worse when you are hooked in and something goes wrong. Gradually your arms will get stronger and you will have better control of the kite- then start hooking in (when you first hook in it takes some getting used too). You can also practice bringing the kite to the edge of the window and keeping it there for a bit where it has less pull and will give your arms a bit of a break.

Fly safe and have fun!

Quote:

Originally posted by acampbell I should have added the the setup I describe is quite "captive" often when you do not want it to be. A brown-trouser moment when you want to unhook could be when you are overpowered with a large foil and may not have the strength to pull in enough to slack the strop.

I guess with the hook setup, you might still need the Popeye arms to fly!!--(1) to fly the kite without the harness, (2) to get the strop off the hook with the harness!

I can see what you're saying, Angus and KiteProject. I called mine "more captive" without having flown in conditions that would make the hook / strop setup even more captive than mine.

And I should add...if considering to assemble a pulley/quick release system, definitely research the forums for what gear to get (and NOT get). There are some pieces out there that have caused grief such as quick releases that aren't so quick under load and pulleys that sieze due to sand in the open bearings, etc. I found people on this forum very helpful; also the Flexi forums have a lot of discussion with pictures of various pieces to consider and avoid.

you might wanna try a depower kite, not the same control but quite relaxing for the arms. some kites have low bar pressure

WOW God i'm stiff this morning!
And thanks for all the replys!
Archkiter, yeah your right mate i'll keep on with the two handles for a bit longer,
Been as i have just bought a harness (I should have it next week) i will only uses the in the light'ess of air untill i get use to using it!

I would like to say a BIG thank you to every one on the forum! what a great bunch a lads!!!