I am a beginner at kiteboarding. I have purchased a Liquid Force Menace 5th line kite. I learned on a 4 line kite. Can I remove the 5th line and use it as a 4 line kite? Will this cause the kite to fly any different? Will it depower like a 4 line? Are there any safety concerns about doing this?

Thanks for any input.

I don't recommend it. First there are some real advantages to having the 5th line as a beginner, really makes relaunching a lot easier. Second, the kite might have been designed to have that extra support to the center of the LE. Don't know anything about the Menace, but I wouldn't remove the 5th, it would be a much better idea IMHO to just learn how to use that 5th line.

Hi.

I agree with what Big Kahuna said. Also I believe the menace is a C-kite and the 5th line will be about 90 percent of your safety depower. When you let the bar go the kite sould fold in half on the fifth line. Without it you will have no emergency depower exept to let the kite go.
Look things up on the Liquid force website but I believe the fifth line should be slightly slack when the other four lines are tight. By slack I mean 6 inches to a foot longer when the kite is fully sheeted in, but I am not sure for the menace.

Hope this helps John.

There is absolutlely NO difference between how you would fly a 4 line kite as compared to a 5 line :?:
The only time the 5th line comes into play is when you let go of the bar completely. Then it is FAR SUPERIOR as a safety and relaunch system to the old swim and flip method.

DON'T get rid of it !!!!!!!!!!