I just bought a harness from moon47 and I'd like to have a strop before it arrives. At least for the time being I will just run the line through the spreader hook. I noticed the preferred strop lines are either spectra double braided lines or AmSteel Dyneema line. There is a west marine store about 25 minutes from my house, will they have these in stock at the store? Or should I buy something online?

Also, how much rope should I buy?

Find what you want on the West Marine site and then call ahead. Some WM stores are better stocked than others.

With regard to lines (Amsteel or otherwise), confirm they have the thickness you want, so you don't waste a trip.

Length is going to be around 20-30 inches with a bit to spare for knots. Personal preference will also play a role.

Threads covering strop length, safety and usage can be found here:

• Control handle connection advice
  
  
• Handles Landboarding Questions
  
  
• Strop line attachment
  
  
• How to hook in?
  
  
• Help with a strop ?
  

Which kite will you be using? Static? Landboard? Buggy?

Your call, but if it is a large FB, you might want to fly it unhooked for a bit first to suss out any flight quirks, tendencies to luff and power up, etc. before immediately hooking in.

ATB,
Sam

If you think you'll be using it all the time you might want this as well:
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=12064

hardware store, 2 feet of 3/16th steel cable with yolks and crimps

Quote:

Originally posted by Houston AirHead hardware store, 2 feet of 3/16th steel cable with yolks and crimps

That's gonna be sort of abrasive on the hook and stiff too isn't it?

Many West Marine stores won't carry amsteel. Call ahead and check first.

Indigo, nice job assembling old threads all in one place. Very helpful.

Ozone and Flexi have nice strops made to go on their handles. I have a Flexi strop I use on my Blurr's handles. I also have some 5mm amsteel I made a couple strops out of for other handles. The wind has to be smooth and predictable before I'll hook in though. I have a quick release but it isn't practical to hook in and unhook for upwind/downwind runs.

I was using 1/8" amsteel with a stainless o-ring as the slide, but have recently opted for 3/16" and a PL swivel pulley spreader. The 1/8" tended to miss the pulley, slide over the top, and try to bind. I decided against the QR for the reasons BeamerBob mentioned. Practice static and be careful in bumpy wind. Also, amsteel is a bit tricky to keep a knot in. I use a figure 8 knot. Tie the knot, clamp the end in a vise, pull it as tight as you can (gloves are nice.) Then with it still in the vise, you can trim the end with a razor knife closer to the knot. Repeat for the other end. I also douse the knots with super glue until they look wet and let them dry over night. This pretty much turns the knot into a plastic ball (make sure you have the strop the length you want because at this point it permanent.)

Running the strop around the spreader hook will burn it up quick. I see no real good reason to bother with Spectra there - a decent polyester sheathed polyester core doublebraid like Stayset X works fine for way less $$ if it's gonna be trashed. Just pick a diameter to get the same strength as an equivalent spectra line. With only a couple feet of line, stretch isn't the worry is on kite lines.

Even with a pulley, I prefer a spectra doublebraid (with dacron sheath) as opposed to Amsteel or similar singlebraid for strops. The sheath takes the abrasion, and since you're knotting ends as opposed to splicing, the doublebraid is no problem (single braid is easy to splice).

I tie a sheet bend, but I like BeamerBob's larkshead with a stopknot.

krumly

I choose the amsteel because while it is harder to keep the knot in it, the flexibility is far greater than the sheathed stuff. I didn't like the bulky knots the other stuff made. As to wear, I haven't noted anything other than some tiny fuzzies after fairly heavy use. At less than $3 per strop, I can live with it. Just my way of doing things, not saying it's the only way. Got a closet floor covered with other ways.

Quote:

Originally posted by heliboy50 I also douse the knots with super glue until they look wet and let them dry over night.

Although it seemed a bit compulsive at the time, I thought about doing this just before Thanksgiving when I had to do some knots in Amsteel. Glad there is some precedence or at least shared insanity here.

ATB,
Sam

Quote:

Originally posted by indigo_wolf Although it seemed a bit compulsive at the time, I thought about doing this just before Thanksgiving when I had to do some knots in Amsteel. Glad there is some precedence or at least shared insanity here. ATB, Sam

I had one that I swore was tight enough roll off. Glad I was holding on tight. I am making my own handles and do the same there.

I've super glued knots in place too. Just make sure you are content with the knot placement before you apply the glue.

My local West Marine store does sell Amsteel in at least 2 diameters.