Alright, I am a newbie, lets get that out of the way.

Today was my second flying day with my Symphony 2.2m in some pretty strong winds. What a blast (and workout) with it today.

Things were going great for about 35 minutes when I was about to pack it in for the day. Anyway, I came across the wind-window pretty low and SNAP. One of the control lines let loose.

I looked closer and it was right where the white line connected to the colored piece that in turn connects to the bridle.

I don't know the term for that, but I found a picture online that is similar. Again, this is NOT my picture, but shows the same thing that happened to me.


The line doesn't look like it snapped, but slowly slid its way out of the black colored part if that makes sense.

So how do I reconnect it? I didn't want to do some crappy knot that wasn't the correct way to do it.

Thanks!

****UPDATE****
The line DID snap right where it went into the sleeve. See later post below for actual pictures.

Post removed.

You'll have to resleeve the line ...

The black and red thicker stuff is the sleeve. You can buy little kits to do the job; you simply feed the flying line through the sleeve then stitch a loop - although it looks like those are just knotted ... may be why they broke.

If you can re-feed the line back through the sleeve you should be O.K. Maybe the wire from a twist tie would work to feed it ?

Once you have re-fed it be SURE your lines are the same length when you re-tie it. The reason for the sleeve is that kite line will weaken if you knott it without. So tie the sleeve. Don't allow your line to be knotted.

You can buy a re-sleeving kit, but before spending the money, check with the dealer where you bought the kite to see if they can help you in any way. That should not have happened with normal use. If the line just came out of the sleeve, you can re-sleeve it without the kit- just find some thin wire you can double over and thread the loop through the sleeve to pull the line back through.

Bladerunner is right- the lines have to be the same length. If the line broke and then came out of the sleeve, when you re-sleeve it, it will be shorter, so you will want to un-tie the knots on the red side and move the sleeving up the line then re-tie so that both lines are of equal length. The fact that they will be a foot or so shorter is of no consequence as long as they are the same.

If that picture is exactly what happened to you, I fear that the line itself broke. Look at the way the entire piece is knotted after the two lines are joined together. After you resleve it, you might need to make an adjustment to the other side.

I'm with the other posts. I'd check with the place that I bought it before I redid all that work.

-Mike

Looks like the line DID snap after all. The line has a faint red marking on the one line and a faint black marking on the other line just before going into the sleeve. The red line is snapped right where it would go into the sleeve.

I didn't notice it before because the end of the line wasn't very noticeable upon first inspection, but seems obvious today.

I will contact the dealer tomorrow due to the Labor Day holiday today and see what they are willing/able to due.

I've attached an updated picture of MY lines this time so people can see my actual lines instead of my referencing some other person's lines.

If you re-sleeve your line make sure you use a figure-8 knot instead of the overhand knot that appears in the picture. A standard overhand knot greatly weakens the line at the knot.

Quote:

Originally posted by nickbuol Looks like the line DID snap after all. The line has a faint red marking on the one line and a faint black marking on the other line just before going into the sleeve. The red line is snapped right where it would go into the sleeve. I didn't notice it before because the end of the line wasn't very noticeable upon first inspection, but seems obvious today. I will contact the dealer tomorrow due to the Labor Day holiday today and see what they are willing/able to due. I've attached an updated picture of MY lines this time so people can see my actual lines instead of my referencing some other person's lines.

no biggie, it happens....
easy at home fix...
-i would guess the black and red marks are the factory measurement points. to fix the lines just measure up a foot or so from the original mark(s) (on each line so that both remain equal length) and re-sleeve them both. untie the sleeving then sleeve the lines through to your new marks and re-tie sleeving as you found them or as otherwise suggested.
-better solution but need more room....
if you're really in a mood you could stake the lines at one end, stretch them out kinda of taught and make new marks of your own to ensure both lines are equal length. one line may have stretched more/less than the other as is normally the case.
then re-sleeve.

Quote:

Originally posted by kteguru If you re-sleeve your line make sure you use a figure-8 knot instead of the overhand knot that appears in the picture. A standard overhand knot greatly weakens the line at the knot.

Thanks for the tip. Those knots were the factory ones from HQ. I'm surprised that if it was suck a problem on the type of knot that they wouldn't correct their manufacturing and make it better. After all, it is just a knot, and isn't like they are adding something, just making a change.

Well,,,,, for something like a 2.2 symphony it may have been decided to be sufficient by HQ since it isn't a traction kite. I was just mentioning it as a general reference for you. If I recall correctly a 'figure-8' knot will hold greater than 90% of line strength where as an overhand knot will hold somewhere around 50-55%. If your flying a kite at the higher end of its wind range then the difference in knot strength may well make a difference in whether or not you have a failure at the knot.

what length and weight is your line set. I will swap and send you a set and take your old set.

You might have already resleeved it, but I figured I would put the offer out there since I resleeve etc... all the time and tend to have a bucket of line-sets.

Hey Flash... I haven't resleeved it yet. Too much stuff to do over the holiday weekend.

It is the stock line that it comes with. I looked it up on the HQ web site and it states:

"Dyneema 100 kp / 220 lb., 2 x 25 m / 80 ft. on winder with straps" Although somewhere else online I saw someone selling the Symphony 2.2 with 100ft line, and yet a 3rd place that shows it with 115ft line. I may have to measure to be sure.

Let me find out from the dealer tomorrow if they are willing to do something first.

Someone else PM'd me stating that I should just order a stronger line than the 220lb. Anyone have thoughts on that? Is there a disadvantage to going with stronger line?

No worries, just placing the offer on the table. Also, I hang around at a kite store (stunts and deltas) and I have access to just about any line length and strength you could want. I would say that for a symphony 2.2 stick with the same weight etc... I would not go over 220lb, in fact I would even go a little bit down. Remember this is not really meant as a traction kite, more like a stunt foil. So bumping it up in the weight range actually has disadvantages for this kite. If you are flying it at the top of ideal wind conditions (15-20mph) then the 220lb's will take the harder buffeting and shocks to the line then a slightly lighter weight. However, if you are flying in anything under 15mph the drag with a heavy line set is going to make the kite sluggish and it effects the responsiveness of the turning etc...

as far as line length here is a very BASIC break down, when you factor in weight, and a few other variables, it changes these statements a bit.

Shorter lines are great for tight turning, tight stunts, and if you are ready for a more responsive or even 'over' responsive kite. Longer lines are great for larger manuevers and percision teams. For example the standard for rev fliers is 90#/120 ft (team flying). But I do have multiple line sets that I fly on just for that kite. 90#/40ft, 90#/75ft and 90#/100ft.

I would say to go for 200 or 220lb line set anywhere from the 70-90ft range if you do not want to adjust to the kites difference in handling. Thus, if you tend to only fly this kite in say 10-15mph steady winds, and you are NOT using it as a traction kite, then you might want to go ahead and go for 200#/75ft.

as a side note... if you cut your own lines and resleeve them, definitely make sure they are the same length, but don't worry if you say... cut off 12 feet or so. As a stunt kiter my longer line sets tend to gradually work their way down into shorter ones over time. I just take a sharpie and mark on the winder what the weight and length of the line set is.

oh... and by ideal wind conditions, I do not mean it's wind range, just the optimum performance of the kite

Just found out that the dealer will replace the lines. :cool2:

just wanted to add ... on a stunt kite like the symphony if you beef up the lines then there is a good chance you will damage the kite next time instead of the lines. Keep the lines as the weak point so you can just replace them the next time they break instead of buying a new kite.

Just a quick update that HQ sent me new lines directly from their place in North Carolina. I just haven't had time to get the bugger out due to crappy rain here for the last week.