I switched from a bar to handles today on a old profoil 3m.

This is my 2nd time with handles but the first time with this kite.

On a bar this kite is always rock steady. Today it was spinning,luffing,spinning,folding,twitchy. It was very frustrating because this kite is my fave kite to teach people with when on a bar.

My thoughts are that I need extension on the brake lines. When it was on the bar the brake line was very loose. With handles I had to point right at the kite and it still felt like it was unstable.

Any ideas. I think its all in the brakes.

Also how do you guys wind your lines when using handles. I found out what not to do!

I parapack always when on handles (see instructions here http://www.kitesbuggiesandboards.com/?p=2866) and it definately sounds like a brake line issue to me. The kite should be more stable and controlled on handles then a traditional bar.

If you are having to point the bottoms of the handles straight at the kite then your brakes are def to tight. Were any knots added to the bridles, pehaps during the set up to fly on a bar? If memory serves, the power and brake bridles on a profoil are pretty close to the same length in the factory settings. Also, make sure all 4 lines are the same length. My 2.5 flies great on handles.

--Edit- figure 8 wind on the handles, make sure that you wind them snug enough that they wont slide off the ends, and unwind the exact opposite direction that you wound them on.

With all the twisting it definitely sounds like one set of lines is shorter than the other. You may also have a twist in your bridal that you didn't see when setting up. I hate when that happens!

+1 for fig 8 around the handles. Something that I've tried that seems to work - take your fig 8 winder and stick it between the handles then fig 8 around the whole lot.

Try the sock trick too....helps keep the leaders and kite killers away from the lines. A quick pack and setup trick that I stole.

Yeah- I was thinking of doing the sock thing also as I have been using q-power line which can leave yellow/orange figure 8 marks on the belly of white kites. Kinda obsessive about my gear....

When I show a newbie how to set the brakes up and the handles I stake out the handles with a stake in the loop at the handle behind the brake line. Run the lines out to the kite and after they are connected to the kite, the kite will be 1/3 on the ground and the other 2/3 up off the ground. Then you can leave the kite staked out with out any problems, and the brakes are good to go. Then you can adjust the lines any way your heart desires. Hope that makes sense.
One big key to the line issue is to put them away the same way to take them out, opposite.