Hello, i had my first go on my buggy the other day. A question about the kite killers, one go caught around the wheel, pulled my arm, kite dived and i think it resulted in the buggy on me. I've been studying youtube videos of buggyers and they either have short killers or no killers. Can't have no kite killers but i can't find short ones anywhere online. Just tied a knot in them atm.

Pete

Never had that problem, yours must have been too long, ARe they tied to the brake lines where the lines meet the brake line leaders or tied close to the handles? They should be up where the brake lines larks head on.

I think they were up where the lines are but i could be wrong.

What brand of kite killers?

Both Flexifoil and Ozone KK leashes have elastic inside an outer sheath of braided tubing. The arrangement keeps them short until stretched by deployment. Real nice.

But even the solid line HQ models are short enough to stay out of the way normally if properly attached (I think).

Adding one thing to Pablo's note, make sure they are secured out by the brake line attachment and either in front of a second stopper knot or in front of the actual brake line - that way they cannot slide back to the base of the handle (where they hang loose too much as well as be less effective)

They're what came with buster 2 3m. So i guess PKD. I'm pretty sure they're next to the handle because i slide them when i wrap the lines up.

I don't know if tieing a knot in them is the best option. Knots weaken lines under tension. Now killers are usually beefy but you are potentially causing a weak point and if it breaks under load the bungee is going to be coming back towards whatever it is attached to - so watch out for your face, etc.

I was thinking of a stopper knot in the brake pigtail, where there usuallly is one already and as such they are sized for it.

The knot would be at the end of the pigtail and behind the KK leash, to keep it from sliding down to the handle, which sounds like what got pea into trouble.

The use of a figure of eight knot is said to preserve up to 80% of lie strength.
http://www.coastalwindsports.com/FigureOfEightKnotTutorial.h...

I understood your post, Angus and agree with it.

I thought Pea was saying he is putting a knot in the killer itself to shorten that - that is what I am questioning.

Hay everyone, may sound silly but I had always thought that I was attaching my kite killers correctly but after reading this post I’m now not sure, does anyone have a pic of their set up they could post just so I can make sure. Cheers

You can check out sketches and photos in "Figure 2" from this article...

http://www.coastalwindsports.com/FirstFlightFourLine.html

Some kites can be "killed" with the leashes tied at the base of the handles (that's how we stake it to the ground after all), but this removes most doubt, with the added benefit that the leashes do not hang down as much while flying and stay out of the way more.

Hope it helps.

Fantastic article, cheers fella, looks like I was forgetting the second knot to stop it sliding up the line. One thing I did notice was a reference to a “Coastal Wind Sports Kite Snake” I had a look through the site but couldn’t find it, could you tell me any more about them I’ve never heard of them before and now I’m intrigued.

here's a tutuorial too
http://www.racekites.com/reviews/getReview.asp?reviewID=635

Quote:

Originally posted by davmeva One thing I did notice was a reference to a “Coastal Wind Sports Kite Snake” I had a look through the site but couldn’t find it, could you tell me any more about them I’ve never heard of them before and now I’m intrigued.

Glad you liked the article and thanks for pointing out the inconsistency with the mention on f the "Kite Snakes", which I have not yet finished bringing to the catalog.

They are nothing more than a 2 meter (or whatever) length of chain inside a slightly longer length of 2" tubular webbing material. Big nickel snaps close the end of the webbing and loops of cord through each end of the chain sticking out of the end of the webbing act as handles and keep the chain from coiling up inside.

It would be easy to make your own.

I use them as a weight layed along the trailing edge of the kite to hold it down during set up and prior to/ during launch. (just make sure they are on top of and in front of the brake bridles so they fall off whaen the kite launches) You can use sand for this on a beach, but on our beach the sand is so fine it blows all over the kite and in the cells when you disturb it.

You can use water bottles but on a big kite in moderate wind that is a lot of water bottles I would rather drink than carry around. It is easier to carry since I can drape it around my neck like a shawl.

Regardless of field surface they are handy for folding the kite in any wind. As you make a fold you can flop one end of the "snake" on the folded portion and move it around without fear of scratching the kite's nylon, since the webbing is so soft and slides easily on the ripstop. You can keep them on the kite to hold them down in the wind as you fold, and then pull them out of the folded kite "like buttah" since they are so slippery and will not usually snag a bridle.

If I stake a kite on a gusty day and it is the rare type that still tries to fly off, I toss a snake accross all four lines a couple of meters from the kite and it stays put no matter what.

I have made longer ones, but I found 2 each 2- meter versions easier to use and manouver than a longer one for large kites.

Can also be used as a tow bridle for dragging the buggy and gear on and off the beach/ field, with one end loop around each foot peg.


When I work out production issues, I will offer as a kit, sans chain, since it is expensive to ship a commodity that is available at any hardware or marine store. But as I said, it is easy to make a version yourself.

Here are a couple of snakes (black fabric tubing) holding down a Blade 4.9 prior to unwinding the lines. They roll off when the lines are pulled tight for launch