I am expecting an arc 840 in the mail today. I have an old version of an ozone bar. It does not have a trim strap but does have 8 inches of depower throw capability (see attached). To have the best chance of getting the kite to fly on my first try I am not sure about the line connections. The arc manual says the front line should be 20cm shorter based on the throw of the PL bar that came with the original arc (it had 20 cm of throw). My question:

When the bar is fully sheeted in (chicken loop at the bar) should I connect the front lines 8 inches closer to the bar than the rear lines? If not what is the best place to put knots in the leader lines and how far apart based on my 8" of sheeting ability.

Also, I plan to connect my leash to the #2 front line ring. It should pull that line through the ring (the velcro sleeve that the leader line is sewn to separates with a slight tug allowing the line to pull through). This should flag the kite right?

Thanks
Jason

i vote pigtails on the kite end to change line lengths
but what do i know

Go here:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/mx5alan/arcs/ARCsetup_FAQ.htm

Pretty much everything you need to know about line and leader lengths and bar throws for older ARCs. I had to add longer depower lines and trim straps to my bars to get full range out of several of my ARCs. And after those mods, you'll wish you had longer arms!

That's not a true depower bar. It will severely limit the abilities of this kite and your enjoyment without also having a trim strap. I built my own bars when these kites came out. I had at least 8 inches of trim and 18 inches of throw. Might have been more it's been a long time. I think our bars were like 30" long too. :o :D

I agree with using pigtails at the kite to lengthen the steering lines.

If there is too much Velcro and /or it is too grippy it may still hold if you deploy to safety. Something to be aware of.

That ARC Setup FAQ is a great resource.

I think that these old Arcs can be a good depower kite. Properly tuned and it will have you grinning ear to ear.

Second Zero Gee.

The 840 had minimal depow compared to more current arcs but it is still pretty good with the right bar throw and trim.

If you're interested Jason, I have one brand new Peter Lynn trim assembly left. Would add that 8" of trim Zero mentions.

$20 shipped.

I've never built a bar that didn't have trim control, but the normal spec is that with the kite "fully powered" the knots of the mains and steering lines all line up. "Fully powered", means the trim is all the way out and the bar is pulled down to the chicken loop.

The rig should measure about 1 meter long (40-ish inches) from the centerline of the bar to the knots where the flying lines attach.

Note that this bar is vintage. If you are going to retrofit this it will require a good bit of thought. You are not likely to see many similar rigs to give you guidance. The Arc Setup FAQ is a great resource, but yours is very old gear.

Are you coming to JIBE? I could help your retrofit what you have and show you the bars I built.

Regards,
Philip