Been flying my North 5th Element bar 2008/09 quite happily until I spotted wear on both front line sleevings, so I removed the originals BUT I had to shorten the lines as well. Obviously I had to then adjust all the other lines to suit, so I ended up back with all 5 lines equal length. So my original rear lines are as new/factory (I assume without too much stretch) but the 2 fronts and the 5th above the Y have been shortened and new sleeving added.

Since then my kites just haven't felt right, even though all 5 lines ARE the same length fully powered, bar sheeted all the way in. SO it should be right ? Well it's not. At first I thought the 5th line was too tight, so I stuck an extension on the kite end. Still felt bad.I've tried everything.

So, my thinking now is that by shortening the 2 front lines it's actually altering the shape of the V and making it wider and shorter. Could that be the problem ? Is it affecting the shape of the kite ? In which case do I need to buy new front lines and a new 5th above the V ? I have tried making extensions for the 2 front lines and the 5th to put it back to the original 23m length but that then doesn't seem right either!!! I'd have to also then extend the rear lines to make them all the same. What a bloody mess !!

It seems as though the 23m V is critical to the kites performance or is it ? Kind of wishing I had my 4 liner back. LOL

For me you have the feel of a new kite "all things equal" For me the way I ride the front lines will stretch more then the back through normal use. As you kite you get use to this feel. Unless you always tune your lines.

Do you feel your lacking power? turn speed? don't know, just feels weird?

Pt the extensions on the same side of the wye as you cut the worn sections off of.

Yep tried that last time out. What I'm saying is that even with extensions on they are still about 30 cm short of 13m, which is the stock line length. So even though all lines ARE the same length now - they're not right. They are way too short. So the V will be a different shape and I'll bet it's crucial to how the kite feels. I must have hacked off much more than I thought. LOL. Could be an xpensive error.