Turbo Diesel (Shortening Chicken loop line question)

[leo_bassani]

Hi guys, I have a couple of turbo diesels and when I ride, I feel like the control bar is so far away from me that it is uncomfortable and it forces me to have a slight sitting position and makes riding not so nice. If I pull the depower it gets closer oviously, but the kite does not fly as well (or I don´t know how to fly it in that position as well).

My question: Can I safely cut 15cm of the main chicken look line to get the bar closer to me? Are there kites that are knows for having bars closer? I have never ridden anything else, nor a C kite for that matter...only bow kites.

thanks so much for your help!

Leo

[s29feb]

By cutting the line you do the same ase when you pull the depowe as in you tighten front lines and change the angle of attack and lengthen the back lines - so in light winds it will be a dog.

I found that I get on much better with my 14m TD - amazing grunty lightwind kite - by using the lower hook position of Dakine Nitrous shorts instead of a wait harness

[Vin Stefanelli]

yes you can shorten the plastic sheathed chic loop
easily i've done it to two turbo D's and an Assault 07 and a
mmmmm Havoc!

1 park the kite and secure it

then unscrew the 3 screws that hold the plastic sheathed rope
chic loop right there by the red emergency knob
pull it out of the moulded plastic chic loop body,

cut off the 3 old holes that the screws rode into
with your sharpest best pocket knife
a sawzall , fine tooth, would work well also

push it back in were it came from and screw the screws back in

see how it fits
repeat process if needed
just cut a little at a time cause
if you go to far it will be difficult to
place the "chicken finger" into the harness hook

ps don't cut your fingers

[CaptainArgh]

Yes, as someone said you can shorten the actual loop, but that may not get you enough...

If you want to shorten your chicken loop line, but not change the performance of the kite, I think you need to then shorten the outside lines, at the kite, by the same amount. That way the bar is closer to you, but you have not affected the balance of things.

That said, I don't know where the pullies are on that kite. Give the SS hotline a call. Tell 'em what you want to do and they'll hook you up. The number is there for stuff like this!

Let us know what you find out! (by the way, one of the kiteboarding mags did a whole story about this last year. i think it was The Kiteboarder and I think it was written by Real.)