I joined the generator death cult the other day

[seano]

There's been a real lack of kiting conditions lately, so I've been tweaking around with my bar set ups.

As my mate Kevin mentioned above - Taranaki has rocky, gusty-offshore beaches to contend with, you need a 5th line or you could be toast before you even get to the water. Here in Raglan I have found the 5th line can save your ass relaunching in the strong tidal currents. I was using 20- 24m lines & an adjustable 5th line riding Fuels. On the Generator I'll use the stock 26m lines for now, but it's hard to go back after using 20m.

What I liked best on my Fuels was an adjustable 5th above the bar, the 5th line cleat is bolted through the mouse-ear-swivel which is still in reach - just above the depower rope cleat. The tail of the 5th is looped over a ring for easy quick realease. It wil be interesting to see how the Generator goes on the 5th line.

I dont use a sliding-stopper so just a simple single C.L. rope through the bar. For fixed riding I've added a fixed loop to the bar this is made with small 6mm rope & tubing the rope is rolling hitched to the bar - it pulls into the foam grip unlike a loop with webbing so it's not impeding grip.

So as you see I've set my bar up for the gusty N.Z. winter - my next sessions on the Generator will not qualify me for the death-cult as I have 2 options to depower if I need to.

Zero - I would also like a spinning fixed loop that's compatable with a chicken loop. It's a tricky problem but there must be a simple solution - the C.L. rope needs to pass unobstructed through the fixed loop mounting.

[surfingwithkites]

some pictures of the NZ bar set ups would be good to see. If you fly the generator your already in the death cult. It's automatic even if you use the c.l. It can't be helped. There is no avoiding it.

[zero]

Any thoughts on this?

Do people know which mono fixed harness lines work with chicken loop setups? It seems like where the webbing attaches on the bar could block the chicken loop line (or the line for the rooster ring) from passing through the hole freely… Do they all give room for this, or do only some of the models work? What is the model felix uses? It seems to have a hinge in it.

[surfingwithkites]

Zero, I have never seen a mono fixed harness loop that wouldn't block the rooster ring or c.l. Those of us on the rooster ring set up here have scrounged up a variety of mono fixed loops. I have and old dakine and two old airush ones, Felix has a few old pro limits ones or something and the hinge is a swivel. His is flimsy and requires a second hand to hook in at end of ride. It doesn't bother him but I hate using his bar because of it. My old dakine one has a swivel too but it has webbing over it that makes it stiff and so it hooks in and out easy. It's like gold. My other ones are stiff which is good but have no swivels which is bad. Hat, Brny, Zack, P.R., etc all have various scrounged up brands. They are getting hard to find and we all need some new ones if anyone has a good source. Don't know of any being made now.

Anyway, to your question, what we all have done is melt a hole through the webbing after putting the mono fixed loop on so that a rooster ring or c.l. can be threaded through the center hole in the bar.

[surfingwithkites]

Sorry, premature postulation, Zero, here is a bit more on the topic. I made a bar with fixed and c.l. when I first started riding fixed so I would have the option of a c.l. if wind got too strong or whatever. I was scared when I started because I was used to a year and a half of bow depower and didn't really understand how having the right kind of kite that is the right size means you don't need depower. What I did was make essentially a mini chicken loop by using a longer length of grey amsteel rope (regular chicken loop rope) and sleeving it with some clear tubing and then tied a tight bowline knot. I made it just big enough to hook into and it ended up being sort of triangle shaped due to creases in tubing. It worked really well and didn't interfere much with the main fixed mono loop. When I would hook into it I made sure the fixed loop was above the harness hook so it could not hook in fixed accidently. I hooked my leash above the mini C.L. but below the bar. I made it have extra long depower like a r.r set up (longer than stock rope allows) which makes reaching the strap a little far but I don't adjust trim strap much with generators. Just get it perfectly trimmed and fly. The wind here is not super strong and after awhile I found I never used the mini c.l. anymore so I replaced it with the small steel rooster ring. The only real disadvantage of the mini c.l. tubing set up was that it tended to tangle lines a bit when wrapping/unwrapping or after losing the kite in the surf. It was harder to "weave" the bar with it. Now I have the smallest steel ring that won't jam the bar and can be clipped into easy with a leash. About 1 inch diameter. If you are riding a rooster ring set up and need an emergency c.l. you can wrap leash that is clipped to r.r. around the harness hook. Never fully tested this theory though. When things look sketchy I just unhook so I can bail the bar and let the r.r. do its job.

[ronnie]

Why not have a normal suicide leash on a chickenloop and just find a way to set the unhooked power like an Eclipse stopper cleat below the bar?

[surfingwithkites]

stoppers work o.k. but there is no substitute for the precise response and low wind performance of a true fixed set up. Especially in light wind. In strong steady winds stoppers work o.k. All stoppers have a bit of play even choked down to the bar. Plus you have to set it each time. Plus you usually end up riding too big of a kite so you can use the c.l. Ride fixed for a few months and you will clearly see why people do it for waves and light wind. I periodically go back and ride the c.l. again just to remind myself of how different it is. For me a stopper and a chicken loop would mean riding a 9 instead of a 7.5.

[Chicken Loop]

Fixed Set Ups are extremely dangerous....you ride with out straps too? Sounds like danger and consequences, ride carefully. maybe consider using a sheetable setup and straps just to make the sport more safe.....

[surfingwithkites]

why do you think they call it the generator death cult?

[Kevin Salter]

Fixed Set Ups are extremely dangerous....you ride with out straps too? Sounds like danger and consequences, ride carefully. maybe consider using a sheetable setup and straps just to make the sport more safe.....

Kiting is danger and consequences, and trying to disguise that with Bow B S marketing has resulted in a lot of deaths, mainly on the ( safe gear )

At least the guys on this thread know the risks , and when it comes to riding waves, the risked of getting cocooned in you lines or chewing salt water are high, and out weigh any risk you perceive in riding strapless and with a fixed loop.