Changing Rear line leaders, to install a "Oh s*it" handle: (1) Use your 'Roach Clip'...opps, I mean your 'Hemostat'... opps, I mean your 'Needle nosed pliers'... and reach up into the hole on the bottom of the bar end winder, and fish around until you can grab the knot of the leader line. (2) BEFORE YOU PULL OUT THE LEADER LINE!!!... be aware that the little bungee that sticks out, and is used to secure the lines on the bar...is looped around the plastic-coated leader line, inside the flexible sponge rubber bar end... so, never pull the leader line completely out of the bar end, even it you think that you can feed something like a coat hanger back through the hole... it will be tough to get it through the loop in the bungee. Also, tie something to the little bungee so that it doesn't get dragged back into the inside of the bar end.

Then, make up the 2 pieces of leader line, needed to construct the "OS" handle, ring and velcro fastener. Be careful to get the length of the leader line pieces exactly right, for when it is under tension, or else, that rear line system will not end up being of equal length to the other rear line system. And of course, really check the line lengths, under tension before your take the new system out for a ride.

It is nice to make "eyes" at the ends of the leader lines, by using a "fid" or even a small hemostat
to fish the line back through itself, then, sew the newly constructed "eye" with dental floss or sewing awl thread.

I could go on and on about making stuff, but just ask for more advice on this thread, if you need some clarification.

I think that you are talking about the little bungee that is meant to help secure the kite line, in position, on a wound-up bar.

Public Service Announcement: "DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT MODIFYING THE CABRINHA BAR UNTIL YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND THE FUNCTIONING OF THE BAR SYSTEM...you could be dragged to a watery death".

I will dig up and post a link to a past KF thread that discussed the use of a "not recommended by Cabrinha, "Oh Sh*t" handle modification."... This kind of "tertiary" (Plan C) safety system has to be used in a very precise manner... or it will make a bad situation much worse.

After a year of use of the Cabrinha "mini-fifth" (IDS) system, I am not convinced that there is much of a need for the installation of an "Oh Sh*t" system. I will leave the one I made up for my bar on the bar, but I would feel very comfortable using the bar without it. The only reason I put it on the bar in the first place, is because I was doubtful of the functionality of ANY "mini-fifth" (2 front lines acting like a fifth) line system. I have had no problem with the use of their standard safety system... but then again, I practice and practice with any new piece of kiting equipment... and highly recommend doing so!

I think Scott/prelives is asking about the actual red OS handle shown in 2 of the pictures.

He apparently is not aware that by attaching the kite leash to that handle and then using the QR for the C-loop the kite will "flag-out"/depower onto that one rear line.

Coincidently, I had an "episode" a couple of days ago that lead me to adjust my OS handle lower down to the bottom of the float. I was out on a 14m when the wind increased dramatically. I came in realizing I could not just do a more typical self-landing by "flipping" the kite onto the leading edge. My QR would not release - don't know why because I had tested it earlier. I was in the process of changing my leash from under the bar to the OS handle but the OS handle is so far up that I mistakenly pulled the handle too much and sent the kite hard to that side and got dragged - UUGGHH!!! Anyway, I now have that OS handle down by the bar.

I think the new 2012 best bar that is coming out soon has this same idea of soft floaty bar ends with no bar floats. I hadn't thought of this other reason to have bar floats.

I like having the OS handles as a backup, but it is difficult to change the leash from the mini fifth to the OS handle when you are overpowered. If you move the OS handle below the float, does it just run freely through the float? Seems like it could get caught up and you'd have a looping kite on the end of your leash.

Scott,

Here is the "zero to sixty" about the reason and procedure for the use of the "Oh Sh*t" handle (which would function the same as a 'rear line reride' safety system) on the IDS bar.

................... Past history of the issue::

The initial concern, about the safety of the new IDS (mini-fifth line ) system is stated below...

Kitezilla stated:

" "On April 19, (2008) I asked the question:

"However, if the bridle does not have pulleys, and the back and front lines are separated from each other, like a SLE style kite, I wonder why they did not just use a back line re-ride safety. It looks to me that, if the IDS system does not adequately flag out the kite, that the system could be modified by converting the bar into a traditional rear line re-ride safety system."

The above statement was just a guess on my part, based solely on a picture of the line and bridle diagram, posted on their web site. It could be that the new IDS CrossBow will spiral out of control if released to a rear line re-ride safety system. I have no reason to believe that it would, but I wouldn't discount that possibility, without adequate testing.

The important question has not yet been answered, but if experience shows that the IDS 2 front line "safety" system is not a truly safe way to down the kite in the process of deep-water-self-rescuing in extreme conditions, then, I would imagine the above bar (or a simple modification to the IDS bar, to make it similar to the above bar), would be a solution to the possible problem.

First, however, it would have to be determined whether or not the IDS kite can be safely flagged out on a rear line. It would be best for Cabrinha to make this determination. However, if Cabrinha does not approve the use of a rear line re-ride safety system to flag out the kite on a rear line, then, I would bet that the user of such a rear line re-ride system would be in danger of voiding the warranty on the kite. Cabrinha could state that the rear line attachment points are not adequately reinforced to absorb the stress generated when the kite is being flagged on a single rear line. a precedent has already been set by The kite company ,Best, who has announced such a policy, where the warranty is declared void, if their Waroo kite is flown with the addition of a fifth line.

Time will tell...but don't hold your breath waiting for a response from Cabrinha on this forum. So far, they have been very tight-lipped about answering concerns voiced by KiteForum users. I would like to see a change in their policy concerning their lack of response to forum questions.""

.............................................
In another post, the concerns about the process of correctly using the "Oh Sh*t" system, in the case where the mini-fifth line system was installed as the primary safety system, were stated here :..oops, Sorry, I can not find the thread I wanted to post, so here is a summary of the order that an "Oh Sh*t" system would have to be employed on the picture of the bar, above.

(1) Release the secondary safety located at the rider's end of the kite safety leash.
(2) Free up the "Oh Sh*t" handle from its velcro attachment
(3) Grab the "Oh Sh*t" handle in one hand, and AT THE SAME TIME:
(4) Hit the primary release, located at the rider's end of the power line ( the Mushroom)
(5) Hang on to the "Oh Sh*t" handle, for all you are worth, while the kite "spirals" violently down to the water.

Note: If the secondary safety was still connected at the time the primary release was triggered, the kite would start to flag out on the rear line reride ("Oh Sh*t" handle system), but the kite would be prevented from totally flagging out on that line, by the restraint from the mini-fifth line safety system... and the kite would violently jerk on your hand, at the same time it started looping. Not good... Picture in your "mind's eye" a whole bunch of evil scenarios.

Yes, davesails7, it was that difficulty of changing from the mini-5th to the OS handle in high wind situations!

Here are a couple if pics of what I did. I have the new OS handle line running on the outside of the float for the time being. You can see that I left on the upper OS until I test the system on the beach. I have the velco tabs just barely touching on the upper original OS handle so that it should break apart easily when activated below. I have a little slack in the "leader" line going to the lower/new OS handle. This line and handle came from an extra bar. It should be OK - although as we all know nothing is 100% safe. If this works I'll probably remove the upper OS and replace it with just a stainless ring.

Forgive me.... I didn't get to read the whole rant.... What exactly is that extra line for? To me it looks terrible. Why not just leave the original OSH? That looks like more things to tangle or snag. Just my opinion.

Andy

Yikes! Sounds too much like hard work

Tomatkins & Oldkiter - thanks for your explanations and feedback. I like the idea of the floaties seems like they should be stock on all bars tomavoid a potentially bad situation, but for the time being will stick with Cabrinha's IDS as is & hope it does what it's designed to do. I've tested it a few times and each time it kills the kite adequately. I once used it coming in when I was in over my head and there was no one on the beach to land me. I had done a couple of light wind self landings to learn, but this was probably 25 knots with a 12m kite and I couldn't quite get it to stay down and I was afraid it would hot launch and send me flying, so I laid it down on its edge, tripped the QR and the kite dropped right there. Perfect as could be.

-Scott

Ha, Ha,...Anything long does have the appearance of a 'rant'... so here is the answer to your question, stated by "Oldkiter"... a couple of posts up:


"...Coincidently, I had an "episode" a couple of days ago that lead me to adjust my OS handle lower down to the bottom of the float. I was out on a 14m when the wind increased dramatically. I came in realizing I could not just do a more typical self-landing by "flipping" the kite onto the leading edge. My QR would not release - don't know why because I had tested it earlier. I was in the process of changing my leash from under the bar to the OS handle but the OS handle is so far up that I mistakenly pulled the handle too much and sent the kite hard to that side and got dragged - UUGGHH!!! Anyway, I now have that OS handle down by the bar...."

You're welcome!