Downlooping w/out chaod or stopper ball

[edt]

if it is blowing 35 knots I always set it up so when I release the bar it's out of reach, that way when I land hot and crash, there is a lot less chance I will bust up yet another kite if it tomahawks, also the crash is a lot less gnarly. Especially if you bail on a kiteloop.

It's absolutely no problem grabbing the bar. If the kite is pulling just get on a plane, ride 2 the kite so there's no pressure, and get the bar. Super easy. If it's not pulling hard enough to get on a plane, then you can pull it in by hand.

I crash a lot and always on a kite 2 sizes bigger than everyone else. I think if you ride waves, it makes me sense to set a stopper because you have so much less power in the kite and it's less likely to explode if you crash.

I'm with nykiter, I like to set the bar to have as much throw as possible, it's no big deal to grab the bar and it gives your kite so much more range.

But it's a personal preference, I don't think it makes sense to force a rider to ride with a short throw or long throw let people ride how they want.

[L0KI]

edt - I'm confused, how are you relaunching a kite that you can't reach the bar in 35 knots?
My kites don't move to one side and relaunch themselves, I have to be able to touch the bar to do that.

[dyyylan]

My preference is to allow the kite as MUCH depower as possible in the unlikely event I cannot hit the quick release for whatever reason (I do practice that quite a bit). I still like knowing that the bar will travel 3 feet down the line in a major crash....I would imagine that some day the bar will destroy the pulley or even fold causing an even bigger problem (but the slingy pulley is pretty robust), but its the risk I take....just a calculated risk, one of the downsides is the convenience of downlooping easily. Thanks for the input.

do you only kite in hurricanes or something? or it sounds like you're just afraid of the kite

[L0KI]

I was under the impression that he was was an instructor, IKO I think.

[dyyylan]

I was under the impression that he was was an instructor, IKO I think.

that's kind of scary, to be honest.

[NYKiter]

Its ok to be confused.
Its ok to be scared.

Have a great day!

[duckman]

This whole thread scares me. Your bar is not correctly tuned for your arm length. If you have to climb the depower rope after letting go of the bar you either need to shorten that distance to the point where one end of the rope is maximum power and the other is almost 0 power. A stopper ball is fine but should be set up so that when the bar is "stopped" by it it has almost 0 power (unless of couse you want it powered). If this isnt possible with your present bar get one that does. The "hand to hand" solution to your problem is just crazy and may produce unintended kiteloops, F16s and line wraps.

[NYKiter]

[Kamikuza]

This whole thread scares me. Your bar is not correctly tuned for your arm length. If you have to climb the depower rope after letting go of the bar you either need to shorten that distance to the point where one end of the rope is maximum power and the other is almost 0 power. A stopper ball is fine but should be set up so that when the bar is "stopped" by it it has almost 0 power (unless of couse you want it powered). If this isnt possible with your present bar get one that does. The "hand to hand" solution to your problem is just crazy and may produce unintended kiteloops, F16s and line wraps.

Cabrinha.

[Westozzy]

I'm with duckman on this issue.