Camrig Line mount mishap
Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 7:51 pm
I have been riding a bunch with a line mount and tend to get a snag from one steering line at least once a session. No biggie, I can shake it out immediately while sometimes it may take a minute. While this occurs, I can make the the adjustment to fly the kite and keeping it from flying all crazy on me or turning into a looping nightmare.
I just wanted to provide some cautionary information to anyone who uses the line mounts since I had gone out a few days ago and my tangle was more significant and made me think that given the right conditions or scenario, it could really be a much bigger issue in which flagging the kite or completely ditching the kite all together might be the most viable option to prevent injury.
Basically a single steering line might get caught if I land powered and head downwind fast or any scenario in which I provide slack in my lines. In this particular instance, I think I headed downwind pretty far trying to just regain some balance from a powered landing and both steering lines got hung up on the camrig. I had been doing a few front rolls in the same direction, so I'm not sure if my swivel was jammed and that added to the difficulty of trying to undo the snag or not. Normally, it seems the camrig helps my swivel work more effectively. Anyway, I couldn't get a good idea of where the lines were caught. It was slightly gusty and the control was reduced and the lines were slow to slide along each other and the rig. I quickly started thinking perhaps the lines criss crossed under and maybe back again over the rig plus the twist from my front roll in play. I don't think any kind of shaking could have freed them.
I made the call to head back to my tether since if what I pictured in my mind I don't think flagging would have been safe and I still had enough control to fly it. When I tethered the kite and untangled the issue, I took off the camrig too. I can't remember exactly but I think my twist from my front roll was below the camrig, and both steering lines were on one side of the mount. I honestly can't remember, I was just glad nothing got out of control since all the lines were pretty taught.
I just want everyone using this mount to know that potential hazards can come about, not just depending on your flagging system, but from intense line slack. I can't even remember whether I unspun the bar because it seemed like as soon as I landed, a gust hit and the slacked lines pulled tight and then it was uncomfortable to fly. This put me on high alert and I had to make the quick decision to go in and manage the problem.
I hope you guys can picture this in your head and use it to your advantage in the future should you have something similar happen. Like I said, I don't think my tangle was as bad as it could get, but after this I can picture how crazy the tangle (snag) can get and potentially cause severe kite looping, or dragging event.
Happy Holidays all
I just wanted to provide some cautionary information to anyone who uses the line mounts since I had gone out a few days ago and my tangle was more significant and made me think that given the right conditions or scenario, it could really be a much bigger issue in which flagging the kite or completely ditching the kite all together might be the most viable option to prevent injury.
Basically a single steering line might get caught if I land powered and head downwind fast or any scenario in which I provide slack in my lines. In this particular instance, I think I headed downwind pretty far trying to just regain some balance from a powered landing and both steering lines got hung up on the camrig. I had been doing a few front rolls in the same direction, so I'm not sure if my swivel was jammed and that added to the difficulty of trying to undo the snag or not. Normally, it seems the camrig helps my swivel work more effectively. Anyway, I couldn't get a good idea of where the lines were caught. It was slightly gusty and the control was reduced and the lines were slow to slide along each other and the rig. I quickly started thinking perhaps the lines criss crossed under and maybe back again over the rig plus the twist from my front roll in play. I don't think any kind of shaking could have freed them.
I made the call to head back to my tether since if what I pictured in my mind I don't think flagging would have been safe and I still had enough control to fly it. When I tethered the kite and untangled the issue, I took off the camrig too. I can't remember exactly but I think my twist from my front roll was below the camrig, and both steering lines were on one side of the mount. I honestly can't remember, I was just glad nothing got out of control since all the lines were pretty taught.
I just want everyone using this mount to know that potential hazards can come about, not just depending on your flagging system, but from intense line slack. I can't even remember whether I unspun the bar because it seemed like as soon as I landed, a gust hit and the slacked lines pulled tight and then it was uncomfortable to fly. This put me on high alert and I had to make the quick decision to go in and manage the problem.
I hope you guys can picture this in your head and use it to your advantage in the future should you have something similar happen. Like I said, I don't think my tangle was as bad as it could get, but after this I can picture how crazy the tangle (snag) can get and potentially cause severe kite looping, or dragging event.
Happy Holidays all