I'm adding a 3:1 or 4:1 system to my 2011 North 5-line Bar. When I replaced the depower line, I just left the end much longer, so I can reach it when on the rail of my raceboard, but still only 2:1. It's too hard to trim the kite when powered with this set up. Seems like the cleat might be at the wrong angle too.

Some questions:

-Can you use the existing cleat?

-Is 3:1 enough? Making a cascading 4:1 system will take up more length out of the fornt lines and I'll have to add more length to the rear lines. 3:1 seems much easier to set up. (when you pull the 3:1 to full depower, the upper blocks and lower blocks are touching, so you don't need to increase the length of the depower system)

-I don't want to mess with splicing. Can I just tie bowlines and wrap with Gorilla tape? This is what I did when I replaced my depower line.

-Can you use shackles?

-What type of line should I use? Right now I have just the regular Amsteel Blue, same as the depower line. Seems like most people are using the jacketed type of line like the ones used on dinghys?

Yes IMHO. I modified my 2009 5 line bar with 15 Euro worth of parts (one pulley and some line) using the existing cleat and original depower line. Its 3:1 and works great. The first thing I did is mark the original depower throw on the floor. When done found that I had to move the back lines up a knot in order to respect the original settings which I liked. I then trimmed the depower (yellow) length to fit after the first session. Sorry for the crappy pics, hope this helps. -stef

That is 4:1 , your doubling up the original 2:1 so it 's 4:1 .

Did the same thing recently with one of my old north bars , works great , only issue is that model iron heart chicken loop does not have a swivel , which is super handy when racing , I changed the chicken loop to a flysurfer one with the swivel.

Oops, you are correct. and correct again on the swivel, mine does wrap up a bit now and then. -stef

Awesome! Thanks for the pictures

How is the fixed end of the yellow line attached? are both ends of the yello line through the same part of the cleat?

Is the added pully just attached with a bowline?

My concern with a 4:1 system like this is that the travel of the depower is cut in half. When you pull the depower all the way, the original pulley is only half way to the cleat. With my 18m I like to be able to pull all of the depower in when the wind picks up. I'll have to try it out and see how it goes.

Increase the length of your de-power system and just increase the length of your leader lines. The only limitation you have to amount of de-power you can add is make sure when your bar is attached to your kite and you spin the bar your lines cross above your depower system and wont catch or wrap on anything.

I can't see the pics anymore, could you repost them?

You can catch a few glimpses of my depower system in this video.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=m-ch ... Amgj93Y6mY

@StefMorris: did you pull out the original grey depower line and put it back in the other way around? Or am i wrong? I see a little piece of grey line on the righthand side.

Can you just leave the original in place and connect it to the new pulley?

How many cm did you add to the depower?

thanks

Must be me but i find it difficult to make my own racebar (afraid it breaks middle of the water)
Maybe North will make a race upgrade for the bars, would be easy ...plug and race!

Hi SpaceMonkey, I did flip the grey line and used the sewn end to make a slipnot that holds the pulley. I then made a simple knot at the cleat (together with a knot in the yellow line.) I just let the excess grey line dangle (about 10cm.) I didn't add any effective depower to the original factory depower throw, but did have to move everything up 5cm or so to have enough travel, which is why I then had to adjust the rear line knots to bring everything back into the original trim range. -stef