Staying Cliped in

[IRIE]

I am fairly new to the sport, my biggest problem is staying cliped in to my harness when trying to relaunch my kite. To get the kite on its backside I have been told I need to take in at least an arm's length of line or pull the bar over my head & then let go while swimming towards the kite, this definately gets the kite over but 9 times out of 10 my harness unclips. An instructor told me I should use a suicide clip with safety release but I dont feel 100% being permanently cliped in. Any suggestions what I might be able to do?

[Guest]

Irie, using a good quality shackle is safer and you shouldn't be afraid of it. If you need to add safety get a releasable chicken loop. Shackles are a better idea for kiters with less experience because you don't have to worry about detatching from your kite and not being able to get back in your sheeting loop(I assume your using a 4 line kite. I went to a shackle my second day and have never regreted it. I've been dragged nder a couple of times but this never lasts long and is part of the sport.

[Guest]

Dakine has a new kite-specific harness bar which might help. The opening on the hook is smaller so the loop is less ikely to fall out but you can still unhook when you want to. I haven't tried one yet.

The new quick release chikenloops that I have seen appear to be much safer than a standard snap shackle as far as releasing under load. The ones from wipika and bump and jump have a plastic retainer that can keep the loop locked in to your harness hook but you do not need to use the retainer to hook in.

[IRIE]

Anonymous:
Thanks, bro. I guess I should step up to the plate & get a schackle. Have you heard anything about Ocean Rodeo's new bar (I think it has a chicken loop with quick release, push bar up to release & thats all)Not sure which system is safest???, have heard that a lot of the early quick releases had a high failure rate???? This is what spooks me a bit.

[Mr Jo Macdonald]

hi Irie,
Check these threads out:
Jo

phpBB/viewtopic.php?topic=3148&forum=1

phpBB/viewtopic.php?topic=2083&forum=1

[Guest]

Irie, look at Wichard for a pull type snap shackle($60.USD) or a Tylaska T-8($119USD) (if you go the shackle route). Both are super reliable provided you set them up right. Don't buy the cheap knockoff (Chinese made), the springs are weak and on rare occassions these shackles hang up.If you go the loop route Naish and Gaastra(2003) both have smaller sheet loops that stay attached well and have good safety releases. I'm sure there are other good ones but these I have experience with. have fun

[captain pugwash]

IRIE : if it's just a case of the chjicken loop falling off the hook, there is a real simple mod that works quite well : take a stiff cable tie(longer than your hook length) and tie it round your spreader bar between the welds for the hook, keep the tongue of the tie below the hook. When you put the chicken loop in, pull the cable tie tongue up and rest it above the flat of the end of the hook (poor explanation, but it's easy to understand in practice), this will stop the chicken loop from falling out. The tie is flexible enough to bend out if you need to get rid of the chicken loop in a hurry. Have a go, a tie costs bugger all !

DO NOT USE A SNAP SHACKLE (only Wichard shackles work long term) the rest tend not to release after a month or so of use.

[sq225917]

regarding the wichard, i've noticed play developing in it at the pivot pin at the top, nothing serious yet, but eventually it might hinder closing the shackle as the front arm will rest against the edge and not the front of the wire gate spring.

[murdoc]

i used this techniwuebefore rigging a wichard:

when the kite drops, i push away the bar, so there's pressure on the chuckenloop.
i hold up the pressure with the left hand all the time, grabbing the bar near the center.

with the right hand, i grab the adjuster or leader lines (font lines) and pull it towards me.
then releasing it suddenly makes the kite flip over.

both hands back to the bar, still pushing until the kite raises.

[IRIE]

Murdock:
So you are able to get the kite over without swimming towards the kite? I found when its blowing & the current is quite strong I cannot get the kite over unless I pull the bar over my head & release it while swimming hard towards the kite. Thanks all for your advice