Postby kiteboarder@pacbell.net » Thu Jan 23, 2003 1:23 am
In the interests of safety (yours & others) please read all the way through this unfortunately rather long post. There are a lot of factors.
- Apparently simple metal-to-metal does NOT guarantee release after deployment, even with a tip pivot. A local rider reported to me that when he switched from a traditional snap shackle (side-pivot, pin-release) to a Wichard 2673 (tip-pivot line-release) without changing his ring (which worked fine with the old shackle), it snagged at least twice. I've also heard that the Wichard TRIGGER-release tip-pivot (2655 & 2657) will catch on at least some (if not all) rings, so it's not a viable option as a cheaper alternative to a Tylaska trigger-release.
- With side-pivot shackles* a metal ring is MANDATORY, & it must be of sufficiently large diameter AND cross-section in order to release reliably. It seems that even though a Wichard 2673 will release reliably from a plain line loop (without a plastic sleeve) of ANY size (large or small loop in large or small line), it also has similar ring requirements IF you choose to use a ring (I do NOT use a ring with mine). In other words, with a Wichard 2673 tip-pivot line-release, a ring is not only unnecessary, it can be detrimental. TEST your setup under high load (4 x rider weight**), light load, medium load, & try to MAKE it stick. If you can make it stick, Murphy's Law dictates that it WILL stick when you least want it to.
*Side-pivots must also have WELDED rings on their release pin, & must be tested for the rider's physical strength to release under high load (often up to 4 times rider weight).
**If any of you think there isn't that much load, let me know, & I'll post proof.
To connect a ring to a sewn trim loop, you can carefully cut off the plastic coating, & then lark's head the remaining line loop through the ring. Alternatively you can lark's head the loop through the closed end of the shackle, & then "snap" it directly to your spreader hook, just make sure the pivoting arm of the shackle swings OUT, so it can't catch on the other side of the hook (I'll try to post a photo).
A "spreader" inside the trim loop may not keep the loop open sufficiently under the very high loads we can encounter (4 x rider weight).
Ring breakage is an issue. A local rider has broken a ring rated at 2028lb (922kg) TWICE. It was being used as part of a sliding ring leash system, but the load is the same at the bottom end of the trim loop. I'm now recommending the 4564lb (2075kg) rings, although even larger ones may be required for your snap shackle. My sources report that unwelded (forged) rings are no more reliable than welded.
It's been reported that the new pin-release systems can require more than the rider's strength to release under high load. The new Ocean Rodeo system looks very interesting, although it's been reported that they can release TOO easily (possibly pre-production models, which have now been improved), which is of course much better than the opposite!
Re-attachment after deployment can generally be accomplished BEFORE relaunching the kite (much like initial attachment on land, before launching).