knotwindy wrote:the thing i noticed when i was leaving the lines attached and stopped walk the lines out was i was not checking the lines for nicks or cuts or knots. the one minute saved was not worth the chance of a bad line. and if you are going to walk the lines anyway to check them, leaving them attached saves no time at all. so why chance the tangles?
Spot on
I actually have a bar for every kite - as I have found you relatively often rig two kites for a day with shifty wind, or wind between the sizes, and the last thing you want to do, is to waste time changing lines whenever you go ashore to take the other size.
Apart from that - when you are really stoked on kitesurfing and do it a lot, you will get what is necessary - AND, your kites will typically outwear your bar/lines anyway if you only got one bar, so having one bar for 4 kites f.ex, would mean the lines would go bad way earlier than your kites, and you would not have a backup in case something happens, and you could miss out on the best day of the year (according to Murphy).
Furthermore - you can trim your bar exactly the way you like for each kite with individual bar - which is important to me. I also like shorter bars for the small kites - so thats another reason for me, but some prefer the same length, I know.
That was a sidenote - just why I prefer a bar for every kite, or at least two bars for all kites
So I could leave the lines attached if I wanted to.
Okay, lets use a bit of time (some would say waste some time ha haa) and analyze:
Lines always connected -
1. You have to be VERY careful when packing the kite down, and folding the kite, that no line will cross the kite or the bar or get inside out etc. - so you use more time packing down, and a bit more restricted in what and how you do it.
2. When you rig up, you have to be very careful how and where you put your bar - and always be aware that no lines will cross the kite or bar.
3. When rolling the bar out, you use the same time whether lines are connected or not connected.
4. Walking the lines out, is often felt as a necessity to be sure there are no crossed lines - but when you do this, the bar will usually be spun a couple of times - so makes no sense as not easy or impossible to see if any crossed ones, if they are spun multiple times - as they will be usually
If you got a helper standing with the kite though - there is a big advantage - as you dont walk the lines, but take the chance that they are correct, and can unspin the bar to see if they are not crossed
Here you can save a lot of time actually - if it goes right !
If it goes wrong, and some are crossed or inside out, it is simply a
You should remember to roll your pulleys free of sand BEFORE you go to the bar, if starting this way. Just a hint - as easier to forget...
Lines not connected -
1. You use 20 seconds taking the lines off - but then you can pack down way faster and without being extremely careful - also much easier to turn the kite around without getting lines caught in something - before deflating.
2. Rigging up, you can just pump the kite easy and free without constraints because of lines.
3. When rolling the bar out, you use the same time whether lines are connected or not connected.
4. Walking the lines out - here you will use a little extra time always, with the very line ends
And then you have to use an extra half minute or so for attaching 4 lines (I can not see why attaching lines should be longer than removing lines).
You spin the pulleys free of sand - which is much more natural and easy to remember - when you attach the lines every time.
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I used to keep my lines attached for a period years ago - to see if an advantage.
But personally I've found it is not worth it - you lose way more than you gain !
For one, I dont know if I will be (or at least start) alone the next time I go out, so having the lines attached dont save walking back and fourth instances no more.
Second - I have experienced that lines can get crossed extremely easy sooner or later, no matter how careful you are. And just ONE day where they are crossed - kind of ruins a whole lot IMO, as I HATE using time on that.
If crossed up at the kite, you can not untwist by means of putting lines around the bar - and if starting alone you can not do it without using a huge amount of time walking lines out many times and unspinning till you get it right
If it goes well, it is easy, although not faster, to set up !
If not, it is a
So, let alone the way you have to be extremely careful (slower) both rigging up and down, easily outweighs the advantage of not connection/disconnecting every time IMO.
And on top of that - comes the mess for the (maybe rare - but they WILL appear) situations, if connected, and not correct so you have to "solve".
In the early days one used some time uncrossing lines, and helping others uncross theirs - as we were a bit less experienced and sometimes lines got crossed or inside out, or the bar slipped inside itself etc.
But today, where setting a kite up is much more a fixed "routine" it seems that it is much more efficient to detach and attach the lines every time - so you know 100% they are right from the start
IT FEELS GOOD
In snow there are other reasons why letting the kitelines be attached could be in favor (gloves, and stiffer loops = more time to fix) - but that is not kitesurfing.
Attached or not - an individual thing and a choice - but above is why I (and most I know, in fact everyone I think) dont leave them attached.
Peter