Any way to increase range of depower on Airush Smart Bar?

[tanre]

Hi all, I'm new here. Been lurking in the shadows and just signed up because I thought the brain trust here may be able to help.

I have an airush smart bar and love it, but the depower is so damn short. When I fly it with larger kites, it just doesn't give me the range I want.

I have a LF CPR bar and love the amount of depower, but hate that cleat and the under bar depower. Usually take me two hands (and some fingers in the lines where they shouldn't be) to work the system.

I noticed that the smart bar depower seems to be sewn really well where one would try to extend the depower. Was wondering if anyone has tried to remove the stitching and increase the range?

Or if anyone has any other solutions (besides buying more kites:) (4 is my limit!!) to increase the depower on the smart bar. I love the bar otherwise and would like to use it for everything.

Does anyone know if the sensor bar has as much or close to as much depower as the CPR bar?

Thanks all

[downunder]

You need to ask the guys who race...They do have a cleat above the smart bar, custom made. I've seen it only once and it's a looong rope. Basically something like a CPR swivel + a cleat 30-40cm below it.

The LF hifix 2009 bar works great on 9m for me tho. The 2013 CPR on 16m not so...

Airush SB is not bad as well...

D.

[eree]

did you check the lines length?
also if you use one bar with different (years and brands) kites you may want to use different knots on back lines. besides, some fixed bridle kites are impossible to depower 100%.

smart bar has one of the longest bar stroke, over 70cm, more than enough depower. but if you want the bar for racing you better buy or build different one wit the clamcleat and pulley(s).

[tanre]

Ahhh Downunder, so what you’re saying, is that I would most likely have to remove the whole trimming system that the Smart Bar comes with and install a cleat, (or change it in some other way). That’s definitely one possibility!! Thanks

Yep, not too happy with the CPR either!

Eree-yes, have been adjusting line lengths for sometime-just added some more pigtails yesterday, but that doesn’t effect the fact that I still have a smaller range of depower on the Smart Bar. That is what I am trying to increase (range of depower). Yes, the throw is large, but I am looking for a better, or rather increased length in the trimming system. Sorry, if I didnt word it well.

Thanks for replies- will happily take any and all suggestions-please keep them coming.

[davesails7]

You're talking about the range of the depower strap, not how far you can move the bar, right? I had an older Airush bar and had a similar complaint.

Are you on the newest smart bar that leashes to a single front line or the older one that leashes to two front lines? You may have to increase the length of this leash line as well if you can not shorten some other line below the front line V split.

If you like the strap system and don't want to go to a cleat (I like above the bar cleats the best) you can get a depower strap with twice as much range from Best or I think Switch as well.

The LF bar would be easy to change to above the bar cleat as well because there is a ton of room to work with above the bar.

[tanre]

Dave,I have the single front line.

Thank you- I didnt know I could get a depower strap separately. Will look into it.

[ronnie]

Katja Roose's setup.

[nicor]

You're talking about the range of the depower strap, not how far you can move the bar, right? I had an older Airush bar and had a similar complaint.

Are you on the newest smart bar that leashes to a single front line or the older one that leashes to two front lines? You may have to increase the length of this leash line as well if you can not shorten some other line below the front line V split.

If you like the strap system and don't want to go to a cleat (I like above the bar cleats the best) you can get a depower strap with twice as much range from Best or I think Switch as well.

The LF bar would be easy to change to above the bar cleat as well because there is a ton of room to work with above the bar.

I noticed the same thing.

I have the 2013 smart bars, and use them with my Lithiums and with with my FatLady (which can take a lot of depower). I've noticed that the trim ability on the depower is quite a bit shorter than my bars from other brands, 20-30% less. But the flip side is the bar throw is longer. With my Fatlady having more bar throw is far more important, but it would be nice to have more trim on the airush bar. (I should say that on my lithiums I don't need more trim)

[tanre]

Just an update:



Bought the Zeeko Ulitimate UDS bar....it has more depower range on it than anything I have seen, without modifying and there is a way to modify it to get even more trim range!

When measuring the lines at waist level (attached to post), under full depower trim, the steering lines actually touch the ground!!

Cant wait to try it. Great trimming system

Only negative is the attachments for the 4M extension lines...they are all very bulky and heavy.