Hi Dan

I was recommended to you to ask North questions.

I have 2 questions, one to do with the loaded 5th line, and the other with converting to 5 line to 4 line.

1. 

I bought a brand new 2012 12m Evo, and I had to make a special request to get a 5 line bar & line setup (I also fly it with a 2012 10m Vegas)
It plugged and played no problem, however I was wondering if I need to tune the length of the 5th line to increase performance?
The reason I am wondering this is the 5th line is only under tension above the Y split when I am fully depowered and sheeted out.
Considering I ride half or fully powered up most of the time, it doesnt seem to serve any purpose (performance-wise) during these times of sheeting as it is quite slack.
Any help with this would be fantastic.


2.
I want to try both kites with the 4 line mode, however, there is no mention in manuals or anywhere on the net how to do it properly.
I was thinking that I would disconnect the 5th at the Y split, stow the extra length and then feed the lower part of the 5th through the Y split eyelet to form a reef knot. But I'm not sure.
Can you guide me through this process?


Many thanks,

Tim

Weird when I sheeted in that is when the fifth is under tension. ? Hence you set it so you have slight amount of slack when no trim, fully powered and sheets in. And as the front lines stretch you have to adjust again to give it more slack.

hey westozzy, thanks for your post.

yeah im not sure hows its actually supposed to be when it is tuned properly. i've heard that 'dan at north' is an expert, so hopefully he can shed some light on it. as well as the correct and easy way to convert to 4 line setup

On the Evo, I think the 5th line is there for safety only. I think on the Rebel it is loaded but on the Evo I don't think it is supposed to be. Don't know about the Vegas.

The Vegas is a loaded 5th, so the 5th should be in tension. I don't believe the Vegas will fly well converted to a 4-line.

Lots of correct answers here....

You can not fly the vegas on a four line kite bar it and the rebel must be flown on five lines.

You can fly the evo in four or five line mode but you need to use the different bars, converting a five line bar to four lines or four line bar to five lines can be done but is very time consuming and involes many changes, voids the warrenty and by passes saftey systems and places you and everyone around you in danger.

The Evo only requires the front and rear lines to have tension on them, the fith line should not have tension and is only there as a saftey and does not carry any load like it does on the vegas. It should be slack always unless you realease to it.

I have both 2012 evos and 2012 vegas kites also. I fly the evos on both four and five line bars and ther is not a lot of difference in the kites feel on either bar.

Sounds like you have a nice working quiver. I would enjoy your north kites just as they are.

Billy,
Team North USA

Ditto everything Billy just said. Thanks Billy.

-Dan

One question though. Like the OP said, my Evo will load up the safety line when fully depowered, even if not sheeted out all the way. Is that normal?

Oh okay didn't know that about the evo thought would just be the same as the Vegas and rebel, okay cool. Wouldn't have a fifth then. What's the point.

Thanks billy and dan for your replies and clarification.

I have another reason for wanting to convert to a 4 line option:

I have a 14m 2011 switchblade that im not using, but i want to take it on a holiday where there is mainly light wind (doh!). I only have a 22m lineset for it, so I wanted to take advantage of my 25m North lineset.

Could you outline what is the easiest and most correct way to do the conversion?

(I found this post, which had a useful tip:http://www.kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2362939)

Many thanks again

Tim