tomatkins wrote:To many kiters, the idea of not having a "stopper ball" might be a deal-breaker. A stopper is handy for a number of reasons, like spinning the bar, tethered (ghost, dog stake, etc) self-launching, etc... so these kiters may demand a stopper device.. or may reject the whole system, along with the clever innovations based on "simplicity"....
BRM control system
viewtopic.php?t=2385243&p=850425
Sooo, for those that want a "stopper", there may be a simple modification to the system, where the "stopper" would be placed on only one of the two power lines, and secured with the "internal to the rope insert", like Naish used, at one time a few years ago. A LARGE ring or specially designed "funnel tube" would be placed at the junction of the two front lines… and this device would be designed so that the stopper could PASS THROUGH, when the "front line safety" system was activevated. This stopper device could be sold separately and easily assembled, by those who want such a device.
I will reawaken the thread "Stoppers… the good, bad and ugly" where a collection of ideas about the subject of "stopper balls" are located, and present my thoughts on this modification:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2374480
A stopper does lose the ability to just let go of the bar and the kite drops from the sky unless it is far enough out. The BRM bar has 72cm of sheeting range and the Cloud will sit on its side on the water or for launching with the bar fully out. I don't know if the same applies to other kites.
The front line that is released is the one that carries the ring, which slides up the other front line, so a stopper could be added to that line which goes slack and would need to be just big enough to hold the bar for unspinning. I don't know of a stopper that is readily available to put on the line, but there may be one.
One of these with a strong enough stainless spring? Or maybe the 5mm Cord Clip at the bottom of the page?
http://www.bouncingrabbit.co.uk/page4.htm