light weight lines, waves, interesting outcome.

Hein · Since 08 Mar 2005 1313 Posts Possessed

Went to the coast and rode some very nice waves.
Especially on the 4th of July! -went off like a fire cracker!

I've been using a set of 18m 300# lines on my pulley
bar for about 3 months. Ridden them in waves, high
winds; been huge with them; and yanked them hard
with some wakestyle. Always kind of wondering when
one would go...

So after an hour in some nice sets I ended my session
with probably the best wave I've had the opportunity to
ride so far. Problem is I tried to ride it too far, dropped my
kite, got worked. then tumbled in the wash. My kite was next.
I don't remember when the yank came but I knew it was
coming. Normally I can ride one out by getting streamlined
so I don't load my kite too much. And then let go of the bar
and let it go to the leash if I think the pull is getting too high.
I've saved my kite many times that way.

This time the bar was ripped from my hands, went to the
end of the leash and just snapped. No awkward backwards
drag in the white water. Bye kite! I still had my bar and
some lines as far as I could tell.

After enduring a few more sets and then a pretty long swim
in where my board had already washed up. (lucky break #1)
I went down to retrieve my kite from a friendly fellow kiter
who had brought it in to the beach. Thanks & (lucky break #2)
No kite damage! (lucky break #3) Just 4 snapped lines and
all near or at the kite which kept any lines from wrapping
and possibly ripping the kite. I replaced the lines this morning
and then went for some more waves.

I'm heading back for more tomorrow.

So my kite was saved by a set of light weight (disposable)
lines. Would a "fusible link" be good for (bigger) waves? I do
fall in the wave and regularly drop my kite so it's going to get
yanked from time to time. I'd rather swim in and have my kite
wash up unharmed than have it shredded. I'm going to set
up another set of 300# lines. and psst.... less drag

-Hein

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4907 Posts Portland Unstrapped

What # test is typical.

and where was you ridin today?

Mr.Onepump · Since 11 Sep 2006 66 Posts Albany

I was wondering how you broke all 4 lines hein. You where realy tearing it up down the line and looping that 7 meter, looked pretty sweet aside from the long walks back. Very Happy

Hein · Since 08 Mar 2005 1313 Posts Possessed

When I first went out the clouds came and the wind veered NE.
My daughter was saying, Hey dad here comes the clouds and I
was like "That's normal for the coast." Being the Kook I am,
I went out anyway. Had an audience. That was also the time you
all came in. Hint, Hint.

I was looping like a mad man and walked back while my kite
danced in the gusty offshored-ness. I finally had to set it down
after it backed a bunch of times. Makes walking back kind of
tough.

When the clouds went away it switched back to N and came up
nice. I always end up taking too many rides at first and falling
off my board on the way out so tend to end up downwind. I was
going way out and making good ground back upwind when my
dream wave / session ender came along.

She was a sweet ride but bucked me off in the end. I'd kite into
that again in a heartbeat.

Fun day, the 4th. Thanks for having me. And to the big fellow
with the yellow Waroo. Thanks for checking on me after the
wash cycle and saving my kite.

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3753 Posts Los Angeles, CA Videographer

500-600 is the norm.

"800 pounds, it should be enough." --R, Len10

registered · Since 12 Jul 2005 1319 Posts tsunami Sandbagger

I have 16 meter lines and must say that anything shorter than 23 meters are almost useless in the waves unless you are learning or love doing downwinders.

the lighter wieght sounds like a setup for the big swim from down wind somewhere.

too good of conditions out there to be messing with the experimental stuff.

slaying waves all day for days Evil or Very Mad

even though for the first time I left a bar on the beach and it was taken Crying or Very sad

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2025 Posts Windward

I have some short lines and really disliked the lack of
POWER
why use a larger kite than nessasary?
I have to use one kite size up for the same power
just by adding 2 meters to my lines
seems mo betta

A couple weeks ago a line broke off a line at the kite and wrapped around our pal and tied him into a knot were he couldn't swim
and was slashing away like a madman to get free ,
I thought he was fine because he was so close to shore he could almost walk ,,
If he wasn't tied up :roll:

Hein · Since 08 Mar 2005 1313 Posts Possessed

Short lines really only work well fixed and unhooked.
I agree there is more power in longer lines. I've ridden
my 7 on 20s and it was nice. A little more altitude to
work with when looping. I've noticed that after I've
ridden longer lines for a while and then switch to
shorter ones that I stuff my kite more. But this time
the wave took me towards the kite too fast and
it happened to be in a hole behind the previous
one. Unhooked, I can usually recover it by bringing
the bar down as I carve left on the wave and away
from the kite. I like to keep my kite low in front of the
wave and have been high on the face looking down at
my kite out in the flats. It's a bad place if the wave
gains speed and the kite gets into a lull.

Anyway you do it is fun fun fun

registered · Since 12 Jul 2005 1319 Posts tsunami Sandbagger

shorter lines are fast so when you go down the line you can swing the kite to and fro to keep the juice and continue on the mission for even more turns on the same wave. Obviously waves are always different so the speed of which you want to zip along the peak/ peaks( bottum turning around the occasional quick close out section) is always adjusting as the tide comes and goes and the swell comes in .

Short lines are a blast but in the end they are more work, swing more or holding down a larger kite, and oh yeah buddy they will fly your wing into the drink lickity split. the shorter line fly to the edge of the window that much quicker than longer lines so even if riding withh the kite higher it takes some flying and less parking

20 is min I would suggest though. but I suck, I will be the one body draggin for my board, which shorter lines make more work out of to.

Twisted Evil

have a good weekend everybody... winddddyyyyyy yeeee haww mmm swell