Inverting a kite with a 5th line

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

I just bought a 07 16m Rhino and need some advice on what to do if/when the kite inverts or completely flips, considering it is a fifth line kite with the Y-bridle and the line will wrap around the center of the kite. I usually fly T2's. What is the preferred non-kite-destroying method?

pacifichigh · Since 11 May 2005 1004 Posts ATX Texan

wave grenade

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

shymac · Since 20 Jul 2005 919 Posts Home Valley, Wa. Bigfoot

Should a bought a 15M fuel! Then you wouldn't have to worry about that... The Fuel comes with the wave grenade and allows the 5th line to be removed if you kite gets all wrap up; then you relaunch it via 4-line.

Make sure you get a couple launches with your C because it won't be the same as the bow.

shredjim · Since 07 Jun 2006 188 Posts Stoked

So Spike, why did you get a 07 Rhino 16 meter instead of a T-2 14 meter? I hope you did not buy it with the main intention to use it at the coast. 8 struts with the grunt of a bull = heavy kite not so great for riding waves. Forget about trying to put a wave grenade on a North Fifth Element bar/lines, too much hassle. Some of the guys I know who ride North kites in the surf a lot use a Slingshot Fuel 5th line setup with the wave grenade already in place. Because a Fuel 5th line bar/lines has all 5 lines the same length just like North it will work with no conversion steps necessary. Plus then you don't have to deal with the not - so - user friendly Yoke bridal. If you want a releasable 5th line and buy a Fuel set-up you can sell the 5th element bar/lines on ikitesurf for close to what you pay for the slingy setup. North stuff sells easy right now from what I have seen.

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

kiteboard117 · Since 02 Mar 2005 450 Posts PDX McLovin

Afraid the wave grenade may not do the trick. Im not totaly sure because i havent seen a rhino try to fly without the 5th line but i have seen someone cut the 5th on a rebel. It released but the kite wouldnt relaunch untill I fliped it over for him. Then it wouldnt fly it just kept accelerating then inverting, un-inverting accellerating inverting again. The wave grenade works sick if you have the option of only four lines but 5 line bow kites dont really have that option. Having a front line to flag to maybe on an Ohshit handle would probably work the best if you invert the kite. You will probably have to do some swimming but atleast you wont end up with two 8 meters.

Wind Slither · Since 04 Mar 2005 2611 Posts The 503 METAL

Yeah, before the Slingshot army get's you to sell off all your stuff... Razz

I've had this happen many times and my kite never got damaged. Even when it flew around like this for a long time. Maybe I'm lucky, but I think it says something about the durability of North quality.

It's a pain but if you work the kite to the side of the window (after it's nose-down on the water or sand) you can pull the line around the wing tip and get flying again. The Grenade is cool, but then your 5th line is disconnected and dangling. (Better than a thrashed kite, definately).

Prevention is key. Don't let your lines slack when you dump your kite and this won't happen. I know, easier said than done...especially in the surf.

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

Thanks slither... yeah lets help him with his question rather than tell him he should of bought another kite.

Brand aside though 17m is too huge!... I guess everybody has to learn the hard way. Wink

Anyhoo, I doubt you will have too many inversion issues... just pump it up real hard. Mostly inversions happen on small kites in tons of wind.

shymac · Since 20 Jul 2005 919 Posts Home Valley, Wa. Bigfoot

At least there is a Army. HAHAHAH Twisted Evil

this was a mellow poke... Cool

Wind Slither · Since 04 Mar 2005 2611 Posts The 503 METAL

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

Chooch · Mon Dec 10, 07 6:21 pm

The kite should have no problem flagging out on the 5th. I have done it to my 07 and 08 rebels a bunch of times and never had a problem. The only issue I have found with my 5th line is that if you find yourself doing a lot of spins or looping the kite a lot.....and I mean a lot(50-100? or 2-3 session depending) the 5th will bind up on the other center line due to all of the friction. When it happened I sat in the water for a few seconds and let the wind do all the work, it eventually pulled the 5th to flag the kite 100%. From now on I am sure to walk out my 5th before every session.

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

It seems I should just keep it how it is. I'll make sure I have cross/on-shore winds so I don't end up body dragging to Japan, cause I sure don't know any Japanese. Thanks for the help guys. Next year if I'm in Portland again, I'll have a good kite for Sauvie Island. Keep an eye out for the coast, upcoming weekend looks promising (so far).

Pepi · Mon Dec 10, 07 11:03 pm

Hey Spike :

The best thing to do would be to add a wave grenade and the 'one-line' 5th-line lead that runs from the bar up to the 5th line kiteline.

We can help you out with the parts if you need some assistance. I think that you might have just enough space in your bar's chicken loop hole to allow for the 5th line to slide through the bar with your chicken line.

This system is reasonably fixable to reset while still on the water. It definitely is not easy, but I've had to pull and then reset my 5th line when I was using a 15m2 Fuel.

Give me a shout if you want to give it a try.

Pepi

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

For the record, the wave grenade is not a guaranteed solution either. The one time I ever needed it was at Waddell Creek when my kite crashed in the waves and got flipped with the 5th line wrapped around it. I released the wave grenade and the 5th line didn't get pulled through for some reason. It was happily stuck where it was. The kite didn't get ripped and I floated to shore eventually, but I was surprised by the situation. If you're worried about crashing your kite in the waves you might want to consider letting it go all together to prevent it getting ripped by the waves regardless of the 5th line. Then run and grab it once you get to shore. This of course depends on the size of the waves and where you're riding.

PS The only good "kite" for Sauvie's is a 6-pack of cold beer Wink

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1853 Posts XTreme Poster

I recently moved from two years of 4-line bows to the 5-line system--North. For me, I decided that the added safety of having that dedicated 5th line is worth the occasional extra re-launch/wrap/whatever hassle. It's kind of a choice, I suppose. I found myself self-landing and launching in a lot of wind and I really like that 5th in those conditions. But, I don't crash my kite much, either.

Eric