T2 bar - death spirals

lawnmower · Since 14 Dec 2007 153 Posts Stoked

Out at Stevie yesterday upwind of Bob's. Feel something let go. Kite is uncontrollable in a series of power-up crashes. Pull safety and go onto leash that is connected below the bar, still getting thrashed so bad that the safety line hook is bent. Finally get the kite to fly one wingtip on the water, and body drag back in. Get back to land and investigate the bar and the 4" double loop line that connects the pulley to the bar on the right hand side is disconnected from the bar. It is still attached to the pulley, and there are no breaks in the 4" line or the hole in the bar.
How could such a thing possible?

Kataku2k3 · Since 14 Aug 2005 3754 Posts PDX-LA Videographer

Post some pics if you can!

toddjb · Since 16 Oct 2007 271 Posts MD Obsessed

Look at your bar end very closely to make sure it is not cracked. I have seen that exact thing happen on a Fuel bar once. The line slips out a crack in the bar end, but when it isn't under load the fracture closes up tight and is tough to see.

I'm surprised you were able to get the kite under control at all with the rear line going straight from the center leash attachment point to the kite! That's an extra few feet of line on one side! Shocked

lawnmower · Since 14 Dec 2007 153 Posts Stoked

toddjb, Nothing I did, I just got lucky. The lines near the bar were a mass of twists. The kite just wanted to fly wingtip in the water at the edge of the window. Good thing it was headed to the OR side. I will check for cracks in the bar end.

For all you SOG's help you kids to kite as they may save your ass some day.

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1692 Posts XTreme Poster

You had your leash attached to the chicken loop or to the above bar safety ?

I had a 9m do the same thing at Rufus last spring. Crazy!! Evil or Very Mad

lawnmower · Since 14 Dec 2007 153 Posts Stoked

Thanks for the idea toddjb. The bar end was cracked but closed up. Showed the bar to Dave from Slingshot Stevenson, and he gave me a new bar. Customer support, great reason to buy local!!!

Bulae99, the safety was hooked into the main lines below the bar. Even after releasing the chicken loop there was enough pull on the leash to bend the leash hook!!!

shastadogs2 · Since 28 Mar 2005 336 Posts Obsessed

workin today, all i can do is read about kiting Sad

there is a long thread on the other forum about sle/bow kites and their perceived safety level. there has been more than one kiter laid low d/t line failure and twists in the center lines.

all the depower is predicated on the long sheeting action, augmented by the pullys. death spirals wrap so much center line that the kite can become virtually unjsheetable Shocked

the bottom line: let her go early rather than late, if you can without endangering others downwind. there seems to be a critical period, after which such problems develop to the point of becoming untenable.