Bridle replacement

[tak2mark]

Here's the situation:

I have a French Connection who's bridle is wearing at the center 'T'.

I love my French Connection, but the original bridle is set so that it's difficult to make adjustments. I want to change the configuration so that adjustments are easier to make.

I have 2 ideas

1) Rather than have the bridle attach to the upper spreader, I'll have it attach to a bit of line with knots along it. (like the Acrobatx)

2)Change the bridle completely so that the nose can be pulled forward or back using a prussik knot.

Has anyone else rebuilt their 'factory' bridle?

Do you have any advise for a NooB?

-Mark

[Dean750]

I did this kind of a thing with my Benson Box of Tricks a while ago. I put knotted pig tails on both the upper and lower spreaders at the leading edge and one for each side at the center T. Then I recreated the original bridel only shorter to allow for the pig tail length. Didn't want to add anymore length to the bridel. Just wanted to have more to adjust.

At that point I could adjust the 3 point bridel to fine tune the settings depending on the pig tail set up at the time. It was pretty cool in that you could pull the nose or tail in or out depending on how the top leaders and the center T were set up. You could move the tow point more toward the LE which gave the kite slightly bigger inputs but more control. Nothing wrong with experimenting, just don't do anything to the original bridel so if it doesn't work you can put the original back on till you get it figured out.

Dean

[TheKatKiter]

Here are a couple of websites I've found educational:

http://www.kfs.org/~abw/kite/

http://wardley.org

I've had to rebuild my FC bridal because the original fell apart on the 1st flight. I made a regular 3 point bridle byjust copiing the lengths and subtracting for the "dynamic" knots. It flew OK but the tails weights got lost along w/other problems. It's now fixed but I don't when I'll try it again. I've already got too much time in it.

Good flying,

Charlie

[Dean750]

Good site Kat, now I don't have to try and describe what I'm yakin about. The Dynamic bridle offers you more tuning points. With my MEFM I have 4 markings top and bottom of the bridle adjustments. In all I figure theres 64 or more adjustments that can be made on this bridle system. The MEFM has over 256 possible settings. But the dynamic bridle will allow you to tune your kite to your likings. You may how ever decide to make a custom bridle that is about 1/2 to 3/4 inches longer than the stock bridle. That will help to relieve the frame stress in upper winds while allowing you to still fly light.

Basically I don't understand why this isn't a standard bridle. You adjust your lift and you adjust your steering. My colors on the MEFM are (top to bottom) red, blue, green, black. Normally I'd go to the same color on both ends of the bridle with maybe adjusting the lower (steering) half way behind the top to slow the reaction to the inputs.

It's worth a try, like I said I don't know why this isn't a standard. Every kite I've flown with this kinda bridle, converted or not flies better.

Dean