Can anything be done with my bridle.

[mattiefrank]

Hello everyone.I will try to explain this so it makes some sense.

I have a H.Q.SYMPHONY BEACH-1.7m Now i do like flying the kite.but it has a fatal flaw i think.

Every line on the right side of the kite comes to 1 point.

Every line on the left side of the kite comes to 1 point.

So there is a GIGANNORMOUS KNOT,by both tow points.

And living where i do the winds SWIRL A LOT.

tHEN WHEN THE KITE FOLDS IN ON ITSELF,I CANT RECOVER IT,BECAUSE THE LINE HAS SNAGGED ON THE BIG AAA KNOT ON THE BRIDLE.

I just came back from my brothers home and,he has a symphony 2.2

Well his bridle is completely different.

There might be 80 lines.

But they divide into 40,then into 20,then into 10 and,so on.

AND IT DOESNT HAVE ALL 80 LINES BEING MELTED INTO 1 HUGE BLOB BY THE TOWPOINTS.

His bridle is smooth and,organised.MINE IS A CHAOTIC CLUSTERCRAP.

you know how when someone has there dogs ears bobbed and,they put that cone around the dogs neck,so he cant hurt his ears by scratching.

I was wondering if it would be feasible to put an attatchment like that on my bridle to keep my lines from getting snagged. I LOVE THE KITE.BUT ANOTHER GUY TOLD ME HE GOT RID OF HIS SYMPHONY BEACH BECAUSE OF THE BRIDLE.Now he has a symphony also,like my brother.

Im wondering if i can do it with maybe a straw or,better yet,some really small diameter plastic tubing.

I know maybe this doesnt sound serious,but it is almost to the point where i dont like flying the kite because it is inevitable that it will snag at some point.AND I am tired of going thru the whole walking and,unsnagging thing.its like those big knots are just perfect for fouling my lines up.

SOMEONE HELP PLEASE.

[JoneZ]

I know absolutely nothing about power kites, but would it not be possible to snip that blob of melted together lines off, create loop points on all the individual lines, then larkshead them all on a large pigtail?

I don't know if that'll work, but thats the first thing that came to mind.

Could you post some comprehensive pics of your bridle, so we can get a better look at it?

Thanks m8.

~Jon

[mattiefrank]

Okay,thanks for the offer of help.i took a few pics. and, hopefully they will illustrate what i am trying to say.

[mattiefrank]

There are 15 lines on each side of the kite.they bunch them in threes and,then they took all 5 of those bunches and,joined them together,put on a pigtail and,its epoxied or something.

However its rough if you feel it with your fingers,not smooth.

Not only does it snag my lines,but if the winds high and,it catches it right it maybe could cut it. I DONT KNOW ?

Also i cant visualise what you were explaining to me as a possible solution.I will read it thru a few more times to see if i can get it.

[mattiefrank]

Just sitting here tracing all of the lines and,I FOUND 2 THAT APPEAR TO BE SWITCHED AROUND IN EACH OTHERS SPOTS. Maybe somone was having a bad day when they assembled my symphony.

I am not a knot tieing guy and,im gonna have to study this and, see if i can fix it without making it worse.

It looks like the easiest way to do this is at the point where the lines are tied to the kite itself.Now hopefully i can get my fat fingers in there and,fix this thing. UUUGGGGGHHHHH !!!!!!

[JoneZ]

yeah m8. get that Epoxy off there. Makes for nasty snags. It looks like theres 3 sets of 5 lines tied together, then they are all epoxy'ed to the pigtail itself. Bad construction.

What I would try doing, is taking that bunch of 3 sets of bridle line -- tying an overhand knot (maybe a double overhand knot, depending on the amount of pull this thing has) with the whole bunch (right above the individual overhand knots of the 3 sets). Next, make a new pigtail of the same length, then larkshead the pigtail just beneath the overhand knot you created. That'll most definitely clean it up a little. There will still be a big knot in the way, but that looks to be the nature of the beast on that particular bridle. You can always throw some tape around the knot point to reduce snagging.

Hope that helps a little.

~Jon

[Fast EDDY]

AHhhhh The Knot Issue on this Kite.

I took a SIMPLE piece of Heat shrink Tubing I think it was a 3/8 inch piece or a 1/4. I know this It was the SMALLEST piece I could FORCE!!!! over the three knots. Then I shrunk it down to cover up the Problem area.

Lesson Learned was YOU MUST barely cover the knots and strings that go to the kite. Less than 1/8th of a Inch for the Lines need to spread out etc. Down over the Knots I went just more than 1/4" when it was all shrunk up to cover all the glue etc.

Just be VERY aware of your Temps on the tubing as you shrink it as to NOT Burn your lines. I have the Proper Heat Gun so it was easy. The Opening after a colapse was MUCH easier. Usually one side of the kite would start to fly first and then as Long as I flew that ONE line the rest would fallow!!!

Hope it Help you out...

ED