RobB Posted March 16, 2014 Report Share Posted March 16, 2014 Hey All... Here's a first for me... a 'how to'. I use this method for dealing with a hard pulling Single Line Kite. This should cover every kite that's commercially available without a 'liability waiver'. It took me a while to figure all this out, hopefully it might save some of you some time. Of course, the sand anchor can be traded out for 'any immobile device'. I use a cargo strap to anchor to existing immobile objects, like a park bench or dock rail. Biggest thing I've got to say... be careful, don't underestimate the power of the wind ! ~Rob. As always, full screen & HD ! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHBKF Posted March 16, 2014 Report Share Posted March 16, 2014 Wearing gloves is a good idea anytime you are handling a line that might slip quickly in your hands. Even a light glider line can remind you. Just came in from moving the horses to another field & the cold wind caused the younger one to spook. We danced around a bit, him on a halter & me on the other end of the lead. Even a large rope jerked suddenly can cause considerable pain. Didn't have my gloves on. It is also a must that you do not allow yourself to get caught in a looped line. Rob's walking the line down is much safer than having loose line laying around that you may step in. Great advice from Rob. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainbob Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 I met a guy that is a regular at a new a new field I discovered, and he regularly flies SLK on a 1,000 foot line of 300# test. I was looking at this huge winder he had, and he said that he needed it, because if you got tangled in the line, it could really cut you up, and showed me this really deep and long scar above his wrist. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reef Runner Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Ditto Rob..........I do the exact same thing as you, except my sand anchor, doesn't have all those rocks in it, just nice, clean, heavy, sand. On big, hard pulling kites, I use a pulley on the line, to walk the kite down, especially if it's really blowing. Once you have walked the kite to the ground, you disconnect the kite, and then there is no pull on the line, as you wind it up..........if the wind isn't blowing too hard, or the kite isn't to big, I just slap a carabiner on the line, and walk it down.......... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobB Posted March 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 I met a guy that is a regular at a new a new field I discovered, and he regularly flies SLK on a 1,000 foot line of 300# test. I was looking at this huge winder he had, and he said that he needed it, because if you got tangled in the line, it could really cut you up, and showed me this really deep and long scar above his wrist. Damn straight ! That line can cut the sh!t out of you hand or wrist. Never under-estimate the power of the wind... Ditto Rob..........I do the exact same thing as you, except my sand anchor, doesn't have all those rocks in it, just nice, clean, heavy, sand. On big, hard pulling kites, I use a pulley on the line, to walk the kite down, especially if it's really blowing. Once you have walked the kite to the ground, you disconnect the kite, and then there is no pull on the line, as you wind it up..........if the wind isn't blowing too hard, or the kite isn't to big, I just slap a carabiner on the line, and walk it down.......... It's nice to have a pulley or carabiner to walk down the kite. I actually do have a carabiner on a strap to walk down the kite, but the pull on this one wasn't too hard, so just the leather glove did the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reef Runner Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 I have noticed, that on a hard pulling kite, and especially if it's out 400 - 500 feet, the carabiner alone, will get awfully hot. Jeepster reminded me about using a pulley, so I got one from a mountain climbing website, and it works great. It opens up, you close it back, and then snap a carabiner (with strap) into the holes, and away you go. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobB Posted March 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 That's just too civilized, Nick ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reef Runner Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 That's just too civilized, Nick ! Yea, and it really doesn't require the heavy gloves. I usually let the line out slowly, from a large diameter hoop winder, then when I'm done flying the kite, I walk it down with the pulley, so there's rarely any real hand-to-line contact, except when securing the line to the carabiner, on the sand anchor......... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmadz Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Ditto always using gloves. Murphy's law. I use a large carabiner to pull down the line as I walk to the kite. I usually don't put anything out more than 300 hundred feet. I then calf rope the kite by flipping it upside down and removing the spreader that effectively neutralizes the lift. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reef Runner Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Ditto always using gloves. Murphy's law. I use a large carabiner to pull down the line as I walk to the kite. I usually don't put anything out more than 300 hundred feet. I then calf rope the kite by flipping it upside down and removing the spreader that effectively neutralizes the lift. Yea, I actually do, on occasion, wear sailing gloves, which are leather, but have the finger tips removed. I can't tie and untie the line, with heavy work gloves. Doesn't your carabiner get awfully hot, when you walk down the kite ? I've had them to get so hot, I was concerned that it may actually melt the line, but a good pulley eliminated that. No frictional heat generated, at all, which is good........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Carter Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 NIce video! Nice kite! I was flying the same kite with two tails last week at Kite Party largely because I didnt have gloves with me and it doesnt pull very hard compared to even an 8' delta. The times I've found myself in higher than expected wind pulling down a big kite with no gloves I've found that using the kite sleeve folded over several times as a sliding strap works well. Friction would get pretty high if I went too fast, but I go slow if the wind is up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmadz Posted March 17, 2014 Report Share Posted March 17, 2014 Doesn't your carabiner get awfully hot, when you walk down the kite ? I've had them to get so hot, I was concerned that it may actually melt the line, but a good pulley eliminated that. No frictional heat generated, at all, which is good........... I have a large 8" aluminum carabiner. It hasn't gotten very warm yet. I could use a pulley, but I already had the 'biner in the garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobB Posted March 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2014 Since I usually fly in the colder months, heat caused by friction usually feels good. I've never noticed my hand (with thick glove) or even the carabiner getting too hot. BUT, the pulley is the best way I could think of doing it. Of course, it's just another thing to carry, and something else to get lost in the sand. I'm sure I'll find a pulley to use, though. It can't be good for the line to expose it repetitively to friction. Holding the full pull of the kite with a hoop spool is a mistake (even though they say 'unbreakable' right on them). I've seen pictures of hoop spools that have collapsed under load, and what a mess it makes of the line when they do ! Alan, your comment about 'not too much pull' with the mesh delta... IDK, the one in this video was pulling pretty hard, probably between 30-50 pounds of pull in 15mph wind. I thought it would be lighter on the line. The anchor is the biggest help that I've found. I just recently in the last few years started flying using an anchor, I used to hold my SLKs by hand, and crank them down hand over hand. Sometimes that's near impossible when the wind kicks up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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