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Overhand knot in sleeving?


HDguy
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I sometimes have difficulty removing the larks head knot from the bridle after a days flying. One of my fellow fliers ties an overhand knot in the end of the sleeving loop so you have something to get a hold of when removing the larks head. Any thoughts on this? Does it weaken the loop? It does make it a lot easier to remove the line set from the bridle especially if the wind is up and the larks head is tight.

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I have a line set with the loop tied on the loop that goes on the kite end. Yes it makes it a lot easier the remove. Haven't had any breakage issues.

I also have small loops tied through the loop! That is a small 3/4 inch loop that I use as a pull tab rather than knotting my line loop.

I'll see if I can grab a pic to show better and post back.

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Thanks. I am a long time fly fisherman and too many knots can be your enemy causing line breakage and lost fish. I will give this a try. It will help especially on those colder days when my fingers don't want to work as well.

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I use the small knots at the end of the loop. Never any issues but a great time saver. I think the sleeving prevents the knot weakening issue. Anyway much better to have the knots for quicker de rigging.

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I have knots in all of mine. When it's windy or cold they make it much easier to set up and break down. The line and sleeving together have a tensile strength over 200 lbs (90-lb Laser Pro). If you get that much pressure in the sail, your frame will snap like a toothpick but the line won't break. I have broken lines before, but never at the tab knot, and I don't use any sleeving on the lines that I tie myself. Six years and no problems. I say go for it! You'll like it!

Another way to achieve the same result is to untie the sleeving and thread it through a small glass or plastic bead. Re-tie the sleeving with the bead in the loop. Remember that you will have to do this 8 times per line set. That's why I just tie a knot in mine.

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This is my street line set. The kite end has the small loop of LPG as a pull and the handle end has the over hand knot. This is more because I didn't have any sleeve material when I chopped down a set to make them. Seems to work.

post-6827-14323677241607_thumb.jpg

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Hi SparkieRob,

I think this is what you mean, I put these pics on a reply on the Rev forum quite a while back but I cannot find it now to add a link so these are repeats!

These pull offs can be made from any old bits of line, bridle core etc that you have to hand and are simply fitted over your sleeving !

It makes life so much easier to undo your larkshead knots with these attached especially

if it is cold !

Bill

post-7581-0-37007900-1432374443_thumb.jp post-7581-0-25541200-1432374454_thumb.jp post-7581-0-36453200-1432374466_thumb.jp

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Tying an extra knot in the end of a loop is no problem, but they do tend to creep under pressure.

I avoid sleeving, as it is an complete waste of time and effort.

Without sleeving, you can use a quick release on your bridle pigtail as shown below:

Unsleeved.jpg

Just tie a knot in the pigtail, fold over the pigtail at the new knot and larkshead around the folded over pigtail. To release the flying line loop you just pull on the end of the pigtail.

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i like the idea too and it looks very useful, but I'm not sure I'm ready to ditch sleeving just yet.....

I use leaders of varying weights of bridle line, mostly to ease wear on my trailing edge and lower spreaders. Since a sleeveless flying line would be connected to the leaders, that would be a cool way to use this.... I sure like the quick release pigtail....

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Tying an extra knot in the end of a loop is no problem, but they do tend to creep under pressure.

I avoid sleeving, as it is an complete waste of time and effort.

Without sleeving, you can use a quick release on your bridle pigtail as shown below:

Just tie a knot in the pigtail, fold over the pigtail at the new knot and larkshead around the folded over pigtail. To release the flying line loop you just pull on the end of the pigtail.

This is absolute genius! Allen, pat yourself on the back for me, several times, and let me buy you a drink, or two or more.

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Pardon me for interjecting, but can we talk a bit about leader lines, what they're made of, how long they should be, and is there a consensus on when to apply them on your bridle?

I know this is the Quad zone, but I'm actually speaking from a dual point of view, if that's alright.

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Leaders are there to allow you to apply more or less brake to the quad. On a dualie it would be to equalize line length. You can add if you want. I have considered it to minimize tear and wear on the bridle. Any length will do of they are qual length.

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Leaders on a dual line freestyle kite are there to reduce the wear on your trailing edge and your spreaders. The Spectre is very hard on these and can cut into the reinforced material of the trailing edge. It also cuts into the carbon rods and plastic fittings.

Another advantage of line leaders on a dual is that it drops the line down with the application of slack to get your lines out of the way.

I think there is a "standard" ratio of 3 times the leading edge but I'm not sure on that.

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Hi SparkieRob,

I think this is what you mean, I put these pics on a reply on the Rev forum quite a while back but I cannot find it now to add a link so these are repeats!

These pull offs can be made from any old bits of line, bridle core etc that you have to hand and are simply fitted over your sleeving !

It makes life so much easier to undo your larkshead knots with these attached especially

if it is cold !

Bill

attachicon.gifpull offs 002.jpg attachicon.gifpull offs 003.jpg attachicon.gifpull offs 004.jpg

The only thing that I would change, is to double larkshead the pull off tabs to the loop, They still move around some, but doubling the larkshead makes it not likely to come off when loose!

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Hi SparkieRob,

I think this is what you mean, I put these pics on a reply on the Rev forum quite a while back but I cannot find it now to add a link so these are repeats!

These pull offs can be made from any old bits of line, bridle core etc that you have to hand and are simply fitted over your sleeving !

It makes life so much easier to undo your larkshead knots with these attached especially

if it is cold !

Bill

attachicon.gifpull offs 002.jpg attachicon.gifpull offs 003.jpg attachicon.gifpull offs 004.jpg

The only thing that I would change, is to double larkshead the pull off tabs to the loop, They still move around some, but doubling the larkshead makes it not likely to come off when loose!

Hi Wayne,

That would be a Prussic knot then !

Yes I agree they do move a bit but that has never caused me much of a problem and I have never had one

come loose to the point of losing it, in fact at times they have been a bit tricky to remove !

Using this method, rather putting a knot on the sleeving loop, is that they slide relatively easily if you are equalising

your line sets !

Bill

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Yes you can!! I just pull the loop tight and the pull tab gets loose, then equalize as needed! I just use the double larks to secure it a bit more, (I'm old, losing dexterity, and can use all the help I can get!!).

Wayne, you're not old ! :cat_biggrin:

I am approaching 70 years young and the guy I fly Rev pairs with gives us a

combined age of 142 ! :ani_yahoo:

Bill

oapbillf = " old age pensioner bill final "

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As another "old guy" and the OP I appreciate all the knowledge that is shared on this forum. I attached the pull tabs to my quad lines before flying yesterday and it makes packing up a lot easier. Thanks for the great ideas. Now I just have to attach the pull tabs to the rest of my line sets. us old retired buys need all the help we can get when it comes to being able to see and feel the larks head attachments.

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