Kite Field Line Tangles

[HDguy]

I do a lot of flying with my rev on a field where there is often a great varity of kites, single line, dual, quad etc. I don't worry too much about getting crossed with flyers using spectra but there are frequently single line kites using cotton and braided dacron lines. Kids, especially, will take off running with a kite across the field without any clue that they are not the only one on the field. I have heard that a cotton or dacron line will cut your spectra lines easily. I try to avoid them but some days it gets pretty crowded. Anyone have any experience with having a spectra line set cut by another kite line?

Theron

[northwavesailor]

Last October, at the very end of the Lincoln City kite festival, a kids kite that was flying freely (no kit attached!) snagged a Rev parked on the ground and it sent it into power lines and a burnt mess!

There are some pics of it on the forum.

I, thankfully, have no first hand experience getting our lines cut but understand it is the melting point of the the lines.

[RobB]

Yes, if you cross the line of a SLK, it will slice your sport kite lines like a knife. I've only done it once... once was enough ! Learned my lesson...

[makatakam]

Yep, the cotton and dacron lines will cut your spectra lines. Do not cross lines with dime-store SLK's. Had a line cut by one attached to a running kid about four years ago. Fortunatlely (knocking on wood like a woodpecker), the cut occurred right at the sleeving knot at the kite end. Lucky not to get cut in the middle. Shortened the other three on the field to match the cut one, and that's how I got into sleeveless line ends. To re-do all the sleeving would have taken some time as opposed to a rather quick sleeveless repair. Twenty minutes and back in business.

[HDguy]

Thanks. I will avoid any contact with SLK's

[Wayne Dowler]

Even something as uneventful as tangling an SLK tail can nick your lines and POP, your lines lose!!

[povlhp]

That is why I use Dyneema for my SLKs as well. Not as smooth and slippery as the rev lines, but great strength for the size. And no big issues if I cross the lines (happened once or twice on some of the first sessions out). 250 lb braided. Feels more like cotton than Kevlar. And larger diameter than even my powerkite lines. But at least I have almost no tangling issues with it. Safe to walk the kite down, just dropping line in grass.

My 100 lbs lines tangles pretty easy. Had tangles after sloppy line handling in long grass a couple weeks ago. Took 20 minutes to untangle home in garden.