hg1027 Posted April 29, 2016 Report Share Posted April 29, 2016 Hello Forum I've been flying a Newtech parafoil 5 and a 4.5' delta for the last couple years, mostly the parafoil with a gopro on it getting shots around the neighborhood. I live in Houston. I've had a few situations where the line felt close to breaking. The website says it came with 50# line, and these times have always been as a storm was blowing in and local weather stations reporting 15-20 mph. I have limited time to fly, and I've spent enough time trying to get the kite high enough to have the pull to get the gopro up, only to drag the whole thing 10 feet off the ground and go home empty handed. When the hurricane comes in, I'd like to go fly. So my question is, what's the heaviest line I can reasonably use on this kite? I'll be looking at a powerfoil 24 or 36, or a 9 or 11 foot delta for Christmas, so I'd like to get a line that will handle one of those at, say 25mph. I'd also like to get at least 500', if that makes a difference. The foils fly at a relatively low angle, so to get the height I want, I need a lot of line. I realize the delta will snap it's spar before a very heavy line will give up, so in higher wind I'd probably use a foil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted April 29, 2016 Report Share Posted April 29, 2016 Each kite manufactured by any company will have line strength recommendations for flying lines. These already include a "fudge factor", but you can take to 100 pounds over that to feel safe. If you actually do fly in hurricane-force wind you will probably destroy any kite you fly. The seams on the foil will more than likely rip apart. The delta, with only a broken cross brace, will actually incur less damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hg1027 Posted April 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2016 Excellent point. I had not thought about it that way. With the 50# on what I have, and the caution of blowing apart the seams, I'll order 100 or 150. If the kite blows apart, I'll just hope it falls slowly enough for the gopro to survive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobB Posted April 29, 2016 Report Share Posted April 29, 2016 The thing to consider about line is that the strength line (300#-500#) that you would need for a larger foil will cost as much as the kite, or just about. 500' of strong line will run $50-$75. I broke 300# line with a Power Sled 24, and the kite flew off to never-never land ! Luckily, the GoPro fell straight to the ground, and survived the 100'+ drop. Never underestimate the strength of the wind, it's always best to overdo the strength of the line, loosing a kite sucks ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hg1027 Posted April 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2016 That's reasonable. I'm thinking 150# will be overkill for the parafoil 5 I have now, and will let me fly it to death. I don't mind paying a bit for the line. I see 1000' of 200# for $33, only a little more than the 150#, and strong enough for the bigger kite when it comes. Very tempting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyzakite Posted April 29, 2016 Report Share Posted April 29, 2016 I would think 50# line would be fine for the parafoil 5. Keep in mind how much a 50# bag of dog food weighs or even 3 bowling balls. But if I was to hang an expensive video camera on a kite, it better be a darn good kite with decent track record for KAP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GammoRay Posted April 29, 2016 Report Share Posted April 29, 2016 DO NOT FLY ANYTHING IN A HURRICANE! EVER! Given that, if you want to fly in 20-mph winds, get some real line! I (another Houstonian) would not use anything less than 500#, but you might use 300# for smaller kites. Either way, buy bulk: 500' of 500#, $27; 300#, $20; 250#, $15, etc., plus shipping. https://goodwinds.com/line-winders/braided-dacron.html And always remember, SAFETY FIRST! Don't trust breaking strength over working load. Lines wear, knots weaken, etc., and, in a hurricane or even 20+ winds, flying debris can cut or damage lines. Also, larger lines are easier to handle when under large loads. A 100# line with a 100-lb load is like a knife blade in your hand! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeafThunder Posted April 29, 2016 Report Share Posted April 29, 2016 Rob, did you ever got that Power Sled 24 found or returned ? Hyzakite, question : what kind of parafoil 5 are you referring to ? GammoRay is correct I fly power kites (inland, no buggy yet) ... you do need more than #300 lines ... I weight 180lbs and my Rhombus Anum 7.2m did pick me up and carrying me here and there at 12mph+ and Ozone 3m at 22+mph ... I got very lucky that I wasn't in the air when my handles's leader lines broke twice (each handle, one that day and other another day) ... I replaced it with true 550 paracord and do check lines/handles once a month if I ever planning to stay in the air longer than 15 seconds ... I will definitely need #500 lines or more to ensure it won't drop me free falling and double the strength on the handle's leader lines No, I don't use control/turbo bar (not made for these 2 kites I have) ... I use 2 handles 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted April 30, 2016 Report Share Posted April 30, 2016 A 100# line with a 100-lb load is like a knife blade in your hand! Well said -- and even worse if you hands are wet -- ask any fisherman. I have flown in 40+mph winds over grass. Wouldn't even try on the beach, get sandblasted to death. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyzakite Posted April 30, 2016 Report Share Posted April 30, 2016 1 hour ago, DeafThunder said: Hyzakite, question : what kind of parafoil 5 are you referring to ? I was just referring to hg1027's New Tech parafoil 5. But New Tech, SkyDog or Premier parafoil 5's are all 5sqft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeafThunder Posted April 30, 2016 Report Share Posted April 30, 2016 Oh, some kind of power sled kite ... I am not familiar with it ... sorry that I got the wrong idea/kite ... ... Since Rob has/had one Power Sled 24 or someone may experience similar power sled kite like your " hg1027's New Tech parafoil 5" will probably have the best answers I have seen it on video, but not smaller ... but this one IS green HULK strong ... to be safe ... get 200 lbs lines ... I don't know how is the strength/quality on that material ... like one said ... it can snapped or blow out ... Rhombus Anum 7.2m is a strong and cheap power kite, but I know that quality won't last very long, because the air ducts are fraying. If I have been aggressive flying/jumping it constantly ... I could hurt myself in it if it breaks like your kite hurt could break your expensive camera ... you just need to test your parafoil 5 with very cheap something (a large rock) attached to your kite that is triple heavy as your camera and test fly it ... did it passed for how long at what wind speed and the whole nine yard ? ... test it and do some experience on it or better yet ... buy a cheap action camera p.s. I don't know how I missed the first 2 comments ... I thought this was hyzakite's topic and turned out to be hg1027's topic ... SORRY !!! (laughing) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobB Posted April 30, 2016 Report Share Posted April 30, 2016 200# line is good for a Power Sled 24 in light wind... under 10mph... but I would never fly either my UltraFoil 15 or Power Sled 24 on less than 300# line in winds 10mph or more. You might be thinking X number of pounds of static pull, but you have to take in to account the... I don't know what you;d call it, jerk strength.... the momentary jerk that uneven winds exert on a kite and it's line. That's what broke the 300# line with my Power Foil 24, was a gust, I guess. Who knows, it was a result of an approaching front that grew out of control before we realized what was on top of us. Yeah, my mind was blown that 300# line failed. The kite was lost for good, I sprinted after it, and probably covered over 1/2 mile before I gave up on it. I had to do without my trusty lifter for a few months, but my family replaced it for my next birthday, so it's now just a distant memory. I wonder who found the lost kite... I wonder if they knew what to do with it... It would be funny to see it in the air someday. Like I said, I was lucky, I had my GoPro up there with the kite at the time, the line broke above the camera, and the camera fell straight down, at least 100 feet into the sand. Got the camera back, and still works to this day. But... I always use too strong a line for any kite in whatever the wind is. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeafThunder Posted April 30, 2016 Report Share Posted April 30, 2016 3 hours ago, RobB said: The kite was lost for good, I sprinted after it, and probably covered over 1/2 mile before I gave up on it. Sorry that you lost that kite for good ... ... I have to admitted that I laughed so hard on this part ... sprinted over 1/2 miles ... Was your legs are FIRE ? (laughing) You really got lucky to keep the GoPro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevmort Posted April 30, 2016 Report Share Posted April 30, 2016 I sadly only have the one power kite now my HQ Beamer 4 5 meter came with standard 485# leader lines , in 22mph winds it picked me up for about 20 foot and was very surprised at being only 9.5 stone one line had stretched 8 inches !! Sent from my iPad using KiteLife mobile app 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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