G'day Arc Fliers!

Just a few notes on line lengths:

1 Virtually ALL kitesurfing kites are set up to use 4 EQUAL LENGTH
LINES. The exceptions to this are, for example, Cabrinha's "Re-Con"
system which utilises different line lengths for easier re-launch.
Slingshot Diesel also has a smart system... There are a few other
brands but we are not really concerned with them here!!

2 In order for these 4 equal line lengths to work then the bar
leader lines and power adjuster must also be of EQUAL LENGTH!

3 Linesets are ALWAYS measured with the power adjuster strap (or
clamcleat) let all the way OUT.

4 If your back line leaders are LONGER than the front line mounting
position (the knot behind which you fit your Spectra fly-lines) then
shorten them or tie a knot in the leaders, dead in line with the
front line mounting points.

OR lengthen the "chicken-loop" line to suit. There is no "golden
rule" for chicken-line length.


5 If your back line leaders are SHORTER than the front line
mounting position then replace the leader lines with longer ones OR
shorten your chicken-loop line.

6 DO NOT fit fly lines (4 equal) to your bar/leader-line set until
you have the bar and leader lines sorted!!

If there is only a difference of, say 25mm, then don't worry.

If you can't be bothered to check your own lineset then at least:

NEVER launch a new kite if there is any chance of the back lines
being SHORTER than the front lines. If in doubt then ALWAYS have much
longer back lines as you are less likely to die.

7 DON'T assume that your rig is perfect because it came from the
shop that way. I have checked out hundreds of "matched pairs" of fly
lines. Some are over half a meter different!!! Most are reasonably
close. Don't blame your dealer... it's not his fault. We are dealing
with CHINA here!! Some poor sod is earning maybe US$2 a day to do all
this. I agree that for that price you should expect perfection but it
ain't gonna happen!! Personally, I check all bar/linesets that I sell
as I don't want a court case against me!!

When it comes to high risk sport you eventually have to take on
responsibilty for your gear. Would you jump out of a plane on a new
parachute???? Or would you take it out of the bag first and check out
that everything looks correct first?

8 For what it's worth, my V-13 flew perfectly straight out of the
bag. However, before I flew the new kite, I checked out my (2003
roller-bar) line lengths and found back lines 50mm different and one
front line 75mm too long! I fixed this before flying my new kite.

9 Lines stretch.

10 Lines shrink!

Yes...... they shrink after getting wet or damp. I get dozens of
customers who bring me their linesets to re-set to equal lengths. I
guarantee that I can stretch any one of their lines at least 300mm
and usually 600mm and more. This makes it more difficult to get any 4
lines to match.

Most kitesurfers have NEVER checked their line lengths accurately
since they bought their kites. NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!

11 Wash your bar and kitelines after use to stop salt build up.

12 Wash your kite on the rare occasion that it hits the salt water!

13 How to Check your lines

DO NOT ATTACH all 4 lines to a strong point, pull them tight and
say....."these 4 lines look just fine"!!!

One line may have 200 kg pull on it, another only 50kg. They all
APPEAR to be equally tight. They are NOT!!!

NEVER pull lines tight to measure lengths......always let the lines
sag. Hold the end of the lines as close to your eye level as possible
and watch the "sag" go up and down as you pull.

13a You need a VERY strong and solid park fence like we have here
in Oz. The ones I mean are about half a meter above the grass and are
parallel to the ground. A car towbar is the next best I suppose but
nowhere near as accurate. Screws in fenceposts are NOT strong enough
for an adult kitesurfer to pull on!

13b Cut 4 pieces of strong line/rope about a meter long. Wrap each
one around the fence-log (or whatever)and tie a knot. Check that all
4 are equal distance away from the log. If you have a fence like this
at your local flying spot then why not help everyone by fitting 4 log-
leaders to it!

13c Lay out your fly-lines and attach to the log-leaders. Pick up
the bar. Pull it gently but NOT tightly and hold it high. Look at
the sag in the lines. You can see easily which lines are longer. Make
a mark on the grass where your bar is.

13d With BOTH hands, pull on the left end of the bar..... try and
break the left back line. If it breaks then get a new one. Better to
break it in a park than in the ocean! Use all the power in your body
to break it! Ease off.....then do it again..... and again....and
agian....and again...

You will get maybe 75mm with the 1st stretch. Maybe 70mm with the 2nd
stretch..............maybe 10mm with the 25th stretch.

You must do at LEAST 20-30 full-powered body stretches on EACH
individual line. When you feel that you have stretched every last
millimeter out of your lines then you should be sweating hard!!! If
not then you are not trying hard enough!

I have had brand new unused lines break when I did this......... but
only very rarely.

It is harder to stretch out the front lines unless you use, say a
piece of strong rod slipped through the loop of the line end in order
to only pull on the one line at a time and not the two together.

Most PL lines are way stronger than necessary at about 330kg so you
have to work very hard to break one!

Now it's time to set your line lengths!

If you have knots on your rear leader lines then adjust them to match
your back left and back right lines to equal lengths.

If your front lines are much longer than your back lines then it is a
bit more difficult. Either

A get your local kite shop (if they have a sewing machine)to
shorten them (tell them exactly how many millimeters)

B replace your BACK leader lines with longer ones until all 4 are
equal

C EASIEST: tie a knot in the front "pigtails" of your kite equal to
the difference.This effectively shortens your front lines.


This is why many Arc Fliers add an extra knot to their front pigtails.

Checking your lines this way will take less than half an hour. If,
after checking lengths, your kite flies like a dog then you can
complain to your local kiteshop!!!

If you haven't checked your lines.......... then don't complain to
THIS kiteshop!! :)))

If your bar/lineset is equal then you should be able to use it on
virtually any kite available. Isn't that a good enough reason to
check it a few times a year? We all feel better with our own bar.

As a "kite dealer" and kitemaker, for over 15 years now, I spend over
90% of my working time repairing broken pump-up kites. I would like
to thank Airush, North, Cabrinha, Slingshot, Naish, Liquidforce,
Caution, RRD, Gaastra, Ocean Rodeo, F1, Flysurfer, Concept-Air,
Takoon, Best and many more brands for keeping me in the lifestyle
that I have become accustomed to!!

I probably should complain to PL that their kites are made too well
and that I just can't survive on repair work on them.

You and I both know that Arcs are the "cream-of-the-crop". That's why
you and I fly them!

OK..... so we have to tune them a bit......from time to time....no
big deal....

I must try one of those pump-up thingies............ nah.... forget
it..... my V-13 self-inflated in 12 knots in less than 2 minutes....

Hey...... hope I didn't piss anyone off.......... I'm just trying to
add my little bit to the Arc movement. Any comments accepted in good
faith.

By the way...... Perth, Western Australia, where I live, is a
fantastic place to cruise and to kitesurf from November to April.
Good wind 6 days a week. Check it out. Drop me a line if I can help
with anything.


all the best

Neil Taylor
kitemaker
Hold The line Kites (since 1989)
www.kite.net.au