PU depower line coating

[Matteo V]

I have to issue a partial retraction on my previous statements on another post, as yesterday I demoed a new (either '17 or '18) 10m Cabrinha Switchblade. The kite and bar were brand new - never used. I prefer to use my own bar at demo's (after checking line lengths), but could not as I did not have any "barbel" converters to use with my all loop line ends. So I used the supplied brand new Cabrinha bar.

Contrary to my previous experiences on Cabrinha PU coated depower line bars specifically, I had no issue sheeting while turning the kite hard. I could easily depower the kite from fully sheeted to half depower without feeling too much resistance from the PU coating. And given the wind was 14m, it was a loopfest with the 10m. I had to loop everything from down the line to backrolls off white water. The PU line coating was slick and slid through the narrow hole in the Cabrinha bar. Given that conditions saw the kite underpowered, further testing overpowered is warranted to see if more tension in the depower line results in harder sheeting with the bar fully turned.

I actually like this bar, for feel at least, better than my 2013 north bars.

I was happy with the kite also, even though the conditions were not conducive to making it upwind in the end.