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new failure mode: micro leash got hooked on bar end

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 8:53 am
by merl
For many years I have used an ultra short leash connected from above a swivel on a harness rope to the safety on the kite. This setup is similar to that used on the excellent infexion seat-belt release, and has some nice features, in particular that the leash swivels with the kite. Yesterday I had an issue for the first time and I wonder if anyone else has had this problem. (What I am about to describe may be a bit hard to picture if you don't have such a setup, sorry).

I was foiling downwind looping the kite (so turning the bar aggressively) and the bar end caught on the mini leash. There was no big drama as the wind was light and the kite just crashed safely. But this is a failure mode that I never thought of before. Anyone experienced it?

Edit: pictures
20200623_121822.jpg
20200623_121900.jpg

Re: new failure mode: micro leash got hooked on bar end

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 9:49 am
by 1234567Simon
Uh.... wow.... Imagine this during a kite-loop while boosting....
I am not kiting long enough to had this happen.
But wowwww... this could really happen...

Thanks for posting it

Re: new failure mode: micro leash got hooked on bar end

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 9:51 am
by Toby
but how likely is it?
Is it more likely with a longer leash?

Good question...

Re: new failure mode: micro leash got hooked on bar end

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 10:14 am
by Herman
It has happened to me but the bar can get caught in a number of ways if you completely fish pole it. Probably wise to be prepared or not fishpole the bar.

Re: new failure mode: micro leash got hooked on bar end

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 10:30 am
by dice
Toby wrote:
Tue Jun 23, 2020 9:51 am
but how likely is it?
Is it more likely with a longer leash?

Good question...
But with a long leash you still can move the bar freely. Unless it's wrapped around your body so that there is not enough length anymore for the bar to move if it's stuck on the leash.

Re: new failure mode: micro leash got hooked on bar end

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 10:37 am
by Toby
dice wrote:
Tue Jun 23, 2020 10:30 am
Toby wrote:
Tue Jun 23, 2020 9:51 am
but how likely is it?
Is it more likely with a longer leash?

Good question...
But with a long leash you still can move the bar freely. Unless it's wrapped around your body so that there is not enough length anymore for the bar to move if it's stuck on the leash.
but what if the leash gets wrapped around so you won't have any movement anymore...like he had with the short leash?
I assume both can happen...but which has a higher possibility...long or short?

Re: new failure mode: micro leash got hooked on bar end

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 11:37 am
by merl
Added pictures to the original post. The thing that increases the chance of problems is that the leash connection point is not at the same area as the main quick release. The risk would be much lower or even nonexistent with the Infexion setup (pictured below) . (I didn't like how the secondary release is so close to the main release which is why I did it differently in the first place)
IMG_20200415_153427-1024x768.jpg

Re: new failure mode: micro leash got hooked on bar end

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 12:17 pm
by Herman
Always best to keep the rig as clean as possible to reduce chance of tangles but at least you haven't got a hook to collect a leader at the bar end. I have also managed to tangle the top end of the bar with the flying lines which briefly made life more exiting than I wanted it to be. Now I don't quite completely fishpole and for low powered stuff if I want a long pull I grab extra leader rather than over rotate the bar.

Re: new failure mode: micro leash got hooked on bar end

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 12:51 pm
by evan
merl wrote:
Tue Jun 23, 2020 11:37 am
Added pictures to the original post. The thing that increases the chance of problems is that the leash connection point is not at the same area as the main quick release. The risk would be much lower or even nonexistent with the Infexion setup (pictured below) . (I didn't like how the secondary release is so close to the main release which is why I did it differently in the first place)
One of the reasons I made it as short as possible: less chance to get something stuck in it.

Although your case is very rare, not much people fishpole their bar at 90deg while depowering the bar far enough to get get Barend close to the quick release.

Re: new failure mode: micro leash got hooked on bar end

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 12:53 pm
by Toby
I assume it would also make a difference to the get short leash stuck if you have a thicker bar end and floaters.