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minor leader adjustments with knots

Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2020 5:10 pm
by vakiter
i added some more length to my depower rope, and needed to add length to leader lines to made them even. i made some small pig-tails but was a tad off , 1-2cm too long on rear lines. i was going to just tie a knot in the leaders, i know this reduces strength but they are way larger than the lines anyway. any forseen problems with this?

Re: minor leader adjustments with knots

Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2020 5:44 pm
by Herman
I have done that lots of times without problem in 3mm dyneema. Had plenty of leaders and pigtails with adjustment knots on the loaded side of the one I am using for years. I believe the strength loss will be less if you use fig 8 rather than simple overhand but have never seen any real data on that.

Re: minor leader adjustments with knots

Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2020 5:46 pm
by Regis-de-giens
No problem indeed. Rear prelines are thicker , thus withstand a 8 knot.

Re: minor leader adjustments with knots

Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2020 6:38 pm
by kitelife
Herman wrote:
Sun Jul 05, 2020 5:44 pm
I have done that lots of times without problem in 3mm dyneema. Had plenty of leaders and pigtails with adjustment knots on the loaded side of the one I am using for years. I believe the strength loss will be less if you use fig 8 rather than simple overhand but have never seen any real data on that.
Where did you find 3mm dyneema? What type of QR are you using for it to flag and trim?

I bought Amsteel a few years ago and it was a bitch to splice due to a core. I gave up on the Amsteel.

Re: minor leader adjustments with knots

Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2020 7:56 pm
by Herman
I have used a variety of UK chandler's to buy Marlow's, Holt and Southern Rope dyneema of various diameters and grades. On occasions I have also used eBay for the same stuff. Johnny Eisnner and Jimmy Green - not sure of the spelling have also been a good source for various line. I usually use 12 strand hollow core in the thicker stuff but fine stuff for bridle repair is 16 strand (dyneema fishing line), can't remember the spec for flying line.

The trouble with modern chicken loops imho is they like to make them compact and the centre holes are small. This means that you have to splice the flying line and bottom flag line to make the connection small enough to go through the centre hole. (Which enables the bar to be spun without tangling the leash.) This also means the center line bracket/pulley/swivel has to have a carefully calibrated hole to stop the flying line to flag line connection. Nowadays, I usually use the ozone bracket and stopper ball for this if I am making up a bar with trimming by cleat or running splice.

Several years ago I bought a job lot of Kiss chicken loops, the style used by Peter Lynn, but I don't think they are made any more. Not sure this helps, and I am not sure I have understood your problem.

Re: minor leader adjustments with knots

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 1:11 pm
by vakiter
i bought the line off ebay from 'emma kites'. for pigtails the 3mm it is nice. the 4.5 mm is 9-strand and for depower rope is not good. its a really loose-weave, and was too small diameter to grab the cleat. actually it grabbed, initially and then popped out during high load (right before a boost). it is also heavy coated in a wax-like material which comes off over time and then feels soft like normal dyneema.

i am using a blade unibar v3. the depower is short like 3in, so i added some, the most i could given the length of the saftely bungee. i dont like moding the safety bungee too much as i have had safety jamming issues in the past.


Re: minor leader adjustments with knots

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 2:17 pm
by Herman
I am not familiar with that bar or the line. Only thing I can offer is that you can modify the cleating characteristics of the line by using an insert or extra long bury. If it were me I would first try putting a piece of the 3mm in the core. Trial it by leaving a tail out so you can remove it to retry with something different if required.

Re: minor leader adjustments with knots

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 10:16 pm
by sflinux
Be careful with knots and/or pigtails that will go through safety flag-out lines. I like to make the lines near my bar as clean as possible.
I make kook-proof pigtails for the ends of all of my flying lines using 7/64" amsteel (overhand knot on a bite, with a loop on one side, knot on other). You could make a set for front and rear lines, tweak the pigtail lengths so all lines are equal with depower strap wide open, and chicken loop against the bar.