What to do with old bar

[Herman]

^^ Not really, it is just that I don’t use as much power in a bug. Generally speaking bugs require less power than kitesurfing, I suppose the exception might be if you want to jump them. Also if you break something in a bug you don’t have to swim.

Also very easy to loop both ways evenly, no waves, and so swivel is less important on a bug.

[Benson]

I would do a complete refurb of that bar if you want to keep it like said above switch it to single center replace the tube splice new line as required but that's a bit of work.

I've read a few of the threads about chicken loop tubing, but I'm still confused about the ratio between line diameter and inside diameter of the tubing. Should the inside of the tubing be exactly twice the line diameter to fit the splice?

[edt]

I would do a complete refurb of that bar if you want to keep it like said above switch it to single center replace the tube splice new line as required but that's a bit of work.

I've read a few of the threads about chicken loop tubing, but I'm still confused about the ratio between line diameter and inside diameter of the tubing. Should the inside of the tubing be exactly twice the line diameter to fit the splice?

you have to use a little math (or trial and error). If your inner diamter is 5mm, that means the radius is 2.5mm. The area (cross section of a line) is pi r^2 or pi times 2.5^2. If you want 2 lines (because of splicing) to take up that 5mm size, then you want two lines that have a combined cross section or so each line is .5 * 2.5^2 in diamter. if you stick that .5 factor inside the square that means (sqrt(.5) times 2.5 ^2), or in other words the radius of both doubled lines is sqrt(2) times 5 = 3.5mm notice that 3.5 is a lot bigger than 2.5. You're not dividing by 2 you're dividing by 1.41

Basically any tube you choose take that diamter and multiply it times the sqrt(.5) or multply times 1/sqrt(2) same thing that gives you the size of the line you want. I usually can't get it exactly right so I do my doubling of the line so that it has spliced loops on both ends, then I just wrap tape on it until it wedges in perfectly. You don't want that to be loose!! It has to fit tightly. The reason is that sand will otherwise get in there and wear out the line.

I typically have all my chicken line hose at 5mm and all my kite line leaders at 3mm, so I have to tape them up make them a bit wider to make it work as you can't really find 3.5mm line.

[Benson]

Where do you get 5mm ID nylon? I found 8mm x 5mm PU, but nylon seems to only come in 8mm x 6mm.

[Herman]

Dup……

[Herman]

The pu tube I have is 12mm OD x 8mm ID. From the photo your tubing does not seem to go into the closed end retainer housing and if so, arguably OD is not critical. ID is also not an interference fit and in any case can be sealed/snugged with tape.

I would expect a dyneema splice to increase diameter by ~ 20 to 25%. Going small ID may make the build trickier…………..

Perhaps the critical choice for your loop would be dyneema that could form the loop with a full length bury and fit in the closed end retainer housing ready to be screwed in. Again if this end is a touch small it could be snugged with tape. Of course you could keep the current dyneema if it is in good condition?

It would be best to have both ends of dyneema engaged with the screws if possible. I would be interested to know if that was how the original was built??

[Herman]

Dup….

[edt]

Where do you get 5mm ID nylon? I found 8mm x 5mm PU, but nylon seems to only come in 8mm x 6mm.

It might be 6mm sorry. I haven't had to replace my chicken loops in 4 years (which is why I like nylon over PU).

[Herman]

Just for interest…..
Dug out my old OR loop, see photo. Looks like I removed the cracked tubing from the engagement loops and taped on some split plastic tubing for the width of the webbing to make it easy to engage. I have slid the tubing back on one loop to show that there is little or no visible wear on the dyneema in that area. The webbing on the other hand is on the way to being toast, with the stiffener batten poking out. The white thing!

There are two loops as the CL looks to me like it is made from a length of 3mm dyneema spliced loops at both ends then one end pulled through itself to make a third loop which goes around one or both cleat bolts.

[Benson]

The pu tube I have is 12mm OD x 8mm ID. From the photo your tubing does not seem to go into the closed end retainer housing and if so, arguably OD is not critical. ID is also not an interference fit and in any case can be sealed/snugged with tape.

It would be best to have both ends of dyneema engaged with the screws if possible. I would be interested to know if that was how the original was built??

The tubing does go into the housing (19mm). Not sure on ID (probably 8mm). OD looks like 12mm. There are two 3mm? dyneema loops around the screws.

There are also two loops in the free end. Maybe two seperate lines, both spliced at each end? It looks like there's also a third line in the main loop. It's white instead of silver and looks like a different type of braided rope. I guess it could be a sleeve, but it could also be a piece of rope that's just there to fill extra space.

Just for interest…..
Dug out my old OR loop, see photo. Looks like I removed the cracked tubing from the engagement loops and taped on some split plastic tubing for the width of the webbing to make it easy to engage.

I think a single piece of 6mm x 4mm tubing would put less strain on the batten and webbing. It's probably harder to to get both loops in one tube though.

Where do you get 5mm ID nylon? I found 8mm x 5mm PU, but nylon seems to only come in 8mm x 6mm.

It might be 6mm sorry. I haven't had to replace my chicken loops in 4 years (which is why I like nylon over PU).

I found 8mm x 5mm but the SMC tubing on Amazon only comes in a 20m roll and isn't cheap. I think I'll have to get 12mm tubing anyways to fit the QR housing. Do you think 12mm x 9mm nylon would bend tight enough?

Minimum bend radii for SMC nylon:
12mm x 9mm: 75mm
8mm x 6mm: 48mm
TRS series 8mm x 5mm: 19mm

SMC polyurethane:
12mm x 8mm: 35mm
8mm x 5mm: 20mm