Depower Line Wear

[nixmatters]

Both tropical surf wax and candle wax hold up OK in very hot tropical conditions (35 C). No experience with bows

Wouldn't sand be a concern? Especially on a coarse braid like this one?

[gator1]

wax sounds messy without providing much protection.

I got info from paragliding forums as they seemed to have more ideas:

water based sealer
latex
pva glue
scotch guard
tent waterproofing

PVA sounds good, and there is a product you can buy made for yacht and boating ropes, comes in a big can though

[MartinO]

I have a Naish bar from 2008 that I still use. It has the same kind of unprotected depower rope. I replaced the rope three times in ten years, so in average it holds up about three seasons for me. I kite maybe two times a week during the summer season as a reference. That rope still have atleast a season of life left, if not two. I buy the rope in a marine shop nearby and it costs about 3 dollars per meter, so it´s really cheap to replace. I also modified the chicken loop so I can use just regular rope and don´t need to splice anything or use the original expensive Naish replacement part.

If you get used to the naked depower rope, you will find plastic covered annoying with their added friction, especially in the waves when you often use the depower also when you turn the kite. I much rather replace a 5 dollar rope once every second year than kite around with a high friction depower throw.

[gator1]

heavy duty coatings

https://dynamica-ropes.com/dynamica-pol ... e-coating/

https://www.marlowropes.com/commercial-marine-coatings

[sarc]

Both tropical surf wax and candle wax hold up OK in very hot tropical conditions (35 C). No experience with bows

Wouldn't sand be a concern? Especially on a coarse braid like this one?

Sand not a significant concern for me, rope picks up a few grains but not much more than it would without wax (the wax I mentioned stays hard, does not become gooey even at 35C)

[GraemeF]

I had this very issue once again today, some entitled snowflake wanting a warrantee replacement for a depower rope, I had to ask the question, did he ask his car dealer for warrantee on the tyres of his car because they're wearing?

Depower ropes wear, it's a fact, they wear in our country more in the South West (where the beaches are sandy) than they do in the South East, where the beaches are mainly shingle with a few exceptions like Camber. But they wear, every brand almost every style, and everyone works on methods to try and counteract the problem, but so far, to my knowledge, nothing can be guaranteed not to wear. It is the main moving part after all.

Small price to pay for an otherwise inexpensive sport.

[airsail]

I melt candle wax then dip the wear area in, do this after the bar is assembled. This way the wax is soaked all the way through the rope fibres. Doesn’t attract sand and I’ll get at least two seasons out of a depower line.