Line Stretching

[Bullroarer Took]

I have a set of lines which are now all different lengths. This bothers me because they probably have only about 6 hours of flying time on them. I suspect that I am to blame in my care - or lack thereof. What causes stretched lines and what's the best way to extend line lifetime?

[sid5150]

No Worries!

Lines will stretch as you fly - ESPECIALLY when they are brandy new! Most people don't even notice a difference in line lengths until sorting out their lines at home.

Adjust the overall line-to-kite length using the pig tails on the kite IF you notice a pull to one side. If not, keep flying. Eventually, they will even out (Unless you can only do right-handed kiteloops )


Hope this helps!

Sid sends

[Al_Kiter]

well most lines should come pre-streched but that's theory. I have also been the victim of assymetric line strech which is a bummer because you can no longer steer your kite correctly and allways have to try to compensate for different lenghts with different attachement points and the whole thing becomes a hassle.

Normally lines strech assymetrically in crashes or big gusts when the kite is suddenly pulled and the forces are stronger in one of the lines.

The way to prevent this (at least to some extent) is to pre-strech yourself any new set of lines that you buy.

Do this by setting up the lines on the bar and extending them like you were about to connect them to the kite but instead connect them to a fixed object like a tree (make sure they are all even). then put your harness on, take the bar in your hands and put the chicken loop in the hook. then pull with all your strengh on the bar and on the chicken loop (it helps if you get a buddy to pull you through the harness handle). If done with the proper amount of strengh, this should be enough to avoid further streching on the water.

In my case I ended up having to buy new lines because there was no way to fix the old ones.

[TP13]

If you stretch your lines, just take the longest line and untie the sleeves, cut the thread holding them together if they are sewn.. make sure you grab and hold the kite line and then just slide the sleeve up the kite line and retie the knot, so that it is the same length as the other lines, it wont be as pretty as the sewn sleeves, but it is just as effective... sometimes you can also take the short lines and try to stretch them individually to the same length, but that takes a hell of a lot of pressure, but sometimes it works...