Hi. I am new to kiteboarding on a cabrinha switchblade and am having trouble with my kite stalling. I thought it was just low wind.but don't think so don't want to get caught out in strong wind with stalling. I have trimmed my lines up and the appear to all be the same length. But still stalking. Should I make my back longer so they are slack compared to centre lines. ??
how old is the kite and how much use has it had? This usually happens when the front lines and/or bridle are stretched, you can use the last knot on the rear lines but all kites will stall in light winds unless you keep flying them around and keep the bar out
sounds like your back lines are too short. also let your kite fly, sheet out don't choke it.
Before you launch the kite next time, get two mates. One of them wearing the harness and hooked in, and other helping him/her launch the kite, but keep them both there and tell them not to launch! Go over to the kite as it's been held and look carefully at the bridles. Are the ends of the bridles about the same distance apart and level in terms of distance from kite to bridle connecting point? I bet one of them (mostly likely the front lines) are too short.
Select to expand quoteLoftywinds said...
Before you launch the kite next time, get two mates. One of them wearing the harness and hooked in, and other helping him/her launch the kite, but keep them both there and tell them not to launch! Go over to the kite as it's been held and look carefully at the bridles. Are the ends of the bridles about the same distance apart and level in terms of distance from kite to bridle connecting point? I bet one of them (mostly likely the front lines) are too short.
Oh Lofty... Front lines too LONG. The rest don't really make sense either. He is not saying it drifts to a side.
In light wind I usually pull some trim to let the kite breath (like others have said.)
Give a good kiter a go for 2 min and he will tell you how much your rear lines need lengthening
Hi Stormbouy,
First of all, you have checked your bar and this is what you should do when a kite is not flying the way it should be.
Make sur that when you attached the end of the lines to an anchor point, all the line are under the same tension and the chicken loop is against the bar (or at least not more than 2/3 fingers away from the bar)
Next you might want to have a look at the kite, dont touch the bar anymore as you might use your bar for another kite.
There are few points that could explain the back stalling :
- Old bridles stretching
- Old canopy loosing tension and creating more drag.
Here are the step to do on a kite : DO THIS TEST IN NOT MORE THAN 15 KNOTS on a safe beach.
#1 - Check all the bridles and see if there is any damage.
#2 - Few kite companies give information on bridle length so check online for your kite.
#3 - Adjust the back line bridle by giving them more length. If there is no extra bridle on the kite, you can add a little pigtail. Start to add 5cm, then test, then 5cm more, then test ... until the kite is not back stalling. Then once you have find the right setting you can adjust more accurately 1cm by 1cm.
Go testing with someone as its quicker to land and launch and do the adjustment.
Good luck
Ben
You Might have to recheck your lines lengths as Ben mentioned. When you do this also make sure your trim strap is set at full power (front lines at their longest).
All lines are pre-stretched to their full length in the factory and they actually shrink over time. The front lines don't shrink as much as the back lines since they are always under load, therefore, over time, the front lines become longer than the back lines. If you measure new lines vs old lines or a new bar vs old bar (of the same brand of course) you will come to the same conclusion as me.
As opposed to the majority of other brands, Cabrinha bars don't have back line adjustments next to the bar to lengthen the back lines. One of the solutions for this bar is to shorten the front lines, there is an adjustment at the end of your red front depower line just before the front lines ''Y'' split. Undo that figure 8 knot and adjust the length accordingly.
If you are sure that your lines are all the same length with the trim strap at full power and you still have a stalling problem in +15 knots, then you have to look further into it and follow Ben's advice.
Christian
... I can concur with Christan, lines will shrink rather than stretch.
I recently was doing some experimenting and I wanted to check what line lengths I had then noticed that I had differences between similar aged bars but one used more than the other. I then measured other bars with different use. As it turned out, the more the bar was used the shorter the lines got. I took a bunch of measurments but as an example, here is the lengths of just the front lines from the Y point to loops on North bars noting down the age/use.
12.65m over one year old bar, well used bar heavy rider
12.70m over one year old bar, not as used bar, lighter rider
12.80m 6 month old bar, not used much bar, light rider
12.90m new bar never used.
I would imagine that not only does the bar lines shrink but I bet the bridles do the same as well.
When checking lines and re-trimming, give each one a good tug then do your adjustments but don't be surprized if you have to do it again soon after a few sessions.
cheers,
Robbie 
Select to expand quotePuetz said..
... I can concur with Christan, lines will shrink rather than stretch.
I recently was doing some experimenting and I wanted to check what line lengths I had then noticed that I had differences between similar aged bars but one used more than the other. I then measured other bars with different use. As it turned out, the more the bar was used the shorter the lines got. I took a bunch of measurments but as an example, here is the lengths of just the front lines from the Y point to loops on North bars noting down the age/use.
12.65m over one year old bar, well used bar heavy rider
12.70m over one year old bar, not as used bar, lighter rider
12.80m 6 month old bar, not used much bar, light rider
12.90m new bar never used.
I would imagine that not only does the bar lines shrink but I bet the bridles do the same as well.
When checking lines and re-trimming, give each one a good tug then do your adjustments but don't be surprized if you have to do it again soon after a few sessions.
cheers,
Robbie
the variation in front vs back lines I have seen can be more than 10cm you can't put this down to different rates of shrinking can you? Front lines stretch because they are under load all the time.
Select to expand quotekitcho207 said..Loftywinds said...
Before you launch the kite next time, get two mates. One of them wearing the harness and hooked in, and other helping him/her launch the kite, but keep them both there and tell them not to launch! Go over to the kite as it's been held and look carefully at the bridles. Are the ends of the bridles about the same distance apart and level in terms of distance from kite to bridle connecting point? I bet one of them (mostly likely the front lines) are too short.
Oh Lofty... Front lines too LONG. The rest don't really make sense either. He is not saying it drifts to a side.
yes best to ignore anything he says
Select to expand quoteHighzaKite said..Puetz said..
... I can concur with Christan, lines will shrink rather than stretch.
I recently was doing some experimenting and I wanted to check what line lengths I had then noticed that I had differences between similar aged bars but one used more than the other. I then measured other bars with different use. As it turned out, the more the bar was used the shorter the lines got. I took a bunch of measurments but as an example, here is the lengths of just the front lines from the Y point to loops on North bars noting down the age/use.
12.65m over one year old bar, well used bar heavy rider
12.70m over one year old bar, not as used bar, lighter rider
12.80m 6 month old bar, not used much bar, light rider
12.90m new bar never used.
I would imagine that not only does the bar lines shrink but I bet the bridles do the same as well.
When checking lines and re-trimming, give each one a good tug then do your adjustments but don't be surprized if you have to do it again soon after a few sessions.
cheers,
Robbie
the variation in front vs back lines I have seen can be more than 10cm you can't put this down to different rates of shrinking can you? Front lines stretch because they are under load all the time.
That's what I used to think and what just about everyone thinks as well. I thought the whole line shrinking theory was a load of BS, until I started measuring lines. Over and over again I come to the same conclusion: lines shrink. But don't take my word for it, measure old lines vs new lines like Puetz and I have done, you will come to the same conclusions!
Lines shrink.
Center lines don't shrink (so much) because they are always under tension and so return to their factory pre-stretched lengths.
Steering lines shrink because they aren't under tension and crap gets into the weave, and such. As the diameter increases, the length decreases.
Cabrinha bridles shouldnt shrink as theyre sheathed...
Tune your bar, should stop stalling.
