Hi there, my mate rides a 2014 10m North Rebel.
The 5th line has snapped mid ride 3 times in the last couple of seasons.
Any one have an idea what the problem could be?
The line usually snapped half way up.
Cheers
Could simply be because there is too much tension on the 5th line and it's taking all the load of the kite. The load should be equally distributed amongst the 3 front lines. Also rinse lines regularly in fresh water. Make sure the lines are correctly tuned and knots free as well.
I'm not convinced the line quality of North bars is very good. I had a 2011 fuse that snapped it's mini fifth 6 months in and heard of many others snapping fifths etc. Now ride other brands and lines last longer than 2 years.
Get some SK75 dyneema from a chandlers and splice your own.
Hi mate, snapped mine twice on a 2012 rebel. Replaced it with a slingshot line and no breaks ever since.
Hi Nomadhazza,
From what I remember, the North 5th line is running through a loop with a little stopper ball half way through the lines (where the 2 front line split), right ?
If the line snapped there, it might be because North is using a loop made of Dyneema rope to hold the 5th line through and they should be a metal ring.
As the shape of your kite is moving during flying, the 5th line might wear against that loop and break. Solution is to use a bigger flying line or a metal ring at the split for less abrasion.
Hope this help.
Hi Nomadhazza,
From what I remember, the North 5th line is running through a loop with a little stopper ball half way through the lines (where the 2 front line split), right ?
If the line snapped there, it might be because North is using a loop made of Dyneema rope to hold the 5th line through and they should be a metal ring.
As the shape of your kite is moving during flying, the 5th line might wear against that loop and break. Solution is to use a bigger flying line or a metal ring at the split for less abrasion.
Hope this help.
I'm not so sure about that one. Dyneema snapping because it is rubbing against another bit of Dyneema doesn't make much sense to me.
Wouldn't the loop of dyneema be just as likely to wear through as the 5th line its self? If Nomadhazza has snapped his 5th line 3 times then there is something clearly not right with his set up (it could be as simple as an incorrectly fitted stopper ball). I would suggest he take it in to his local North retailers and get someone that knows what they are doing to have a look at it. Snapping lines is a serious problem especially if it is his 5th line as this is also his leash line!
Just remembered something a mate told me about the red stopper ball, apparently some of the balls have a really sharp edge at the hole the line goes through - he said they had a couple of lines snapped and then took the edge off the hole with a knife and the problem went away. Worth a look anyway.