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the ol' Blue and Gold line

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 8:43 am
by gatorjos
I don't usually get rescued, but when I do, I choose the Blue and Gold line...

So one of my rear (!) lines snapped this Sunday on my bar while kiting at Crissy (yellow RPM if you happened to see me) . I was in the process of cleaning up my situation when one of the big tourist tubs came by and starting circling me. They were listing slightly to port as 400 tourists crowded to snap a picture of a kitesurfer in trouble. They circled me twice, and to my surprise the captain offered me a ride! I gladly accepted as the ebb was ripping, and I was pretty close to the bridge.

They lowered a little net, I got all my gear on board, and then flopped myself into the middle of the lower deck to the applause of about thirty people. Everybody was super-nice and the lady behind the bar offered me a drink on her. I posed with a dozen tourists or so for photos, and then hung out on the bridge with the captain for the rest of the tour until they dropped me at pier 41.

Anyway, super nice crew, and friendly folks. I didn't think those guys picked up kiters, but they will in a pinch. They said they used to pick up windsurfers all the time back in the day and had a special ramp to slide up windsurf gear back then.

That's my Sunday story.

Re: the ol' Blue and Gold line

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 9:03 am
by NCKite_Ryder
what bar were you riding? was it a slingshot compstick or an older set, like the DD2?

Re: the ol' Blue and Gold line

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 9:17 am
by gatorjos
medium-used compstick (2.5 years).

I was very surprised my rear line popped. I always check for chafing etc and don't leave my gear out in the sun. I had the kite very loaded up, but still... It also looks like it snapped in two spots which is downright bizarre (at the kite and near the bar). I haven't untangled the mess yet to a full failure analysis. Slingshot retail for a complete new set of lines is $220...

Only kite as far as you're willing to swim...

Re: the ol' Blue and Gold line

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 10:13 am
by WindMuch
Nice work Hollywood. Leave it to you to obtain celebrity status and free libations while getting rescued! Smooth.

Glad you're OK...

Kirk out

Re: the ol' Blue and Gold line

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 10:34 am
by NCKite_Ryder
gatorjos wrote:medium-used compstick (2.5 years).

I was very surprised my rear line popped. I always check for chafing etc and don't leave my gear out in the sun. I had the kite very loaded up, but still... It also looks like it snapped in two spots which is downright bizarre (at the kite and near the bar). I haven't untangled the mess yet to a full failure analysis. Slingshot retail for a complete new set of lines is $220...

Only kite as far as you're willing to swim...
When you say "rear" do you mean the flying lines? or the power lines? I've seen flying lines break but never the powerlines on a compstick. If you had a small nick it would do it though... so what happened slingshot stopped selling direct?

Re: the ol' Blue and Gold line

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 10:56 am
by gatorjos
Thanks Kirk! Glad I'm ok too ;)

nckiterider: I mean the flying lines. The front lines (power?) carry most the load that's why I was surprised to see the rear pop. So you've broken them before as well?

Slingshot does sell bar parts direct (not kites it looks like), but I feel it's a little steep to spend $200+ to repair one line. Maybe I'll upgrade to a little heavier line. Do you happen to know the spec on the slingshot bar?

Here's some Cabrinha flying lines only for $100...
http://www.4kiteboarding.com/flyinglines.html

Re: the ol' Blue and Gold line

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 11:12 am
by ozchrisb
I've seen lines break in two places like that. It seems like that's what happens when they're overloaded, but doing it on a rear line is weird. Any chance you had just done a down loop or something and had a twist in the lines?

Re: the ol' Blue and Gold line

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 11:20 am
by gatorjos
ozchrisb wrote:I've seen lines break in two places like that. It seems like that's what happens when they're overloaded, but doing it on a rear line is weird. Any chance you had just done a down loop or something and had a twist in the lines?
ozchrisb -- you're a genius! That is totally what happened! I over-ran my kite, while doing some S-turns behind the smooth glass left by a massive fuel barge. My kite stalled, dropped a few feet and reattached, and then I aggressively dove it through the bottom of the window fully sheeted in to keep going. It is not unlikely it got one of those little curls onto itself or something and KAPOW.

Good thought! =-

Re: the ol' Blue and Gold line

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 6:23 pm
by Sandman_510
Go Bears! :)

Re: the ol' Blue and Gold line

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 12:24 pm
by NCKite_Ryder
The front power lines on the slingshot bar are heavier test line, the flying back lines are lighter test. I've heard of the flying lines breaking but not the font. I'm actually about to buy a set of new lines, and perhaps will have an old set if you want one... its for a 20" bar. we can work something out. I get a super good deal on slingy gear from my friends in Oregon so its actually affordable for me to get new lines. Hearing about lines breaking gets me nervous... was way out at Waddell yesterday and couldn't stop thinking about the lines breaking and shark week... love that beach, those boys are totally spoiled down there.