5th line kitemare

[Bulldog]

Most people have probably had this happen already, but if you haven't it's worth knowing about. It is particulary relevant to anyone who might just be learning to spin and can only do it in one direction.

Yesterday I wasn't paying enough attention to doing spins in both directions, and my fifth line became tightly wound around the center lines. I dropped the kite, and successfully relaunched with the 5th line, but when the kite flew back up into the window, it could not pull the slack back out of the 5th line. The lines remained taut above the "fork" due to torque on the lines, and the kite began to fly crazily, with little or no ability to control it. It crashed several times and relaunched. This was alarming in light winds, but it would have been terrifying in high winds.

When it finally sat down on the water, I pulled the safety but it continued to fly, without much power but still uncontrollable.

When the kite reached the shore, I walked up to it via one of the back lines. However, I believe if it had been much windier (it was light) there is no way I could have held onto that back line. Other people who saw what happened said that they have had to release their kites completely when this happened. Obviously, if your 5th line is your safety and it stops working as designed, you have no other choice.

Moral of the story: Pay close attention to how wound your fifth line is around your center lines and always try to balance your spins to each side. Check your 5th line every once in a while by pulling on it and making sure it still has free play.

[bobbyboom]

Moral of the story: Pay close attention to how wound your fifth line is around your center lines and always try to balance your spins to each side. Check your 5th line every once in a while by pulling on it and making sure it still has free play.

This is an awesome tip that I would have never thought of. Thanks so much for the input. This will save me tons, and will also get me to start trying my backrolls on my switch side. Thanks again!

-Bobby

[northgrl]

Thanks for posting that..i would have never known.
Its a good thing to look out for if only everyone knew.
Ella

[panzerfaust]

After spending the past 11 days in Tarifa I can say that we are such a safe bunch in the bay area that it¥s not even funny. On an average day there must be 300 (guesstimate) kites on the water in a particular spot and 90 percent of the pilots are complete idiots. On breaks between sessions (say 30 mins) you see tangled kites, drags along the beach, runaway kites and variations of all of the above combined. Every time I go out I¥m scared for my life just getting to the water. Yesterday one of my friends who I¥m there with was landed on while on the water by some ahole that lost control of the kite. Injuries were not serious only minor bruises and pretty deep fin cuts. August is certainly not the best time to go since it always blows and the weather is super nice. The only safe time I had was during a storm that came by a couple of days ago in the morning with huge swells and pouring rain, however there were only 6 kites on the water.

[OliverG]

Chris, that sounds crazy, glad you didn't get taken out by one of your fellow kiters. I can't imagine that many kites out on the water, especially with 90% of them being less than competant...wow.

[S.I. Rider]

what is a fifth line?

[AntiJF]

It's a line that attaches to the center of the leading edge, near where your pump leash attachment usually is. Keeps the kite from deforming in gusts, can be used to actively depower your kite by pulling on it, and can be used to help relaunch faster- or slower, if you let the kite get air under it. Also, if your safety leash is hooked up to the fifth line, when you let go of your bar (Say you're unhooked) the kite will depower fully and land upside down, ready to relaunch- usually.

[berrisbob]

what is a fifth line?

S.I. Rider.. First there was the 2 line kite. It had 2 lines. It was ok, but a bit scary. Then came the 4 line kite. It had 4 lines. It was better in almost every aspect. Then Nigel (of "This is Spinal Tap" fame) took a page out of his own book, and concluded that if replacing the dial on his amp from one that went from 1 to 10 with one that went from 1 to 11 made his amp louder, then adding a 5th line to a 4 line kite would make it jump higher, have more range, turn faster, loop better, and relaunch easier. And thus, the 5th line kite was born.

[moblvet]

But then the 5th line begat threads titled "5th line kitemare", increased time unraveling extra line rigging( look at their facial expressions when unraveling), an extra line that cuts the kite in half, after relaunching often makes rider come back to beach to get lines straight.
This all has begotten 4 line kites with tiny bridles! IMHO.

[lmontejo]

What really astounds me, is that North, for 2007, has come up with a bow kite with a 5th line!

I kited with North Rhinos a year ago, and had one mini kitemare, where my kite Hindenburged, and had the fifth line wrap around it on its way down. Since relaunching was impossible, I had to swim with it back to shore.

I have NOT had a single kitemare with my 4-line Crossbow. I did have one inversion, but I was well aware that I had not pumped it up properly. And when it inverted, it was never dangerous. It popped back to its normal configuration a few seconds later.

So North, in my humble opinion, is missing the boat for the second year in a row. The fifth line was touted by them in 2005 as being the tool to be make relaunching of a kite child's play. And yet, I find it easier to relaunch my Crossbow than my old North with a 5th line.

The fifth line should disappear. It can be dangerous.

Long live the 4-line bow!