Simple Slingy Bar Upgrade

[WindMuch]

I really like being able to secure my lines when I wrap up after a session and the lack of bar-end bungees on my Slingshot bars was getting me down. The 2013 Slingy bar has little Velcro "Line fixers" at the "Oh Shit" handles, but I found them cumbersome when it's really windy and/or my fingers are cold.

So I spent about about 5 minutes to cut two 15" pieces of small diameter bungeee, melt the ends and tie them on.

Loosey Goosey Lines:

Slingy_Bar_Before.jpg (47.09 KiB) Viewed 2180 times

Tie a square knot, just under the floats:

Slingy_Bar_Upgrade_1.jpg (44.62 KiB) Viewed 2180 times

Tie an overhand in the end:

Slingy_Bar_Upgrade_2.jpg (37.2 KiB) Viewed 2180 times

Mucho Bueno:

Slingy_Bar_Upgrade_3.jpg (37.09 KiB) Viewed 2180 times

[windstoked]

I want something like that but am a little concerned it might loop the harness hook doing a kite loop and cause a death loop.
Is there a way to keep that from happening?

[WindMuch]

I can't imagine that little bungee cord would hold much force. I think it'd just break if you put much of a load on it.

[windstoked]

Anyone want to volunteer to test if it holds in a death loop?
I always figured safety and liability is why slingshot didn't include that on their bars.
The RRD line straps are partially retracted into the float pads so they can't catch anything, but they retract too far after awhile and you can't get them out.
Maybe you could experiment with an attachment to the line up inside the float with a small strap to pull it out.

[Col.kiteman]

Wraping each end of the bar a few times and securing them with a half hitch always works fine too. The wainman bars have bungies that tuck away, but i never use them. I like to keep them fresh and not all stretched out for when i sell my gear to guys like u that like them so much. Marketing strategy. Selling point. I agree about that comment about not wanting to catch a steering line or your spreader bar some how when ur lit and have little time to react. No need for extra $h#t hanging off ur bar ends

[WindMuch]

Given the center lines on a Slingshot bar are 800lb test (the outside lines are 500lb), I don't imagine those bungies would stand up to more than about 25lbs (if even) of pull before they broke like the rubber bands they are.

[OliverG]

Nice fix, I agree its the one thing missing from the SS bars...

[windstoked]

How about a straight line with a mini-cleat attached to the bar?

[kitecrazy]

why not just use rubber bands like what you get around a bunch of asparagus? Larks head one around the line between the bar end and the float. Problem solved and no death loops.
I would argue that if you are doing kite loops you are a skilled enough kiter to know how not to hold your bar for a death sentence.

[Bulldog]

Ha, he didn't say anything about doing kiteloops ON PURPOSE.

I've seen plenty of extremely unskilled kiters do kite loops by mistake