SLE's without pullybar?

[kaptekarev]

I modified my Shockwave bar to switch between stock and 1:1, and had a revelation that kites like the Waroo and Answer are just set up 1:1. Is that true? What's the downside of rigging 1:1? I've only land tested a 9 shockwave rigged 1:1, and found the complete lack of bar pressure weird (like the power steering on a '80s Cadillac). Does a pulley bar Shockwave have more depower then a Waroo or Answer?

[Bulldog]

I believe a 2:1 throw has double the depower of a 1:1.

[pipedragon]

The 2:1 will give you the most depower. The question is can you safely depower the kite with the 1:1 configuration on the shockbar. I know the Waroo bar has a super long depower strap to accomodate this. Just be sure you can depower that puppy in all goes wrong out there.

[Scotty]

Since I am a traditional 4 line C-Kiter, what is this 1:1 vs. 2:1 ratio you speak of?

Humbly, Scotty

[elli]

Some of the bow/SLE kites (whatever you call it) have pulleys on tips of the bar. The back lines go through the pulleys. This creates a 2:1 leverage. When you turn the bar, you pull the back line almost twice than a normal bar. When you sheet in and out, it also doubles the pull of the back lines. It also creates double pull force on the bar.
So if the two back lines together pull 1Kg on a normal bar, with the 2:1 pulleys you will need almost 2Kg force to hold the bar in position.
1:1 is a normal bar where the back lines are connected to the tips.

As for the effect on the kite, it depends a lot on the kite itself. I can say for the Waroo (1:1) and the Switchblade (2:1) the distance you need between full power and depower on the bar side is more or less the same. The Waroo indeed have longer chicken loop, but it achieves its maximum depower about 30-40% travel from full power. Beyond that point the kite becomes unstable and does not depower more. IMO the extra long chicken loop is required only for water relaunch in very light wind. Cabrinha put a punch out stopper at the bar position that the kite depowers almost completely and is still stable, but if you punch it out, the chicken loop is also very long. So far I didn't see any reason to punch out the stopper, I hope it still works :)

The bar pull on both kites is light, but its definitely lighter on the Waroo. Actually too light IMO, the SB is about right. The Waroo seem to turn slightly quicker than the SB, even though it does not have the 2:1 leverage when you turn the bar.

[Proparoo]

I have a question that, though is not totally pertaining to the origional thred, is still a viable question.

I have a GK Sonic 11m.
Many people comment on the "Lack of bar pressure"
I just wanted to know what is so bad about very little bar pressure?
I am a new "intermediate" so many aspects of this sport are new to me.

From what I can gather, bar pressure helps to "know where your kite is"
and aids in the preformance? Is this so?

I also fly a 16m RRD with much more bar pressure. I can really see getting a little tired of holding down the bar for 2 hours... so at the moment I seem to like the light bar pressure of the Sonic.

[panzerfaust]

I think it really comes down to personal preference. For example I have a 9 and a 14m Rhino along with a 12m Vegas, all 06, and while I like a lot of the characteristics of the Vegas I think that it feels a little too flimsy on the bar compared to the Rhinos. On the other hand if you have to adjust the bar on the Rhino for lighter conditions it is too much pressure and I usually have to stop after an hour or so to recuperate while this never happens on the Vegas no matter how it's adjusted.