How often should you replace your lines?

[Greg]

I had a bridle line snap on my Wipika 11.4 (refered to as a 16m today) off Bay Farm Island long ago. I was showing off very close to shore (imagine that!!) for some jogger that stoped to watch. Since he stoped to see some big jumps I went for one after another going bigger and bigger. Toward the top of the last jump (I always wonder why these things happen to me on the last one??) the bridle snapped right over the pully section (NOTE: bends make lines where MUCH faster) sending the kite into a high kite loop towards land. Thankfully I was high enough to be able to think my way through the second half of the fall by letting go of the bar and pulling in the broken line hand over hand stopping the spiral, I still hit hard but managed to reverse the rotation and simi-break my fall and more importantly slow my forward momentum.
My kite crashed seconds later almost on shore, the jogger laughed at the crash and waved goodbye leaving me pail faced and dumb struck..

Lesson(S) learned: Bridle line- pully sections are worn more then they appear. Dont let spectators suck you into a stupid locations for showing off. Spectators are just that SPECTATORS, they wont, or can't offer much help in the event of a problem therefore they arnt good for much else but the occasional photo to send home to mom (note: Mom's dont generally want photos of you hitting the rocks so stay away from shore)
Todays gear is greatly improved over the gear of yester year. The bridle line material used in todays kites is larger and much higher quality. I suspect that modern kite lines are perfectly good for one FULL season, 150 to 250 days total usage. With proper care and inspection, used under normal conditions with good maintance, BRIDLE lines should be good for the life of the kite, ALL EXCEPT the section running under the pullys, this I'd recommend you half-life so you dont half your life.
Warm winds, L.M.G.

[windhorny]

8)

[Greg]

funny, you have had more problems on your kite then I've had on my last 20 combined..

[Bulldog]

Yuri, I seem to remember you saying you'd never use a fifth line again. Are you planning to fly your new Rhino without it?

:twisted:

[windhorny]

8)

[OliverG]

Fifth lines rule...

So do C kites!

:snakeman:

[elli]

4th bar???

[windhorny]

8)

[Greg]

they say bad luck happens in 3's, hopefully your done with the shitty stuff for a while..


Maybe now that your gonna be on a roll for a while and you've already changed most of your lines, we should hook you up to that bungee system and fire you into the stratisfear with that 12m.
Might be sick.. think about it :-k

Might be good for 10 or 15 seconds on channel 7 news! Hell with a move that dumb, "WE" might even get a darwin award, I'll film!

[knyfe]

....
3 chicken loop lines
3pulleys
on 3rd set of bridles.
second set of lines
4th bAR!!!!
4 leader lines
...

Yuri ?!?!

What are you doing with your stuff? :shock: Mishandling :shock: thats what I call it! Now you have to throw only powered kiteloops (Which is a hard thing with bows) so we understand the wear and tear. G