Power Kite Forum

Modifying a trainer kite bar

eggy - 22-2-2012 at 12:52 PM

I was wondering if anyone has any input on putting a hole in a trainer kite bar and making some type of swiveling attachment instead of using harness lines. It would be like a fixed chicken loop maybe? I want to be able to untwist my lines without having to unhook or loop the kite..

indigo_wolf - 22-2-2012 at 01:13 PM

John at Powerzone Kitesports has done similar mods before but he generally strengthens the center area of the bar with an aluminum or stainless insert.

What bar are you working with? What kite? 3 or 4 line trainer?

The Ozone 4-Line FB bar already has something like this

The HQ Rush bar has the safety leash line running through a hole in the center of the bar.

The Flexifoil Quark bar essently has a fixed chickenloop, but not sure it spins freely.

Did you have a diagram of exactly what you wanted?

ATB,
Sam

eggy - 22-2-2012 at 01:27 PM

Mine is a three line trainer.. The relaunch line is held on with a velcro tab so that can be slid to the side. I just figured drill a hole in the center of the bar, put a line through then knot it, then have the chicken loop hanging on the other end. Might need to strengthen the center of the bar not sure..

stetson05 - 22-2-2012 at 06:59 PM

Not sure I understand if this is what you actually need but worth a shot

http://www.dakitez.com/servlet/the-569/Bar-Harness-Strap/Det...

or another type

http://www.coastalwindsports.com/servlet/the-631/Control-bar...

There are certainly lots of shops. If you have a local one it is usually nice to help keep them in business. I personally would be very careful about drilling a hole in your bar. Probably better to buy a really cheap bar on ebay instead.

I have a friend that hooked his fixed bridle kite up to a depower bar. He adjusted it so that when it was sheeted out it was at full power and it steered by the brakes. If he sheeted in it applied the brakes enough to kill the power. It works ok but definitely not the same as a depower kite.

DAKITEZ - 22-2-2012 at 11:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by eggy
I was wondering if anyone has any input on putting a hole in a trainer kite bar and making some type of swiveling attachment instead of using harness lines. It would be like a fixed chicken loop maybe? I want to be able to untwist my lines without having to unhook or loop the kite..


leave your bar as is .. there is no need to mod. If you want to untwist without looping the kite just spin your body.
I am a bit confused on how the twist gets in your line if you do not want to loop the kite?
Also I can not see how the center line (brake on a 3 line trainer) being attached to a chickenloop will help you. If you let go of the bar to spin it to get the twist out it will pull the brake and kill the kite. I admit it is late so I might be missing something here ..

eggy - 23-2-2012 at 08:17 AM

Here is a badly drawn sketch of what I had in mind. I thought it would make it easier for me being a rookie flyer to untwist lines when sitting in my buggy. I crash often and when I try to reverse launch it goes into a spiraling frenzy some times and unhooking all the time, spinning the bar and launching at the same time gets me in a panic.

IMG_0179.JPG - 122kB

pic here

eggy - 23-2-2012 at 08:19 AM

flyguy0101 - 23-2-2012 at 10:33 AM

eggy,
i used to have couple of chickenloops that attached to the bar via a piece of webbing using a larkshead. This was the old school way. I will check and see if have any pics- but you could make it by tieing the depower line in a loop using a bowline knot and then the loop can beattached to the bar via a larkshead- that way no drilling and a swivel eliminate the depower loop from twisting
just a thought
Scott

Bladerunner - 23-2-2012 at 06:08 PM

Yes, DON'T compromise your bars strength.

Larks head a line to a DD if you must but I am with Dino. What you are trying to do makes very little sense to me ?

For hooking into a trainer nothing beats a static Dloop.