Kiteboarding Forums

Can anyone give tips on how to preserve the qrtl rope's life. I tried wax candle and surf. I keep my gear free of sand or any other thing that might cause damage but still they only last 2 months or so.

     

I have tried everything and the best result came from adjusting my technique.

The line takes the most strain while sheeting and steering so try to avoid that. Keep the bar height constant when steering. I sheet on a little before turns to take the slack up in the steering lines and to give me a little power for the turn. Then hold the bar steady while turning. Sheet out only when the bar is straight again. This keeps the friction aspect to a minimum.

Next use your legs and rail to control the power in your kite more then the depower range of the kite this reduces how mych you slide the bar up and down and so reduces friction and wear and tear.

Be aware when you are kiting to see if you are twisting the bar. This will role the hole of centre and add to  sheeting friction. For some reason I find my self doing this. I take care now to notice the level of friction when sheeting in and out and try to reduce that friction however possible through keeping the bar hole and the sheeting line lined up.

Don't let you bar lie in the sand. Place in on your board or kite. Less sand in the line, yup you guessed it, less friction.

Obviously keep the bar hole as smooth as possible.

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Warmer and windier in CT

I have tried everything and the best result came from adjusting my technique.

The line takes the most strain while sheeting and steering at the same time so try to avoid that. Keep the bar height constant when steering. I sheet on a little before turns to take the slack up in the steering lines and to give me a little power for the turn. Then hold the bar steady while turning. Sheet out only when the bar is straight again. This keeps the friction aspect to a minimum.

Next use your legs and rail to control the power in your kite more then the depower range of the kite this reduces how mych you slide the bar up and down and so reduces friction and wear and tear.

Be aware when you are kiting to see if you are twisting the bar. This will role the hole off centre and add to sheeting friction. For some reason I find myself doing this. I take care now to notice the level of friction when sheeting in and out and try to reduce that friction however possible through keeping the bar hole and the sheeting line lined up.

Don't let you bar lie in the sand. Place in on your board or kite. Less sand in the line, yup you guessed it, less friction.

Obviously keep the bar hole as smooth as possible.

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Warmer and windier in CT

My technique is hard on my kites cause i'm always pushing and riding as hard as i can, so most of my

bar movements are reflex and feel. So my question is more to what lube to use on the rope cause

waxing it isnt working. Or maybe even a sleeve of some sort? 

If I ride the gear "softer" and with the idea of wear in the back of my mind it will take away some

freedom in just pushing harder. Its gonna break, just need tips to make it last a bit longer. 

I use Silicon Spray and that works well for me. You can also spray it on the flying lines makes them last longer, and its alot easier to get the lines apart when setting up.

Just try not to get any of the Silicon Spray on your bar, it lubes that up a bit too much.

If you are hard on your kit then I don't think any spray / lube etc will help much. maybe prolong the life a few weeks at most.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that pushing hard neccessitates being hard on your gear, particularly the depower line. If you are sheeting all the time then your compromising the air flow over your kite and limiting its performance.

Going hard with hard landings breaks boards and missed HP's means dropped kites but depower line wear should ease the more proficient the kiter becomes.

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Warmer and windier in CT

Sweet will give it a go, thanx.

a bit off topic but I found a good way of keeping the board on my feet when trying new stuff.

I wax the foot pads with surfwax and it really makes your feet stay in there and you have better

grip with your toes. It also comes off with hot water and leaves no mess on your board when you

need to wax it again.

 

rob,

Thats true, when i'm just mowing between trick I fly smooth and try not to be hard on it, its just when I get stoked that things get out of hand, i mean when the rush takes over and you just start gunning, flying the kite becomes a feeling and you have to do anything with the bar to get the kite where you want it asap.

next session i'll try to see what i'm doing with the bar as i've folded wing tips on both my torches 8 and 10 before and came down hard.

Beeswax

Beestie...

My bandit's center line from chicken loop through bar, has a plastic "coating/tube" around it...
Will show you next time we kite..

Awe!

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