Slingshot Compstick Bar - Depower Handle Broke

beefcake · Since 11 Jul 2007 140 Posts Stoked

So I was out kiting at Stevenson yesterday and made a transition turn and all of a sudden I hear a snap, kite jerks forward and starts going into a death spiral. I'm like WTF, I stay calm and try to assess what happened. I thought I accidentally realeased the main safety release, but then realize I'm still hooked into the chicken loop. I try steering the kite, but its still doing death loops and is dragging me downwind. I realize at this point that i'm not going to be able to relaunch, so I pull the main safety to flag the kite, but when I do this, the kite doesn't flag and is still in death loop mode. I'm now on my kite leash and the kite is still pulling me downwind backwards, I try and grab the leash to walk myself up the lines to self rescue, but each time I grab the leash and put pressure on the lines, the kite goes into a death spiral even faster. At this point I'm like f-it, I'm releasing my leash safety, hopefully my kite ends up in the cove and maybe eventually the cemetery. So I grab my surfboard and run to the dock, walk along shore to swim out and grab the kite. Well the wind direction must have had more North in it, cause it the kite didn't end up in th cove, but the main channel. So I get to the cemetery and realize there is now way in hell i'm swimming out there to get the kite. I do the walk of shame back to Stevie, at the boat dock I find some fishermen with a boat and for a fee they take me out to get my kite. As we are nearing the kite, the sternwheeler is attemting to retrieve the kite (at this point its halfway to home valley, and almost got run over by a barge). We wave off the sternwheeler (that was nice of them), get the kite back to shore in a tangled mess and begin to assess what happened. After untangling everything, I notice the depower handle broke off which then made the depower rope slip through the bar essentially putting all the tension on one side of the kite, it got tangled on the center lines in the process as well. Has this happened to anyone else? Any rescue tips? I feel like Slingshot needs to fix my bar since to me appears to be a gear malfunction. See photos below, the other bar is LF for comparison.

ShiverMeTimbers · Since 26 Feb 2013 381 Posts Gig Harbor Obsessed

a little longer line and a series of 8 knots would prevent this.

beefcake · Since 11 Jul 2007 140 Posts Stoked

whose responsibility is that, am I supposed to modify my bar myself? I feel like there is a design flaw here, if you notice the LF bar, they have a stopper ball, Slingshot does not.

beefcake · Since 11 Jul 2007 140 Posts Stoked

by the way its a 2013 compstick bar

ShiverMeTimbers · Since 26 Feb 2013 381 Posts Gig Harbor Obsessed

I have a similar bar on my 2012 Rally, and yes, it is a concern. I'm careful not to let the plastic stopper rest against the cleat but your post is a reminder that I should fix it before I have problems.

IMO it is a minor design flaw, but I chose to purchase the kite/bar anyway. While I don't think Slingshot is obligated to fix it, I'm sure they would want to help rectify the situation to keep their customers happy, especially in their own back yard. I would have contacted them first to give them an opportunity to make it right before posting this on a public forum.

beefcake · Since 11 Jul 2007 140 Posts Stoked

I'm posting this so the kite community is aware, I do not want this to happen to anyone else. Why would I not post this, this is a safety issue! And I'm sure Slingshot reps read these posts. And yes I'm going to contact them directly

Nak · Thu Aug 21, 14 10:54 am

I'm sure Slingshot will cover this under warranty for a 2013.

It's hard to tell from your picture for sure, but it looks like the rope itself frayed and broke--not the depower handle? If the rope is intact, there will be a small eyelet at the end... If it frayed, the LF design wouldn't have helped. If the eyelet is still there it's hard to say what happened without still having the handle. Possibly it broke, but I haven't heard of that happening before? Possibly a screw was missing or came loose.

This is why I mod my bars with a dual layer depower rope. Cheap, wears forever, and if the outer layer breaks I could ride back to shore on the inner rope. Not that I've ever had one break or wear out. My 2010 bars still show no significant wear on the depower rope.

beefcake · Since 11 Jul 2007 140 Posts Stoked

Thanks Nak, the Columbia has the handle, what you see is what is left. I may need to mod my bars for the future. Not sure if the rope frayed or the whole assembly got ripped off at once. None the less, def do not want this to happen again.

chrissmack · Since 08 Jun 2005 515 Posts portland Addicted

if you don't have any luck with slingy, you can buy replacement lines from the kite stores. the replacement line always seems to be longer than you need (6" or so), and you cut it to length. in your case, maybe add a knot on the end?

i think the line is maybe $15

dangler · Since 26 Feb 2006 1748 Posts WINDY SPOTS XTreme Poster

I always tie a knot in that line to prevent it from getting past the cleat (i.e. plastic handle flush to the cleat) So I would guess from the picture that the depower rope broke from cleat wear. (Or possibly all that super-boosting?)

Glad u got your kite back. I had the binos on it, and we made beer bets whether or not the barge was gonna eat it. I bet yes and lost, by about three feet! Then the Sternwheeler had it alongside and two guys tried to get it onboard when they were downwind of it. Thought fer sure the wheel was gonna get it as they moved forward dragging your kite alongside.

Would have been expeditious to have Dave tow you to the kite before it got too far, but I imagine the death spiralling had taken a toll on you.

Curious about the spiralling, if the depower breaks, shouldn't it stall the kite, now flying on back lines only? Did the broken line catch on something?

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4907 Posts Portland Unstrapped

Chicken loop/depower lines will wear (usually right where yours broke) - i go thru a new line in about six months of hard riding - pretty easy to replace $14 or so for a factory OEM line

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcIXuxwXFVI

you want to stay ahead of this repair for the obvious reasons...

Best case - CL lines snaps as you roll up to the end of your Camas downwinder - kite gets wet - friends help collect your wet kite

Worser - CL line snaps in middle of river in nuking conditions - some time to tame wild flapping gear and board - long swim to hook

Ugly - after a lazy visual inspection - the CL snaps 3/4 miles offshore in 20' seas gusting 40+ - must remember not to anger God so and check my shit...

hilton · Since 15 Aug 2008 787 Posts Opinionated

beefcake · Since 11 Jul 2007 140 Posts Stoked

I thought that is what the kites were made for, super boosting! I don't usually have the depower on the cleat, I just leave it flush so that it doesn't wear, should it be on the cleat? the depower line got wrapped around the center lines, making one side uneven, and the one big knot keeping it from evening itself out. I thought the same thing, that the kite is now on the back lines and should fly or be able to flag. I couldn't figure it out.

and yes Dave offered to tow me to the kite, but at that point I knew I wasn't going to be able to relaunch it and the death spiraling had me spooked, my instincts took over, swim to shore or swim out to the channel.

I thought for sure the barge or sternwheeler was going to eat my kite.

thanks everyone for their replies, I can't stop running this scenario throw my head and what I could have done differently.

I like the knot idea, that would have prevented it.

wood · Since 21 Jan 2013 64 Posts

Question is the bar able to be reach? If so you could tried to flag the kite with the Oh shit handles on the outside lines and release the safety hook to you. Maybe easier said the done when your getting drag back words.

ShiverMeTimbers · Since 26 Feb 2013 381 Posts Gig Harbor Obsessed

yes, you want to keep the line in the cleat. having the plastic stopper resting on the cleat puts all the rig pressure on those two screws and the line, which is what lead to them pulling out.

dangler · Since 26 Feb 2006 1748 Posts WINDY SPOTS XTreme Poster

If the depower line isn't cleated, over time that cheap plastic handle breaks from all the slack to tension forces. I started adding the knot as a catcher for those unexpected slips to full power when its not cleated properly. Wham! Real hard to pull from that position.

Hard to beat the Slingy bar, but it is possible to get into an untenable situation, especially when something breaks!

Did you go right out and buy a lotto ticket after dodging all those bullets! I bet those fishermen did, lucky day for them as well!

Just read back to the comment about oh-shit handles, and had to slap myself in the face.

Didn't think of that, haven't for awhile. Good one. Good enough to repeat in all caps.

THE OH SHIT HANDLE CAN BE A KITE SAVER (and possible life saver) in a variety of bad situations. Slingy is the only Co. I can think offhand that still has them. Very good added layer of safety. GOOD ON YA, SLINGY!

dcfordo · Since 19 May 2011 60 Posts The Dalles

In the time it took me to type my reply it looks like a few have beaten me to the punch. I guess I'll post any way. I do have a question for Dangler at the end.

That is interesting that you ride with the depower all the way out, with the black handle stopper into the cleat. Do any others out there ride this way? I assume that is what you mean by riding with the depower not in the cleat. Correct me if I misunderstood.

I bet that this was the cause. The tension must have been too great for the connection between the rope and the stopper and pulled it off.

I never ride this way (intentionally), but only because the handle seems to get stuck in the cleat when I accidentally let it slip. Now I will be even more careful to keep the line in the cleat.

Thanks for posting this experience.

Dave

P.S. Dangler - Do you move the back lines up a knot or two to compensate for the shortened depower caused by tying it?