another noob moment

Speedo · Since 07 May 2007 262 Posts Obsessed

Yet another scary moment. Had something weird happen to my kite. Thanks to chris for rescuing my board and some other guy with a red (cabrhina kite?) and a white directional for also helping.

Couple of questions for you old pros out there.

Here's the scenario:

i have a 2007 best bar/waroo and was having trouble relaunching it. After the crash, it was upside down and flying in the air like I would be holding it on the beach. I finally managed to get it to relaunch but i think i managed some sort of interesting kite inversion. the result was that the part of the bar normally pointing up in the air was pointing down in the water. the chicken loop had also managed to wrap around the bar. I don't think i did anything weird with it when it was in the water so im guessing it was some weird kite inversion. The center line was wrapped around and adjusting power was very difficult. when i unhooked in an attempt correct the chicken loop, it seemed to get locked up in full power mode. i held on until i could no longer do so and was treated to a couple of full power launches and relaunches that were quite scary. i fumbled for the 2nd and last saftey but the kite had come to a stable crash position by that time and i could use the osr for a self rescue.

1) is there anything i could have done in the water to fix the problem? Does this sound familiar to anyone? I lost a contact lens and also wasn't thinking too clearly but it looked like the chickenloop was simply wrapped around the bar and all i had to do was unhook and flip it around. perhaps i should have grabbed the centerlines above the bar to keep tension on it and then unwrap the chicken loop. or is there some fancy pass the bar through the center lines maneuver i should try in the event i manage to reproduce this situation?

2) Although I am pretty happy with my equipment, i have seen slingshot bars in action and am considering them. What i don't like about the best bar is that if the safety leash is attached to the centerline ring, as i had it set up today, your first safety is getting out of the chickenloop. the remaining saftey simply depowers the kite, but in my particular situation, the center lines were locked and would allow no further depower and hence the scary 4-5 seconds of max power and being dragged and launched. I have seen an inadvertent activation of the chicken loop safety on the SS bar and was impressed that the remaining saftey flagged the kite instead of simple depower. The best bar allows this also, but only if you attach the safety leash to the OSR handle which then won't allow you to flip the bar after back rolls and down looping of the kite. The SS bar does all that and still allows the bar to be spun after a rolling maneuver.

I understand morons such as myself can always find a way around the built in safety systems as i did today. What are other's experience with the SS bar? I know that it will work with my waroo, and i perceive it as a litttle bit safer for me right now. Are there other systems i should be considering?

thanks

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert