So Patrick Rebstock (via a video) convinced me the ride engine harness with a spreader bar would be pretty sweet for wave riding! So I bought one. Noice.

Then I discovered when setting up at the beach today that there appears to be no way to 'open' my cabrinha chicken loop (which you need to do to get it on the rope that sits across the spreader bar.) :( I have a couple of cabrinha bars and they both have the ids-type, quicklink setup before they moved to a chicken loop that actually opens.

Has anyone had any luck using a ride engine harness with an older cabrinha bar link the one below? I've read that some people use a metal snap hook or some such setup but I'm wondering whether I'm missing something and the chicken loop is actually openable?

The short answer is you can't open it easily...unless of course, you dismantle it (remove the screws and bolts) each time and reassemble it, which sounds like a huge pain and I wouldn't recommend unless you know exactly what you're doing....that's if it's even possible to dismantle it in the first place.

Those Cab chicken loops before 2015 were just a silly design that only really favored experienced kiters and unhooked kiters, essentially forcing everyone to hook their leash in suicide mode. Good thing they finally changed this in 2015 for something that operates like what everyone else is doing!

You could sell this bar and try to get a new one or a newer second-hand one (2015 onwards), that sounds like the easiest AND safest option.


Christian

A small high rated belay clip would do the trick but it would extend the bar from your body.

For safety reasons - I would not use a snap hook, if your CL is not designed to open.
I think you have 3 options,
1 buy a new bar
2 buy a new CL ?
3 modify your bar

This is my CL - copied from the BRM design, I used the pins from Cabrinha CL,s & a couple of stopper balls from a boating/sailing store.

Green ball flags to 1 front line, so there is no need for a safety leash.
Red ball is for total release.

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cbulota said..

Those Cab chicken loops before 2015 were just a silly design that only really favored experienced kiters and unhooked kiters, essentially forcing everyone to hook their leash in suicide mode. Good thing they finally changed this in 2015 for something that operates like what everyone else is doing!

while i like the setup of the 2015+ CL there is always the extra step of having to put the leash through the CL for "suicide" not sure why they call it that as it is not any less safe

Sweet-looking setup toppleover! I'm not sure about modding my gear generally-speaking but that looks pretty cool. I'd like to eliminate the use of a safety leash eventually myself too or get a short one. The long ones are a right pain imo.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I ended up trying out a BWS bar I have which seemed to work fine. Pity about the cab bars, I have two I wanted to use until they were worn out but I guess they'll be relegated to the garage now!

There is a big difference between a belay clip and a snap hook incase you were comparing the two. A belay clip can safely handle the requirements needed. Only hang up being that the CL is now a bit further away from you resulting in an extended reach, ok if your arms are long. It doesnt impeade the saftey set up at all.

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LargePiece said...
Sweet-looking setup toppleover! I'm not sure about modding my gear generally-speaking but that looks pretty cool. I'd like to eliminate the use of a safety leash eventually myself too or get a short one. The long ones are a right pain imo.

Even the short ones are a PITA imo, I've use this setup for about 6 months - had to deploy the green safety a few times & it flags out perfectly.
Also you won't find a quicker system for full release, if your life was at risk.
For an experienced kiter (that doesn't unhook) imo this is as good as it gets, Greg from BRM is a genius, (& he's a f_cking foiler).
Keep it simple stupid, true game changer.

Here's a pic if the rest of it.

LargePiece!!!

all you need to do is untie the knot in your engine harness and thread the rope thru the cabrinha chicken loop.

now all you need to do when you want to pack it up etc is use the QR1 and then the QR2 this completely seperates the cab chicken loop from the bar and lines. so now your Cab loop is permanently fixed to the ride engine harness and all you need to do is reset the safety when your ready to hook back in.

feel free to send me beer

cool your a kiwi so make it a speights gold churr

Just a word of warning.. With topples set up; if your sliding rope or any part between there and your release fails, you will have a runaway kite. I've seen it happen to sliding ropes with no signs of wear. Fine if your kiting on empty beaches. Not so round my ways. (There are always children, walkers etc around) A short safety from your harness (not the rope slider) to your release will prevent this. I love the short safety's. Not sure why you bag them. We were cutting them down for years before the companies came out with them. They are minimalistic now so no need to 'Frankenstein' your own.
Not bagging the setup, just a heads up for those who think no safety is ever needed.

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pearl said..
Just a word of warning.. With topples set up; if your sliding rope or any part between there and your release fails, you will have a runaway kite. I've seen it happen to sliding ropes with no signs of wear. Fine if your kiting on empty beaches. Not so round my ways. (There are always children, walkers etc around) A short safety from your harness (not the rope slider) to your release will prevent this. I love the short safety's. Not sure why you bag them. We were cutting them down for years before the companies came out with them. They are minimalistic now so no need to 'Frankenstein' your own.
Not bagging the setup, just a heads up for those who think no safety is ever needed.

This is why I always have two ropes on my slider, one looser than the other. If my rope fails, (which of course it has) it goes to the secondary rope. Last time it happened I didn't even realize the first rope broke until I hit the beach. Replaced the first rope that night and was good to go.