Hi all

How effective will lengthening the depower by 1-2 meters be to increase the amount of depower? (see blue lines in image)

I've been using this system for a while now but I now need to replace my chicken loop release mechanism anyway.

So should I stay with the dual line setup and do slight mod to improve safety or should I just should I buy on a whole new system? Epic kites btw.

Hi Freddofrog,

I will help you as best I can but first, please make sure you ask for permission of the owner (in this case: me) of the images/videos you grab from the internet before doing this.

Dual front line safety systems have completely disappeared off the market since 2018 as it's unsafe and no kite schools should ever use them. Doing the modification you suggest is a waste of time, you might as well modify it to a single front line safety system. In most cases, all you need to do this is two stainless steel O Rings. Unfortunately, due to liability concerns, I can't offer to modify it for you.

The problem with ANY double front line safety system is in case of a bridle tangle (common result after a kite inversion) the kite will NOT flag out. This is explained in the video from which you grabbed that screenshot : www.kitebud.com.au/kitesurfing-online-courses/kitesurfing-safety-systems/

If your bar / lines / chicken loop / safety system is ageing, it's a really good investment to simply upgrade your bar to a newer (post 2018) bar. You'll get brand new lines which will make your kite(s) perform better and most importantly an ISO compliant safety system (only on 2020 bars and newer) on a single front line safety system.

hope this helps

Christian

Sorry Christian, didn't realise it was yours, I just screen grabbed the image from google search
www.google.com/search?q=dual+front+line+kitesurfing&rlz=1C1CHWL_enAU852AU852&sxsrf=ALeKk01HFySkq7aXJkW1rMZj6E62eeMdVw:1617610732934&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjr2PvI1ebvAhVOumMGHXCGD70Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1536&bih=723

Yeah you're right, a single front line mod would be easier though I'm not sure why I would need 2 o-rings.
If I put a single o-ring on the end of my depower and then moved it up to my front line, isn't that it?

Hang on, that ain't gonna work. Let me try again.

I see, you're right, in this case a single O-Ring would be enough to get the job done.

Here is the process.

1- Take out the safety line from it's ring
2- Take out ONE of the flying lines from it's ring which will now become your new single safety line.

3- Get a large enough stainless steel O-Ring so it can't slide through the upper rings of your bar

4-Connect both the safety line and the single flying line to the same spare O-Ring exactly like this:



5-Pass the flying line through the top right O-Ring of your bar like so:



6-When you activate the chicken loop QR, the single safety line will slide down like so:



It's not the prettiest thing and not the most practical setup, but it will work just fine and be safe as long as you have the correct size marine grade stainless steel O-Ring and you do the same assembly as described/pictured

hope this helps

Christian

Yeah that's awesome. Whithworths has plenty of o-rings so I'm sure they'll have something suitable. Thanks for that, much appreciated.

Just get a new (or second hand) bar for a few hundred bucks.

Have seen a couple of mods like this go wrong, where the addition of a flagging line has caused the front lines to end up different lengths due to the double O-ring thing being pulled on with differing forces, or the length of the flagging line being too short or too long, other way, its been a ball-ache.

Save yourself the time, missed sessions, and potential for things to go wrong.

Select to expand quote

cbulota said..
I see, you're right, in this case a single O-Ring would be enough to get the job done.
Here is the process.

I think it would be good to also post what the new safety systems (>2018) are like and why they are better.

Select to expand quote

cbulota said..
I see, you're right, in this case a single O-Ring would be enough to get the job done.

Here is the process.

1- Take out the safety line from it's ring
2- Take out ONE of the flying lines from it's ring which will now become your new single safety line.

3- Get a large enough stainless steel O-Ring so it can't slide through the upper rings of your bar

4-Connect both the safety line and the single flying line to the same spare O-Ring exactly like this:



5-Pass the flying line through the top right O-Ring of your bar like so:



6-When you activate the chicken loop QR, the single safety line will slide down like so:



It's not the prettiest thing and not the most practical setup, but it will work just fine and be safe as long as you have the correct size marine grade stainless steel O-Ring and you do the same assembly as described/pictured

hope this helps

Christian

If that attachment is above the bar check if the safety line is passed thru the hole in the bar.

If the safety line does do thru the bar the stainless ring might not pass thru and therefore not flag out properly.

Yeah, nothing is as easy as it seems. It's still not flagging out properly :(

I'm now just going to get one of Epic's bar updates. It's just money right....sigh.

Sounds like it might be time for a new (/new to you (newer secondhand)) kite and bar.

Spending money on old outdated gear for a semi-acceptable solution is often not worth it. And just costs more and more money later on. A new kite means a better experience and often years of worry free kiting.