Has anyone successfully shortened there lines? I was to take 4m off my lines to make 18m. Slingshot only make 20m lines

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kemp90 said..
Has anyone successfully shortened there lines? I was to take 4m off my lines to make 18m. Slingshot only make 20m lines

Without sewing them a locking splice would work... if even possible with your line material. I have tried a locking splice on the North/Switch line and it was impossible because the weave simply doesn't open up enough to allow it. Slingshot line may allow it but I suspect not. Earlier in the season I needed to shorten some unspliceable line down to 15m.... I ended up folding the end into a loop, doing a simple overhand knot and covering the tail and knot with some heatshrink. It works perfectly with zero sign of failure.

You can buy sleeving kits online cheap. If you have a sewing machine then you are set. It's not hard to do. Just be exact!

Thanks guys. iv cut out the stitching, slid the sheath down and cut the length. going to use the same sheath. Ill just drop it in to the sail maker to stitch them together

I've shortened plenty of lines, using the original sleeve, and hand-stitched them. Takes a few minutes, but plenty strong. Back in the day when I had stretchy cabrinha lines (more than ten years ago) I'd do this simply to equalise line lengths, and back then I used a polyester upholstery thread from spotlight which worked fine (I sent those switchblades as hard as I could with no issues).

Several years ago I bought a 2500m spool of Coats dabond V92 thread (yes, many lifetime's supply for repairing kite gear, camping gear and anything else). It was $30 or so from a horse saddler or something which was the cheapest price google spat out. This stuff is UV proof, and coated so that it is easier to stitch without all the fibres separating. This is what sailmakers use and maybe they can give you the end of a spool for a few bucks for diy stuff.

Even with much practise using the folded guitar-string technique I find that with my Ozone lines (best lines ever!) I can fairly easily do a locked brummel splice on the 500kg front lines, but it's much trickier on the 300kg rears, and impossible on anything smaller than that (I run 200/100kg lines for foiling). I can get the holes and the initial inversion and threading through, but the bury is impossible for me with thin lines. Therefore the sleeve and stitch method is necessary for these.

Ozone sell heaps of different lengths too.

For splicing thin lines use a darning needle. My record is 0.8mm paraglider bridle lines.

To get the bury down, don't pull the splicer (needle or guitar string). Push the line up on the splicer. Work it until you've got some slack then pull on the loop end.

Buy thread from these guys. www.sewingmachinesaustralia.com.au/shop/buy-accessories/sewing-threads/coats-dabond-uv-treated/dabond-v69

Brummel splices are ok if you measure and make accurately. You can't adjust them.

A simple bury splice is easily adjusted and you can sew a straight stitch to lock it in. Hand sewing is ok, but sewing in a machine is not a problem. You need to practice to get good at it. It is an acquired skill.

for a waveriding bar i just cut them with scissors and tie overhand knot loops in them all - have never had one break

takes 5 mins

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kemp90 said..
Has anyone successfully shortened there lines? I was to take 4m off my lines to make 18m. Slingshot only make 20m lines

Hey Kemp. Get in touch with Chook from EK. He's a champ at this stuff.

Gorgo, could you post a pic of the needle you use? I've tried a couple of different ones and so far for me, if the eye is big enough to get the line through, it's too big to get the braid to open up enough to go around the eye of the needle and the line going through it.

I'll keep experimenting but if you have time for some pics of your technique that'd be great.

So I ended up cutting the lines and splicing a loop in the top. Took the new 12m rally GT out in 12 - 15 knots with the surf board.
Man was it fun.
the kite was so quick and I felt the loops and down loops had more power as it was so much faster. cant wait to try with some better wind and surf. Should also be fun looping a 9m fuel

thanks for the advice everyone. Love my new line length

Came up alright!

Hey do you guys see the need to use whipping on the bury of a locking brummel splice?

Im about to make a centre rope and wondering if I need to do that step if I make a really nice loop with a suitable length bury...


Thanks

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djdojo said..
Gorgo, could you post a pic of the needle you use? I've tried a couple of different ones and so far for me, if the eye is big enough to get the line through, it's too big to get the braid to open up enough to go around the eye of the needle and the line going through it.

I'll keep experimenting but if you have time for some pics of your technique that'd be great.

I spliced a loop in some 1.1mm bridle line using the small darning needle. My record is 0.8mm line, but I don't have any of that to show you.

You need to pinch a bend in the line and get the point of the needle inside the line. It can take a few goes. Be patiient and gentle. Push the line onto the needle. Not so much push the needle into the line.

Cut a clean tapered end onto the line so you can push it through the eye of the needle. Wrapping some thin sticky tape around the cut end can make a little threader to get the line through.

When making the bury, push the line down onto the needle and pinch and roll the entry point to get the loop inside the line. Once it's in it will slide easily.

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Chris_M said..
Hey do you guys see the need to use whipping on the bury of a locking brummel splice?

Im about to make a centre rope and wondering if I need to do that step if I make a really nice loop with a suitable length bury...


Thanks

You don't need to sew or whip locking splices. They're already locked by the splice itself.

To a certain extent, none of the locking or sewing or bury length matters all that much in kiting. Once the line is locked into a lark's head it's not going anywhere. All that stuff only matters if there's room for slippage or you're disconnecting the spliced loop at any time.

Note the use of "To a certain extent, ...". You have to design your splice and locking method to suit the application.

Be careful with Brummel splices on thicker line (4-5mm) . You can end up with a fairly bulky lump at the intersection of the pass through and the start of the bury. It looks ugly and can be disassembled fairly easily. Fiddling around and re-doing Brummel splices can make a mess of your line.

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Gorgo said..

djdojo said..
Gorgo, could you post a pic of the needle you use? I've tried a couple of different ones and so far for me, if the eye is big enough to get the line through, it's too big to get the braid to open up enough to go around the eye of the needle and the line going through it.

I'll keep experimenting but if you have time for some pics of your technique that'd be great.

I spliced a loop in some 1.1mm bridle line using the small darning needle. My record is 0.8mm line, but I don't have any of that to show you.

You need to pinch a bend in the line and get the point of the needle inside the line. It can take a few goes. Be patiient and gentle. Push the line onto the needle. Not so much push the needle into the line.

Nice work Gorgo! Thanks for sharing.

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kemp90 said..
Came up alright!

Sure did Kemps. Did you get the loop sewn in as well? So you ended up with 14m lines?

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Chris_M said..
Hey do you guys see the need to use whipping on the bury of a locking brummel splice?

Im about to make a centre rope and wondering if I need to do that step if I make a really nice loop with a suitable length bury...


Thanks

Whipping although it gives a nice finish to the splice is unnecessary and always works lose and drops off. With larger diameter rope you can either cut the tail at an angle or unpick a few of the weave braids and cut them to give a taper in the splice.
Using 3 mm dyneema I have even buried a 1m tail all the way through a 1m length to produce a 1m length of 6mm dyneema with a 3mm locked loop in one end.

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NorthernKitesAUS said..

kemp90 said..
Came up alright!

Sure did Kemps. Did you get the loop sewn in as well? So you ended up with 14m lines?

They should be 18m lines now. Haven't really checked haha.
I didn't end up sewing them. Just spliced them. They are strong as

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kemp90 said..

...
I didn't end up sewing them. Just spliced them. They are strong as

The stitching doesn't add strength. It stops the splice from slipping when unloaded. If the splice stays locked inside the pigtail loop then there is little chance of it slipping.

it's a trivial job to put a few hand stitches though the bury if you want to lock it in.

Thanks for the pics Gorgo. I'm going to head to spotlight with some line offcuts and buy a new quiver of needles to suit.

Hit this bloke up' names bill

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Gorgo said..

djdojo said..
Gorgo, could you post a pic of the needle you use? I've tried a couple of different ones and so far for me, if the eye is big enough to get the line through, it's too big to get the braid to open up enough to go around the eye of the needle and the line going through it.

I'll keep experimenting but if you have time for some pics of your technique that'd be great.

I spliced a loop in some 1.1mm bridle line using the small darning needle. My record is 0.8mm line, but I don't have any of that to show you.

You need to pinch a bend in the line and get the point of the needle inside the line. It can take a few goes. Be patiient and gentle. Push the line onto the needle. Not so much push the needle into the line.

Cut a clean tapered end onto the line so you can push it through the eye of the needle. Wrapping some thin sticky tape around the cut end can make a little threader to get the line through.

When making the bury, push the line down onto the needle and pinch and roll the entry point to get the loop inside the line. Once it's in it will slide easily.

That is really nice work, thanks for your detailed photos.