Hey, the lines attached to my bar to the kite lines is fraying and I've been trying to figure out what the different parts are called but to no avail.

So the part in pink is the line that is starting to fray (some of the weaves are breaking), the closest I've come to naming the part(for replacement purposes) is possibly the leader lines but I don't know if that refers to the part in pink or the part which connects to the bar in green. ( They are separate lines on my bar not visible in this image.) I had thought the the pink bit could be leader line extensions. The green bit is the float if I'm not wrong?

Anyway, what can I replace the pink bit with? I was thinking dyneema and then splice two loops into each side or should I use rope? Is that what the kite lines are made out of as well, dyneema?

Sorry for all the dumb questions...

Use spectra, you will get it from your local boating shop. I used it often when making up bars for old Peter Lynn "Arc" kites . It is sheathed and holds a knot well. Use a hot cutter to cut the lengths need , or a sharp knife then melt the ends to stop fraying. A good trick is to make it a fair bit longer than you need so you can put a Prussic knot in them enabling easy rear line length adjustment , J

For what bar? How bad is the fraying?

Spectra/Dyneema are the same stuff (UHMWPE) but most people probably know it by the trade name, Amsteel. 3.2mm or so is the usual thickness of line needed. It's not sheathed over a core like the Liros, but nobody uses that kind of line cos it's more difficult to splice.

Easiest option is to just buy the spares...

For bws undertow bar, think two of the strands in the weave have broke.

Gonna go check out boating store later!

Replaced the two white leader lines with 4mm dyneema. Had a go at splicing loops in but kinda hard without a fid, was trying to use a pen tube but that was too fat. Was $63 for two loops and two leader lines at dyneema 3mm and to buy a set of fids was $80+ (probably cheaper on ebay). Just bought 2.5m of 4mm dyneema for $15 and tied in some loops. Figure even if strength is reduced by (at most) 50%, still have a minimum breaking strength of 1000kg (average break load without knots is at 2000kg)

Notes for anyone who tries next time, the BWS leader lines are 20inches loop to loop. You can buy them from the bws surf store but thats the one that connects into the bar and costs $42. I believe the standard BWS one is 3mm dyneema as well.

Fids are the go for splicing. I bought this pair for $32 from Whitworths marine and for splicing they make it really easy to do ultra pro splices. I've made two 5mm dynema depower ropes and one 3mm dynema flagging line so far using Brummel locking splices. It cost less than $20 all up for the dynema as opposed to well over $100 for original parts. It takes a little playing about to initially learn how to do it but its a piece of cake . This pair of fids are ideal for 3 - 6mm dynema

www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?cat=152&item=75045&intAbsolutePage=1

... sure that's not the end of a splice poking out? Sometimes, they embed the tails so the ends meet, making the line nice and consistently thick. Looks like that to me, in that pic...

Never mind, job done!

Stitching is only necessary to stop the tail coming out when the line is not loaded. Tension keeps the eye splice in place.

Yeah, that looks like the ends of the splice. I can't imagine how those lines would get worn during normal use. But, getting the tools to splice amsteel let's you make all those parts yourself. It's not hard, if you like doing that stuff for yourself.

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Kamikuza said..
Stitching is only necessary to stop the tail coming out when the line is not loaded. Tension keeps the eye splice in place.

I found that unless you use a 'locking splice' the tail can still slip out when the line's not under load. The locking splice never moves ever.

www.animatedknots.com/brummel-eye-splice-knot-demo

Macdonald brummel is my fav. Just make sure to bury enough tail.

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Kamikuza said..
Macdonald brummel is my fav. Just make sure to bury enough tail.

Yeah that seems to be the same knot just executed a different way. I have seen a couple of other ways to achieve this same knot but I just visualize 'tail through rope, rope through tail' if that makes sense.

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snalberski said..

Kamikuza said..
Macdonald brummel is my fav. Just make sure to bury enough tail.

Yeah that seems to be the same knot just executed a different way. I have seen a couple of other ways to achieve this same knot but I just visualize 'tail through rope, rope through tail' if that makes sense.

It does, but then it's either difficult or impossible to do a briummel at the other end... Macdonald version is "easier"