These lines are from a Naish Torch 2010 - I took it apart after my lines got into an utter tangle, and naturally didn't bother taking pictures beforehand...
The grey is the leading line(s), the orange is the 5th line. Left side is towards kite, right side towards bar.
I know the 5th line threads through the pink loop on the Y of the leading lines. The red orb goes on the 5th line presumably with the point of stopping travel in one direction. I'm not 100% sure in which direction.
I'm guessing towards the bar, so that the rider can pull the 5th line through, and so that gusts on the kite will cause a pull on all 3 leading lines (preventing deformation?).
But end of the day kite technology is smarter than me and I could probably rationalise wiring it up in the other direction as well. Can someone advise?
The ball is to tension the fifth line between that Y-splitter and the leading edge.
The Torch can fly without tension in the fifth line but it's designed to have tension when powered. If there's no tension then it tends to sit quite deep in the wind window and you'll struggle to get upwind, if there's too much tension then it'll turn very sluggishly and not generate power through the turns.
I'm still a half beginner and have been struggling to stay upwind in low wind (say 16 knots) on a 12m 2010 torch - if the wind gets to to 20 knots I have no problems at all.
I had put this down to a combination of just being a 90kg fatty and a beginner - but I think I will try adding tension to the 5th line next time I'm out (put it on a different knot) and see if it makes a difference!
I had put this down to a combination of just being a 90kg fatty and a beginner - but I think I will try adding tension to the 5th line next time I'm out (put it on a different knot) and see if it makes a difference!
Tensioning the 5th line isn't going to give you more power, but there's a very fine line where the 5th needs a bit of tension to maintain the canopy shape without choking the kite. You'll know if you've gone too far if the kite turning speed slows down and it feels gutless, at which point you've probably over tensioned it by about ~1-2".
