This may have been answer before, tuff;

What role does a 5th line play in regards to depower.

North / Ozone / NEW O.S kites have them, are they purely for safety and relaunch or are they used as a form of support. I think some kites are tuned with the 5th tight and some arent.

As quoted by buzingfridge

But only buy 2006 onwards as this is when kites really started improving tech and safety wise. Also look for hybrid design kites opposed to 5th line c kites a hybrid is newer tech and far easier to learn on.

This statement made me think about the modern 5th line kite and how the improved depower over the older pre 2006 5th liners is gained.

Now I have flown the Ozone and its a brilliant kite and is easy to fly and it has a 5th line and good depower.

I would like constructive technical replies, not kite bashing, I can see the pros and cons for the 5th line in regards to safety/relaunch.

Hi UFO,

Good question for a first post!

I'm most familiar with the ozone, so will speak of these kites.

The Ozone kites utilize the 5th line for support. If you look at the 2008 Instincts, they have a 5th line which is under tension whilst powered. It splits into three lines, the two wider ones split into two again giving a total of 5 attach points for the 5th. This spreads the load of the canopy shape evenly and gives rock solid support for the wide span shape.

The solid support and strong seams allows the designer to reduce the leading edge diameter by up to around 40% when compared to other kites. This reduces weight, quicker to pump, less drag (faster), less mass so turns faster, higher pressure for struts in one pump application. The narrower LE also allows more twist in the LE which aids in smoothing out the turning.

The Ozone 5th doesn't work as a safety system, the safety works on a front line instead. Some will like this some wont. The kites depower by about 75% by simply letting go of the bar. The 5th does however form an integral part of the depower system on a multi ratio depower where the 5th depowers at 1:1 and the front lines at 0.5:1 The Ozone 5th also plays no part in relaunch, it relaunches similar to a "bow", just turn the bar.

Other kite companys use the 5th as a means of depower and a safety feature whereas missing a bar pass activates the 5th line and kills the kite. This type of system also is part of the relaunch system on 5 line "C" type kites.


I will allow Nathan and others to speak of North and NEW in greater detail.

Hope this goes someway to helping.

Good winds,

so kite hard in your appinion whatkite is bbetter??bridle or new c???im currently on a12m hybrid, i like what you say about the new cs being faster across window,but i love howeasy the hybrids are too relaunch,are the new cs just as easy???

All designs have different results in mind. I try to make sure all function is on hand and the 5th line is a handy control line for lots of different reasons.

Pictured is why our kites dont have constant tension in the 5th line. It allows the kite to pivot back and forth around the front line attachment point.

It also allows the safety to be spun multiple times and still have a reliable safety release.

When the depowered strap is closed, yes the 5th line is sligthly loose. This lets the kite automatically absorb gusts. Almost like suspension. It lets the arc stretch around 15cm instead of you being effected 15cm. Once tension comes on to the 5th line the kite becomes supported then darts across the window.

There's a history of 5 lines kites ripping
The main reason for this is the single attachment point.
There is a tight area of topsail material (around the size of your hand) right in the corner between the leading edge and the struts. If the 5th is attached by 1 point near the pump leash, when the kite rolls it will runs up and over the canopy close to the tight topsail in the corner and split the kite.
When I was doing kites for Wipika we worked this out after our first proto.

Thats why everyone makes 2 attachments as it is no where near to the nasty tight topsail.

But having the 5th closer to the middle of the kite is better as the kite will pivot from the middle and relaunch better from the U position. Try relaunching a kite with some kind of bridle from the U position and you will understand what I mean by "to pivot or not to pivot"

I could BS on all day but I need to do some other stuff.

I ride with an 07 Rebel. I only use the 5th line for landing and water launching as well as the safety release.

I dont think there is really any other use for it. When im fully powered up there line is straight but does not have any weight going through it..
Once i pull de-power on the 5th line will be completly slack and dangleing around.

I find as you approach getting overpowered the 5th line will eventually start to tighten which does tilt the kite to the front more hence depower by reducing angle of attack , and stops the kite from turning into a U shape instead of a C - shape. When your in light / medium winds the 5th line is normally " loosish" providing max power and depowers / provides support maybe during gusts or kite loops only when the kite naturally starts to bend into the U shape.

Ps, those pictures are a bit misleading as it is the same picture taken twice, the second picture being rotated a bit. What it should look like in the second picture is the back edge lifted up higher than the back in the first picture ( simulating more wind or load and the kite stretching into the U shape) but the leading edge 5th line will stop the front from stretching and tilt it forward more... so the lines in the second picture should look the same as the first but the 5th line will be out the front a couple extra inches.

Nick