** This is also posted in another thread about links, thought it would be easier to find here also ***
All,
I've been flying a link 12m on 5th line for ages now and have NO problems with it staying in the air, going upwind, relaunching etc etc. I've been sat on these home made mods for a while now and feel that it is now time to share them. They improve feel on the bar, relaunch and general handling of the kite.
Firstly, you'll need the original black 4line bridal kit that came with the kite.
firstly, lay your kite on the ground and stretch out the Y bridal for the steering line out from the kite and pull tight. Now take the gray (strong) line from the bridal kit and tie it using a bowline to the back corner attachment, stick one of the pullies on it and lay it out in a V to the other attachment point of the old Y bridal, set the pully to be at the end of the black line and tie it off with a bowline (tape up any spare rope for now and trim later) put the knotted pig tail from that side onto the pully. Repeat for other side taking careful note to get the 2 V's the same length. now remove the old black bridal Y (you won't need it again)
secondly, follow the SS manual and remove the pig tail from the front leader lines. now the trick bit here is those 2 gray lines are still too long, I've got 6 knots tied in mine beacuse I'm a short arse with short arms, I'd start with 4 or 5 and asses after (you won't get them out after a good session) - don't worry about the knots, anyone who says they weaken the rope blah blah blah.. not going there again, the rope is plenty strong! tie the knots up near the kite as I feel there is less weight down the rope. i dunno, sounds good tho.
follow the SS book and add the 2 leader pigtails to the 5th line bridal and your all done.
get the kite up in the air and you'll notice the difference straight away, turning is quick ass, there is a bit more bar pressure, you don't need the 10-15cm of depower on all the time (this will be why your kite falls out the sky!!!)
Ok, for the new kite flyers here that are saying the kite does not fly etc etc.. as you have it the kite is perminantly oversheeted, this is why it will fall out the sky backwards etc etc.. the other thing is that this kite seems to love trim like a windsurf sail to get the most out of it, oversheet and it stalls, undersheet and it will luff a bit, it loves to fly a bit undersheeted and there is a sweet spot that you need to find to get the most out of it, that is why I have 6 knots in my front lines so that I've got it right where i want it with the depower stap with nothing pulled on.
5th line adjustment, I fly with a it with a slacker 5th line that I prob need, in stronger winds i pull a bit on, you will feel that the bar gets heavier when its pulled in when the 5th line is tight!
Also, I rig up the kite almost always on the middle knots on the pigtails, and the longest knot for the 5th line. for light wind I'll use the end knot for front lines but it does not make a great deal of difference. keep the 5th line a bit slack when the bar is out (i have about 3-4cm of 5th line pulled on in about 20 knots)
remember, keep the bar out, if its falling backwards, let the bar out, if its not feeling right let the bar out, treat it like a C kite not a bow kite. it is a great kite and goes really high on jumps and is quick as in the sky.
if you have any questions give me a PM and I'll give you my number and you can call me, if your in Sydney I'll help you set it up or you can try mine to compare it.
before when the kite was relaunching it would get onto its tip and sit in the water and not want to fly forward to the edge of the window, this leads to water collecting in the tip and the kite not wanting to come up, this is due to the front lines being too long and the steering lines being too short. making the front lines the right length helps as you don't have to have depower pulled in, the steering V means that the steering lines can in efect lengthen as the pully will move up the line and change the point of effort further up the tip, the kite will now want to rush forward along the water, this will dump water from the wing tips and give it some speed to get up out the water, the only line you need to pull is 1 steering line. DON'T USE THE 5TH LINE FOR RELAUCH, you don't need it. if your 5th line is too tight you'll prob have problems.
also, if you do any of these mods and you fnck it up, don't hold me respoible for it, this works for me and I tied my knots correclty and checked them all before I went out, I check them every now and again also.. make sure you use bowlines and know how to tie them good. its not a place for the granny 'it'll hold' knot.
Pete
