This has happened to me too....kite luffed a bit on launch then when the wind caught it the chicken loop fell? off, was pulled off the harness hook. This was on Wainman. Spoke to the team riders in Maui about it and they advised that I had probably put the chicken loop on but upside down. This was news to me....I did not know that there is a top side and a bottom side to the chicken loop. You know you have it the right way up when the base of the donkey dick (the end attached to the chicken loop) is on the bottom side and the dick bends up.....you know it is upside down when the dick base is on top and it bends down. When it bends down, the luff sees the loop drop down the hook and then when the wind catches your kite, the dick bends and pop...off flies your chicken loop. Has anyone experiences this on other makes?
It's often user error on, but not through ignorance... just as often bad luck.
I've had CLs pop off on launch as I walk around to self-launch... always hold and check it before launch. I've had them pop off on the water, after sheeting in too aggressively or doing something odd... had one half-pop off and bend the hook too.
I remember reading this thread a week or so back, and low and behold, happened to me today on launch with my best 2013 bar and board short harness, nearly shat myself as my new 2014 kite was only a couple of metres from going in to the trees once it went out on one line, thanks to my fellow kiters at Brighton (qld) and their quick reaction times I was hooked back in and on the water in less than 5mins, really appreciate it guys, makes me happy to be in a sport that everyone jumps to help when something doesn't go to plan, had an awesome session too after that slight incident! Can't wait for the 30+ knots tomorrow :)
Unfortunately I was upside down looping the kite when it happened! After a very cruisey downwinder in about 16 knots I went for 'one more trick' to end the session. Always a bad idea!
Popped off a nice tall ramp , pulled down the bar to tension my lines to get good reaction time in the light wind and must of pushed it beyond the hook Super interesting sensation to be 2 m in the air , upside down, flying backwards then to feel the bar come loose and yank itself out of my hands
Call it what you like. Operator error I suppose but the dick was never going to be strong enough to withstand me pushing the bar downwards hard as I could Prob the caribener idea the only thing strong enough But they do rattle about which is pretty annoying
