Hello all,


I know the subject has already been adressed but I cannot continue the other topic cause it's too old..

I have used P-lines on my REV2 9m, I ordered new ones from Slingshot and received 197cm long ones which is ok length according to specs.
When I check on my kite, the old ones are only about 160cm long ! It's seems to be a very big difference. It's a second hand kite so i wonder if first owner changed it to shorter ones...

Any one can with REV experience tell me if putting the new ones could make the kite fly very differently ? Is it possible the P lines shrank about 40 cm ?
I am a bit scared to put the new ones I don't whant to have troubles on next session...

Thanks a lot for your help !

Rev 2 p-lines come in the following sizes,

7m 167.5
9m 197
11m 213
13m 233
15m 252.5

Sounds to me like someone has previously fitted a set of 7m lines to your 9m kite,so be carefull as they may have altered the rest of the setup to accomodate the 7m set,if the kite was flying properly before then it may pay to order a new set of 7m P-lines to replace yours,alternatively you might have to replace the whole bridal.

Yeah mate, they shorten pretty quickly too. After three months of only occasional use my REV2 P-lines shrank by 25cm. I've recently just replaced them with some dyneema lines (a bit of a trick involved to create the loops on the end, but easy once you know how) I haven't measured them yet to see if it will shrink less than the factory standard lines.

It makes a BIG difference in how the kite flies. You won't believe how different.

Make sure you use the right length lines -- for the same size kites the P-lines are different lengths between REV and REV2. Andy Regan had a good solution--he always sent me REV1 lines for my REV2, that were slightly longer, so you could put a figure of 8 knot in the line and it would shorten to the right length, then once it shrank, you took the knot out and could get more use out of it before you had to replace it. Thanks Andy, RIP mate.

Rob

With the old 'shrunk' lines the kite will waft or slide when you initiate a turn, then jerk thru the rest of the turn. Very smooth turning with the new lines.

Def change your pulleys. the red and white plastic ones chip with age and destroy your lines.I got stainless pulleys on mine and so far no probs. I had exactly the same prob, had the lines and pulleys replaced and now she flys as smooth as silk. Gotta love those rev 2,s, hands down the best kite ive ever flown.

^^^ clearly the scientific science of the situation makes it shorter!

(translation - great question, but I have no idea!)

Generally old ropes get monger not shorter due to fibres within the rope breaking, but the only three reasons I can think of that make a rope shorter are:

- The heat generated as the rope runs though the pulley shrinks the fibres
- The rope is getting twisted as it runs through the pulley
- a gnome comes and shortens the rope after each session [}:)]

I reckon it's the last one

Hi all,

Now that is a big "aha moment" for me.

I bought a second hand kite (Rev 2 - 11 metres) and the pulley lines looked awful, therefore I called the local shop and bought them.

When I measured them, they were about 10-15 cm longer, thinking that they got it wrong. Now it makes perfect sense. And probably that's why the guys from the beach told me my kite looks like it lacks adjustment.

Thanks for bringing this up, AlexB65
Cheers

woodys said...

Ur not an orphan there mikedobee.
Everyone comes in with 'P' lines that they have 'stretched' and needing new 'shorter' ones.
Definitely a bit of a mind-**** but thats the truth of it. Its not stretching thats the problem its the wear through the pulley.
Ive tried pulling some of the worn line apart to work out exactly what is happening to make it shrink. I am still left 'guessing' but I think its due to the lay of the original weaving of the chord loosening as if frays and twists through the pulley; all of which contributes to making it thicker. The looser, more frayed & twisted it becomes the fatter & shorter it gets.
Still doesnt follow logic of a line under tension - but its a fact.
Maybe a rope expert could enlighten us further?
RU there rumplestilsken?

- look out now for 'shorter fatter' lines from the 's - inevitable but always entertaining

The shortening happens because of the twists, its quite obvious when you look at it in the early stages of it happening. As it twists and gets thicker, it gets more worn and becomes thinner again which is why its not as noticeable as it becomes more worn. I had the same confusion, so I started tracking it after I put new p-lines on, you could see the twists after the first couple of sessions. Replacing the pulley's does help a little as the kite gets older though so if people are having issues with the lines shortening quite quickly, replace the pulleys and it should extend the life of the lines.

Not sure how true this is but, I was told once that as the pulley wears, the edges become sharp .It then cuts and pulls tiny pieces of thred through the line actually pulling the line shorter ???

+1 on twisting. twist a piece of rope and it shortens (occam's razor).run a piece of rope through a pulley at an accute angle with tension and it twists. P-lines are braided on a diagonal. the bit of rope that touches the pulley flattens out and due to the diagonal weave makes it want to twist. Revs do destroy pulley lines as their bridle was shorter than other kites of their time. But they were less likely to catch a tip and deathloop. If you want some ideas on some permanent fixes, check out a BWS Noise.

For gods sake people learn to splice or at least tie knots.

yeehar said...

For gods sake people learn to splice or at least tie knots.