With the Naish system

You have a bar with a chicken loop and a fixed loop, and you a safety leash attached to the bar - not your wrist.

Is this right ??

If so, then if you are in the fixed loop, you can not get out of it unless you pull the bar down. Therefore only use this in light wind to help keep the kite flying.

All other times, use the chicken loop. The chicken loop should have a quick release mechanism on it - if its like the one i have its a bit of neoprene at the top of the chicken loop that you simply pull upwards to release the chicken loop. Maybe youve never noticed this - as it is not obviously a quick release till you try using it ???

So, quick release the chicken loop and let go of the bar - it will go down the line and the kite will depower and fall into the water.

If youre still in trouble and want to completely get rid of the kite, there is an emergency release on the safety line attached to your bar. The one I have is a red knob that you pull to release it....

Ta guys,
I don't have my gear handy but will take a look later for this.
My safety goes from the harness straight to the Y shaped yoke for the inside lines (not through the bar). Is it the Y shaped yoke's neoprene that you were describing. I know of this release but (maybe I am doing it incorrectly) I can't imagine getting this off in a hurry .
I haven't heard of fixed loops with a QR before, any brands/suppliers suggested?
I will take the advice on using the chicken loop more often when walking up the beach in stronger winds as well.
Cheers,

Getfunky

Hi, you can get a fixed line with QR a windsurfer mate of mine found one on the beach in Gero-I thought it was
Airush.
I have the Naish chicken loop QR but feel it is safer to just pull the bar in and unhook as my natural reaction when getting dragged is to hang on even tighter, rather than feeling around for the QR. Used to use a shackle but had the same issue of trying to find the ball to activate the QR.

Hi,
Thanks heaps everyone for the info so far, I have been wanting to ask this for a while.
I am the same at the mo and atb times in the chicken my instinct is to pull on the bar during a big gust/loft.
I spoke to a mate today about his Slingshot spreader bar but he's new as well so explaining it wasn't easy and without seeing it I couldn't make sense of the differances?
Any clues as to what makes the SS bar better/safer?
Cheers,

Getfunky

Just go to the Slingshot web site. The actual speader bar has a release where the hook opens and has a spinning leash set up, If your not into huge unhooked moves its the safest release system on the market at a low cost.

Getfunky:

I suggest before you think about going out again, you should go to one of the shops and get it sorted/explained.

L

Hey thanks heaps loose fin!
Geez I feal like a dill now! I was looking at the power adjustment strap which has a real fiddly realease (and not easy to reach).
Now that I have had a look at my gear again it seems soooo obvious - I swear the arrow (showing which way to push) looked just like a speccy graphic thingy before.
I tried this out many times last night with just the bar and feel it will be a cinch in an an emergency, and will try to practice with my kite asap.
Cheers again

Getfunky