Hey Samio,

In Short, Yes! It depends upon how short you are talking about. If you go down to 25m, you will notice that the kite seems a bit quicker and has a little less power but the top end will increase by a few knots. Jump timing gets quicker and the kite will feel better in general.

Going to 20m lines makes about a kite size difference and the kite becomes quite fast as it goes back and forth through the wind window. Kite loops become pretty awesome on 20m lines. Expect a 12m kite to feel and respond like a 10m.

Going down to 15m is about as short as you should go as the only thing they are really good for is scary kiteloops and super fast overpowered wave riding. It will likely change the kite wind range down approx two kite sizes ie 12m will feel like an 8m. The power becomes really eratic hence the need to ride them overpowered. Jumping beomes difficult as the kite is so fast and the power zone so small that you will lose height and hangtime in a big way.

Average "short line" length is around 18-22m. I recommend 20m as a minimum. It is noticeably different and still fun, but you lose lots of bottom end so be prepared on the lighter days. I usually have two bars, one with 30's for lighter winds and one with 20's for normal riding in more powered conditions.

Also, on really short lines ie 15m, pumping your kite leading edge a bit harder may be necessary as the angle of the lines to the bar becomes wider and tends to "draw" the wingtips together more.

Hope this helps,

I ride my Co2 12m with 15m lines from time to time.

I also have to bars, and if I could have the choice again, I would opt for 18m - 20m (probably 18m)... 15m is the absolute minimum.

Differences:
1) You can ride really overpowered.
2) When you loop a 12m kite on 15/20/25m lines, the power will be almost the same at 12 o clock and 45 degrees.... although the power will last much shorter... depending on the shortness of the lines

Causes some whiplash effects.

3) Short lines are very poor in gusty conditions, as the shorter stroke keeps you from planing your board through the lulls.

Advantages:
1) It really teaches you to ride differently.
2) Aaron Hadlow and Len10 learn all there moves on shorter lines... (the logic is still a bit outside my understanding, but f#ups are big splashes and last short
3) you really get to know your kite... especially when jumping very high (which is possible with a 12m in 35 knots)... and then looping the kite 2x b4 you land so you don't drop like a rock.
4) When you go back to long lines, you jump REALY REALY high... (This I can confirm over and over again)

Disadvantages:
1) You really put a lot of stress on your equipment... a 12m kite was never really meant to be used over 30 knots, and some of those gusts really pull you short lines or no short lines
2) you might actually hold back pulling some big moves, cause a spank is only a few microseconds away on a short overstear...

This is all imho....

Lets have it this way.... You will always need longer lines 24/27m whatever is your brand's standard. It is really fun to have short lines on a seperate bar, especially when it gets windier suddenly, and you do not have to pump up another kite.

PS: b4 you re-use your lines (shorter) check them very carefully... if one snapped, the others are not far away... and nothing worse than having one front line snap in a kiteloop on short lines...!

Had a session today, flew perfectly, didnt even need to fin tune it :D
thanks for all the advice.

hi guys...want to make some 20m lines for my 06 norths....do u just shorten the lines at the bar end or do u have to change the line length from the other end ie from where the front lines split in 3(to leading egde and 5th line) as well?

does that make any sense? guess im asking if shortening the lines changes how the 5th line works in terms of both kite tune and depowering when sheeting out etc?