Slingshot Fuel - Above Bar Depower

> 10 years ago
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Underoath
Underoath
QLD
2434 posts
QLD, 2434 posts
2 Jan 2013 2:22am
I have been riding Slingshot Fuels for about 8 months now. Now that I am unhooking more often, I am finding the below bar depower, a significant hindrance during kiting.

Once the kite is at full throttle depowering the kite is almost impossible.

Rather than waiting for Slingshot to design a better bar, I gave it a crack tonight.




Rather than returning the depower rope back below the bar, I have positioned the rope to stop within an arm's length above the bar.

I also added a new attachment to the end of the rope (red ball) for easy grip and fast power up & down. A significant improvement on the old black nob that is provided on the standard bar.

I also have added a stopper ball approximately 15cms above the depower clam cleat, this will prevent the depower getting jammed, as this was a problem on the old Slingshot bar. If the kite is at 100% power the clam clam cleat is never jammed.



Quick and easy depower.

Happy kiting.
KiteSUP
KiteSUP
QLD
51 posts
QLD, 51 posts
2 Jan 2013 9:14am
thats exactly the same as the fuels used to be when I started riding them, nice and simple
surfingboye
surfingboye
NSW
2707 posts
NSW, 2707 posts
2 Jan 2013 10:34am
How bad is the Slingy bar... Just a few reasons why I won't go back to a Slingshot kite.

Terrible feel in the hands (like gripping a fat rough stick),
Depower knob is impossible to grip,
When fully powered the knob hits your hands,
Depower likes to jam,
Centre line wears.
lol.

Your fix has probably fixed all my complaints with it, so why can't the factory do that...???


sir ROWDY
sir ROWDY
WA
5378 posts
WA, 5378 posts
2 Jan 2013 8:16am
This has go to be the biggest troll ever right? (Just checking it's not the 1st)...

Slingshot made bars like this for years and in fact if you want this type of setup you can still buy it now ;) .
Underoath
Underoath
QLD
2434 posts
QLD, 2434 posts
2 Jan 2013 11:34am
sir ROWDY said...
This has go to be the biggest troll

if you want this type of setup you can still buy it now ;) .


Troll you say?

Please show me one internet link as to where I can purchase one now?

The 2011,2012 & 2013 bars don't offer this option.
Saffer
Saffer
VIC
4501 posts
VIC, 4501 posts
2 Jan 2013 12:59pm
They used to call it the len10 pro bar. I don't think they sell it anymore
Underoath
Underoath
QLD
2434 posts
QLD, 2434 posts
2 Jan 2013 12:02pm
Saffer said...
They used to call it the len10 pro bar. I don't think they sell it anymore


Thanks Saffer. I guess if anyone needed a decent depower it would be Len10.
sir ROWDY
sir ROWDY
WA
5378 posts
WA, 5378 posts
2 Jan 2013 10:32am
Well I haven't had a decent look for one because I ride Ozone so it's not an issue .

But, if I were to need one, I would email SS AUS or INTL because I'm sure they probably have heaps of old stock of "Len10" pro bars laying around, or more accurately any other old SS bar. Or if not they would for sure have the parts required to construct a decent one with the bar you already have (as you have done).

p.s. Len10 bar actually had far less depower range than normal.

p.p.s. I'm sure there has to be a ton of these old bars laying around in peoples garages, I myself have 4 or so here and there haha.

p.p.p.s. Your black ball half way along the depower line is pointless. Also trimming the grab handle at the end of the depower line down to minimal size (2 balls pressed together, no tube between) makes it way less crap whipping around into your face.
iRideWainman
iRideWainman
VIC
219 posts
VIC, 219 posts
2 Jan 2013 1:39pm
surfingboye said...
How bad is the Slingy bar... Just a few reasons why I won't go back to a Slingshot kite.

Terrible feel in the hands (like gripping a fat rough stick),
Depower knob is impossible to grip,
When fully powered the knob hits your hands,
Depower likes to jam,
Centre line wears.
lol.

Your fix has probably fixed all my complaints with it, so why can't the factory do that...???





My favourite is the teeth which lock the depower rope into place like to eat through the line itself. Seen this happen on almost all 2010 compsticks.
sir ROWDY
sir ROWDY
WA
5378 posts
WA, 5378 posts
2 Jan 2013 11:09am
^^^Really?

I've used clam cleat style depower for nearly 10 years and never found it to be an issue (well never to the point where the rope actually broke or might break).
If it did ever wear out it was always where the bar was moving across it. Putting surf wax on the line significantly increased its lifespan.
Underoath
Underoath
QLD
2434 posts
QLD, 2434 posts
2 Jan 2013 1:27pm
sir ROWDY said...

p.p.p.s. Your black ball half way along the depower line is pointless.


The black stopper stops/prevents the depower handle from getting jammed into the cleat. As was common place on my old bar.

sir ROWDY
sir ROWDY
WA
5378 posts
WA, 5378 posts
2 Jan 2013 11:32am
Underoath said...
sir ROWDY said...

p.p.p.s. Your black ball half way along the depower line is pointless.


The black stopper stops/prevents the depower handle from getting jammed into the cleat. As was common place on my old bar.




Really? if you have that ball at the end of the rope it never happens to me. Again 10 years and it's never happened haha. Also Ozone never have it and it never gets jammed.

Fair enough though, different strokes for different folks! You gotta do what you feel is best or it just pisses you off whilst kiting haha.
foorked
foorked
VIC
152 posts
VIC, 152 posts
2 Jan 2013 2:38pm
I have an len10 pro bar - never used
PM me if Anyone in interested..
puppetonastring
puppetonastring
WA
3619 posts
WA, 3619 posts
2 Jan 2013 12:06pm
Nice job Underoath.
Yes SS did do the above the bar in days gone by.
The only problem you will find is that the SS cleat & SS rope are not a good fit.
You need to secure the setting by pressing the rope into the cleat with your other hand before you let it go.
This is a cinch below the bar but a pain set the way you have it now - as it was when SS did it ATB. Reaching up with the 2nd hand is a hassle.

The extended tube to prevent the grab knob from jamming up to the cleat is a great idea.
Did you steal that from me [}:)]. We do it on all our trade-ins and on new bars as well that use this system.
Kiters should know to always leave a few cm's of rope outside of the cleat. Any extra power from releasing it all the way is no advantage.

BTW - BWS bars come with option of ATB or BTB. The big advantage for the BWS ATB is that the rope catches & holds in the cleat very easily. No 2 handed operation needed to make sure it doesnt slip.
axis
axis
VIC
399 posts
VIC, 399 posts
2 Jan 2013 11:43pm
puppetonastring said...
The only problem you will find is that the SS cleat & SS rope are not a good fit.
You need to secure the setting by pressing the rope into the cleat with your other hand before you let it go.


Never had this issue with their ATB set ups in the past.

Looks OK, as others have said, plenty of pro bars and older fuel bars out there - I have 2 but have got used to the BTB depower.

Will be interested to see how you go with that amount of depower on the cleat. Your stopper ball will limit what you can pull in. I used to move the cleats down which would give less throw but more depower on the cleat.

Nice work with the tube for the safety line. Maybe see if you can get one of these stoppers for below that.



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