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Showing results for tags 'z bridle'.
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The Z-Bridle, firstly why use it: Some single skin kites need some brake input to keep the kite inflated, flying without one, you need to hold the handles with your hands below the top power line to keep a power to brake balance. While flying static, you get "in tune" with the kite and start to fly instinctively applying/releasing the brakes without thinking just based on what the kite is doing. Now jump in a buggy or on a board and this can become a pain as your eye is no longer always on the kite. The other thing is try an NPW style kite on a bar without a Z-bridle and you will have your work cut out! Turn left and the tension is applied to the lhs bridles releasing the rhs and obviously that includes the brake which can cause the rhs to start collapsing. This is how I make mine, I make it in two separate pieces, I'm sure there is a calculation to work out how big the Z bridle should be, this is a copy of one I made for my 5m2 kite and works a treat so I guessed it's not going to be far off for my 3m2. I'm using 3mm dyneema "static" line which has a breaking load of 370Kg I start by cutting and burning the ends of 4 pieces of line: Two 128cm long and two 64cm. I then mark 27cm down from each end of the long pieces and just one end on the short. I take the end down to the mark and that give me a 13.5cm long loop, I start sewing the loops 4cm from the end. The longer pieces now have a loop on each end, I put the two ends together then move till I have one leg 2cm longer than the other, I run a couple of stitches to hold it in place. Double stopper knots are now tied to the ends (checking each pair of lines are the same), the long leg will be the brake line (from knot the diagonal): And now fitted to kite leaders (power lines on the rhs), you can see now releasing the brakes at the handle/bar end will give slack lines but the Z-bridle will maintain some tension to the brake bridle: Tuning: I always tune on handles first, holding your handles now as you would a foil (fingers each side of power line), fully release the brakes: If the kite doesn't lift or climbs then back stalls: the brake connection needs moving further away from the kite, if there is no more leader, then move the power side closer to the kite. If the kite lifts and there is some collapse: the brake connection needs moving closer to the kite. Once you get to the point where it is only slightly doing one or the other, then it only needs a 2mm to 5mm per change.
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