• Knots (2009.Aug.04)
• Peter Lynn Twin Skins (2009.Jan.12)
• Peter Lynn Scorpion kite launch (2008.Mar.22)
• Peter Lynn Twin Skins not inflating fully (2007.Feb.22)
• New Kite - Line lengths (2006.Aug.29)
• Repairing Twin Skins (2006.Feb.06)
• Tenslyon line (2005.Oct.9)
• Spars - Cutting, Attaching, Connecting
• Comparing Spar lengths of Compact Sticks on Twin Skins (updated June 11, 2008 Synergy/Vortex)
• Comparing sizes of foils to Twin Skins (TS)
• Dyneema SK65/75 kite line
• Replacing C-Quad spars or pivotting T-Joints
• Line strengths (kilogram/pound convert, conversion)
• Winding lines (bar/handles)
• What size is my Rebble?
• Where did traction kiting get started? (The history of traction kiting)

Sheet bend (on bowline)

Sheet bend to line with keeper knot

Double sheet bend

Double sheet bend with doubled end to assist untieing

Double sheet bend with doubled and safety half hitch

Go around twice when anchoring

Hitch and larks head to attach extra kites to a line

Let's start by review a few things with Arc and then specifically Scorpions - most of which you probably know or have heard. - first off everyone that gets an Arc will have a few learning issues with launching, kites collapsing, rolling, clam shelling, line tangle on a tip etc - most of which is greatly reduced with experience and just being aware of some quirks and developing launch techniques to minimize these things.

For lines getting caught underneath or on a wingtip: - on gusty days running the lines straight back from the trailing edge of the kite (90 degrees from kite) will keep a flapping kite from tangling the wingtip and flying line. Then when ready to launch get the line under the velcro tab and walk back to the bar keeping a very slight tension on the line - it may pop out of the velcro but the main thing is a bit of tension on the wingtip line will keep the tip of kite from bouncing. When at the bar quickly hook up keeping that tension on and walk upwind to the correct launch angle.

Try and have as much air in the kite as possible before launching to get a solid kite shape. In winter the air seems to get pushed out of some kite quicker than others as they lay in launch position. I find my Scorpions tend to get more air pushed out the longer I leave them over some other Arc kites. Most Arc can still launch fairly well with 70% air and will fill easily. Scorpions get a little trickier with anything less than maybe 90%. With most arcs you can launch with the back lines slack but if the kite doesn't have enough air - especially with Scorpions - the kite will race forward too quickly and if the kite is mushy, as it approaches a high angle or is hit by a gust the soft leading edge will collapse, push down and the kite will bow tie. So with Scorpions, they can be a bit lazier getting the air in quickly so this overfly and collapse is one thing to watch for - hence a bit of tension on the rear lines so you can pull the kite back to stop it from accelerating forward too soon while it's soft.

Next is clam shelling and tips clapping - quickly yank the centre lines to open the kite up - always watch line tension on the Scorpions to make sure the kite doesn't get into a situation with all lines going slack (or any arc) because it will open up up, drift and twist.

Okay, next are inflation issues - You can pre-inflate a kite by blower etc but you really want to get the kite operating correctly inflating from the leading edge vents when flying. When the kite is new the tubes of nylon that form the snorkel valve off the vents are usually stuck together from packing and air will not open them up fully unless you physically go to each vent and try to grab that nylon tube through the upper and lower skins and pull each one open so that you actually see down through each vent to the inside of the kite. Next is to make sure these snorkel tubes do not pass between the lower skin and the internal webbing strap. Under tension in flight the strap will shut off the tubes. The tubes should be above the webbing strap. Inflating with a blower mass cause some of these vent tubes to twist up if blown from the inside.

Next is you strap settings - most people will ultimately want as most power and turning performance as possible out of the kite and will tension wingtip straps and loosen the centre strap - but if the kite is new and needs a bit of working in, i wouldn't start with straps tight until you've got some flying time on it and gradually tighten it up more. If it's tightened up and shooting forward and collapsing that's one part of many things.

The smaller kites are the twitchiest on launch. High gusty winds add complexity to launching. We fly small kites in hi gusty winds so this is when you need to have your whole routine down the best. Have you looked at your bridle setting on the VPC and ensure it's set up the same on both sides and not too aggressive?

Next the bar - With most bars (including PL) you have two things that create a range of power and bar movement. On most bars like this the amount of throw (how far the bar can move forward and backward) is about 12-18 inches. In a very rough description; if a kite has a power range of 1-10 (10 being max power) by fully pulling in the strap to depower the kite, when you move the bar in and out it might go to a maximum of 3 or 4 in power as you pass the kite through the power zone and pull the bar in. As you ease off on the strap and add some tension to rear lines that range of power now on the bar may go from 2 with the bar out to 6-7 when the bar is pulled in. Then with the strap fully out to max power, the bar out might depower to 4 and pull in to max power of 10. So that strap proved a range of power available to the throw of the bar - in the rough numbers I used above that range of power is about 6 (whether it's 1-7, 2-8, 3-9, 4-10). It's that throw of 18 inches that gives you that range of 6.

When we rework our bars to be set up like those used on SLE kites it does away with the two parts working in conjunction - instead you now have a bar with a throw that is arms length so you know have that full range of least power to maximum power available with one set-up rather needing to also look at strap setting. It doesn't mean it makes the kite work better it's just more convenient on the user end. So you can buy components and strip down and rebuild your bar, buy a bar already set up like this or use what you have but if it's one bar used on different kite sizes then you'll always have to keep in mind different setting for each kite (you will not pull in as much on smaller kites, you may need line extensions etc).

Overall I'd look at the intake ports on that 13 to make sure they are open then look at the conditions you are flying in and where you are launching from. Don't launch in a gusty area and stand around, get out and get moving for clean air flow on the kite.

Hope some of this helps a little, Mark G - Kiter Extraordinaire

Correct Position above

Incorrect Position above

"The Arc is constructed with Chikara, a light weight, hi-tenacity rip stop nylon with a special water repellant coating. Inside the kite you will find low stretch Dyneema reinforcing lines and gauze vents in the tips of each profile to provide evenly distributed inflation. The tips are reinforced with EXEL-strong carbon fibre tubes in Cordura sleeves.

Construction and Repairs All panels are taped and sewn for strength and water proofing. Line loads are taken into the Arc via Dyneema cording sewn to the inner surfaces of the upper and lower skins. For spanwise strength there is a 300 kgm cord sewn from tip to tip. For small puncture type holes, clear mylar repair film works very well and is always colour matched. For repairing structural damage open the trailing edge (unpick the sewing thread without damaging the ripstop sailcloth), stick fabric patches on using double sided adhesive tape and then over sew. The tape's adhesive layer improves joint strength and seals the stitching. Always use new tape to stick the trailing edge before re-sewing but it isn't necessary to also remove any old tape that is still in place.."

It is important to understand what Tensylon is. Tensylon is made from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. Spectra and Dyneema are also made from ultra-high weight polyethylene, however the polyethylene used in Tenyslon is about 100 to 1000 times higher than that used for Dyneema and Spectra. The reason there is a range is because the polyethylene in it’s raw form is a powder and the chemical reaction that makes it generates a range of molecular weight particles. This powder is then subjected to extreme pressures and tightly controlled temperatures as it is passed through rollers to make a very thin sheet that is then slit to form fibers and then the fibers are woven into what you see. If the temperature is raised even slightly beyond the threshold the polyethylene drops in molecular weight and becomes closer to Dyneema and Spectra in abraision resistance and strength and if you continue to raise the temperature it becomes normal polyethylene. If you try to make it in a tube there are a number of problems: the greatest being how do you apply sufficient pressure while making a tube form and secondly if you could how do you keep the temperature throughout the material at the critical point so that the molecules bond together without turning into standard polyethylene.

Cutting can be done by using a fine toothed saw, most commonly a metal saw. To avoid splitting it is preferred to tape (masking tape) the spar before cutting. Be careful with the carbon dust as it can damage electric equipment.

Connectors and fittings can be glued on the carbon spar. For plastic connectors we recommend cyanoacrylatic glue, also know as superglue or crazy glue. For mounting aluminum and brass connectors, two-component epoxy glue is the strongest and best to use. Even electricians tape works very well to fix a joint and this make s it easy to replace the connector

The best way to connect spars is the combination between an outside ferrule (brass or aluminum) and inside ferrule (RCF or RF). If this is not possible - use the outside ferrule. Please remember that a connection will always be the weak link in the kite frame; we prefer to use spars without connections.

One piece replacement spars come in 100/125/150cm lengths. These are the Exel carbonfibre tube Strong 10 9.9mm outer/7.5mm inner diameter from the parts list. The vertical grey bars are the stock 1 piece spar sets that we have. Choose the spar length to the right of your kite. For example, if you need a one piece compact stick replacement spar for a Phantom 12m (116cm), order a 125cm spar and cut it to fit the spar pocket. Aluminum spars were introduced starting with the Venom-II. Updated 2008.Jun.11

For complete kite specifications, check their respective links

• Bomba (carbon fiber spar)

• C-Quad

• Guerilla-II (carbon fiber spar)

• Pepper

• Phantom (carbon fiber spar)

• Reactor

• Rebble

• Spark

• Venom (carbon fiber spar)

• Venom-II (aluminum spar)

• Scorpion (aluminum spar)

• Vortex (aluminum spar)

• Synergy (aluminum spar)

Foils traditionally perform differently than TSs. You'll need a larger TS than a foil, but the depowerability of the TS will give it a larger window. In the past you may have needed 4-5 foils to cover the wind ranges. With the depowerability of the TSs, you may only need 3 TSs.

SK75 fibers have a higher strength than SK65, the difference is 2-3%. It’s also more expensive, 20-30%. In previous years all white lines were SK65 and the colour coated lines were SK75.

From 2004 on, we got rid of the SK65/SK75 terminology.

The reason: For 90% of the customers difference between SK65/75 quality does not have any added value, much more important is the quality of the coating and the way the lines are braided. What we do now is deliver 100% DSM Dyneema, braided and coated in the best possible way to create a thin, slick and affordable line.

In practice this means that every line is a mixture of SK65 and SK75 quality. All Peter Lynn products ordered with lines comes with these Dyneema lines. They are also sold separately and also referred as Vector or Vector Quad Pro lines. The pre-cut lines are sleeved and sewn ready to fly.

To replace the pivoting T-Joint remove the leading edge.

No sewing is needed to replace the leading edge. Use a sharp pointy instrument like a darning needle to give slack to all the knots in the bridle lines that connect to the leading edge (keep the bridle intact).

On one of the wing tips there is a little opening or small slit in the black sleeve material (approx. 4cm up from the end) to remove the Leading Edge (LE). Most of the openings are located on the right tips when facing the kite from a flying position.

With a little pushing and shoving you can work the end of the fiber (glass/carbon) spar to this slit and remove the whole thing bit by bit from the sleeve. (Beware of carbon fiber splinters while doing this). [Tip: If you have a long enough piece left over, you could possibly use this as a spare rib spar.]

With the openings next to the connectors, cut the leading edges in pieces for easy removing of the leading edge.
 
Replace the leading edge by putting the new LE in the opening on the tip. Replace any pivoting T-Joints if required. When feeding the leading edge spar through, don't forget to feed it through the pivoting T-Joint connectors.
 
A new spar will be 'oversized'. Trim the end off using a hack saw and flip it in.

For C-Quad specifications, see below.

The Dyneema is pre-cut and sleeved according to the table below. The Q-PowerLine is cut to length.

Here's a topic that deservers some attention.

As a new rider, it all comes down to technique. There are different techniques for different set ups. How stiff are your lines and are you using a kite bar or handles?

Notes:

1. The stiffer/thicker the line, the more likely they are to get twists.

2. If you wind in a circular motion twisting will occur.

Winding lines on a Kite Bar

Because you're winding over the ends of the bar, this technique is simpler than winding on handles. Gather all the lines together at the bar end and start wrapping back and forth from one side of the bar to the other. As mentioned above if you wind in a constant circular motion, you will put twists in the lines as you wind them on the bar. Unless you unwind in exactly the same way, your lines will likely get twisted. Instead of the circular motion, criss-cross the winding in a figure eight  pattern across the bar. Every so often you can even put a lock loop on one or both ends of the bar and especially at the very end of the lines closest to the kite. This should reduce most of the twisting.

Winding lines on a pair of Kite Handles

As this is difficult to explain, we should probably include some pictures. But bare with us for a while until we have some images. We hope to eventually have a video for this one.

Rebbles come in the following sizes 2.5, 3.5, 5.0, and 6.5 square meters. On the right side of the kite when the leading open edge is facing upward, the size is printed in the Rebble logo. 3.5 square meters means the kite when lying flat on the ground is 3.5 square meters.