Bridle stretch?

[Ant-]

I did a quick check on my lines this weekend and found that the tops were about 6" longer than the bottoms (this is after about 2 years sporadic flying).

So I sat out on the hill yesterday afternoon and resleeved and readjusted them all back to the same length again, but when test flying aftewards I discovered a very strong left/right imbalance! I ended up haviing to shorten the right lines top and bottom by about 2" on the handle leaders... what on earth has gone on?

Is it possible for the bridle to stretch on a Rev? This has been a proble on some of my larger power foils, but only with a significant amount of hanging on them...

I did a good visual inspection and everything seemed ok - next step is to take some measurements, but I just wondered if anyone had experienced this before...

Cheers

Ant

[johnnmitchell]

I did a quick check on my lines this weekend and found that the tops were about 6" longer than the bottoms (this is after about 2 years sporadic flying).

So I sat out on the hill yesterday afternoon and resleeved and readjusted them all back to the same length again, but when test flying aftewards I discovered a very strong left/right imbalance! I ended up haviing to shorten the right lines top and bottom by about 2" on the handle leaders... what on earth has gone on?

Is it possible for the bridle to stretch on a Rev? This has been a proble on some of my larger power foils, but only with a significant amount of hanging on them...

I did a good visual inspection and everything seemed ok - next step is to take some measurements, but I just wondered if anyone had experienced this before...

Cheers

Ant

Lines do stretch. In general how much they stretch depends more on line quality then anything else.

In addition new high quality lines will stretch a bit at first and then they will settle down with only occasional adjustments needed.

The most notable adjustment will be to the top lines as they tend in general to stretch more, probably because you fly more forwards then backwards.

As a word of caution, stay away from cheap low-end lines. Go for higher quality lines such as Shanti and LaserPro which will be more expensive. I started with Shanti back in the early 90's because REVs were shipped with them at the time. REV changed to LaserPro probably because Shanti was not available for a year or so. I still use Shanti today and have lines from the early nineties that are still in top shape despite being used quite a lot.

I played around with Climax lines in the early stages as the mfr was almost next door to were I lived at the time. They are the only spectra lines that I have ever broken once or more times. They were simply over rated at the time. I never used them again. I understand that they have improved dramatically since then and are recommended by some here on the REV forum.

[johnnmitchell]

Is it possible for the bridle to stretch on a Rev? This has been a proble on some of my larger power foils, but only with a significant amount of hanging on them...

I did a good visual inspection and everything seemed ok - next step is to take some measurements, but I just wondered if anyone had experienced this before...

Cheers

Ant

Regarding the bridle. If you have the old thick black bridle, it will stretch. I have replaced all of mine with spectra bridles.

The present day bridles should not stretch noticeably because they are either all spectra or have spectra cores. However knots will slip. It is recommended to correct the position of the knot and then lock them into place with either hot bees wax which is fine for most climates or a dot(not drop) of super glue. Too much super glue could make the bridle line brittle which could lead to breakage.

[Ant-]

Hi John,

Yes is was specifically bridle stretch I was enquiring about - I've come across a lot of line stretch before. (I've currently got 90lb Shanti on the lines themselves)

I've just had the EXP out in the loung and checked the birdle and everything actually seems pretty even within 1/4" or so left to right, so it really odd that it's not behaving so oddly...

Ant

[Jonesey]

Hi John,

Yes is was specifically bridle stretch I was enquiring about - I've come across a lot of line stretch before. (I've currently got 90lb Shanti on the lines themselves)

I've just had the EXP out in the loung and checked the birdle and everything actually seems pretty even within 1/4" or so left to right, so it really odd that it's not behaving so oddly...

Ant

Ant ... while you've got the tape measure out how about checking your arm's

(sorry .. its my job on here to lower the tone or start the off topic banter!)

[Jim Foster]

When making new lines, I stretch them as much as I can. Then, I switch them top to bottom after a few flights, then back again, a couple of times until all of the stretch is gone. I even switch them side to side a couple of times. I don't know about the rest of you, but I tend to do things harder in one direction than the other. Perhaps it's just me.

I don't check again for equal length until all of the stretch seems to be gone, and I generally do that by landing the kite in the center of the window, holding the handles together, exactly parallel and launching. If the kite goes straight up, or nearly straight up, that's good enough for me.

[johnnmitchell]

Hi John,

Yes is was specifically bridle stretch I was enquiring about - I've come across a lot of line stretch before. (I've currently got 90lb Shanti on the lines themselves)

I've just had the EXP out in the loung and checked the birdle and everything actually seems pretty even within 1/4" or so left to right, so it really odd that it's not behaving so oddly...

Ant

1/4" is okay in my book, but that is the limit.

Does your EXP have the old thick black bridle?

Those bridles do have the tendency to stretch and return. You can even stretch them with you hands.

[Ant-]

Yup it's the black bridle.

Looks like Jonesey must be right then...!

Ant

[Choccy]

Yup it's the black bridle.

Looks like Jonesey must be right then...!

Hello, so it's *not* your arms being different lengths then Ant (from all that dangling from your big foils?) ?

[jay1957]

I suffered from that problem, but tend to switch left to right and top to bottom now, I am right handed and a newbe so tend to put more pressure on the right hand lines, especially the top, shows up more on a Blast.

[big bri]

Just a thought.My Sedgewick had a knot[or didnt as the case may be]that needed a retye.The top bridle piece that connects to the lower piece,wher you attach your lines.I had no knot and the bridle was free to slide without the knot.

May be something to look at and test.At a glance it looked ok.Only when i fiddled a little did we see the problem.

Hope it helps

BRIAN...