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Sport Kite Line Loop Scrunch

In article <52459@hydra.gatech.EDU> sc5@prism.gatech.EDU (CSEPLO,STEPHEN P) writes:
> 
>          I was wondereing if anybody had a solution to a problem
>   with sleved stunt kite lines. After flying for a while in a good
>   stiff breeze, I've noticed that the sleeving is all "scrunched up"
>   and the loop is reduced in size. So far I've been using a bowline
>   knot to form the loop and pulling it as tight as I can, but still
>   the scrunching returns.
>
>          Is this normal and just one of the "joys" of flying or
>   can something be done? I've tought about using bee's wax on the 
>   inner line. I asked a friend and he has the same problem. He uses
>   two knots but the same thing happens.
>
>          Well any input would be welcomed. Thanks.
>
>   -- 
>
>   The Mad Hata  
>
>  "Hey, Mon....Tako Kichi!"

I don't know how you are tying your lines, but I have never experienced the
problem you describe.  A long time flyer showed me how to set them up the
first time I upgraded my lines to kevlar (my kite originally came set up
with some braided dacron and I flew that way for a while).  I assume that
the following setup is pretty common, just about everyone I know or have
flown with does it pretty much the same way.  Maybe we all had the same
teacher......

Within the limitations of ascii graphics, this is how I tie my lines.

  1.  Sleeve the line and arrange the sleeve as shown below (end of line
    is on the right).
      ________________________________________________________________
  ----////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////-
      ----------------------------------------------------------------
      ^^^                                                          ^^^
  2.  Tie simple overhand knot at each end of sleeving (after adjusting for
    length).  I tie the "outer" end first on one end of each line (on the
    right above) making sure to stretch the sleeving as before tying the
    "inside" knot (at left above).  For the other end, I usually tie the
    inner knot first as described below.

  3.  Loop the sleeved section over so that the two endpoint knots are aligned.
      _________________________________________________________
     -\XX\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\+\
      ---------------------------------------------------------\+\
      _________________________________________________________/+/
  ----/XX//////////////////////////////////////////////////////+/
      ---------------------------------------------------------
        ^^^^             ^^^^
  4.  Tie simple overhand knot in the looped sleeved line at both
    locations identified by '^^^^'.  I usually tie the "inner" one
    (on the left above) first and then double check line lengths
    before tying the other.

  5.  Repeat the process for the other 3 ends and don't forget to 
    mark them somehow. (I use a red white-board (LCS DRY ERASE) marker
    to color the section between the knots on one set of lines.)

It seems tedious at first, and you might have some trouble getting the
line lengths adjusted the first few times.  One thing I have found to
make it easier is to tie off one end of each line as shown above, then
stake them down and walk them out.  I then pull on the two lines with
the same force (as close as possible) and make a single mark across
both lines (with the red marker) at the point where the line meets the
sleeving.  Tie the "inner" knot first, and stretch the sleeving and hope
that the line end is still sticking out the other end!

A while back I bought one of those line adjusting gauge things to make
setting up equal length lines a bit easier.  It does help, but it probably
isn't worth the money (I was just too lazy to make one).

Hope this helps, and feel free to pass it on if it is useful.

--
     Lynn Kerby  -  Amdahl Corporation
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