SKY WAY WIND Currents WATER Currents

[bayflite]

quick releases.
only use them as a last resort.
if your in hell and need to kill the kite, sheet out the bar then grab your chicken loop and unhook. Billy Parker explained this to me one time.
peace

If you are already getting lofted and dragged when sheeting out, you cannot simply unhook. Thats why the need for quick releases became apparent in the first place!

Hang from a bar in your tree by your harness hook and lets see you unhook by grabbing the chicken loop. It's not possible. I've tried. I tried it while getting dragged into EB with all of my strength. That chicken loop felt like a steel cable... I was not going to budge it.

However you might be able to do it inbetween gusts when there is a moment of slack in the lines.

[bayflite]

tom,
imo it's not the same bro.
when you pull on the chicken loop(front lines)to unhook, the kites >>>camber shift<<< will be more than enuff slack to get unhooked.
i'm assuming that whatever you hung from didn't give slack to the c-loop when you pull on it, kinda like if you tried to unhook using the bar(all 4 lines)
peace

Very true Bayflite. I hear you. I bet if it's really, really nuking though, it won't work. You would still have to take the time to get the chicken bone out of the spreader too, assuming you use that thingy (I do). Getting the Chicken Bone out is probably as hard as pulling the QR, for me it would be anyway.

All I know is it's hard to do much of anything when you're really getting worked, like that day yourself, Billy and I all got slammed at Shell trying to get back. That was pretty unreal.
Or if it happens real fast, like with a bridle snap gone to powered death spiral. I saw that happen to Chris Bigger. Not pretty.

[bayflite]

scott
good point.
i assumed everyone chopped off the donky dick straight away.
all i'm saying iz a quick release 4 me iz a last resort, not the first thing i reach 4.
steve...surefire iz a POS IMHO.
you however...r a cool mo fo.
peace

[RKITEKT]

I had a line snap on me once with a 11 meter FUEL blowing 25 knots! It kite lopped over and over draggin me down the beach over shells, rocks, roots, etc... I pulled that damn red release over and over as I bounced off the beach like a rag doll. Finally someone jumped on me and someone else jumped on my kite.

That day, I ordered a SLINGSHOT SURE FIRE QUICK RELEASE! I haven't been yanked further then 10 feet since. I am waiting for the day when it rusts out and fails on me... I've seen this happen before and I know it is eminent. At that point, I will just buy another one.

~Christopher

[amber]

I became accidentally unhooked on the surefire more times than riding with it working properly. I hated it. In theory its great, but I just didn't like it.

When it goes ballistic and the kite has enough juice to throw you around like a rag doll thinking you are going to just reach down, depower it, and unhook is pretty silly. It's already depowered... there is no "camber shift" or slack in the lines to take advantage of until smackdown when the kite stalls but then it's too late.

Of course it doesn't hurt to try does it. Didn't work for me. :mrgreen:

Don't forget how strong and athletic Bill is. What comes very easy to him is damn near impossible for most. Daryl does the same thing, so I know it's possible.
I would feel more comfortable with a QR in a scenario of being on a 17m waroo in a gust to 35.

[H]

Originally Posted by kite-4-life

The surefire hasn't failed me yet, when it does, I might agree.
It's reloadable with one hand.
It needs a wider hook to make it easier to hook in/out.
IMO,Its the fastest/easiest way to get away from an angry kite, especially for a newbie.

I've gone through three Surefires. Two regular and one pro version, and broke all three. The last one did a good job for a while, but keep checking the area around the swivel for any rust or stress marks. It will eventually fail and when it does it will leave you with no way to depower except to let go, which sucks if you're far offshore.