What is line sleeving and why is it used?
Mike Jones
I know or want to know about it?
Mike
Todd Copeland
dacron. This is done with either a long wire with a loop at one end or (I like to
use) a large sewing needle. The Dacron line is then looped and tied into a knot.
Line is sleeved for two reasons. The most typical line is Spectra. It's very
slick and difficult to tie onto itself. Sleeving material helps solves this
problem. Also, all knots will reduce the strength in kite line. Sleeving a line
helps minimize this reduction as the kite line is not tied tightly against
itself, it's more of a larger twist in the line. Kevlar is also sleeved as it's
very abrasive and will cut most other lines (esp. the one it's attached to).
One additional note. Line needs to be stretched before sleeving. Under stress
kite line will stretch to a longer length. If not prestreched when sleeving it's
possible that your lines will become two different lengths. Spectra stretches
very little. Kevlar (which most people do not use as kite line) stretches more.
Richard Nourse
cheers - tricky dicky
--
----- Poole Kite Fliers from Dorset (UK South Coast) -----
--- THE Database of UK Kite-flying sites - is YOUR site listed? ---
P.K.F. Home Page = http://www.poolekites.freeserve.co.uk
andy
which is top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right. This
makes tangles a little easier to sort.
Andy
Got questions? Get answers over the phone at Keen.com.
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Atomic Skull
>
>I've seen several comments involving line sleeving. What is it and Why should
>I know or want to know about it?
>
>Mike
>
>
Keeps your spectra from breaking, spectra is weakened when knoted (fibers
don't like being bent), a sleeve keeps it from being bent at too sharp of an
angle (
--
-=Atomic Skull=-
------------------------------------------------
See my 3-D anime character page
http://www.members.tripod.com/atomic_skull/index.htm
-------------------------------------------------------
Atomic Skull
>helps minimize this reduction as the kite line is not tied tightly against
>itself, it's more of a larger twist in the line. Kevlar is also sleeved as
it's
>very abrasive and will cut most other lines (esp. the one it's attached to).
>
>One additional note. Line needs to be stretched before sleeving. Under stress
>kite line will stretch to a longer length. If not prestreched when sleeving
it's
>possible that your lines will become two different lengths. Spectra stretches
>very little. Kevlar (which most people do not use as kite line) stretches
more.
It'll creep no matter what you do, stretching it will minimioze it, vut for
the first 12 hours of flight time, it's still going to creep on you.
Atomic Skull
andyNO...@kitemail.com.invalid says...
>
>Sleeving is also very good so that with a quad line set you know
>which is top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right. This
>makes tangles a little easier to sort.
>
IT also makes it easier to undo a slipknot..
Jamey Fountain
validity there is to it, since I've always sleeved my lines, but maybe I'll
try a set without sleeving and see what happens.
It is commonly believed that sleeved lines are stronger at the knot. With
the advent of tightly woven high performance lines I personally don't
believe this is a valid reason to sleeve lines. However some flyers like
sleeving because they can tell the right line from left line, due to the
color coding. One can mark their unsleeved lines with an indelible marker if
this is recognition tool is necessary.
Practical experience has proven that you will see a lot more flyers opting
not to sleeve their lines and here are the reasons why.
It is much easier to get your lines matched to the same length when you
don't have to hassle with sleeving.
There is less drag on the kite end because the lines are less bulky which
shaves off unnecessary weight.
If for instance you do break a line that is not sleeved I can almost
guarantee you of a very high probability that it will break approximately 4
inches away from the knot on the kite end. And here is why this happens.
When a spectra line enters a high degree of stress it will resonate a
harmonic, singing sound. Under this condition, vibrations are moving up and
down the line, bouncing between one end and the other. In the event of a
sudden or radical manuever, a new vibration will be set off and will bounce
off the knot and the two vibrations collide causing a shearing effect on the
line. If you look at the break you'll notice a fuzzy appearance. Even more
interesting is that if you do have this experience happen to you, you will
think back and recall an almost eerie sound and electric shock type feeling.
Conversely if a sleeved line breaks it could break anywhere along the length
of the line, even up to 50% up your line. This means you have pretty much
lost a great set of lines.
Atomic Skull <ask...@jps.net> wrote in message
news:gO675.18$vO3....@news.pacbell.net...
> In article <3956d...@data.wt.net>, mich...@wt.net says...
> >
> >I've seen several comments involving line sleeving. What is it and Why
should
> >I know or want to know about it?
> >
> >Mike
> >
> >
>
> Keeps your spectra from breaking, spectra is weakened when knoted
(fibers
> don't like being bent), a sleeve keeps it from being bent at too sharp of
an
> angle (
>
>
>
beern...@my-deja.com
"Jamey Fountain" <jfou...@gthm.com> wrote:
> This is taken from a FAQ off of the PBSK website, I don't know how
much
> It is much easier to get your lines matched to the same length when
you
> don't have to hassle with sleeving.
No comment about the rest of this post but I have found the opposite to
be true. Sleeved lines, when tied with figure-eight knots, instead of
simple overhand knots, are much easier to untie, shift, and then retie
than unsleeved lines. Trying to untie a knot in pure 50# spectra which
has been under load is a truly impossible task.
Best regards,
Mark Alston
ma...@beernut.com
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
SportKite1
>Sleeved lines, when tied with figure-eight knots, instead of
>simple overhand knots, are much easier to untie, shift, and then retie
>than unsleeved lines
I'm not real sure what knots you're referring to, but if you're talking about
the knots that attach the lines to the bridle this is a nifty way to handle
that situation if using unsleeved lines.
http://www.sportkite.com/quikrelease.html
Note....just the other day the trick monster (Julius) was out flying with Peter
in high, gusty winds. In a gust, both broke lines simultaneously. Peter's
unsleeved line broke 4-5 inches from the bridle attachment point. He walked up,
evened out the other one, set up the loops, reattached the lines and was back
flying in a few minutes.
The trick monster's sleeved line broke 1/2 of the way up. He gathered up the
broken line, rolled it up in a ball and disgustedly threw it in the garbage.
Nothing he could do...didn't have a long enough piece left worth salvaging. He
was off to the kite shop for a new set of lines.
I really think sleeving/not sleeving is personal preference. Whatever rocks
your world!!! :)
Ellen
Jamey Fountain
> http://www.sportkite.com/quikrelease.html
>
Way cool idea, can't wait to try it out when my new BadBoy arrives.
Jamey
Steve Hall
I've worn out my share, but never broken any lines. When I learned about
Spectra line and its advantages, the guy who taught me used small pig tails
made from bridle line. He larksheaded the Spectra on to those pig tails. The
pig tails are then larksheaded on to the kites tow points and to the straps.
The pig tails are left permanently attached to the line set.
The advantage in using the pig tails is that it is much easier to work with.
Some of my favorite flying is at sunrise in the winter months. Even with
cold (or gloved) fingers it is easy to attach/detach your lines.
Also with out the added hassle of sleeving or the expense of buying pre-made
lines, it's a lot easier to carry a whole bunch of different line lengths
and strengths in your bag.
--
...later...
Steve
kite...@cmc.net
http://www.cmc.net/~kitekids/
"the difference between men and boys
is the price of their kites"
Atomic Skull
>
>No comment about the rest of this post but I have found the opposite to
>simple overhand knots, are much easier to untie, shift, and then retie
>has been under load is a truly impossible task.
Amen to that, not to mention easier to untie the slipknot from the tow
points..
Andrew Beattie
Is it necessary to sleeve my line?
The Kite Oracle replies:
The 10 Commandments of Kite Flying
1.Thou shalt always sleeve thy Spectra, lest the gods become insulted
by thy insolence and break thy line in the middle whilst flying over
a tree of thorns.
2.Thou shalt always wind thy lines clockwise lest ye become victim
to the curse of death by tangles.
3.Thou shalt always respect all forms of flying thing, whether
tethered by one line nor a multiplicity of lines for even the
humble Indian has line sharpened to cut thee from the sky. It is
because of thy disrespect that the wind always gets better the
time comes to pack thy kite away.
4.Thou shalt always wear a helmet whilst riding thy buggy, lest
the gods become angered by the sight of thy uncovered head and
spill thee to the ground breaking thy leg.
5.Take heed not of the false prophets that shall be sent amongst
thy people. Roger Maddy, Frank Kenisky and Mick Parsons are known
by the people but beware that others lie is wait to steal in the
night the friendship and community that is rightfuly thine.
6.Thou shalt always ask permission before copying a kite. And when
asked, thou shalt always grant freely. In this way, thou shalt live
long and happy in the land.
7.Thou shalt never patent the bleeding obvious, lest the Gods heap
burning coals on thy head. Long before thou wast conceved, the
heavens were filled with many kinds of flying things beyond thy
wildest imaginings. It has all been done before.
8.Thou shalt always shade thine eyes from the radiance of the sun,
though they hide the beauty of thy face and pattern thy features
like a panda. In this way ye shall not grow weary when tested to
stand in the shadow of thy kite, nor find thyself standing in the
shadow of thy buggy.
9.Thou shalt not anchor thy power kite to the ground. This angers
the gods greatly and they will smash thee to little pieces without
mercy.
10.Thou shalt not jump with thy kite. The gods shall laugh at thy
folly but will have no pity for thy broken body on the ground.
Note that there are other instructions for good flying, such as
"Wear not the wrist straps, lest thy wrist be crush'ed and painful",
"buggy not into the sign enscribed 'fly safely'", but the Kite
Oracle would have you learn these 10 first.
You owe the Kite Oracle a backspace key for his stone tablet
inscriber.
James Hodson
Casper Lans
> 2.Thou shalt always wind thy lines clockwise lest ye become victim
> to the curse of death by tangles.
Sorry, I don't understand this one. How is winding clockwise different
from counter-clockwise? I always wind my lines in figures-eight...
Casper
Andrew Beattie
There is an international standard for winding kite lines.
You wind them *clockwise*.
Thus you can wind round a spool, the handles, a coke can, some
drift wood or whatever, then hand the lines to someone else who
can unwind (anticlockwise) without difficulty.
If you're unwinding a line and it's coming *off* clockwise
then you're unwinding from the wrong end.
Fig-8 winders are ok, but they require that you have a fig-8
winder. They are inconveniently large to fit in your pocket
when flying or buggying, so you either need to:
- take it back to base
- carry it in a bag
- loose it in the field
So I don't use them...
--
Andrew Beattie
http://www.tug.com
andy
If two meet to fly a kite the wind will not be there.
If you start to pack up the wind will blow harder.
but if you stop packing up it will die instantly.
If there is one puddle on the beach, your kite will land in it.
If you launch a large kite the wind will pick up.
If you launch a small kite the wind will drop.
The number of tangles is inversionally proportional to the time
avaiable to fly.
All dogs will chase your kite.
All pedestrians will walk under you lines.
If you only have one kite with you, it will be the wrong one.
If you break something it will be the one bit you don't have a
spare for.
If its windy its raining.
If its sunny it is dead calm.
If you go into a kite shop ............
Andy
-----------------------------------------------------------
Casper Lans
andyNO...@kitemail.com.invalid says...
> Suggestions for the Kite Oracle,
>
> If two meet to fly a kite the wind will not be there.
> If you start to pack up the wind will blow harder.
> but if you stop packing up it will die instantly.
> If there is one puddle on the beach, your kite will land in it.
> If you launch a large kite the wind will pick up.
> If you launch a small kite the wind will drop.
> The number of tangles is inversionally proportional to the time
> avaiable to fly.
> All dogs will chase your kite.
where dogs aren't allowed.) -Casper
Jamey Fountain
Andrew Beattie <and...@tug.com> wrote in message
news:396F9145...@tug.com...
> The Mortal asks:
>
> Is it necessary to sleeve my line?
>
> The Kite Oracle replies:
>
> The 10 Commandments of Kite Flying
>
> 1.Thou shalt always sleeve thy Spectra, lest the gods become insulted
> by thy insolence and break thy line in the middle whilst flying over
> a tree of thorns.
>
> 2.Thou shalt always wind thy lines clockwise lest ye become victim
> to the curse of death by tangles.
>