Does anyone have suggestions on how to rig a reverse launch sytem to a Slingshot 6m B series. I called Slingshot, but the tech I spoke to was unsure. I did purchase the brake system from Larry, but have not hooked up yet. The kite does have attachment tabs on the trailing edge of the kite.
Thanks
Jim
Help! Any reverse launch experts available?
Moderator: MK
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Thanks for reminding me to repost the old knowledge section from before and the archived Chat. This has been addressed numerous times before, sorry to not have it available. Two hours ago I told someone else how to do it so here's what I know.
Essentially you want to have a line attached to the rear of the kite that when flying is slack and not effecting the kite. When you let go of the bar, want to reverse launch the kite, or set it down on the ice, you make that line shorter than the others. When you are killing the kite, you are reversing the line tensions, i.e. the back line is taught and the flying lines are slack. Since the the rear of the kite now is facing the wind and the foil is not inflated, the kite falls from the sky.
When you are reverse launching you are tightening the rear line enough to change the angle of attack to have the kite fly backwards off the ice.
Controlled decents are accomplished by slowly tensioning the rear line and "braking" the kite. Too much tention and the angle of attack is a reversed and the kite flys down pretty fast,,backwards.
So how do you set it up? I know that was your question though sometimes theory helps to make changes.
The reverse launch bridle I saw that is sold for the Slingshot has a simple bridle coming off 6 attactment points at the rear of the kite. They came down to two rings of line. When I looked at it I wasn't sure if you attached these together if they would create a cupping in the kite or not. You may want to take a line off of each of these for another 5-10 ft and then join them together. Then run a single line down to the bar. At the bar you have a few options. To just use it for reverse launching and backing it down you could attach the line to the bar. This would allow you to pull on it to create tension and reverse launch it. This would not give you a safety and you'll need to have some other system for that. The better solution has the line going "through" the bar and continuing to the side of your harness with a quick release somewhere in the system. What this gives you is a safety as well as an ability to reverse launch. If the bar gets torn out of your hands, the line stays with you and so the kite inverts and falls from the sky. If you need to reverse launch you just pull on the line. The quick release ( either a snap shackle or one of the velcro and pin systems allows you to cut yourself away from the kite in an emergency. There are quite a few options for going through the bar. A "D" ring on the bar with velcro works, the Holt eyelet is probably overkill.
Eric has some great photos which I'm hoping he'll add to his response. I'll get this info into knowledge as soon as I can. It seems to be a popular question. The main thing is to make sure it is slack when flying.
hope this helps and isn't too confusing.
Essentially you want to have a line attached to the rear of the kite that when flying is slack and not effecting the kite. When you let go of the bar, want to reverse launch the kite, or set it down on the ice, you make that line shorter than the others. When you are killing the kite, you are reversing the line tensions, i.e. the back line is taught and the flying lines are slack. Since the the rear of the kite now is facing the wind and the foil is not inflated, the kite falls from the sky.
When you are reverse launching you are tightening the rear line enough to change the angle of attack to have the kite fly backwards off the ice.
Controlled decents are accomplished by slowly tensioning the rear line and "braking" the kite. Too much tention and the angle of attack is a reversed and the kite flys down pretty fast,,backwards.
So how do you set it up? I know that was your question though sometimes theory helps to make changes.
The reverse launch bridle I saw that is sold for the Slingshot has a simple bridle coming off 6 attactment points at the rear of the kite. They came down to two rings of line. When I looked at it I wasn't sure if you attached these together if they would create a cupping in the kite or not. You may want to take a line off of each of these for another 5-10 ft and then join them together. Then run a single line down to the bar. At the bar you have a few options. To just use it for reverse launching and backing it down you could attach the line to the bar. This would allow you to pull on it to create tension and reverse launch it. This would not give you a safety and you'll need to have some other system for that. The better solution has the line going "through" the bar and continuing to the side of your harness with a quick release somewhere in the system. What this gives you is a safety as well as an ability to reverse launch. If the bar gets torn out of your hands, the line stays with you and so the kite inverts and falls from the sky. If you need to reverse launch you just pull on the line. The quick release ( either a snap shackle or one of the velcro and pin systems allows you to cut yourself away from the kite in an emergency. There are quite a few options for going through the bar. A "D" ring on the bar with velcro works, the Holt eyelet is probably overkill.
Eric has some great photos which I'm hoping he'll add to his response. I'll get this info into knowledge as soon as I can. It seems to be a popular question. The main thing is to make sure it is slack when flying.
hope this helps and isn't too confusing.
Tighe
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- Posts: 64
- Joined: Mon Dec 09, 2002 10:14 pm
- Location: rochester
reverse launch
Thanks for the help, guys 
