It happens all the time, and you must sort it out, particularly when drifting in the water. Learn how to untangle the lines without landing your kite.
Kite lines are a fundamental part of the kiteboarding equation. You can't ride a kite if the lines are tangled, twisted, or full of knots.
Spaghetti lines are quite common, but you should know how to solve the problem.
In fact, un-swiveling kite lines is a skill that, in the most extreme scenario, may save your life.
Whenever you perform a rotation or loop your kite, the lines will twist, and you'll find it hard to steer and ride away.
However, thanks to the color code on the bar, you always know which side is left and which side is right.
The untwisting of the lines can be done in deep water or at the beach while preparing to launch/land your kite.
It only takes a few seconds to undo those tangles.
Today, brands are already producing 100 percent self-untwisting bar systems that require minimum effort from the rider.
However, learning how to do it manually will, sooner or later, be extremely useful.
Untwisting Kite Lines 101
- Move the kite to 12 o'clock;
- Turn the kite bar around;
- Let the bar make a full rotation;
- Re-check your lines and turn the bar again if needed;
- Resume riding;
If you're at the beach dealing with a complicated tangle, the best option is to de-rig and start all over, making sure you get a clean sheet.
Remember that you can ride a kite with inverted/crossed lines.
There are several quick fixes for this issue, but they are extremely dangerous and should not be performed in any circumstance.
Learn how to untie a knot in a kite line.
Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com