Quick and Easy Bar Tuning Fix

You just got a brand new kite, complete with the latest bar and fresh lines, and you've had some amazing sessions on it already. But now something seems a bit off. The kite feels sluggish and even wants to backstall more easily. What's going on? Chances are that you need to tune your bar. Fortunately, it's a quick, easy, and free fix.

Why Might I Need to Tune My Bar?

After as little as 10-15 hours on the water, the back and front lines of a new lineset can get out of sync. If the back lines are shorter than the front lines, then your kite will have a tendency toward backstalling, and you'll need to make your lines the same length again to ensure optimal performance.

How Do I Tune My Bar?

You'll check and fix your line lengths in the same few steps. You can do this at the beach, or even at home if your yard is big enough.

1. Find a sturdy object.

A post, a small tree, the leg of a heavy picnic table or park grill ... any object that's not going to move or break when you pull on it will work.

2. Lay out your lines.

Put the ends of your lines at the object and then walk out your lines.

3. Separate your outside lines from the center lines.

As you walk back, separate your lines so there are no tangles and you know which is which. Set them down in order near your sturdy object.

4. Attach your lines to the object.

One easy way to do this is to grab your safety leash. Wrap it around the object and secure it, then slide your lines onto the loop at the end of the leash. Your lines should have a little loop behind the pigtails that is handy for this. Just make sure to keep your lines in order as you attach them to your leash.

5. Check your line lengths.

Walk back to your bar and make sure the depower trim is not engaged, so it's as if the kite is fully powered. Now pull the loop and bar taut and see if the lines are the same length. If the bar doesn't come all the way back, then you'll need to adjust them.

6. Adjust your line lengths.

Pop off the caps holding your back (outer) lines and you should see a couple knots in there. Your line will be secured at one, and the other lets you lengthen your line. Go ahead and attach the line at the other knot and replace the cap on the bottom of the bar. If both lines need to be lengthened, be sure to repeat on the other side.

7. Check and stretch your lines.

Pull on the bar and loop again to see if the lines are the same length yet. If you still need a bit more length, grab the bar with both hands and give it a nice, firm pull to stretch the lines back out until all four lines are very close in length.

That's all there is to it! No tools or replacement parts are needed to get your bar tuned and back in prime flying condition.

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