Kite Flier's knot gallery
These four knots are all a kite flier (like me
:-) needs. By clicking the thumbnail image you'll get a better
JPEG-image (30...40 KB).
Lark's head
You don't need any metal snaps to attach
your flying lines to the bridle, lark's head will do it reliably
and without extra weight.
Lark's head locks similar to Prusik knot. Use it on single line
kites to attach tow point loop to the bridle, adjust and lock in place.
If it slides, use Prusik knot.
Figure 8
Figure 8 is better than overhand knot to make a
loop on a flying line. It's easier to untie and does not reduce the
line strength as much. Preferred method to make end loops on stunt kite
lines.
Overhand Knot
If strenght is not your concern, overhand knot is less bulky than
figure 8. Overhand knot in the image of Prusik, click it.
Prusik
Prusik knot is well known by mountain climbers.
Actually it is a variation of Lark's head, which has one loop
around the straight line, Prusik has two. I usually make three loops,
Prusik+ like in the image.
Prusik is very good when you need to adjust the length of a line and
then to lock it in place. I use it in stunt kite bridles, in Rokkaku
tension lines, etc...
Step-by-step illustration of making a
Prusik knot (17KB).
I never found a name for a knot like U-Prusik, the lock mode of the
Prusik - then started to call it U-Prusik. If there is a
"proper" name for it please tell me!
Zed Turner-Johnson suggest the knot is called "Cat's paw", which
it looks like.
U-Prusik
This is the lock mode of Prusik. Pull the red
line ends and U straigth to adjust the length.