ROBLINE SK99 1.1mm Kite Line-Per foot

Murrays Part# 39-2326

The ROBLINE SK99 1.1mm Kite Line Mini Reel is made from Robline's new Garda SK99 Dyneema which is specifically designed for kite foil racing. It is built for pure performance it is as narrow, strong and light as possible for the least drag, best kite control and immediate power delivery. Garda SK99 is incredibly lightweight, UV stable, easily to splice, and has virtually no elongation or shrinkage.

High performance kite race lines are built specifically to have the ultimate anti stretch characteristics. This is in terms of long term creep stretch, and short term elastic stretch. No stretch enables the steering lines to transmit bar input to the kite quicker, and center lines to transmit power from the kite to the rider for a more immediate and responsive power delivery.

Likewise the narrower diameter increases performance as it provides less drag than stock lines. Drag on the lines produces more outright drag on the kite and causes the lines to bow which reduces the responsiveness of the kite.

The Robline SK99 1.1mm line is sold by the foot allowing you to make your own custom length race kite line sets. It is recommended using 1.1mm for steering lines and 1.3mm for the center lines for making a custom racing kite line sets. If you plan to use them on more than one kite it is also good to use alternating colors so you don't get your lines mixed up when setting up your kite.

We do not recommend using 1.1 or 1.3mm SK99 on LEI kites. It is for racers who want the thinnest lightest lines possible and are willing to sacrifice some durability for performance. The 1.1mm has a 650 lb. breaking strength and the 1.3mm is 854 lbs. which is pretty high. Due to the high performance nature of the lines which have been built for to have a high weight bearing load and anti stretch properties over outright durability. Therefore it is also important to follow the recommended splicing procedures so as not to weaken the lines and they should be checked regularly for wear.

"The Garda SK99 is the best kite line I have ever used. It has almost no initial set and no stretch. I use the 1.3 for the front lines and the 1.1 for the rear. I splice them myself with a straight bury about 10 inches long. You can really tell in gusty conditions when the front lines have no stretch, the kite just darts forward without powering up." - Mike Martin, 2019 US Sailing Rolex Yachtsman of the Year

Splicing Notes from the St Francis Racing crew:

Hydro-foiling racers are using these lines on foil kites, we do not recommend using these lines on LEI kites. Racers want to use the thinnest lightest lines possible so they need to utilize the lines full strength and not do anything to weaken the lines. The 1.1mm has a 650 lb. breaking strength and the 1.3mm is 854 lbs. which is pretty high, but at these small diameters it they are easier to weaken than stock kite lines which are usually in the 1.6mm to 1.8mm range.

1.1mm SK99 steering lines – Splicing: To maintain full strength on these narrow diameter lines racers are not using stitching, lock splices splice, knots, or sheaths on their steering line ends. Start by tapering the end of the line at least an inch by cutting individual braids of line. Then bury the line back into it’s self 10″ or more and that is it. As the splice is not secured with a knot or stitch we recommend leaving your lines attached to your kite or using a pigtail if you plan to use your bar on multiple kites.

The 1.3mm SK99 center lines – Splicing: taper the end about an inch, then bury the line back into itself 10″ or more, and finish with a stitch, using a very strong stitching thread, we recommend 300lb test spectra fishing line to stitch. Again use pigtails for easy adjustments.

We don’t recommend lock splicing the line ends on 1.1 or 1.3mm line as it will weaken the line. Tapering the line ends is very important or it will create a weak point that will dramatically shorten the lifespan of the lines.

2019-2020 average line lengths/recommendations. Obviously customization is the name of the game here, but here are some guidelines from the 2020 racing season. Line length per kite size recommendation: 13m and smaller kites use roughly 13m lines, and larger kites use roughly the same line length as the size of the kite.

Splicing Tools:
To bury the tail: Micro D Splicer (wire loop style) fid
Cutting : Dyneema Scissors or a hot knife
Stitching: 300 lb. test Dyneema/spectra fishing line

Specs:
Diameter: 1.1mm
Length: Sold per foot (1 meter = 3.28 feet)
Breaking load: 650lbs