Relining your canopy?

[ltdiver 3]

How many jumps until a canopy needs relining?
Asking here 'cause my Spectre-135, with only 430 jumps on it, was evaluated by 2 different riggers and was found to need new Spectra-825 lines. Brake lines has shrunk a total of 9 inches (for example).
What has been others experiences with their canopies? Especially the Spectre? This just seems like too few jumps.
Yes, I bought it new just one year ago.
ltdiver
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[drenaline 0]

Can't tell you really but from what I have read from other posts and listen from my rigger, its about 450 to 500 jumps, but if the lines have shrunk then I think (my non rigger opinion) that it should be replaced. Send it to PD they change the lines and do a canopy check.
Things that I know that can wear a line faster is high speed deployment (i.e. while tracking, headdown), bad slider grommets (and the friction produced by the grommets) and not untwisting the brake lines (every night after jumping you should check the brake lines and untwist them). But thats just my non rigger opinion.
"Life is full of danger, so why be afraid?"
drenaline

[ltdiver 3]

Yeah...sending my canopy off to PD on Monday morning. Canopy check is free...new lines run about $180.
What to do while it's gone, though. Donna said they'd get it in and out asap. They don't have any demo loners right now (PD's on tour). Anyone at Perris or Elsinore have a loner for next weekend? I'd even take a larger canopy.
Still very interested in others experiences of how many jumps their canopies had before needing re-linings. Want to compare notes.
Thanks for the input, drenaline. Learning more every day. ltdiver
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LightDiverCam

[riggerrob 558]

Hard core blade-running competitors replace lines every 200 jumps.
Lines on tandems only last about 300 jumps.
Many sport jumpers keep a line set for 600 to 800 jumps. Since trim degrades slowly, they don't notice it until they get new lines, then are amazed how it feels like they have a new canopy! The difference can be measured with a tape measure. For example, when I re-lined my Sabre 170, it surfed 50% farther!
Line life depends upon many factors including line type (Vectran is the most stable, but loses structural strength the earliest) and line strength (825 pound line lasts longer than 550), etc.

[freeflir29 0]

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How many jumps until a canopy needs relining?

When the lines are out of trim. Every canopy is differen't and every pilot is differen't.
"Here I come to save the BOOBIES!"

[billvon 2,400]

>Anyone at Perris or Elsinore have a loner for next weekend?
I have a Nova 150 and a Silhouette 170 if you want them, but I suspect you don't. Molly took my backup Sabre 150.
-bill von

[rhino 0]

I am curious as to what puts more force on the canopy lines?? The opening shock or pulling g's constantly??
When I open at 14,500 and front riser, rear riser, toggle turn all the way down I would think I am putting some pretty good force on the canopy line set?
LT, I would think it would depend matbe on what you do under canopy? Just an idea?? Not quiet sure??
Blue Skies .....

[ltdiver 3]

Very interesting, Rhino.
Yes, I -do- use my risers and toggles alot during decent. Since I fly camera alot, I pull high, at break-off, then (after canopy, slider, and other canopies on the area are cared for) I spiral down to not make my teammates wait to walk in from the landing area. (Especially needed since we are on short calls alot of times).
However, one of my riggers (who has had many years in the business) said that he was finding Spectre canopies needing relining in much fewer jumps than others. Stiletto's at about 600-1,000 jumps (for example) but Spectre's at around 450-500 jumps.
Since slower opening canopy's lines usually last longer, he doesn't have an explanation for this phenomenon. He just knows what he's had in his loft.
Perhaps you're on to something, rhino.
ltdiver
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LightDiverCam

[PhreeZone 15]

The sterring lines shrink faster due to the motion through the guide rings. The lower steering lines will shrink faster then the upper lines do, but the uppers will shrink too on opening and when ever that point of the line is in the ring, like on deep toggle spirls and deep brakes. You can look at the lines an see the major wear points really easly. They are the fuzzy areas on the lines.
On deployment the slider heats the outter A's and steering the most so they are most prone to shrinkage.
Drop the tube...DROP the tube...

[quade 3]

My Spectre got about 700 jumps before I relined it.
The lines themselves looked pretty good. Deployments were getting funky.
I suspect you'll have to relearn your landings a bit. I won't hold it agaisnt you for a couple of weeks, just be careful. It's way hot out there. quade
http://futurecam.com

[billvon 2,400]

>I am curious as to what puts more force on the canopy lines?? The opening
> shock or pulling g's constantly??
Opening shock puts more force in newtons on the lines, and especially on certain lines (center lines usually.) However, that's not what wears out a line set. Lines get worn out for several reasons:
1. Dirt. If you get dirt into the lines, and then load and unload them a lot, the dirt can cut through fibers in your lines, weakening them.
2. Heat. The slider can slide down the lines very quickly; the friction can generate heat, and heat can cause lines to shrink.
3. Constant rubbing. The slider slides up and down the lines constantly, and especially loads the outside and control lines. The constant rubbing can alter the weave of the line and cause it to shorten. You can see the same thing in a climbing rope if it's pulled through carabiners and rappelling devices often enough - the core of the rope starts to twist.
4. Abrasion. Constant rubbing (of the slider against the lines, of the control lines against the guide rings) can cause the line to gradually fray. Slider bumpers can help with this, both by protecting the lines at a high wear point and by protecting the slider. (If the slider gets dented it will wear the lines more quickly.)
-bill von

[ltdiver 3]

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The lines themselves looked pretty good. Deployments were getting funky.

Ditto! My lines looked great, but the openings were getting, as you say, funky as well. My canopy's openings were surging forward (like it wanted to begin flying) then braking back (hard) and almost stalling. This in the matter of a few seconds during opening. And, oh yeah, the openings were getting quicker and quicker. They -used- to be about 1,000'. They were getting closer to 500 by last weekend.
How would you describe your Spectre's 'funky' openings at 700 jumps?
btw, it's Vinny who informed me of several Spectre's he's had to reline at an 'early' jump number d/t uneven line shrinkage.
ltdiver
ps Thanks for the leeway for learning the new flare when it comes back. Should be ALOT better! Right?
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[skybytch 259]

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Should be ALOT better! Right?

Speaking from personal recent experience... the flare/landings will be waaaaaaay better. I went from my old main - lines massively out of trim - to the same canopy/size with less than 50 jumps on it. I was standing up about 60% of my landings with the old one; I've stood up every landing on the newer ones.
pull & flare,
lisa
"Try not. Do or do not. There is no try." - Yoda sez

[ltdiver 3]

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I was standing up about 60% of my landings with the old one; I've stood up every landing on the newer ones.

WHOO-HOO!! Maybe there's hope for me yet!
ltdiver
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LightDiverCam

[ltdiver 3]

Thanks Bill!
I have a friend who's letting me use his larger Spectre this weekend. Thanks for the offer, though!
cya this weekend anyway?
ltdiver
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LightDiverCam

[polarbear 1]

A spectra-equipped canopy will actually change quickly in the first few (50?) jumps. The center cell A and B lines will get longer (they take the highest opening force); the outside lines and steering lines will get shorter due to friction in the slider grommets and steering line guide rings. The friction-shrinking will keep occurring over a long time...by the time you have 500 jumps, I would expect a drastic difference.
My last canopy (a spectra-equipped Heatwave) was out of trim on the center and outside lines after 50 jumps.
Some companies take this into account when they make the canopy...you actually buy it with slightly long outside and steering lines and/or slightly short center cell lines. The canopy works itself into trim in the first few jumps.
I check my line trim every couple of months, when the weather is crappy. On great big canopies, it won't matter as much...if you fly a little HP, it can be very important.