In brief. In Parawing, tangles are almost never real knots: it's the bar that has passed inside one or more lines. You just need to pass it back to the right place. To avoid them, fold methodically at the end of your session and check your three lines on the ground before takeoff.
Lines getting tangled is frustration number one when you discover Parawing, especially coming from Wing foil where there are no lines. But here's the good news that changes everything: in Parawing, these are almost never real knots. Most of the time, it's just your bar that has passed through the lines. Once you know that, avoiding and untangling a snarl becomes simple, as long as you're methodical.
Where tangles really come from
There are two sources, and only two. On the beach, it's poor storage from the day before: hasty folding sets you up for trouble at the next rigging. On the water, it happens when you release the bar or fall into the wing.
The key point to keep in mind: these are almost never knots. It's simply your bar that has passed inside one or more lines. You just need to pass it back to the right place, and everything falls back into place.
The golden rule: only takeoff if your lines are clear
Never leave with doubt. You only takeoff when your three lines, front, middle and rear, are clean. Taking thirty seconds on the ground to check saves you real trouble once on the water. It's the discipline that makes all the difference between a smooth session and a struggling session.
The right folding method
It's what determines your next session. The method is simple:
- Lay your wing flat.
- Fold it in half down the center.
- Place the bar at the end.
- Fold the wing from the tips toward the center.
The next day, by unrolling the wing in the opposite direction, everything comes out in order, without tangling. That's the whole point of methodical folding: today's storage is tomorrow's rigging. One additional point, on the sustainability side: don't fold the wing exactly the same way each time, creases always in the same place create weak lines in the fabric. Everything is detailed in our guide maintaining your Parawing.
Checking before takeoff
You unfold the wing, you grab the bar, and you check that your lines are clear. A trick to keep the wing from launching again while you're checking: place a little sand or a few pebbles on the trailing edge. It stays pressed to the ground, and you work in peace.
If a line isn't clean, don't panic: it's just the bar passed inside. You pass it back to the right place, and when everything is clear, you can takeoff.
Untangling on the ground is simple
Grab the bar in your hand and look at your three lines: front, middle, rear. If one isn't clear, it means the bar has passed inside another line.
Your A, B and C lines are different colors, precisely for this reason. Locate the problematic one, pass the bar back over or under it, and it's done. Nothing more. If you're missing the vocabulary, see the definition of bridle in our glossary.
Untangling in the water
The principle is the same, with an additional orientation step:
- Grab the bar in your hand.
- Identify the leading edge and orient the bar accordingly.
- Check the bridle and untangle.
- To restart: if the leading edge faces the water, pull on the rear lines to restart in reverse. If it's pointing upward, pull on the front lines.
A line wrapped around the foil, mast or stabilizer requires the same rigor: never force and never pass between lines. The complete method for restarting after a fall is in our guide getting back on your Parawing board.
In strong wind, manage on the ground with the PushBar System®
When it's blowing hard, recovering the wing on the ground becomes more tricky. With the PushBar System®, you push the bar so the wing generates less power, then you fold it as if you were going Downwind. The PBS really helps you keep control at that precise moment.
Without PBS, pull on the rear lines to press the wing to the ground, grab it, and fold it away from the wind before it launches again.
And the Leash?
In Parawing, you don't need a wing Leash: if you release the bar, the wing simply collapses into the water and stays next to you. Your board Leash, on the other hand, remains essential, but that's another story.
The FYNIX against tangles
Let's be honest, because it's more useful than a marketing argument. The main advantage of the FYNIX on this point is the short bar of the PushBar System®: 32 cm in carbon, with lines that slide inside. Shorter, it passes much more easily through the lines when you untangle. The three-color lines also help, but everyone does that. In the end, it's mostly your method that gets rid of tangles, not a magic promise.
The mistake I see all the time: poor equipment storage
Hasty folding is guaranteed trouble at the next takeoff. The way you fold your wing facilitates your entire next session. Take time on the ground to make sure all your lines are clean. These thirty seconds save you ten on the water.
In summary
In Parawing, tangles are almost never knots, just your bar passed through the lines. Be methodical when folding, only takeoff if everything is clear, identify the right line thanks to the colors, and you won't even think about it anymore. For the rest of your questions, the guide to 30 essential questions about Parawing is there.
Frequently asked questions
Why do my Parawing lines get tangled?
Only two causes: poor folding at the end of a session, or a fall into the wing and releasing the bar on the water. In both cases, these are almost never real knots: it's the bar that has passed inside one or more lines.
How do I untangle Parawing lines on the ground?
Grab the bar in your hand and look at your three lines: front, middle, rear. The A, B and C lines are different colors to help you. Locate the problematic one and pass the bar back over or under it.
How do I untangle my lines once in the water?
Same principle, with one extra step: grab the bar, identify the leading edge and orient the bar accordingly, check the bridle and untangle. To restart, if the leading edge faces the water, pull on the rear lines; if it's pointing upward, pull on the front lines.
How do I fold a Parawing to avoid tangles?
Lay the wing flat, fold it in half down the center, place the bar at the end, then fold the wing from the tips toward the center. By unrolling it in the opposite direction, everything comes out in order.
How do I prevent the wing from launching again while I check my lines?
Place a little sand or a few pebbles on the trailing edge. The wing stays pressed to the ground and you check in peace.
Do I need a wing Leash in Parawing?
No. If you release the bar, the wing collapses into the water and stays next to you. The board Leash, on the other hand, remains essential.
About the author
Bruno Sroka is a three-time world champion in Kitesurfing and Kitefoil, former PE teacher and founder of SROKA Company. An extreme adventurer, he completed the Cape Horn sailing crossing in 2008, the English Channel Kitesurfing record in 2012 and the France-Ireland link of 444 km in 2013. He co-developed the FYNIX Parawing and the PushBar System® to make performance accessible to all.
