I have found a promising spot with premo flat water that I can't access with my 4wd. The only option I can see is taking the boat over and launching from the water.
I've never launched from a boat before so my idea is, run the lines out at home and connect to my kite, wrap the lines back up and fold as normal. Out on the water pump the kite up while on anchor, tether the bar to the back of the boat and let the kite float downwind slowly unwrapping the lines. Launch the kite and hit the water.
Has anyone else launched like this or have a better way
Cheers
Yeah I pretty much do that except I run the lines out slowly around the stern of the boat so they form a big loop behind the boat before putting the kite in the water.
If you pump up the kite and place it in the water with the lines still wrapped around the bar it can drift downwind fairly fast and if you get a tangle or get lines caught up on something the kite will power up.
By letting them out first you can makes sure they are not tangled on anything (The wind/current will cause them to float back away from the boat) start feeding them out on the side you are going to place the kite in the water then as they slowly drift back try to make sure they form a big untangled loop then tether the bar to the opposite side.
Place the kite in the water next to the boat with the leading edge down like you would on the beach but pointing out away from the boat a bit so the wind starts to catch in the wingtip furthest from the boat, which takes it out to the side a bit.
Instead of placing sand on top of the canopy like you do on the beach it sometimes helps to throw a couple of handfuls of water on it, most kites wont need this but it can help make sure the kite wont flip or get wind under it at times.
Yep weebitbreezy that is pretty much exactly the way I have done it and tried to explain.
The only difference is I usually run the lines out before pumping the kite mainly because I am usually doing it with 2 or 3 times more wind and chop than in that video, rocking around in a tinny with a 5 or 7 metre kite a few k's offshore in WA.
As said above
You do need patience if alone. And to be anchored or lines will drift into engine so anchor and tilt outboard.
Thanks fellas. It makes sense to have the lines out first so I've got a safety. Giving it a shot this weekend so will let you guys know if I fail or not.
Select to expand quoteweebitbreezy said...
simples:
Dream girl
She kites and has boat
Here's a couple of additional things you may consider, which we were doing when launching from a boat:
- We used to have a line about 50 cm long tied to one of the aft cleats of the boat with a snap hook at the other end, and before drift launching the kite, you clip the snap hook onto the chicken loop. If the kite happens to go feral during the launch, you wont be following it out the back of the boat.
- We were mainly launching from a sailing boat and there was bunch of stuff hanging off the back of the boat which made it sketchy if you missed the target when coming back on board, so we used to have a thick rope about 4 metres long tied off at the back of the boat, with a buoy at the other end, and knots about every 50 cm. This would float out behind the boat and make it easier to catch when coming back in.
Burls
Select to expand quoteweebitbreezy said..
simples:
was waiting for her to go flying lol
Select to expand quotecauncy said...weebitbreezy said...
simples:
Dream girl
She kites and has boat
Perfect chick!!
Also, you can pump the kite, leave it on the boat with a trusted launcher, kiter jumps off and swims out to launch.
This kinda works better in big boats where the helper can walk up or down the side of the boat to get the sweet spot
Had 2 mates try that method up here. First day one had a big tiger come up and give him a bump. Then the second day the other mate had a turtle bite his arse. I prefer to feed the kite out with the bar un wrapping. Just wind your lines up with the safety already pulled through. In 20 plus knots letting the kite drift back can turn real ugly.
