How to series - Self launching

what is this new "Seld Launch" you speak of?

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dafish said..
what is this new "Seld Launch" you speak of?

Duck!!! Dixed it now!

Please folks -- don't let go the bar. Don't trim the kite.

If you have to let go the bar, you're trying to launch too deep in the window.
If you need to"depower" the kite, you're launching too deep in the window.
If the kite leaps up off the ground as soon as you tension the lines, you're launching too deep in the window.

Don't give up control over your kite, especially on land.

The result is often an out-of-control kite zooming from one side of the window to the other -- and the bar too far away from the rider to reach and regain control. And because they're focused on the bar, they forget the QR until it's too late.

The correct way to launch a kite is at the edge of the window, and under control. Like this:

If you can relaunch on the water, you can self-launch on the land.

And if you're REALLY worried about safety, do it unhooked. Not for beginners.

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cbulota said..
Great clip Steve, very nice quality footage!

I would recommend not touching the bar and pulling the trim strap in to depower the kite in any winds above 18 knots until you are 100% sure the kite is safe to launch/fly. It's always easy and safe to self-launch in low winds. The approach should be different as the wind increases.

Would also recommend keeping the hand onto the chicken loop quick release instead of the bar when walking around in high winds. Another alternative would be to hold on to the chicken loop unhooked with the safety line clipped in and the trim strap pulled in all the way. This way if anything goes wrong it's easy to flag out the kite before getting dragged to the power zone (in case of a bridle tangle for example).

Always have a plan B if things don't go as expected. For many various reasons, self-launching won't always be successful no matter how experienced you are

Always practice in low winds first to gain experience and confidence

Christian

Hi Christian

Thanks to Glen Bowden for the excellent footage and edit.
I've been using this method for well over a decade now, and have never had it not be "successful".

Plan B is right in front of me within easy reach of either hand its the big red primary release which will flag the kite in an instant, and Plan C is there too, which is the release on the leash itself. Each kiter needs to know what these releases are for and when to use them.
On this beach a car could actually run over the lines and take the kiter for a drag so plan C is a reality.

There is no need to trim the kite, if you think you need to, then you probably should have rigged a smaller kite, but you can still let the kite fly to the edge of the window and then trim it with this method.

The term depower should never be used by an experienced instructor, it is absolutely incorrect terminology, its a throw back to the early days of kiting when things got named strangely like chicken loop and donkey dick.
Shortening (aka depowering) the front lines does not depower the kite, it only makes the bar closer to the rider at the expense of making the rear lines more slack = Less steering ability.
Shortening the front lines does not change the size of the kite does it? So how could it possibly depower the kite?

When I get a chance I'll edit the commentary to add that this should be practiced in low winds in an area away from others, good point, thanks.

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Ozone Kites Aus said..

cbulota said..
Great clip Steve, very nice quality footage!

I would recommend not touching the bar and pulling the trim strap in to depower the kite in any winds above 18 knots until you are 100% sure the kite is safe to launch/fly. It's always easy and safe to self-launch in low winds. The approach should be different as the wind increases.

Would also recommend keeping the hand onto the chicken loop quick release instead of the bar when walking around in high winds. Another alternative would be to hold on to the chicken loop unhooked with the safety line clipped in and the trim strap pulled in all the way. This way if anything goes wrong it's easy to flag out the kite before getting dragged to the power zone (in case of a bridle tangle for example).

Always have a plan B if things don't go as expected. For many various reasons, self-launching won't always be successful no matter how experienced you are

Always practice in low winds first to gain experience and confidence

Christian

Hi Christian

Thanks to Glen Bowden for the excellent footage and edit.
I've been using this method for well over a decade now, and have never had it not be "successful".

Plan B is right in front of me within easy reach of either hand its the big red primary release which will flag the kite in an instant, and Plan C is there too, which is the release on the leash itself. Each kiter needs to know what these releases are for and when to use them.
On this beach a car could actually run over the lines and take the kiter for a drag so plan C is a reality.

There is no need to trim the kite, if you think you need to, then you probably should have rigged a smaller kite, but you can still let the kite fly to the edge of the window and then trim it with this method.

The term depower should never be used by an experienced instructor, it is absolutely incorrect terminology, its a throw back to the early days of kiting when things got named strangely like chicken loop and donkey dick.
Shortening (aka depowering) the front lines does not depower the kite, it only makes the bar closer to the rider at the expense of making the rear lines more slack = Less steering ability.
Shortening the front lines does not change the size of the kite does it? So how could it possibly depower the kite?

When I get a chance I'll edit the commentary to add that this should be practiced in low winds in an area away from others, good point, thanks.

Really nice footage, a great edit and good advice, We also find its pretty suprising how many kiters talk about depower rather than trim, and we spend quite a bit of time explaining that trimming is about comfort rather than power.
Great video!

Wow been running my lines the wrong ,way for 7 years,which go to show your never to old to learn,This is the only way to make it fool proof ,thanks Ozone

Hi Ozone Kite Aus. Your posting inspired me to check out your other how to series videos which I have found helpful. I learnt to kite many hair cuts ago when kites evolved from two lines to C Kites with four lines. I was taught way back then to set up my kite lines upwind of my kite and have followed that instruction ever since. I am wondering if you could expand further on what you have said in your video (on how to rig a kite) on your preference for setting up the kites lines downwind rather than upwind of the kite. I am always curious about understanding better how I might keep my self safe and avoid kite mares.

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Ozone Kites Aus said..

Dudeess said..
Hi Ozone Kite Aus. Your posting inspired me to check out your other how to series videos which I have found helpful. I learnt to kite many hair cuts ago when kites evolved from two lines to C Kites with four lines. I was taught way back then to set up my kite lines upwind of my kite and have followed that instruction ever since. I am wondering if you could expand further on what you have said in your video (on how to rig a kite) on your preference for setting up the kites lines downwind rather than upwind of the kite. I am always curious about understanding better how I might keep my self safe and avoid kite mares.

Thats the way I learned too when I completed my IKO training in 2002, and I think they decided this was the only way because your bar was facing the right way when you were rigging and there was a perception that it was easier to run out the lines when walking downwind. The downside is heaps of rigging errors from tangled bridles and lines, as well as issues with lines tangling as they were dragged across the sand to get into a launch position.

Downwind rigging just makes more sense and is easier as shown in the video.

Not to mention too that you get a better visual of correct line attachment with the lines run down wind.

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Gilly3 said..
Just an observation....

Most people I have seen who set up upwind, never seem to walk downwind far enough for an assisted launch....

This is fine when ur self launching, but not when someone is trying to help u....

True story.... and the kite is too powered and its quite a "heavy launch"

I almost always set up downwind. It's the only method that lets you visually check your lines from bar to kite.

I like to have the pairs of lines connected to each other. It reduces the quantity of tangles compared to having them free. I walk away unwinding the lines, then walk back, drop the lines in front of their relevant pigtail, then connect. At the end of the session I join each pair and that helps to keep the ends of the lines tidy when finishing wrapping onto the bar.

I have tried the "Fokiten" method (attach the fronts, wind out, walk the rear lines, attach). I can't see any benefit in this. It splits the task of attaching the fronts and rears into separate tasks. That seems to complicate a very simple thing. I prefer to keep things in simple blocks of tasks. You still have to walk out, back, then out to the bar again.

I have also tried the Brett Lickle method (keep all 4 line ends organised, attach them all, wind out, launch). This is wonderful when it works, and highly recommended for boat launches. It takes too long at the end of a session to get the lines organised and it can still get messed up. You then have a problem to fix. It's much easier to just wind the lines up, pack up and go home.

I have friends who do the various line setup methods. Nobody gets onto the water faster than I do. I might do more tasks, or walk further, but it's all very simple and repeatable processes. I can do it at a trot.

I used walk from downwind to the kite, turn the kite onto the wind a little, then walk out to the side to launch. I was careful to drag the lines behind me so that the lines were not dragging back on each other. Now I slightly tension the lines, allow the upwind rear line to blow onto the top of the lines, and hold the bunch up above the sand with one hand. I then walk the radius to launch position. The tension allows the lines to sit up above the sand and that avoids potential snags. I can see the whole way that the lines are suspended and hanging in a nice curve.

99% of the time self launch is easy and controlled with no sliding. In very strong winds on a smooth tidal beach the kite can slide downwind. The sliding is not a problem for launching, but I don't like to scratch the leading edge. I have recently started putting sand or a clump of seaweed on the kite to stop it sliding.

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Dudeess said..

Ozone Kites Aus said..

Dudeess said..
Hi Ozone Kite Aus. Your posting inspired me to check out your other how to series videos which I have found helpful. I learnt to kite many hair cuts ago when kites evolved from two lines to C Kites with four lines. I was taught way back then to set up my kite lines upwind of my kite and have followed that instruction ever since. I am wondering if you could expand further on what you have said in your video (on how to rig a kite) on your preference for setting up the kites lines downwind rather than upwind of the kite. I am always curious about understanding better how I might keep my self safe and avoid kite mares.

Thats the way I learned too when I completed my IKO training in 2002, and I think they decided this was the only way because your bar was facing the right way when you were rigging and there was a perception that it was easier to run out the lines when walking downwind. The downside is heaps of rigging errors from tangled bridles and lines, as well as issues with lines tangling as they were dragged across the sand to get into a launch position.

Downwind rigging just makes more sense and is easier as shown in the video.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. I also have a vague memory that it was thought to be safer to have the kite being launched out towards the sea which is true. Launching a kite towards land makes me a bit nervous. It is ingrained in me to launch toward the sea and move to the water as quickly as possible.

Yep back in the day from memory it was Rick Iossi who coined the phrase "keep it low and go", implying that you always launch water side, kept the kite low in the window, grabbed your board which had been strategically placed nearby and then got in the water before raising the kite to the zenith.
The advice was great in pre bridle kite days, not so much anymore. Where its practical I still launch water side, but on the beach in the vids I prefer not to because of the 4WD's.