Postby foilholio » Wed May 25, 2016 1:52 pm
Shoot off down the beach? you mean get dragged? They may not depower quite as much as an inflatable and can drag a little, all depends on the model of kite, size and the wind speed. Sure if you hold the bar in partially stalled it will pull less, but letting it out you will at most get dragged a meter or so, if you dig your heals in. I ride quite underpowered but not as much as hydrofoil riders and I really never have this issue, any dragging I do is just for fun. I also downwind launch 98% of the time. Sure launching on top of rocks is a bit nerve racking, but I would have thought inflatables would be similar. I know when I factor the small size of my foil vs the equivalent inflatable for power, the depower difference is really not much at all. Race foils though are quite a bit more aggressive in their power spike. Just keep your down wind clear and launch on smooth ground you won't have any issues. The safety release on foils works very well.
How exactly you control it on launch is really best watched in a video but is still something you will only learn from handling the kite. I will try to explain it though. The kite will reach an inflation point where if you let the bar fully out it will fully inflate when it hits the top of the window. If it is not inflated enough it will fold its tips. Don't be too scared with the tips folded as the kites are very docile and don't pull much like this. Depending how much of the tips are folded it may fill out at the edge of the window, or you may need to sheet the bar or you may need to drop the kite back deep into the window and try again. There are many ways to launch. you can hold the kite on the ground and let it inflate there, I always do this till the valve area is full with the kite may be about 20 to 30% inflated. By the time the kite has got the sand off I am at about 50%. I will hold the kite just above the ground till about 70% then slowly let it up till 85-90% then I usually let the bar fully out. It also depends on the wind speed, in 30knots the kite will be nearly inflated before it is off the sand. I will still hold the bar in to slow the kite and prevent the sand damaging the fabric with a too fast launch. In high winds you also really don't want it to tangle. Which is what happens it you let it fly to close to the edge of the window with too little inflation. You can always use the release or back stall it onto the ground.
If the kite has lost it's structure always try sheeting in, depowering will only make it worse. Applies when the kite luffs too. If you are overpowered and in a dangerous situation pull the release! Foil kites are a bit weird, they get in tangled messes and twist up, and maybe even spin, but they almost never pull like this. They practically never death loop. All your fears of an inflatable kite getting a tangle and killing you are not applicable. The also usually release well even with a tangle. The kite will also deflate eventually if it is tangled. From an inflatable riders perspective, they look really dangerous but in someways I think they are very safe maybe the safest kites. I have solo landed in 40knots so many times I couldn't tell you. Fifth line easy!