For all foil kite riders
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PullStrings
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Postby PullStrings » Tue Sep 26, 2017 1:12 pm
Hardwater Kiter wrote: ↑Tue Sep 26, 2017 11:18 am
There's no shame in mechanical preinflation. There are often days where there is no ground wind but there's something to work with up in the gradient.
I can't count how many days I would have missed if I didn't used a blower to get the kite up to pressure enough to launch
. Especially kites like Peter Lynn Arcs. Using the recommended inflation technique for those kites simply doesn't work here due to lack of steady windspeed and direction. Using a mechanical inflation is no different than using a pump on an LEI.
Not everyone has steady coastal winds or wide open spaces to launch from. So take the derogatory responses with a grain of salt.
This said, mechanical should be used in tight launch areas and if the wind is too poor to get the kite to pressure. You should practice getting your non-assisted launch technique dialed as best you can. A) Because it does kinda suck to have to use an inflator when you don't REALLY need to. And B) You may have a situation where you are forced down and have to get the kite back into the air after a time.
It is very rare these days to NEED a mechanical assist to inflate a modern closed cell foil. But some do take a lot of finesse to get into the air.
Exactly !
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opie
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Postby opie » Thu Sep 28, 2017 4:13 pm
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Kykeon
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Postby Kykeon » Thu Sep 28, 2017 7:11 pm
Thanks to the info in this thread I decided to:
1) Keep on working to improve my technique
An idea is: if the wind is too low to launch 45deg to the wind, to try a walking/running backwards to launch but as the small beach does not allow to run fully upwind, I’ll have to do it at about 60 to 80 degrees to the wind.
Would it be too dangerous?
2) Since we will anyhow probably buy a handheld vacuum cleaner for the home, I may spend a bit more to get a more powerful one that fits the inlet valve.
A leaf blower is too much for me and it does not have another use…
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Kamikuza
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Postby Kamikuza » Fri Sep 29, 2017 5:09 am
Kykeon wrote: ↑Thu Sep 28, 2017 7:11 pm
Thanks to the info in this thread I decided to:
1) Keep on working to improve my technique
An idea is: if the wind is too low to launch 45deg to the wind, to try a walking/running backwards to launch but as the small beach does not allow to run fully upwind, I’ll have to do it at about 60 to 80 degrees to the wind.
Would it be too dangerous?
Probably not. It's a "hot launch" so as long as you don't get hit by gusts and are prepared to get a drag downwind, you'll be fine
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mgs
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Postby mgs » Fri Sep 29, 2017 2:41 pm
Hello Kykeon
It may well be simply the case that the beach you use is not really suitable and probably worth finding another beach if possible,that provides plenty of free space making it safer for you as well as other beach users.
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kitexpert
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Postby kitexpert » Fri Sep 29, 2017 3:04 pm
If wind is weak of course hot launch is the way to go. There is nothing "hot" or dangerous if wind is say under 6knots where inflation of the kite start to become challenging. Real difficulties are under 4kn, but then there is not enough wind for water activities. In the winter and if surface is good it is possible kite ski at 4kn, but it is slow and there is always a risk to not be able to come back if wind gets any weaker.
It is always good to preinflate before launch, even more so if wind is high. Foils tend to drift to the powerzone if not properly inflated because full control is not there yet. Then accidents can happen.
I prefer LEI kites in high winds because launching of them is easier to do safely.
If there is a helper available foil kites can be prefilled by catching air inside. Kite should be hold at some distance after the last air intake, then it is possible to keep it and move it against the wind and prefill it partially.
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