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Way to self launch in rocky area

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kitezilla
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Postby kitezilla » Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:46 pm

Here is a picture with the breech completely cliosed, and the loop trapped securely around the slide tube. This could be called the "ready" position of the pipe kite launcher.
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kitezilla
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Postby kitezilla » Thu Nov 02, 2006 11:01 pm

Here is a picture of the launcher in the "ready" position, but with the added security of the safety in place. This locks the slide tube in place and does not allow the kite to be released, by accidentally pulling on the pull handle at the other end of the long pipe. This is what the launcher should look like, if you need to leave the unit with the kite locked in place for any length of time for reasons, such as attending matters on shore. It is the secondary safety, I have designed into the unit, The primary safety being the screwed in pull handle at the other end of the launcher. I found the secondary safety annoying, and rarely used it, because sometimes I forgot to disarm and store the secondary safety clip, and found myself futiley pulling on the release pull handle, and, of course, the kite would not release. I had to make an extra trip to the release end of the launcher before I could release the kite. It is handy to have, though, when you need to take a break on shore.
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Postby kitezilla » Fri Nov 03, 2006 3:57 pm

Here is a picture of what happens when the release pull handle is unscrewed and pulled. The retainer string loop is released and slips out the bottom hole, allowing the kite to float free.

This post is the last in the description and construction of the pipe launcher. There remain 2 accessory items, which I recommend you construct:

(1) TLC (Temporary Line Clamp)

(2) Line Rake and Orientation Device

I will describe these items next.
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Postby kitezilla » Fri Nov 03, 2006 5:36 pm

The purpose of the Temporary Line Clamp (TLC) is to temporarily hold a back line or lines in place, in order to keep the line from flipping over the wingtip of the kite, and becoming wrapped around the wrong side of the kite, while the kite sits in its' "ready" position at the end of the launcher. You may not need this TLC with a Flat kite, but I needed it when launching my old "C" kites. The TLC is tied with a piece of cotton shoe lace (not nylon) to the pump leash webbing of the kite at the same place the temporary retainer kite line is tied.

With the kite set up in the "ready" for release position, both back lines are inserted into the slot of the TLC, where they remain until the kite is released and the lines are tensioned, in preparation for the water relaunch. At that time, when some tension is placed on the 4 lines,the 2 temporarily retained back lines pop out of the TLC, and go to their normal position. The difference between the old"C" kite and the new Flat kites is, that the old "C" kite had to be positioned for release from the device in the "smile" position (laying on its back with the top of the canopy resting on the water surface and the leading edge toward the kiter). The Bow or SLE kite may be positioned for release from the device in the "flying" position where the kite is set on the water with it's leading edge facing the kiter, but with the top of the canopy facing upwards. The big advantage of the flat kite over the "C" kite, when placed in this "flying" position is the stability of the kite, resulting in very little bobbing around, due to the fact that there is no wingtip sticking up, which would catch the wind and tend to push the kite around. You can experiment to find out which of the 2 positions is best for your kite, and determine if the TLC is needed to restrain any of the bridle or kite lines.

I made the TLC from reinforced poly tubing, by drilling the holes and then cutting the slit with a knife. The clear poly tubing I tried was not resilient enough to clamp in the lines, and the velcrox I experimented with would work good, at first, but would weaken too fast, and not be easy to calibrate. The reinforced tube held repeatedly with just the right amount of force.
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kf-TLC 1 closed with lines trapped.JPG
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kf-TLC 2 opened.JPG
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kf-TLC close up opened.JPG
kf-TLC close up opened.JPG (122.05 KiB) Viewed 1010 times

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geir
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Postby geir » Sat Nov 11, 2006 12:54 am

I've had an idea in my head. Been wondering if it would work for solo launching.

Read somewhere on a different thread about guys pulling sandbag off the wingtip with a 30m spectra line tied to the sandbag.

What about this?

Image

Should I try it? Wouldnt it launch just like from the side of window like during relaunch?

Is the (hopefully) remark the risky bit. The line getting snagged on something while running freely as the kite takes off?

Geir

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kitezilla
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Postby kitezilla » Sat Nov 11, 2006 1:33 am

Geir,

Not bad!!

Spectra will cost a lot and may tangle more easily than some cheap 1/2 inch braided polycord or nylon. It might be hard to find the 200 feet needed in one piece. Most rolls at hardware stores are 100' max. You may be able to make a smooth long splice, though, to join 2 pieces, but without any knots or bulges for the ring to snag on.

You will want to put a welded ring on the kite pump leash fastened in a way that it can't twist around, for the rope to slip through. It will jam on the webbing of the pump leash.

The friction from that much rope slipping through the ring may, make it so that you will have to pull on the other half of the rope to get the kite to drift out, especially in light wind. This may put coils of rope around your feet, so be careful. You don't want to end up in the "Old Sailors Home", as a victim of a coil of rope, as described by the crazy guy in the movie "Jaws".

You will need to do some tweeking and work out a foolproof technique, but I like the simpleness of your idea. Stick with it!

I did a similar thing with my bucket launcher using 80 Lb test Spiderwire fish line, but gave up on the idea because the fish line could cut you bad!
When using that particular launcher, I let the line slip through a ring on the pump leash, after cutting the fixed end of the line at the bucket, after the kite had drifted out to the proper distance.....kind of creeped me out, with all that nasty line in the water...sometimes, I couldn't reel it all back in before the kite and wind determined that it was "go time". I just posted a picture of the device on the "100% kook-proof" thread. You will get a kick out of it.

You will want to prestretch the thick rope, and get rid of all the "memory coils" from the spool.

Give it a shot...let us know what you discover...

Way to think outside the box...keep it up!!

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Postby dirkydiggler » Sat Nov 11, 2006 3:22 am

I like this idea also. I have debated setting up with two weights with buoys, one tied to the kite pump leash, walk out the lines and attach the chicken loop to another. Then just walk back and unhook the kite from the kite pump leash line. Go back to the bar (the kite's!) and launch. This has its drawbacks, like having to walk back and forth.
I wonder if using Geir's idea there is a slipknot you could use at the kite so you didn't have to use double the length of line and also the lined wouldn't have to go through the pump leash. Just tug hard on the extra line to release the kite.
Using a buoy will allow you to land without looking on the bottom of the lake for your weight.
A quick release like this could also work if there was a way to tie an extra line to the release.
Image
Let me know your thoughts. Keep in mind I want a way to launch in bad shore conditions, rocky bottom, rocky beach and such. This could be a permanent setup if needed.

Dirk

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kitezilla
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Postby kitezilla » Sat Nov 11, 2006 5:37 am

In constructing and using any of these self launching devices..."The devil is in the details"...and the details are not always apparent at first. When I considered the problems inherent in a launching device with an exposed line, my imagination ran wild with images of (1) accidentally tripping of the device by the kiter or an outside force. I have had a big dog swim through and tangle all of my five lines on different parts of his collar and legs. The kite came very close to a uncontrolled hot launch. Other kiters also come in to land their kites at the most inconvenient times, not to mention motor boaters.

I, therefore, rejected any form of unshielded and unprotected release cord. I first pictured a device that was entirely buried in the ground...a long pipe with two upright stand pipes with the release pull mechanism at one end at a marker buoy, and the kite temporarily secured at the other end. There were problems with this design, and I rejected it.

One of the "devils" to be dealt with in the exposed rope release design will be the fact that risk will always exist of the rope (if it is a sinking rope)snagging on not just one rock, but on many rocks on the bottom. If the type of rope is a floating rope, it will tend to lace and braid itself into the 4 kite lines, on the surface. This is the reason I placed the slotted line guide floats along the Pipe. Nontentioned floating lines do not behave well and have a propensity to tangle, and the more lines involved, create more possibilities of combinations of loops and braids.

Another "devil" will be that of the rope being jiggled by the waves and forming a loop which will snag on the ring at the pump leash, or will drag some of the kite lines through the ring, hobbling the launch, part way through the launch, while the kite catches a gust and prematurely works its way to the edge of window, into a premature launch.

Any aspect of the design which neglects such factors as the examples above, will result in the necessity for some fast and clever on the part of the kiter, as things go from bad to worse. Every possible thing has to have a high degree of control.

I could go on and on, but I fight the urge to do so.

Up to this point you have rejected the idea of putting a 5th line on your bow kite, as I did. Adding a 5th line, however, in order to allow a less complex self-launch procedure was the compromise I eventually opted for.

This thread is not about 5 lines, but 4 lines.

I neglected to finish the description of the pipe launcher, but still plan on describing the procedure, the kiter must follow to use the device. I was interrupted in my presentation, by involvement in a bunch of other threads on this and other kite forums, but plan on continuing with a couple more posts in a few days or so.

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geir
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Postby geir » Sat Nov 11, 2006 1:26 pm

Here's another one that doesnt involve a line.

Assuming the kite just needs holding back and doesnt want to lift to much laying on its back by it own. Havent really thought about what it wants to to when I pump it up attached to my pump through the pump leash. I think it mostly wants to float back, not up.

Image

Then when we launch the kite the steel ring will just slide up the pole.

I'm all about keeping it simple, maybe not possible due to the devils.

Feedback please! Like I say its just in me head, never tried.

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Postby ronnie » Sat Nov 11, 2006 3:24 pm

My suggestion is to use a larkshead knot on the upper front flying line. This knot goes on a pin. The pumpleash is also on the pin, but it cannot get off the pin until it pushes the front line off first. This would require a small loop of rope attached to the end of the pump leash.

The pin would be hinged at one end and clipped into a pair of flexible plastic jaws at the other end. The device would look something like this clip, but without a hook going back toward the pin. The pin would be hinged instead of sliding and the hinged end would be nearest the kite. The pump leash loop would be on the hinged end of the pin nearest the kite and the flying line knot would be on the pin toward the sandbag end. When you pull the line, the pin comes free from the jaws at the sandbag end and swings through 180 degrees and the pump leash loop pulls itself and the flying line off the pin.

The kite cannot get loose without the front line becoming free and the larks head knot on the front line will straighten out when it is free.
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