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Swim out and drift launch with a foil board techniques

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edt
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Re: Swim out and drift launch with a foil board techniques

Postby edt » Wed Jan 11, 2017 8:36 pm

Thanks for all the hints I see my idea won't work for him. But I have another idea!

Suppose you have a place that isn't big enough to launch only big enough to blow up the kite so that's where you swim out but you can't get your board there because there's a wind shadow.

Why not look up or down the coast a few hundred meters and see if there's a place that is in fact not in a wind shadow? So here's the plan. You go to the place where there's not even enough room to put your kite but you can drop your board there (I would probably throw a carabiner on it and anchor it to something so it doesn't escape).

So the board is in some place where it has wind but you can't swim out. Then you swim out drift launch and then body drag to where your hydrofoil is! If you are hydrofoiling I am sure you are already a master at body dragging so you probably have a lot of options of where to drop off the board.

I'm sure we will be able to figure out something for him eventually. No matter what the location there has to be a way to launch.

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Re: Swim out and drift launch with a foil board techniques

Postby 3InletsWindsports » Wed Jan 11, 2017 11:47 pm

I have often thought of using a parachute packing idea where the lines are zigzag laid into a series of rubber bands. So when deployed the lines come out in sequence.
We used this in ski racing (waterski) with 2 skiers on 175ft ropes. 175ft back from start line skiers drop off and as boat idled up to start line ropes peeled out.
Maybe using the bridle as a rubber band location point you could swim out lying in kite pushing foil ahead of you, then sit on foil and push kite away to drift and deploy.

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Re: Swim out and drift launch with a foil board techniques

Postby fun2kite » Thu Jan 12, 2017 12:19 am

Thank you guys for your thoughts and advise. Very helpful and also inspiring -:)

Horst Sergio, your technique with a foil kite deep water launch is mind blowing. I will study your write ups. For now just saw ur video.

I also came up with an idea I will try next time I am on the water and report how it will work. It basically this :
Use a kite-leash and hook it up to the kite at the point where u normally attach a pump on the beach. Maybe even use 50cm-1m extender line.
Lay on a foilboard flat (surfer style )
In this position the kite should be about 1m downwind from me while I lay on the foil board paddling out as a surfer would with both hands.

Once far enough , disconnect the leash , drift launch and ride away!

my board has enough volume to paddle on (Moses T40 )

Anybody see an issues with this approach ?

-D

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Re: Swim out and drift launch with a foil board techniques

Postby JakeFarley » Thu Jan 12, 2017 12:51 am

Starsky wrote:I have had at least three close calls losing track off the board after a crash. You take your eye off it for a second to get the kite back up and it takes an extra minute. By the time you look around there is nothing but glare and chop. I make damn sure to pay close attention to where that board is at all times now. In some conditions boards move really fast and with your head at water level! I hate that pit in the stomach feeling when you realize you are unsure where you should even be looking. Have had to go ashore for a bit of elevation to find my foil. Usually its farther away than I feared.
After a crash to find your board you could try popping out of the water by flying the kite overhead and sheeting in like a jump. You can get high enough so that it cuts down on the glare and gives you a better vantage point to spot your board. You may have to do it a couple of times to pinpoint your board.

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Re: Swim out and drift launch with a foil board techniques

Postby fun2kite » Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:12 am

3InletsWindsports wrote:I have often thought of using a parachute packing idea where the lines are zigzag laid into a series of rubber bands. So when deployed the lines come out in sequence.
We used this in ski racing (waterski) with 2 skiers on 175ft ropes. 175ft back from start line skiers drop off and as boat idled up to start line ropes peeled out.
Maybe using the bridle as a rubber band location point you could swim out lying in kite pushing foil ahead of you, then sit on foil and push kite away to drift and deploy.
3InletsWindsports, Can you elaborate on how would you pack the kite lines using this technique? I guess rubber bands would just be lost in the water when you drift the kite?
Not sure about laying inside the kite when swimming out, but rubber bands (if properly working, may cancel the need for lines to drag behind and potentially tangle with a board or debris in the water.

There were a few devices like you suggest: turbo-launcher and line manager created before, but turbo-launcher is quite big and meant for launch from the boat or the shore.
Line manager was smaller, but still .. Using something as simple as a few rubber bands, sounds appealing.

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Re: Swim out and drift launch with a foil board techniques

Postby edt » Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:45 am

fun2kite wrote: Once far enough , disconnect the leash , drift launch and ride away!

my board has enough volume to paddle on (Moses T40 )

Anybody see an issues with this approach ?

-D
oh nice idea! I don't see any problem except of course make sure the quick release is easily accessible and of course don't be hooked in while paddling out. Let us know it goes.

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Re: Swim out and drift launch with a foil board techniques

Postby 3InletsWindsports » Thu Jan 12, 2017 2:59 am

The rubber bands would loop around bridle line, larkshead knot style.
Go from one side of kite to the other so shouldn't have too many rubber bands.
As you finish fit chicken loop onto pump leash so no lines accidentally slip behind.
Maybe there's a YouTube vid about parachute packing.

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Re: Swim out and drift launch with a foil board techniques

Postby fun2kite » Thu Jan 12, 2017 3:18 am

3InletsWindsports wrote:The rubber bands would loop around bridle line, larkshead knot style.
Go from one side of kite to the other so shouldn't have too many rubber bands.
As you finish fit chicken loop onto pump leash so no lines accidentally slip behind.
Maybe there's a YouTube vid about parachute packing.
So do rubber bands just break under tension when kite drift away or there is a clever way to release them?

I need to explore this idea to try get rid of the lines dragging behind..

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Re: Swim out and drift launch with a foil board techniques

Postby borist » Thu Jan 12, 2017 3:27 am

fun2kite wrote:I also came up with an idea I will try next time I am on the water and report how it will work. It basically this :
Use a kite-leash ......
I used similar technique when I ended up in a wind shadow on our bay few times. Had to swim out of it, so while attached to the kite I wound lines on the bar leaving just enough slack to be able to flip the kite as needed. Flipped kite upside down and attached it to my harness with the leash, secured the bar by laying on it on the board and swam out into the wind line. When there, I flipped the kite on its leading edge (detached the leash of course), paying close attention to the lines, let it drift off, sat up on the board and unwound lines carefully. When at full line stretch, checked lines for any twists and relaunched the kite.
This is usually not very difficult because the size of the kite that I foil with tend to be rather small and can be easily handled. So even if I end up with lines crossed, I can fix it, plus I'm not dragged down wind too much.
Perhaps the most useful skill to have is to be able to sit on the board securely. This gives me two free hands and higher vantage point

Rubber band line stowing for drift launch idea (like on deployment bag on a parachute rig) was discussed somewhere few years ago. Someone actually sawed on few of bands on the leading edge to test it. I do not remember the outcome of that test though. If I had to do it all the time, I might consider it, but for my own use that would be overkill.

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Re: Swim out and drift launch with a foil board techniques

Postby 3InletsWindsports » Thu Jan 12, 2017 3:42 am

Rubber bands don't break the release the loop of lines when slight pressure applied


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