narrow beach self launch

[jrfiol]

I am still enough of a newbie that I'm extremely cautious/paranoid about slack lines and about being attached to a kite floating around not under my direct control. These drift launch and unwinding methods seem ripe for disaster ... and just because they've worked well 99 times in a row doesn't mean #100 won't be the one where you catch your rear line on a rock, the kite somehow powers up and launches itself, starts death looping, and you bounce along the rocks and into the seawall head-first. If the risk formula = probability of outcome X possible consequence, that potential just seems too risky to me.

I like the idea of the kite attached to a fixed point on launch ... s**t hits the fan, just let go, the kite's not going anywhere and neither are you.

I also like the idea of having the kite lines fully extended before launch, so you can confirm they are not tangled or inverted, not caught on anything, and the bridles are all free and clear before you commit to a launch.

That's where this idea of anchored self-launch is coming from ... I want a launch that maximizes safety. There are inherent risks in this sport, but I'm keen on controlling risk where possible ... and I'm willing to go through a little gear hassle to get it! [though I also recognize that looking for methods to self-launch in new or lesser-used kiting spots may somewhat directly contradict this risk-minimizing strategy ]

How long have you been kiting? If I get a chance tomorrow, I'll make a vid of my launch so you can plan your launch.

[Flight Time]

These drift launch and unwinding methods seem ripe for disaster ... and just because they've worked well 99 times in a row doesn't mean #100 won't be the one where you catch your rear line on a rock, the kite somehow powers up and launches itself, starts death looping, and you bounce along the rocks and into the seawall head-first....
...I like the idea of the kite attached to a fixed point on launch ... s**t hits the fan, just let go, the kite's not going anywhere and neither are you.

See, if you are looking to drift launch directly upwind of a seawall and a bunch of rocks, any self launch is a retarded idea. Even simply kiting near stuff like that is one of those things best left to experts that aren't likely to bail, or recognize and accept the risk to do so.

In any case, for the average joe, if the shit does hit the fan in a drift launch, there is a certain confusion period right before everything goes to hell, during which one can "opt out" by throwing the safety. In other words, you drop the kite, and halfway down the line the kite flips end over end through it's lines, you can see this happening and decide you want nothing to do with it and preemptively throw safety.

Virtually any other scenario save for a direct hot launch is certainly controllable.

I can see the value of having a fixed anchor to tether to, but many kites will not simply stand on a wingtip at the edge of the window and wait for you to schlog back to the bar. They can hop downwind, nose down, or cartwheel into the power zone and hot launch.

If I were going to do any drift launching it would be in a sideshore wind, in shallow water with nothing downwind of me waiting to eat my kite or bash/slice/pummel me should something happen. And I would be very familiar and quick with throwing the safety should things turn sour.

[juandesooka]

[How long have you been kiting? If I get a chance tomorrow, I'll make a vid of my launch so you can plan your launch.

I am at end of first full season.... about 50 sessions. Many assisted launches and proficient at self launching with a carabiner.

Thanks for offer of video-ing your launch ... that's half the problem, it's hard to visualize what these techniques mean sometimes.

[ronnie]

Here's a video of a guy doing drift launches with a kite that depowers as much as possible on the two front lines.

He messes up the launch from the boat and that illustrates that you have to unwind the lines evenly ie. you have to have them wound on properly and make sure that you unwind all 4 lines at the same time. What he is doing is wrong in just holding onto the two front lines. He wouldn't have got the tangle if he had unwound all 4 lines at the same time.
The other thing to make sure of with a parked position drift launch is that when you turn the kite and one end of the kite is further away from you, the line to that end of the kite has to go under the kite, otherwise your lines will end up crossed. So you have to pull in the end that you want to come closer to you while still holding onto the bottom of the front lines, and make sure the other steering line goes slack and goes under the kite. Then you can let go of the front lines and start pulling the furthest steering line to catch the wind and finish turning the kite.

I described before how to drift the kite out when it is upside down in the U shape. Its easier to drift it out in the parked position like in this video, but I have had weed snag a bridle pulley when drifting it out through weed in the parked position.

You could use this system to launch the kite with the chickenloop anchored as long as you could see the bar well enough to make sure you unwound the lines properly.

[kite_crazy66]

I found this video.
At first it might look a little dangerous, but if you always have one hand on one of the steering lines, than i think you're good to go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKTxihSNOMc

[juandesooka]

KC66: that's more or less how I've been launching...here's my video of it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEA4vDxjPcc&feature=plcp

Seems to work ok in shallow water too, as long as the wind isn't gusty and there aren't too violent waves ... with either one of those, the kite can fall on its leading edge (no launch), or on its back (potential uncontrolled self launch....and not sure if holding on to that steering line is going to be able to control it?).

If the beach was even narrower and the water deep, I have my doubts though about being able to swim it out, set it up, and swim back, without one of these problems happening. That's where this anchor launch idea came from ... find some stable way to start with bar in the water, rig lines on land and walk it out to water's edge, and launch from a secure platform. But I now have doubts about the kite being stable if you left it direct downwind, LE down, U-shape facing away from the bar -- could it move itself to edge of window and launch itself? Or if LE down, U-shape facing the bar (like a drift launch), there's risk of catching harness lines on the rocks.

Watching Ronnie's drift launch videos ... seems that would allow for what I'm looking to do. Would just need to learn how to do it in a way that minimizes danger. This breaks many of the launch safety rules I've had drilled into me....won't be trying this any time soon!

[ronnie]

The safe distance downwind rule is one that is a gamble to break.

If the wind is variable and lulls badly, the kite can fall over rather than sit on its side or if its in the air, drop back into the powerzone. Then if the wind picks up the kite or you can be damaged.

If you were going to launch in those locations, it might be better to have the experience and skill to be able to handle the kite unleashed and unhooked with one hand on the chickenloop and one on the bar until you get to a safe distance out in the water. Someone mentioned achoring the board in the water earlier in the thread.

[Peter_Frank]

Just out of curiosity Juan (I assume thats your name ?) - how do you self land (or desire to) on this narrow beach ?

Do you release to a frontline and let the kite tumble around on the water ? On the narrow gravel beach ?
And then pull yourself to the kite holding this line ?

Or do you want to do it a bit more "controlled" - meaning anchored ?

So this way you either have the anchor on land, or like you propose, in the water.

I kinda like your idea of having the anchor in the water - and this way you also get a dry kite when you go back home - not to be overseen althoug a luxury, but nice IMO

Peter

[juandesooka]

Hi Peter: I'm John, but I kite in Strait of Juan de Fuca, near Sooke BC Canada...so, juan-de-sook-a.

I haven't done this yet, so no self-landing to describe! My goal is to open up areas that have good wind but are considered unkiteable because no suitable launches (no beach at all, just a rocky shoreline). I have a couple of spots in mind around here....on the right day, sure would be nice to be able to get out there, rather than sitting on shoreline wishing I could launch.

For landing, if in an area with a rocky shoreline and no good landing spot, I think self-rescue style would be your only good option. Walk in to water shallow enough to stand in, with kite at far edge of window on water side, bring wingtip to water, pop your quick release, and pull in kite hand over hand on single leading edge line (or on single line up to splitter, then 1 single line from there). Or to be more neat about it, and maybe more safe, wrap single front line 20 feet on bar, and then wrap all 4 lines from there (self rescue style). [and happy to hear feedback if I've got this wrong!]

But that was the second part of this anchor idea, by launching this way, you'd also return to something to attach to on landing -- same process as above, but at start you attach chicken loop to carabiner and then have kite held by a solid point from there. Thinking about it now though, if you did the drift launch instead, you could think ahead and leave a carabiner attached to a solid object on the shore for landing, and achieve the same thing.

For me, I find once I'm out there on the water, it's all good ... but the launchings and landings remain the scary part of kiting for me ... that's where it'll most likely go bad, if anywhere. So lots of visualizing what might go wrong and how I'm going to deal with it, before it happens.