How to Self Land Your Kite

[OzBungy]

I have always been a front line self-lander. I almost always self-land and have been doing so for 15 years with no problems.

A few times I have tried the rear line self-landing shown in the video and it worked fine with a 10m kite in winds up to 20 knots. It's good to have another technique to add to the repertoire. More knowledge is always better than less knowledge,

[geopeck]

Go up the centerline of your low or high "Y" with confidence...kite on wingtip is waiting for your move
I remain hooked in and get kite LE down securely

I mentioned at the beginning of this thread that this whole thing can be done unhooked. I'll just mention it again since we're mostly in agreement that the method shown in the video is a bad idea, since the thread continues for some reason. I have never tried the method shown in the video and didn't think it was the best way, but the more glaring safety issue was watching her run up to an unsecured kite while still hooked in to it.

rig the correct size kite that you know you can land by yourself
Come in to shore before a dangerous wind increase situation

Nice idea, it doesn't always work in reality.

In reality it's one of a few options. Wind ramps up suddenly, make a choice to ditch in the water or on the beach.

Or, controlled self landing. Once the kite is sitting on edge, grab the center line assembly above the bar and unhook. Risk to kiter immediately goes to 0. Then proceed to self land to the best of your skills, risk free. One simple intermediate step that defuses all danger. It will put your mind at ease.

[Erlend M B]

If you tether the chicken loop to a fixed object, that is not self-landing or self-launching. And it won't help you when you need to come to shore to fix something at an unexpected spot during your downwinder. And it won't help you when you travel to a big beach without any posts where you want to launch. It's a good supplementary method to use under certain circumstances. But very kiter should know how to self-launch and self-land his kite and practice it regularly. That means no tethering to stakes, posts, etc.

Im sorry i got the terminology wrong. How is it not self landing? I aalways have the leash with me, and there is allmost allways something to fix it to. Worst case, you can bury your board in sand and fix it to the board.

[FabsPH]

Holy cow, that's one funny topic.
All kite spots require a certain self landing method, and none should ever recommend to attach the kite to anything.
False sense of security.

Also, all high "V" lines should be banned from any kite designs. (or whatever they are called)

here is a hint: Practice self landing in water at your spot. Get it dialed in. Then, do it again. Then, after you came up with your personal safe method,...., giddy up.
And after your kite ends up in the trees, blame the shifting winds.
(we "pros" have done it.....)

[knot_moving]

Ive been in and may have missed this posted earlier. If the wind up and i am self landing then i punch to safety, unhook & walk up safety line to flagged kite. No drama about where kite is or what it is doing.

[tomatkins]

In order to refine your skills of self-landing your kite in desperation and under adverse conditions, I recommend that all kiters study some "botany".

When kiting in Hawaii, know the difference between "Naupaka" and "Kiawe" , and in the Gorge, be able to differentiate "False Indigo" from "Blackberry".

Sometimes, the best place to put the kite is in the bushes... but not in just any bushes... and sometimes in the windward side of the bush and sometime in the leeward windshadow... but never in the thorny side.