Why you should avoid self launch when you can?

[wstrange]

With a tethered launch - never.

You get to see that all the lines are clear before you ever let go of the kite.

And If for some reason a line was wrapped, you are not attached to the kite. Might mess up your kite, but i'd far rather that than the alternative.

never had a line tangled? around a tip?
all goes quick and can happen!

I for sure stay with assisted launches...since I normally kite where other people are...just happens that Cauipe is that empty.

[Peter_Frank]

With a tethered launch - never.

You get to see that all the lines are clear before you ever let go of the kite.

And If for some reason a line was wrapped, you are not attached to the kite. Might mess up your kite, but i'd far rather that than the alternative.

never had a line tangled? around a tip?
all goes quick and can happen!

I for sure stay with assisted launches...since I normally kite where other people are...just happens that Cauipe is that empty.

Precisely, spot on

Peter

[Laughingman]

With a tethered launch - never.

You get to see that all the lines are clear before you ever let go of the kite.

And If for some reason a line was wrapped, you are not attached to the kite. Might mess up your kite, but i'd far rather that than the alternative.

never had a line tangled? around a tip?
all goes quick and can happen!

I for sure stay with assisted launches...since I normally kite where other people are...just happens that Cauipe is that empty.

Precisely, spot on 8) Peter

The challenge with this mentality is it suggest you can tether launch all kites.... You cannot, ,all kites do not sit nicely at the edge of the window... Part of the reason I fly EPIC Renegades they tether launch, slide launch, drift launch. And if you are ever in trouble go to safety or grab a center line and they flip over and sit down on the water as if they were parked on the beach.

[wstrange]

Fair enough , but that should give us incentive to share which kite brands sit nicely in the edge of the window.

I've done this with Switch, EH, Liquid Force.

I suspect the majority of newer designs will do this.

The challenge with this mentality is it suggest you can tether launch all kites.... You cannot, ,all kites do not sit nicely at the edge of the window... Part of the reason I fly EPIC Renegades they tether launch, slide launch, drift launch. And if you are ever in trouble go to safety or grab a center line and they flip over and sit down on the water as if they were parked on the beach.

[Jbrook]

I self launch and land all the time in Cauipe with the Barraca's or huts.

[knotwindy]

It might be a lot easier and shorter to just list the few kites that do NOT these days...

[ktflyer381]

I kite alone a lot in the spring here. I used to let the kite slide over the sand until downwind of me and relaunch it until about 5 years ago I had a very minor bridle tangle and got stuck - could not launch and when I went to release the safety, the kite could not depower due to the bridle tangle. Had the wind been any stronger I would have lost the kite or been hurt as I had to walk up the center line of a well powered kite.

Since I have always tether launched when alone and felt totally safe - I put the kite to the side of the wind window myself and get to check my own lines. The worst thing my Cab SB's will do is fly up about 5 feet and settle back down, and this is only if it is gusty. Luckily in the spring there is nobody else on the beach and no obstacles if it drifts downwind (which hasn't happened yet). Sometimes if the wind has gotten stronger and I have had to tether launch from my dog leash spiral thingy in the sand, I have been playing it safe on landing and activating the safety in the water - wet kite but works every time and I get to practice releasing.

K

[Okinawa Kiter]

Drift launch is asking for trouble sooner or later, tether launch, besides in gusty conditions is as safe as it gets. I have yet to see an incident or have one tethering but have seen numerous times kites released or slipped out of launchers hands. Things like I say one sec, they think LET GO!
I see this kind of thing happening with very experienced kiters even. I think it's due to being over confident with the kite which happens to everyone.

To tether we bury a concrete block or sand bag with rope around it then just have the rope come out with a loop then clip in your leash or have a D ring on the loop. We even do in low tide and tie a float to it so can clip in leave kite at wind window on the water and do line adjustments.

Just NEVER grab your bar only chicken loop so kite is always depowered. Very important first timers! Or kite may zip over the wind window.

We all get caught out at times!

[Bill C]

Since I have always tether launched when alone and felt totally safe - I put the kite to the side of the wind window myself and get to check my own lines. The worst thing my Cab SB's will do is fly up about 5 feet and settle back down, and this is only if it is gusty. Luckily in the spring there is nobody else on the beach and no obstacles if it drifts downwind (which hasn't happened yet). Sometimes if the wind has gotten stronger and I have had to tether launch from my dog leash spiral thingy in the sand, I have been playing it safe on landing and activating the safety in the water - wet kite but works every time and I get to practice releasing.
K

I tether launch all the time and if you want to prevent your kite from 'bouncing', simply slide one of your hands along a steering line back to the bar.

[t3rse]

Since I have always tether launched when alone and felt totally safe - I put the kite to the side of the wind window myself and get to check my own lines. The worst thing my Cab SB's will do is fly up about 5 feet and settle back down, and this is only if it is gusty. Luckily in the spring there is nobody else on the beach and no obstacles if it drifts downwind (which hasn't happened yet). Sometimes if the wind has gotten stronger and I have had to tether launch from my dog leash spiral thingy in the sand, I have been playing it safe on landing and activating the safety in the water - wet kite but works every time and I get to practice releasing.
K

I tether launch all the time and if you want to prevent your kite from 'bouncing', simply slide one of your hands along a steering line back to the bar.

I hold the lower fly line, since I can flag it out if I need to, and it provides enough steering input to put the kite down if it starts to pick up.

That said, I self-launch most of the time. I'll get help if it's available but I'd rather self launch than get an unknown bystander to help--no where to tether most of the time even though I've seen guys use the dog leash things (which I think aren't safe).