Nice video ! I feel quite close to his riding style, so his opinion on crave vs his 2 reference ( flite and above all the roam) , would be very interesting if can ask him. In particular if roam and crave have the same low end and relaunch on a foil.
To come back to my question: agree with you, first is to try avoid it. In my case it does not happen in a regular "fall" even in lowest wind. It is often the bad consequence of trying to relaunch it by an not-academic-unstable-custom technics (from leading edge down at the start) in a too low wind for a regular start or reverse start like foilkites. Say in 7 knots to fix ideas.
Indeed i found a way to relaunch in lower wind, by pulling 2 metres on both back lines . Kite start to turn a bit around his leading edge , then if you control both rear lines with accuracy, up to 90 degree rotation , "dressed-up" on its lower wing, touching the water (only), verticaly, like for an assisted launch on the beach, but here, kite is still in plain downwind window (and not side window ). A this stage , if you release slowly the rear line tension , still constantly adjusting both to balance and keep the kite exactly 90 degre , kite will slide slowly on one side of the wind window, flushing slowly its water caught between the cloth and the LE, however it is extremely unstable in this configuration (backstall like for heli turns on a foilkite) and need very very fine and constant-active control to keep pure vertical on its wing, unstable like a mosquito...
And if you fail in your driving skills along this long travel to the side of the window , the kite can turn a little too much, more than 90 degree , trailing edge a little lower than LE, and from that point it is dead even if you pull hard on the front lines (because front line have 2 meter slack, so kite drawn by the time the front lines tension). : kite will desperately turning more and more more on the water and suck the trailing edge in the water.... .
Small hopes to restart then, bit still .... The two technics i found from that point (trailig edge down,) worth trying rather than swim, is :
- either pulling 5 or 6 meters of one rear line, kite catches the wind by its intrados, then turns 90 degree toward transverse direction (always even in 6 knots), and if you release at the good moment your rear line , it (sometimes, say 1 on 4) flips thanks to the wind catch
by its upwind intrados and comes back with LE down. Then you can retry above technics ... Lol... Several times ... Lol.
- or you disconnect from the bar, leave the bar in deep water, swim to the kite and move it manually to get LE down again, and swim back to the bar.
... Sport in any case .
I wonder if the crave or flite is a better relauncher with this little "step/recess" in the sides on the LE. Any comparative experience ?