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Relaunch kite or save foil first

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irwe
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Re: Relaunch kite or save foil first

Postby irwe » Tue Jun 29, 2021 10:53 am

Learn to keep your Kite in the air when falling. I ride single skin FireFly's. A tip I got from a Maui kiter 20 years ago was when falling, pull on the bar on the opposite side you were going. This works 90% of the time to keep the kite flying. The only time I have trouble now is when looping the kite during a tack and I fall.

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Re: Relaunch kite or save foil first

Postby ieism » Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:19 pm

Thanks for all the advice guys, I'm glad I'm not the only one with this dilemma. But a long piece of floating rope and a carabiner will go in the harness now.

I realise my setup is sort of insane for a beginner, but it has served me well and Ive only flown an LEI once and didn't much like it. We get mostly light wind here, and I'm typically the only one on the water on those days which makes me progress faster in my opinion than sitting on the beach. I've seen people rig a 17m and fail to fly it, while I was out ripping on a surfboard with the Peak.
And again this is only my second season of kiting at all so give me a break if I drop the kite, I'm trying to learn stuff like downwind and gybes, it happens OK?

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Re: Relaunch kite or save foil first

Postby bitxopalo » Thu Jul 01, 2021 8:46 am

Hi, as you I am learning with hf and peak, due to the light and gusty winds here, no other kite would be as easy.

I used the rope, but I discard it, initially It was around 3-4m long... and the board used to finish on the lines, then I cut it around 1m but it was easy to hurt my feet while trying to get impulse upwind.

Now I just sit on the board as soon as I fall.... Unless i fall pretty far downwind.
First security, then success relaunching

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Re: Relaunch kite or save foil first

Postby kiteband » Thu Jul 01, 2021 6:22 pm

How do you get back to the board if you fall off rather far from the board?

Board leewards: you run the risk of getting tangled in the lines swimming to your board. A scenario I really do try to avoid by all means. I agree that a tangled foil isn't good either, but you can always fully release if s*#t hits the fan.

Board upwind: QR ejection will take some pressure but you are still attached to a kite that I couldn't possibly swim against.

I think restarting the kite as fast as possible gives you the most options, as you can then travel through the water. Maybe some neon colored rails can make things easier finding the board.

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Re: Relaunch kite or save foil first

Postby rnelias » Thu Jul 01, 2021 9:19 pm

the foil I've used to learn always finished to come back to me after crashes. Any small wave would make it slide downwind and, in some cases, passing the point where I was -- which is not a problem as we can easily body drag downwind.

Regarding the kite. I've learned hydrofoil with the only kites I had atm, 9 and 12m Rebels. Kites with horrible low end and usually they finished droping from the sky. Thus I had the oportunity to buy a second hand Ozone Alpha 8m. It was a night and day change. These modern 1-struct kites are so light that they avoid to drop from the sky and, when it's inevitable, they easily relaunch. With this kite I could start to practice gybes, that were hard to complete with my Rebels, and could foil even on those sub 10 knots days that would be impossible to launch a Rebel.

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Re: Relaunch kite or save foil first

Postby bitxopalo » Thu Jul 01, 2021 10:27 pm

kiteband wrote:
Thu Jul 01, 2021 6:22 pm
How do you get back to the board if you fall off rather far from the board?

Board leewards: you run the risk of getting tangled in the lines swimming to your board. A scenario I really do try to avoid by all means. I agree that a tangled foil isn't good either, but you can always fully release if s*#t hits the fan.

Board upwind: QR ejection will take some pressure but you are still attached to a kite that I couldn't possibly swim against.

I think restarting the kite as fast as possible gives you the most options, as you can then travel through the water. Maybe some neon colored rails can make things easier finding the board.
If the board Is upwind, there is no problem, it will pass near enough to catch it.

But downwind the answer depends of the type of kite.
In the case of peak, it will remain sticked to the water until leading edge is up and pull central lines. So with the peak I can swim to the board cos lines wont get tension.

I have no experience with other kites.

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Re: Relaunch kite or save foil first

Postby Jyoder » Fri Jul 02, 2021 1:50 am

Use a reel leash on your foilboard. Peak 4 kite doesn’t deathloop, loft you, or drag you so it’s safe.

🍿 🍿
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Re: Relaunch kite or save foil first

Postby evan » Fri Jul 02, 2021 7:14 am

Kite first, unless you have rocks Downwind / downstream or a foil that floats on it's side with the ability to sail Upwind on its own.

I can give more pressure against the kite swimming compared to keeping the board on my feet, but with foilkites time is also a factor so better swim against the wind than wait it out for a gust.
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Re: Relaunch kite or save foil first

Postby Regis-de-giens » Sun Jul 04, 2021 12:18 am

A loooot of good advices here !
My personal "mix" of above answers: it depends on what chance i estimate i will relaunch the kite because indeed, time is a major factor in light wind, but also how the kite is positionned on the water. And releasing tension to catch the foil can be a relaunch killer...

So , with lei, not really light wind and very dependant of kite position, i go and catch my foil first, no debate in my mind.

With foilkite, if i am sure i can relaunch rapidly , i relaunch then catch my board.

Foilkite and very light wind : it depends :
- either my kite is not well positionned and wind is too light at that moment to ensure relaunch, then i go take my foil and attach it to a reelleash (i save some chance to relaunch under 6 knots by swimming back rather than sit on de board with my 60 kg). I make a " temporary removable" knot on the leash line to stop its spring back and leave my feets away from the board to avoid impacts.

- either the kite is well placed (i.e placed on its leading edge or trailing edge and fully "open" to the wind) and in that case I give a chance to first relaunch before getting to the board.

For a single skin like peak the last point seems also crutial...so i could sacrify 30 seconds to relaunch first...

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Re: Relaunch kite or save foil first

Postby papasmerf » Sat Jul 10, 2021 8:01 am

Regis-de-giens wrote:
Sun Jul 04, 2021 12:18 am
A loooot of good advices here !
My personal "mix" of above answers: it depends on what chance i estimate i will relaunch the kite because indeed, time is a major factor in light wind, but also how the kite is positionned on the water. And releasing tension to catch the foil can be a relaunch killer...

So , with lei, not really light wind and very dependant of kite position, i go and catch my foil first, no debate in my mind.

With foilkite, if i am sure i can relaunch rapidly , i relaunch then catch my board.

Foilkite and very light wind : it depends :
- either my kite is not well positionned and wind is too light at that moment to ensure relaunch, then i go take my foil and attach it to a reelleash (i save some chance to relaunch under 6 knots by swimming back rather than sit on de board with my 60 kg). I make a " temporary removable" knot on the leash line to stop its spring back and leave my feets away from the board to avoid impacts.

- either the kite is well placed (i.e placed on its leading edge or trailing edge and fully "open" to the wind) and in that case I give a chance to first relaunch before getting to the board.

For a single skin like peak the last point seems also crutial...so i could sacrify 30 seconds to relaunch first...
How long is your reel leash? Is it like those old retractable ones? Does the board generally stay out of your way?


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