Self launch and self land option

[CARMELHILL]

For 12 years I've been self launching/landing my LEI with a small sand anchor that I bury on the beach. To launch I get the kite propped up on it's wingtip, walk to my bar while running my hand along the leading edge flying line (just in case), clip in, and take off. Landing is similar. It's worked like a charm since bow kites first came out. Here's an example....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYTskRT1JoI

I haven't yet had much of a chance to play with my new Ozone Hyperlink 12m foil kite so I'm asking you experts, can a foil do the same thing? Will a pressurized foil wing sit low in the window, nice and stable, to give you time to walk back to your bar? I haven't seen a single foil landing video on youtube that I'm 100% thrilled about. The launching isn't too bad with sand on the wing tip and slowly power up as the kite slides out and up. But I haven't seen much on landings.

[Kristan]

In my experience, no it won't. Foil kites don't have enough pressure to keep themselves standing like LEIs even partly folded. I mean, they could for few seconds, but that's it. At most of times when I put my Soul into the edge of the wind window it would just fold into taco on the ground, get blown off deeper into the wind window, just to unfold itself and relaunch, sometimes going to zenith and to the opposite side. Maybe there is a way to keep the kite upright by controlling one of the steering lines while walking towards it, but that is quite sketchy for me. But let's see if there are other folks who actually tried to land foil kite by using anchor. Maybe it's not that scary as I imagine it to be.

[Carlos_C]

You can use a teathered bar /or bag of sand with a climbing quick draw- its a little more fiddly but you essentially back stall the kite to the ground and hook the chicken loop and the steering line s into your quick draw - this keeps the kite in stalled state - sitting on its trailing edge.

We used to do this all the time land boarding - put a stake in the ground -(even a big screwdriver will do) and hook over the chicken loop and lines. The psycho 3 range of kites was good for this as they has OS handles which did the job...I think with the hyperling you have the grab line above the bar which you can hook into - test on light wind day.

You can use the teathering method to pre-inflate...hook in with the kite still stalled -but takes a bit of practice and skill.

As always - practice on light wind days - even in your local park (if they let you)

[PurdyKiter]

You can use a teathered bar /or bag of sand with a climbing quick draw- its a little more fiddly but you essentially back stall the kite to the ground and hook the chicken loop and the steering line s into your quick draw - this keeps the kite in stalled state - sitting on its trailing edge.

I am entirely new to foil kites after a life of LEI kites. In my winters I live on a wide open deserted Mexican beach with gentle sea breezes for my new 12m FS Soul. But... all of my Mexico kiting is always solo. I've got the launch figured out and I've had success. I've also purchased the Ozone Foil Race bar which has the brake strap which should facilitate your rear/steering line self-land backstall technique.
My question for you: I assume the rear-line-backstall landing method only works if the wind is light? What if I'm out kiting and the wind jacks up overpowered? Have you tried a method of flying the foil kite over to the edge of the window (3 o'clock/6 o'clock) and then flagging out with your QR? Is this safe? Will it create a lot of messy bridle & line tangles?
Thank You.

[Adventure Logs]

You can use a teathered bar /or bag of sand with a climbing quick draw- its a little more fiddly but you essentially back stall the kite to the ground and hook the chicken loop and the steering line s into your quick draw - this keeps the kite in stalled state - sitting on its trailing edge.

I am entirely new to foil kites after a life of LEI kites. In my winters I live on a wide open deserted Mexican beach with gentle sea breezes for my new 12m FS Soul. But... all of my Mexico kiting is always solo. I've got the launch figured out and I've had success. I've also purchased the Ozone Foil Race bar which has the brake strap which should facilitate your rear/steering line self-land backstall technique.
My question for you: I assume the rear-line-backstall landing method only works if the wind is light? What if I'm out kiting and the wind jacks up overpowered? Have you tried a method of flying the foil kite over to the edge of the window (3 o'clock/6 o'clock) and then flagging out with your QR? Is this safe? Will it create a lot of messy bridle & line tangles?
Thank You.

You can do as above and if I am extremely overpowered on a big foil, this is my option. Ways to keep it from twisting more than a little: When you pull to safety with the kite at the wind window, as the kite is flagging out, position yourself upwind and keep the bar/line on the ground or as close to the ground as you can. This prevents the kite from dragging/rolling down line from you and helps keep the kite from flapping around which also causes bridal tangles.

Also in moderate winds I bring the foil to the edge, then at the same time backstall/quickly move upwind. This prevents me from having to flag out. Also trim full out(full power) before hand since it allows you to backstall more easily.

I currently use FS bars and long ago I use to have a backstall strap but ended up taking it off. The plastic steering line balls work better for me, let’s me know how much is needed to backstall the kite, and makes it very easy to do it all with one hand.

Practice in lower winds till you are comfortable and give yourself plenty of room downwind till you get good. Also having a tree/post/whatever that you can backstall the kite and basically allow it to lay against is another method

FYI at least 90% of my kiting is solo launching and landing. I actually prefer it to having someone who does not know how to properly land a foil kite(that includes MANY inflatable riders) try to assist me.

=Jason-

[dblass]

I am not a kite foiler, and have no idea if this is right or wrong, just remembered watching this video.

It's from a Brazilian sailor and he lands the kite at around 2:30 in the video, using an anchor made from PVC tubing to catch the bridal lines.

https://youtu.be/VEqbnhemh3g

What do you think?

[CARMELHILL]

It's from a Brazilian sailor and he lands the kite at around 2:30 in the video, using an anchor made from PVC tubing to catch the bridal lines.

https://youtu.be/VEqbnhemh3g

What do you think?

Thanks for this video. It's an interesting idea. An invisible assistant on the beach. You'd have to make sure nobody moves the pvc "hook" and also need to make sure it doesn't connect to the kite at the wrong spot and tear a hole in the canopy.

[CARMELHILL]

I saw in another video that he stakes that pvc grappling hook to the beach, 3 meters away. He also has another cool idea.....an wind sock that funnels air into the kite to preinflate it. Amazing little tricks.

[joriws]

I don't believe this bridle hook on video - could cause big forces on only few bridle-to-kite attachment point potentionally breaking something. Wind sock pre-inflate - ok, perhaps PeterLynn foil kites. Non-existent problem for other kites. Just pre-inflate by opening air vents, kites with intake mesh are bad because you cannot easily open airvent by hand.

Just backstall land from side of wind window and clip bar & brakeline to your sand anchor if you insist of using anchor (another technique on next paragraph). Walk to kite and recover it by walking arc of line length. For decades foilkites in snowkite world has been backstalled to snow and anchored with ice screw or snowboard or skis. They sit there nicely if front-back-line relative lenght is correct. Some kites have more pull while sitting (North Husky & Select or Ozone Samurai) but Flysurfer kites since 2008=> I've not observed any problem using them for a decade. Chrono v1 can also sit backstall braked long time.

For example this video's non-tethered technique works with every FS kite I've had. Move towards kite with both brake lines pulling (I usually do with front-line too). About 1/3 way to kite (wing span length) release other (or other 3) line(s) and use only one backline which will flag out the kite. Continue going towards the kite keeping this one line only tensioned.

[CARMELHILL]

I went out on my new Ozone Hyperlink 12m today in 12 to 19 mph winds. Launching fine. The wingtips collapsed but I flew it in a few figure eights until it inflated and the bridles straightened themselves out. These foils are amazing. I'm selling all my LEI. Crazy hang time, lofty jumps. But I need to find a better landing idea. I tried the backstall but it was too windy and I got hot launched down the beach. I tried 3 oclock and it tacoed then rolled and inverted, then relaunched inverted. Then slammed into the ground. I finally did a chickloop flag out. There has to be a better idea because my beaches get crowded in summer and this won't work. I'm going to try that pvc grappling hook.