Slingshot wave Sst Self Launch

[Hugh2]

If I'm at all worried about the stability of my kite during self launch, I put a little sand on the corner of the kite farthest away from me when I will launch, or put my surfboard there as described above with the fins in the sand. Once you give the kite a tug standing about 15 degrees above perpendicular to the wind, the kite pivots, lifts that far edge of the kite, throws the sand or board off, and launches.

[BiteMe]

@petato2
Yes, I have an SST 12m. And it WILL launch by itself when on the beach. Pointless design in my opinion as it never does that on the water, NOT ONCE. Yet its done it on multiple occasions on land for me. I use a sandbag to launch/land all of the time. It's fine and stable while launching on the side with an anchor. On land if you have sand around make sure to put A LOT of it on top of this kite.

So how do you self land the kite? Do you anchor at the edge of the window? What would you do if that's not possible?

[dancingwind]

@petato2
Yes, I have an SST 12m. And it WILL launch by itself when on the beach. Pointless design in my opinion as it never does that on the water, NOT ONCE. Yet its done it on multiple occasions on land for me. I use a sandbag to launch/land all of the time. It's fine and stable while launching on the side with an anchor. On land if you have sand around make sure to put A LOT of it on top of this kite.

So how do you self land the kite? Do you anchor at the edge of the window? What would you do if that's not possible?

Either park the kite at 3 or 9 o'clock on the beach, pull on one of the middle/power lines, preferably the top middle line to bring the leading edge down on the beach, (on some kites you might need to pull on both power lines) position the kite upwind by pulling on the middle line and then walk to the kite while maintaining tension on the middle/power line.
Or, fly the kite at 45 degrees, release your chicken loop, kite should land on its leading edge, position it upwind as much as you can by pulling on the middle/safety line and walk to the kite maintaining tension on the middle line. If kite lands upside down, maintain tension on the safety line while walking towards kite.
I think the safest method is to find a solid anchor on the beach, a post, hitch or tow point on your car or a kite bag filled with tons of sand/rocks, park kite at 3 or 9, connect your kite leash and chicken loop to the anchor, walk to to the kite and park it.
In stronger winds, I prefer the last method to avoid the kite suddenly launching. You can always plan ahead, use an old kite bag as anchor filled with sand/rocks and keep it on the beach for use when you're done with your session.
First two methods should be practised on the beach in lighter winds.

[CaptainArgh]

Great tips already for a flat launch, so I won't go there.

I have an 8 and a 10 SST. The kite sits very well at the edge of the wind window. So if you want to do a self launch where you attach the CL to a leash/structure, that works well with the SST. In this scenario, you walk the kite to the edge of the wind window, stand it up on it's wingtip, and if it appears steady and well behaved, you then walk quickly back to your kite, attach your safety, and take the CL.

All kites don't lay there nicely on edge, but I found the SST does.

Regarding the LE that lifts off the beach at the nose, yeah, that's annoying. Try self landing on the snow....

[norcom]

@petato2
Yes, I have an SST 12m. And it WILL launch by itself when on the beach. Pointless design in my opinion as it never does that on the water, NOT ONCE. Yet its done it on multiple occasions on land for me. I use a sandbag to launch/land all of the time. It's fine and stable while launching on the side with an anchor. On land if you have sand around make sure to put A LOT of it on top of this kite.

So how do you self land the kite? Do you anchor at the edge of the window? What would you do if that's not possible?

Yes, I self launch and land with an anchor. I prefer a sandbag vs a screw anchor because I can move the sandbag around if needed. Not sure why it wouldn't be possible unless someone stole my bag (at my spots). Then it would depend on conditions. Over 20mph I would land in the water and eject otherwise I can land on its side and pull the top center line upwind to drop the kite. Probably wouldn't do that with an SST as it would take off immediately. Otherwise just eject. I value my life a little more than my gear, most of the time.

[knotwindy]

Another option for self landing is to set the kite on edge at the edge of the window, grab the depower line, unhook the chicken loop or quick release and just walk up the 2 center lines. It would be the same pressure on the kite as if it were tethered so it sits quietly on edge until you get to it and if something does go wrong you just let go and it goes to the safety line. Just don't get your feet tangled in the lines. Easy peasy.

[ulx]

I have had the SSTs for two years now. Ridden in all kinds of winds. When it's light I usually use my board and in stronger winds I put some sand on the canopy. On one or both sides of the middle strut, depending on conditions. No problems at all like that.

It's only more difficult when it is slippery. Like, on stones. Fortunately I hardly ever have to deal with that.

[BiteMe]

@petato2
Yes, I have an SST 12m. And it WILL launch by itself when on the beach. Pointless design in my opinion as it never does that on the water, NOT ONCE. Yet its done it on multiple occasions on land for me. I use a sandbag to launch/land all of the time. It's fine and stable while launching on the side with an anchor. On land if you have sand around make sure to put A LOT of it on top of this kite.

So how do you self land the kite? Do you anchor at the edge of the window? What would you do if that's not possible?

Either park the kite at 3 or 9 o'clock on the beach, pull on one of the middle/power lines, preferably the top middle line to bring the leading edge down on the beach, (on some kites you might need to pull on both power lines) position the kite upwind by pulling on the middle line and then walk to the kite while maintaining tension on the middle/power line.
Or, fly the kite at 45 degrees, release your chicken loop, kite should land on its leading edge, position it upwind as much as you can by pulling on the middle/safety line and walk to the kite maintaining tension on the middle line. If kite lands upside down, maintain tension on the safety line while walking towards kite.
I think the safest method is to find a solid anchor on the beach, a post, hitch or tow point on your car or a kite bag filled with tons of sand/rocks, park kite at 3 or 9, connect your kite leash and chicken loop to the anchor, walk to to the kite and park it.
In stronger winds, I prefer the last method to avoid the kite suddenly launching. You can always plan ahead, use an old kite bag as anchor filled with sand/rocks and keep it on the beach for use when you're done with your session.
First two methods should be practised on the beach in lighter winds.

Thanks DancingWInd, but I was referring to landing the SST if it won't sit on the ground without sanding or a board. I do the fly the kite to 45 degrees and drop it when landing my kite. But it sounds like the SST would just flip or relaunch by itself when landing like this.

[ciscokitesurfer]

example of how I use sand bag to keep the kite down

https://youtu.be/-fm6Yc3c2wQ

[petato2]

Thanks all.

Ciscokitesurfer I tried your Selflaunch as in your vídeo yesterday, It works great. I am carrying a sand bag with the kite from now on.

Different thing now is self landing this kite, did not needed yesterday but I ll need to figure It out, specially in high winds.