Kiteboarders - safe self launch technique
Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 1:30 pmI found a nice way to launch when you are by yourself and the launch area is less than desirable. Basically, you are going to launch your kite off the water. This is a good method if the surface where you are launching is likely to rip your kite or there is not enough room for a traditional launch.
1. Lay your lines down parallel to the water. You will want your bar downwind from the end of your lines. Place the depower strap in all the way.
2. Pump up your kite and place it leading edge down into the wind. Place a weight on your kite and connect your lines.
3. Get ready and place your board right on the waters edge.
4. Make sure there are no obstacles on the shore that will catch your kite lines. Remove the weight from the kite and place it on the water. Sink the leading edge under the water so that water gets on the canopy. The water will keep the kite from flipping over.
5. Hurry over to your bar and connect the leash and chicken loop. Grab your board. While you are doing this the kite will drift downwind. You may need to grab one of the backlines to get the kite to swing around. Get into the water and release the depower strap. You are now ready to do a waterlaunch. If you have a 5th line or a bow kite this should be a snap.
The only caveat is that you do not want to do this if the wind is over 25 mph because the kite is likely to dislodge from the water and flip at higher wind speeds.
I have tried this method at Rush, Grantsville, and a lake in Iowa and it works perfectly every time. It is a much safer technique because the kite powers up while you are in the water rather than standing on the beach and you save the tips of your kite from getting ripped on rocks, etc. I would not suggest doing it this time of year at Rush because of the moss, but I am thinking it would be ideal for Sulfer Creek and possibly DC.
Kenny
1. Lay your lines down parallel to the water. You will want your bar downwind from the end of your lines. Place the depower strap in all the way.
2. Pump up your kite and place it leading edge down into the wind. Place a weight on your kite and connect your lines.
3. Get ready and place your board right on the waters edge.
4. Make sure there are no obstacles on the shore that will catch your kite lines. Remove the weight from the kite and place it on the water. Sink the leading edge under the water so that water gets on the canopy. The water will keep the kite from flipping over.
5. Hurry over to your bar and connect the leash and chicken loop. Grab your board. While you are doing this the kite will drift downwind. You may need to grab one of the backlines to get the kite to swing around. Get into the water and release the depower strap. You are now ready to do a waterlaunch. If you have a 5th line or a bow kite this should be a snap.
The only caveat is that you do not want to do this if the wind is over 25 mph because the kite is likely to dislodge from the water and flip at higher wind speeds.
I have tried this method at Rush, Grantsville, and a lake in Iowa and it works perfectly every time. It is a much safer technique because the kite powers up while you are in the water rather than standing on the beach and you save the tips of your kite from getting ripped on rocks, etc. I would not suggest doing it this time of year at Rush because of the moss, but I am thinking it would be ideal for Sulfer Creek and possibly DC.
Kenny