Hey People,

I had my RDO on Monday and found myself at Canton Beach with nice wind, no-one around and more than a hour before my mate was to arrive to go out kiting with me. I'm aware of the exhisting method of self launch involving folding one wind tip over but was not confident with doing that due to my inexperince and proximity of trees of the forshore. I had a while to think about different ways to launch myself and wondered about launching myself with my fifth line? If I rigged my kite as per usual and walked out a safe distance into the water with bar in one hand and kite in the other with lines trailing, can anyone see any risks involved with letting the kite float out slowly on the fifth line until the lines are all drawn out then water relaunching as usual?

I didn't end up trying it, I couldn't see any problems but was wary nonetheless!

Ben.

i do it all the time, only in the last three weeks of my 1 year learning
have i had a helper to assist with launching.

i have to compromise between safe bay, with rocky shoreline
so, it's either land launch on the one sandy part and walk to the water.
or launch in the water keeping kite away from shore.

don't like to drag the lines while carrying my kite, but it ensures the kite keeps off the rocks.
the worst things to watch out for:

• the kite will like to start flying and bouncing about as you walk away from it, this can cause line twists if it goes crazy lifting and crashing the leading edge, the further you get from it and towards the bar it will settle.
• the tension on the 5th line is intense, and the kite will want to pull it through your hands. so you must use both hands with a grip that twists the line in a S. of coarse dont go wrapping or looping the line around any part of you (just in case)
• you only want to move down the line slowly. best time to go is as the kite is on the downward fall, make sure you've got a grip before it takes off again
• the worst bit is that your in the middle of all your lines should the worst happen
• when you get to your bar, keep holding the 5 line while you get the other end and connect. sort out your positioning, and the rest should be a normal water restart

Hi Ben

When you are trying this have your 5th line attached by a releasable leash and launch unhooked, that way if ANYTHING goes wrong you ARE NOT HOOKED in and can let go of the bar and the kite will depower on the 5th line.
If there is a bad tangle and it doesn't depower on the 5th line, you can completely release the 5th line and start running after the kite, but you won't get hurt.
I haven't had a lot of luck with drift launching on the water, always seems to tangle somehow.

Gav

i kited at point danger, gusty as hell but can be okay just takes getting used to, worst spot to launch or learn ever.

5th line can do anything , i cannot wait to be told off for some of my 5th line gags.

Fun things to do with 5th line:
-attach leash to board and let go, see if you can run fast enough to catch ur kite on the way down
-can self land the same way
-light winds when theres no bar pressure u can do all sorts of fun stuff on the beach like letting go for like 5 secs of the bar completely and the kite just stays there
-go off waves unhook send it and at ur apex purposely let go and enjoy a nice refreshing dive