Hi. Some advice please. I've recently tried unhooking with some issues. I am 84kg and flying a 10m Bandit 2. In about 14 knts I depower a fair bit, bare off downwind and unhook. It immediately feels like I'm chocking the kite and it wants to drop directly from 12 oclock into the wind window. The bar pressure is really strong and I fight to hook back in before the kite falls. I can't depower any more without losing momentum. Any tips? Steve

14 knots isnt enough to unhook in, thats most likely your problem. on a 10m i need 16 knots and im 70kg's. also dont put your kite at 12 to start to unhook. put it around 11 for your first time.

i'm convinced the issue is lack of wind. I wouldn't bother kiting in less then 18 knots, let alone tying to unhook.

I would be on a 13 Fuel in that wind and if unhooking going downwind.

If you unhook underpowered the kite will backstall so even though you don't want to you will need some depower on.

As all above, more wind, pull trim in on the beach until you can unhook without the kite backstalling.

At the Ben Wilson wave clinic they went though the steps on unhooking or at least getting comfortable. This must be done in open space clear of objects and people. After comfy try the same on the board.
Here's the steps:
1. Tune kite so that it does not back stall when the bar is against CL and the kite is at 45 deg.
2. Place kite at 45, start walking towards it, place hands at the centre of bar and unhook ( make sure hands are centered.
3. Keep walking unhooked and feel the kite
4. When ready to hook in, grab CL with back hand at the same time depowering with left hand and hook in.

I don't know what level you are at but it may help.
Cheers
Rich

Yer,what happened to that post, got too politically incorrect?

The way i had it explained to me when i first started unhooking was to trim the kite so you could hold the bar at the stopper (fully powered) for 3 seconds. If you got pulled off your edge after 3 seconds then that was fine.

As the others have said, 14 knots is for drinking beer and pumping up a kite. Wait till you've got ~16-17kn before you try unhooking.

Hey really useful tips here, especially the ben wilson instruction. Cheers for that.

i find it helps to be ready to grab the Chicken Loop with one hand and push the bar out with the other hand, and if worst case just hold onto chicken loop and hook back in, then grab bar and steer kite. a bridle kite will let you do that. I heard the bandits a good for unhooked.

Small powerful kites stall too much when unhooked.

Its best using a little bit bigger kite that has good top end. Always tune the kite before unhooking by closing the depower strap.

If you have tension on the back lines the kite will fly backwards. Tension on the front lines the kite will fly forwards.

A fast turning kite isn't real good for unhooked or experts wanting to do big air tricks.