Does anyone have any tips regarding this topic?

I mostly fly 13m C which i never had issues relaunching from the water with leading edge down. Simply pulling on one back line moves the kite slightly to one side of the downind position and starts lifting one side up at which point i just launch it sideways - i.e into the wind, rather than straight up which would be a lot more risky and dangerous.

That trick didn't work on the 17m C after the wind suddenly picked up and i crashed the kite after a failed trick and getting overpowered (i weight 77k). So given it's big size, whilst in the water the kite kept pulling me towards the beach at a steady pace, and after several attempts and manouvering of the lines and bar, i had to quick release. I wonder if it's simply a result of non adequate wind conditions for the given kite size... or possibly lack of skills

or if its a 5 line C, just pull on the 5th line until the kite is on its back. if you are overpowered the kite should be easier to relaunch.

I've already converted it to a 5 line... and eventually released the bar so that it turns upside down on the 5th line, after which i was worried about any further line tangles and just returned to the beach and rigged up a smaller kite.

But i haven't tried relaunching from that position before (i.e. hanging on the 5th). Would you just get to the bar, and and pull it back towards yourself to relanuch? It gets a bit confusing because the kite is upside down, and the control is reversed... i'm guessing you'd also have to steer it to one side... but then again, wouldn't that keep kite stuck to the water ...

Meredith, I took lessons, but started kiting before covering the relaunch of big kites in strong winds... I only used my 17m twice the whole summer... so didn't bother getting a lesson for relaunching it. As i said i have no issues relaunching smaller kites. With this one i was just cautios and didn't wanna risk too much on the day, hence why i posted the question here.

Thanks for the advice.

You have to have an old C kite on its back to relaunch otherwise there is no way it will go to the edge of the window. So leading edge facing you and wingtips in the air. You can achieve this by pulling the 5th line in but still holding on to the bar.

Point one end of the bar towards the kite - in other words tension on one of the back lines. The kite should now move to the edge of the window. Slowly let the 5th out when the kite is near the edge of the window. It should move to a position as though someone is launching the kite for you then relaunch as usual.

Solution 1: "Don't crash it"

Solution 2: Get a bow..... ;-)

Solution 3: Get one of those fridge door sized boards and use it with a smaller kite...