Head over to Kiteforum. I'm pretty sure there was a recent thread there on walking or swimming out and launching from the water. Also I have seen a video on kiteforum about setting up on shore and launching from a boat - similar thing I figure.

Glennno said...

connect your chicken loop to something on the beach ie launch rope tied to a tree etc. Walk your kite out to the edge of the window and as long as there is constant wind it should sit there fine. Goto your bar, hook in and launch just like you do anytime on the water.

what if its dead onshore..

Hey Dazza – this is how I did/do it when I’m up at the lake:

With leading edge into the wind, lay out lines downwind, walk bar to kite, flip kite over left to right, hold bar and leading edge at centre and walk to water’s edge watching lines don’t get caught on roots/grass etc. If you do it carefully, you shouldn’t have any problems. If your lines do get snagged, walk back and give them a tug this should sort them out. Keep walking out a coupla hundred meters, attach chicken loop to harness, safety leash to wherever yours goes, flip kite over opposite direction to previously (in my example right to left) so that kite is leading edge face down, into wind. Let it float downwind holding onto bar depowered. When the lines become tight let it move to the edge of the window and launch as per normal water relaunch. I started out using a 2005 14m CO2 up there a few years back and very rarely had problems. The only thing I had to watch out for was the wingtip bullets coming loose and getting tangled on the wingtips while I was walking out.

Having said all of that, you can’t beat kiting with a mate up at Weyba so that they can make sure your lines don’t get tangled and if anything goes wrong.

When launching from a boat I lay all my lines out on the beach and connect my kite. Then pull the 5th line or front line re ride in so it is fully flagged and wind your lines on the bar(carefully).
Normaly the kite will drift down wind on its nose as you unwind your lines.

Freeflow said...

Hey Dazza – this is how I did/do it when I’m up at the lake:

With leading edge into the wind, lay out lines downwind, walk bar to kite, flip kite over left to right, hold bar and leading edge at centre and walk to water’s edge watching lines don’t get caught on roots/grass etc. If you do it carefully, you shouldn’t have any problems. If your lines do get snagged, walk back and give them a tug this should sort them out. Keep walking out a coupla hundred meters, attach chicken loop to harness, safety leash to wherever yours goes, flip kite over opposite direction to previously (in my example right to left) so that kite is leading edge face down, into wind. Let it float downwind holding onto bar depowered. When the lines become tight let it move to the edge of the window and launch as per normal water relaunch. I started out using a 2005 14m CO2 up there a few years back and very rarely had problems. The only thing I had to watch out for was the wingtip bullets coming loose and getting tangled on the wingtips while I was walking out.

Having said all of that, you can’t beat kiting with a mate up at Weyba so that they can make sure your lines don’t get tangled and if anything goes wrong.

I have kited heaps of times at Weyba and Freeflow is right with his comments.

I set up a little different these days if at Weyba. I actually leave the kite on the edge of the bank where you walk your kite through, and walk out and poke the donkey dick into the sand, then run my lines back to the kite in the water. No need to worry about getting stuck on tree roots. Once rigged, I simply pick up my kite and as I walk past the bar just pick it up and water launch as freeflow said.

I know it sounds weird running your lines in the water but it works a treat.