I'm only new to it myself, but I look at the person landing it and if they seem not to care, I let them secure their own kite. As long as it seems stable that is.

Similarly when someone lands a kite for me, I drop the bar and lines, secure the kite first, whether its with sand or just making sure its in the right direction. I figure that it's my responsibility, but I guess there will be someone that assumes you are psychic and know what they want you to do.

Is there an established etiquette?

To show you how much of a kook I am, last time I took some $6 Kmart pillow slips to the beach, filled them with sand and used them. Heaps easier, and no sand.

Become a Kite launcher, we don't land kites

Exactly what Gorgo said....

Exactly what Eppo said that dafish said what gorgo said.

Yeah, I have about 20-30 seconds of tolerance max! If the dude is stuffing around I flip and sand. Or walk up to the guy and hand him the kite.

airsail said..
But what if there is no sand? We land on grass.
Over the years if the wind is strong we wait until the kiter gets to the kite, we have no other option.

Clod of dirt

Plummet said..
Yeah, I have about 20-30 seconds of tolerance max! If the dude is stuffing around I flip and sand. Or walk up to the guy and hand him the kite.

Someone actually did that to me when I was still learning. He landed the kite but didn't wait for anything, just flipped it over and walked to me and gave me the kite Was around late october last year in sandy bay, Plummet do you fly Slingshot?? Was it you? Hahahaha

In cape town I helped a lot of people land/start and did what gorgo said. I land the kite and hold on the middle strut and look at the person and they either come to me fast and put their board on it or gesture to put sand on it. On days with 30 to 40 knots I just put shtloads of sand on it without waiting since kneeing down and holding the kite would mean to get sandblasted like crazy, no thanks

I kick a bit of sand on, wave and walk away.

... and then you get the guy that slams it into the ground ...

Catch flip foot on leading edge.
if owner dicks around walk away.
next time that owner might not dick around.
if you are landing your kite the etiquette is don't think the person catching your kite has any time to waste and will let go at any time with nil responsibility. It's your ticking time bomb to defuse.
Also the moment they catch leading edge you should de-Tension your lines and take all load off kite. Don't expect catcher to hold on to your powered beast, and wrestle it to ground.

theDoctor said..

I flip the kite onto the ground
Then I piss on it

Back in the day I was on the beach and needed to take a piss and it was blowing 30-40 knots.
I remembered the sage advice from my old man. He said. "Son, Never piss into the wind"
I took that advice and faced downwind and started to piss.
Then as I was pissing I felt rain spitting on my face, I looked around for a cloud and couldn't see one.
"That's odd" I thought to myself as I scanned the sky for a source of the rain
Then it dawned on me. My body was creating an eddying effect for the wind and circulating my own piss back onto my face.
Yep, I was pissing on my on face.

Behold I learned a second part of information that I could pass onto my son.
"Son, never piss into the wind! also when it is very windy do not piss directly downwind either!"

After some non statistically significant scientific testing on urination angles I, discovered that the best angle to urinate in high wind was broadreach, 45 Degree down wind.

My advice to you Doctor, if you are urinating on someones kite in highwind. Urinate at a 45 degree broachreach angle!

Legend you did the right thing we have all been kite caddy at some stage. hope you got a lot of crew saying thank you. Grab the kite and sand it well if it's nuking. Otherwise self landing is a technique that you have to learn. Not rely on other kiters. If the kiter doesn't walk up to slacken the lines as plummet explained. So the kite isn't powered. Walk towards him until lines are slack flip it and sand the **** out of it. If he has a problem with it explain in simplified terms for dummies so they get an idea. But when in doubt always sand. If he has anything to say but thank you. Tell him to educate himself and Google how to self land there are 100s of videos out there simple. Bet half of them were waiting for someone to land so they could come in and automatically assume that you will land there kites. This type of trickery is widespread lmfao. Personally I never let anyone land or launch my kite. Just my prerogative