have a look at this old post too
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5457I self launch 99% of the time (on a 2005 5th line C- kite), and concur with sunseeker...one you have all the setup stuff mastered (which isn't that hard), the real skill lies in getting the wind angle right, and walking backwards fast as you take the strain and giving it a good yank to get the sand off fast.
Too slow to pull and/or kite too far back in the window, the top of the canopy rolls over forward and the whole thing ends up on the deck. It's not a big problem, but you have to pull your safety immediately, walk up to the kite, and set the whole thing up again. You'll only do it once or twice, don't worry, and then you'll be pissed off enough at the waste of time to really get it right!
To far forward in the window, and the kite launches but then backwinds a bit.....usually this is recoverable, but again if it hits the deck at all again after launch, the pull safety and start again.
Ideally you'll learn to find the sweet spot where the kite flips the sand and then rises straight up nice and easy. As you hook in your safety leash and prep to launch, if you just get a little bit of tension to the top of the canopy, you can see which way it wants to go, and adjust your position on the beach accordingly.
Regarding launching hooked or unhooked from the chicken loop, best safety practice while learning is to launch unhooked with only safety attached. That way if it goes wrong you just drop the bar. Just be aware that the kite is going to go up fully powered, so adjust your depower strap accordingly. For myself only - once I felt confident I preferred to launch hooked in, as it gave me total bar control, sheeting and depower straight away. Just know where your safety is and be ready to pull it.
it really isn't that daunting...I have self launched hundreds of times now and never had anything go wildly wrong. Give it a try.
Andy
).. what's your technnique to self-launch?
