belldiver said..
Just to add to this thread, i had to self land today due to twisting my lines from a crash. I was using my 8m and wind was 18 to 23 knots.
Had the kite at the edge of the window and as i brought it down to the sand i found it very hard to keep it there as the kite would either bounce off the sand or simply just relaunch when i started to move up the lines. Once it took off and flew across the window I was able to step back regain control and start again.
The 2nd time i was at the point where the front lines split and it did it again. I admit at this point i didnt know what to do. I held the front line and the kite bounced across the sand and and ended half upside down. I kept a hold of that line and made my way to the kite and made it safe.
i think in hind sight, once you start making your way up the front lines you should remove your chicken loop so if the kite takes off like mine did at least it will flag?? Is this correct?
Is there anyway you can stop the kite bouncing on the sand?? Should you keep more tension on the bottom steering line??
I suggested above this exact procedure you are trying to describe, and use it all the time myself:
Jim621 said..
Grab the front lines and ensure the kite is still settled then drop the bar/chicken loop on the ground (your leash is still connected to the bar). Walk carefully up the front lines (enure you arent tangled in any of the lines) while holding and keeping tension in the front lines till you get to where it splits into the individual front lines - then take a step upwind while swiftly pulling the top front line. the kite should drop leading edge down in a safe position.
Once you get to where the front lines split into the top and bottom front lines - you should be swiftly pulling about 2 or 3 meters of the top line to get the kite to tip towards you and land leading edge down in a neutral position.
The kite
will bounce around on the sand, but so long as you are holding onto the front lines
before they split into top and bottom front lines the kite should stay planted.
I think where you have gone wrong is trying to walk all the way up the front lines to the kite...this isnt possible because as you found out, once you get to where the front lines split you can only hold onto one line which will start steering the kite - which is not what you want to happen.
So remember - when you get to where the front line splits into two (top and bottom), you should swiftly pull 2meters to 3 meters of the top front line to get the kite to tip towards you and land leading edge down in a neutral position.
Steve
