* Never rush a self launch, even if it's the first time you've been out in months!
* If you did then mess up your self launch, it's surprisingly difficult to pull your release while launched in the air...
* ... but easy enough once you hit the beach.
* Don't try new equipment/techniques in marginal conditions when no-one else is around (weak, gusty wind this time)
* Because dropping your kite while trying to waterstart your minimal in light wind is no fun...
* If you're feeling dehydrated before you get in the water, you should probably do something about it
* ... because while I'd have been fine with a normal sesh, self rescue, packdown, and paddling is not easy in that state!
* It's really hard to paddle anywhere with a half deflated kite
* In fact, so hard that I ended up drifting into the reef
* Which wasn't such a problem given that there were basically no waves, but could have been pretty dangerous in more exciting conditions.
* Without towing the kite, swimming felt so easy when I had to jump back in and unhook my lines from the rocks!
* Cardio is important, if mine was better I wouldn't know the next tip...
* Vomit gets washed away from the rocks really quickly!

Probably my big takeaway other than the obvious is how much sense it makes to fully release in a sketchy wave situation. Tied to the kite I was pretty much at the whim of the wind and currents, and if there was swell could have ended up in a bad situation. If I'd ditched the kite, I could probably have paddled back to shore long before the kite did.

Oh yeah, and I've let myself get really unfit over winter!

??? I still don't get what happened. Run as through your kitemare from the start

cbulota said..

If I can offer some advice for your self-launches in strong winds:

-Always trim your kite to the max, bars with really long cleat style trims work best for this

-Keep one hand always ON the quick release while self-launching so you can release at the first sign of trouble before you get launched in the air

OR - Self-launch with only your leash connected, holding the chicken loop in your hand so you can let go at the first sign of trouble before you get launched in the air...

No matter how experienced we are, anyone can mess up a self-launch

Christian

Thanks Christian!

This was actually pretty light wind, the kiteloop can pack a punch!

Yeah, I need to rethink my launches. I've been doing them a little hot (kite downwind a bit) to try and minimise the chance of the kite drifting down the beach before it sits up on its side. I wouldn't always be able to hold onto the chicken loop with one hand with this technique.

Any tips on getting the kite to sit up on it's tip without launching too hot and without it drifting downwind?

I'm guessing the key is to do things slower, more deliberately, and in stages. e.g. Set up in correct position. Final check of lines by holding them up. Move upwind of the kite a little with tightish strings. Bring kite up onto it's tip. THEN move back to a good launch place, and launch.I'll put more depower on too.

Any tips on getting the kite to sit up on it's tip without launching too hot and without it drifting downwind?

I'm guessing the key is to do things slower, more deliberately, and in stages. e.g. Set up in correct position. Final check of lines by holding them up. Move upwind of the kite a little with tightish strings. Bring kite up onto it's tip. THEN move back to a good launch place, and launch.I'll put more depower on too.

If the kite after turning it around sort of sits partially on the edge then you stood too much upwind of the kite when turning it around by pulling on the steering lines. The wind is now blowing it partially against the ground so it won't move. Theres two ways to solve that.

1) If you have a kite with strong depower (Switchblade or rebel or smth) you can just pull the top steering line while pushing away the bar. The kite will then start launching partially in the window to the edge but if you can depower it nicely there won't be much pull.

2) walk downwind while keeping line tension and maybe gently pulling the top steering line slightly (to prevent the kite from going into smily mode)

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If there isn't enough linetension while turning the kite around the kite will drift downwind, then you suddenly have linetension while the kite is in the powerzone. The kite will then flip on its edge and start to hotlaunch towards the edge of the window and create a lot of pull.

I find the trick is to position yourself exactly 90° to the wind and then to walk back to tension the lines while quickly pulling the downwind steering line to flip the kite around so it hopefully launches on the edge and doesnt have time to drift down wind.


Tbh i never found a partial hotlaunch too much of an issue with a kite with good depower. The problem is that as it makes its way to the edge of the window while launching it drags the leading edge on the ground. So if you have lots of rocks/stones/sharpstuff on your beach it will weaken and eventually blow your leading edge. Hence I don't selflaunch anymore.