Instructional Video: How to Drift Launch Your Kite

[mark van haze]

In our latest instructional we show how to drift launch a kite. This method is for advanced riders and requires a spot without big waves or shorebreak.

http://www.alwayswindy.com/blog/2014/08 ... your-kite/

[edt]

nice video but I would not use this technique at any of my launches. There is a very thick layer of algae from shore out to about 1 line length at every location where a drift launch is useful. If you did it this way where I kite you would literally have 100 pounds of seaweed on your lines. I have seen kiters need 2 or 3 people to lift the lines because they were so heavy with algae when they dragged the lines close to shore without wrapping them. Also because we use a drift launch where you start with the bar & lines wrapped, nobody actually hooks into the kite while the kite drifts downwind way too dangerous. We only hook in after the kite has drifted all the way downwind.

[dyyylan]

What's the difference in technique when you have your bar rolled up?

Do you have to worry about the kite flipping around before it drifts all the way back, or does it behave pretty well until you start putting tension on a rear line? I'm just imagining the kite flipping around and powering up while you have half the bar rolled up, making QR useless

[KYLakeKiter]

I drift launch most of the time at my location and in the FL Keys. The technique in the video looks solid, but if you are drift launching, you probably don't have a nice sandy beach. I always flip my kite upside down to carry it out into the water so I don't drag the kite over the rocks. The lines have less twists if you remember which way you flipped it, and flip it back onto the water the opposite way. I also don't put water on the canopy like they did, but I assume the idea of that is to keep the nose into the wind longer.

I find that the kite is pretty well behaved even if straight downwind, but you do have to be ready to manage the situation as the kite turns around, and I often have to shake the lines out to get them off of each other just as they get tension. I have also had some trouble with algae and seaweed, and sometimes floating sticks or debris. So far I have always been able to shake it out of the lines, but I am sure that will catch up to me and give me some trouble eventually.

Nice video. Thanks for sharing it.

[ronnie]

nice video but I would not use this technique at any of my launches. There is a very thick layer of algae from shore out to about 1 line length at every location where a drift launch is useful. If you did it this way where I kite you would literally have 100 pounds of seaweed on your lines. I have seen kiters need 2 or 3 people to lift the lines because they were so heavy with algae when they dragged the lines close to shore without wrapping them. Also because we use a drift launch where you start with the bar & lines wrapped, nobody actually hooks into the kite while the kite drifts downwind way too dangerous. We only hook in after the kite has drifted all the way downwind.

I had a very small piece of algae jam up a bridle and stop a pulley sliding during a drift launch - causing the kite to loop. That green summer algae bloom happens to grip kite line like Velcro.
I wouldn't try drift launching in algae again after that.

[bnthere]

in a high wind environment it is highly possible that the LE will lift and the kite tumble downwind. not every time, not even a majority of the time, but it can and will once in a while.

also, line tangle is sometimes not noticeable until the kite is already part way drifting out. the line tangle that is a problem is when loops in the lines basically knot up (twisted or crossed line is not the issue).


that first problem can be easily dealt with when it happens by allowing kite to flag out on leash system and then resetting and launching.

the second problem is a big problem and can't really be fixed a lot of the time because that knot in the lines is preventing your leash system from functioning, so you might have to lose the kite.

in high wind situations you can drift the kite out in a controlled way by feeding it out along one centerline that you hold in your hand, effectively controlling the drift and keeping the kite in a disabled (flagged out) position. (at least until the last few feet). and prevent both those things from being a problem.

this is also the idea behind unwrapping the bar as the kite drifts. the bar is wrapped with a centerline shortened ( a la self rescue style) so that the kite is disabled with tension on only one line as it drifts out.

PROKITE
South Padre Island Texas
www.prokitesouthpadre.com

(the water is to weight the canopy to help prevent the LE from lifting and the kite tumbling.)

[Hugh2]

We regularly drift launch at our lake. Instead of drifting straight downwind, we don't put water on the LE, but rather bias the kite to one side as we let it go (the previous poster achieves the same goal by holding one center line in hand to bias the drift as the kite goes out). The kite then drifts off at about 30 degrees from straight downwind. This is also safer, since while part of the kite is catching the wind, part is being blown down into the water (no tumbling risk). If one is careful with the lines, one can then also launch the kite to the biased side, allowing really tricky drift launches where you can only launch to one side.

[edt]

Dylan absolutely with the bar wrapped sometimes the kite will spin before you are ready the technique in that case is swim hard towards the kite while you continue to unwrap the lines and you should be fine but you must never hook in while unwrapping because of course with wrapped lines the kite won't flag just let the kite go if there's a problem. when you are doing a drift launch so much is going on you are swimming out trying not to get stuff on your lines can't always watch the kite so I don't like being hooked in until I can devote 100% of my attention to the kite

[ronnie]

We regularly drift launch at our lake. Instead of drifting straight downwind, we don't put water on the LE, but rather bias the kite to one side as we let it go (the previous poster achieves the same goal by holding one center line in hand to bias the drift as the kite goes out). The kite then drifts off at about 30 degrees from straight downwind. This is also safer, since while part of the kite is catching the wind, part is being blown down into the water (no tumbling risk). If one is careful with the lines, one can then also launch the kite to the biased side, allowing really tricky drift launches where you can only launch to one side.

This is that drift position you are describing. There is a risk of the lines tangling or snagging something in the water.

[Don Monnot]

Drift launching is clearly not for beginners. You need to have the experience of knowing when to say "not today--not here!" I've been a victim of algae too many times to feel comfortable with a drift launch where algae (or other floating vegetation) is present. The only time I've really had issues with a launch was drift launching in high winds when floating weeds grabbed a steering line and caused the kite to loop. I was well away from shore when I started the drift, but got lofted twice before the kite smacked the water hard enough to shake loose the weeds. The loftings and dragging brought me uncomfortably close to shore. I no longer kite at that location when weeds/algae are present.

Don