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How To Self-Land a Kite in High Winds

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kiterocky
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Re: How To Self-Land a Kite in High Winds

Postby kiterocky » Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:39 pm

With 5th line much easier

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Re: How To Self-Land a Kite in High Winds

Postby jeromeL » Fri Dec 08, 2017 3:00 am

kiterocky wrote:
Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:39 pm
With 5th line much easier
For my kites it's easier in 4 line than 5, but probabaly depends on shape of kite. 4 line more likely to get kite mostly flagged and stable, with 5 because flag is right in center my kite always fly on its back right in middle of window if I release in more than 25/30 knots.
Probabaly depends on kite shape, bridle and such, at the end of the day you have to find technique that works for you and your gear but I would avoid self landing in 35+ wind when I can...

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Re: How To Self-Land a Kite in High Winds

Postby dejavu » Fri Dec 08, 2017 8:11 am

When I kite by myself I use a Sand Anchor that I purchased from NZ.
http://watersports.co.nz/wp-content/upl ... Anchor.jpg
Just lower to the edge of the window, attach your chickenloop/fireball to the sand anchor and then walk to the kite to lower. I also attach my kite bag when kiting so it doesn't move around. Its a good quality product and I would recommend.

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Re: How To Self-Land a Kite in High Winds

Postby RedSky » Fri Dec 08, 2017 11:29 pm

Same here. I use something similar called the KiteLaunchTool. It works really well. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2387250

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Re: How To Self-Land a Kite in High Winds

Postby mede » Sun Dec 10, 2017 7:27 pm

badgb21 wrote:
Thu Dec 07, 2017 7:12 pm
In that kind of wind I’d try this first (especially if kite is still dry and you don’t want a birds nest):-

Assuming you have a good-sized area of beach – for plan B below, just in case! –
Bring kite to side of window on the beach about 3m off the ground, steer the kite hard to the ground and immediately push bar away and take a couple of steps downwind.
Some also have a tug at the top centre line at this point too.
In most cases the kite will end up parked nose to wind. I then make a beeline to grab the kite.

If it doesn’t or you mess it up, try again or plan B is to release to safety.

I was sceptical when a guy on the beach mentioned this method to me, as he described it as ‘smashing your kite into the ground’
but I have had good success with it. You don’t need to smash it, but be firm.
Please only try this if you are experienced.
That's another way of describing what I mentioned in my post ;)
It works much neater than just flagging the kite.

Try it out.

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Re: How To Self-Land a Kite in High Winds

Postby rynhardt » Sun Dec 10, 2017 7:38 pm

zig zag wrote:
Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:26 pm

this guy is lucky the kite was well behaved.. you could have the kite re-launch with both centerlines taunt... sorry but this is a poor example.
Maybe it's just my kites but relaunch on the two front lines is hardly an issue.
With my strutless 17 it's pretty much guaranteed anyway. You just walk up the lines to the kite.

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Re: How To Self-Land a Kite in High Winds

Postby Van Hunk » Mon Dec 11, 2017 6:42 am

This video is a bum steer. Avoid central line in high winds at all costs...
mede wrote:
Thu Dec 07, 2017 1:47 pm
I would suggest that instead of just releasing, you fly the kite to the window, steer it down (possibly grabing both front lines for an impulse), then pull the upwind frontline to properly touch the kite down. Then proceed as you described

Grabbing and pulling in lines in high winds can get sketchy. If you wrap a line and the kite powers up you will be in a world of hurt. I like all my lines as far down wind from me as possible.
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Re: How To Self-Land a Kite in High Winds

Postby badgb21 » Mon Dec 11, 2017 12:09 pm

#Ouch! If that's your digit, then hope it healed in an ok fashion. Serves as a good reminder when feeling complacent.

I agree about touching the lines when kite is flying, I have occasionally given the top line a quick pull if the wind is light enough, but there are times when I shouldn't have.
We land on a grass area, which can get a shadow at low heights due to a small sea wall. My 15m Contra has on a couple of occasions not played ball with my
method and I have needed to flag out. With the kite on the ground steady and not powered I have walked up the flagging line to the bar and wound my lines, careful not to wind around hands or fingers.
Even this low line tension with new lines can give red marks across your hands.
These days I put a ground stake in and if the kite won't stand on its side, due to the wind shadow, I leash the flagged-out kite to the ground stake and walk to the kite.
Keeps my hands off those lines!




Van Hunk wrote:
Mon Dec 11, 2017 6:42 am
This video is a bum steer. Avoid central line in high winds at all costs...
mede wrote:
Thu Dec 07, 2017 1:47 pm
I would suggest that instead of just releasing, you fly the kite to the window, steer it down (possibly grabing both front lines for an impulse), then pull the upwind frontline to properly touch the kite down. Then proceed as you described

Grabbing and pulling in lines in high winds can get sketchy. If you wrap a line and the kite powers up you will be in a world of hurt. I like all my lines as far down wind from me as possible.
[/quote]

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Re: How To Self-Land a Kite in High Winds

Postby plummet » Mon Dec 11, 2017 6:26 pm

That video is bullshit and unsafe and not recommended for high wind. Any learners watching this. This is a dangerous method to land. Don't copy it.
I suspect that this kiter has only ever kited in moderate winds and hasn't had to land it crazy conditions before. A lot of what he does is just plane wrong for high wind landing.

First error. He walks his board in and puts it on the beach. Why? dangerous. He gets too close to obstacles. There's no surf, Its shallow, the board can float in the water.

Second error. Kite at the zenith. If he gets hit by a gust while dropping his board off boom. Into the trees and fence. Hold the kite at the edge in high winds. ideally towards the water. Then if a gust hits you only get dragged sideways back into the water not into air and object. Keep the kite low!

Third error. He wastes time walking back out into the water. Thats more time for gusts to hit you and drag you. Get in an land asap in high winds. Don't f*** around like this guys. It might be ok in 20 knots but its bloody dangerous in high winds.

Forth error. He pulls the safety at the zenith. This is stupid in high winds. Pull the safety with the kite low. Then it will immediately fall to the ground.

Fifth error. He wraps lines around his fingers while holding the bar!. Don't do this ever!. Stupid stupid.

To improve upon this video and make it safer here's my suggestions.
Don't walk the board in. Keep the kite low in shallow water. Pull the safety with they kite at the edge. Don't wrap the safety line around the bar. Let the bar go. If its too windy to walk the safety line. Pull the safety so the kite lands in the water, connect the flag out line to your board and run in and secure your kite. Don't go holding lines and wrapping liness in high winds before you have secured the kite. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

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Re: How To Self-Land a Kite in High Winds

Postby kjorn » Mon Dec 11, 2017 9:56 pm

plummet wrote:
Mon Dec 11, 2017 6:26 pm
That video is bullshit and unsafe and not recommended for high wind. Any learners watching this. This is a dangerous method to land. Don't copy it.
I suspect that this kiter has only ever kited in moderate winds and hasn't had to land it crazy conditions before. A lot of what he does is just plane wrong for high wind landing.

First error. He walks his board in and puts it on the beach. Why? dangerous. He gets too close to obstacles. There's no surf, Its shallow, the board can float in the water.

Second error. Kite at the zenith. If he gets hit by a gust while dropping his board off boom. Into the trees and fence. Hold the kite at the edge in high winds. ideally towards the water. Then if a gust hits you only get dragged sideways back into the water not into air and object. Keep the kite low!

Third error. He wastes time walking back out into the water. Thats more time for gusts to hit you and drag you. Get in an land asap in high winds. Don't f*** around like this guys. It might be ok in 20 knots but its bloody dangerous in high winds.

Forth error. He pulls the safety at the zenith. This is stupid in high winds. Pull the safety with the kite low. Then it will immediately fall to the ground.

Fifth error. He wraps lines around his fingers while holding the bar!. Don't do this ever!. Stupid stupid.

To improve upon this video and make it safer here's my suggestions.
Don't walk the board in. Keep the kite low in shallow water. Pull the safety with they kite at the edge. Don't wrap the safety line around the bar. Let the bar go. If its too windy to walk the safety line. Pull the safety so the kite lands in the water, connect the flag out line to your board and run in and secure your kite. Don't go holding lines and wrapping liness in high winds before you have secured the kite. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
I was out yesterday nice power on my 8m torch. Came in when it got a big too gusty. Hit the quick release and the kite ended up on its back resting on the wet sand.

I could not for the life of me climb the 5th line. I had to wrap it around my hand (which I HATE HATE HATE so f-ing dangerous) and even with 4 wraps it was still slipping and dragging me down wind. Obviously I did eventually get to the kite, but it was a huge pain in the ass, my hands hurt like hell from hanging onto the line.

We need to come up with a better way of landing kites.

I like the idea of a sand anchor, but in areas with big tides, where do you put it?


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