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Hello, I have a question.

A few days ago I was out with my kite for the very 1st time. I have 2010 Royal Era 8m- 4 lines.
After pumping up the kite and connecting the lines my buddy put the kite into stable position on the edge of wind window while I attached bar to my harness.

The problem was that center lines were both tight but side lines were hanging, not tight. I didn't even try to pull in my bar because I always thought you should launch it with bar completely out for minimum power. Because I knew I had no control over the kite I didn't launch it. We just put everything back in the bag and went home.

The next day I unfolded my bar and lines and noticed that I had my trim (pull pull sheeting system) completely out- full power. But it is located on center lines so I don't know if that should affect anything.

My questions are:
-should I pull in my bar while launching?
-what position should my trim be in- completely powered is probably not good?
-was the kite perhaps not enough into wind window?

Next time I will have somebody more acquired with kiting by me.

Thank you and have a good day!

Hi, you were right not to continue because you felt things wernt quite right. My guess is as you suggest, have someone round who can see what is going wrong if it is. Are you near a school? I would have your trim about midway, you can adjust if necessary later. Your kite launcher is very important, please read the threads on the forum. The kite should feel like its floating in the launchers hands, you will need sheet in a bit, if it feels like its too much sheet out or use your QR.if things still don't feel right then abort, I take it you have had lessons, speak to the school, enjoy

GreenRider wrote:
Next time I will have somebody more acquired with kiting by me.

Thank you and have a good day!

That's probably a great idea. Save you a lot of hassle and time and probably keep you from beating your kite to much as well. Just for the hell of it get him/her to do a quick sanity check on your bar and lines just in case. Only takes 5min but it's worth it.

Sounds like you where either not standing at the proper angle to the wind or your trim was way off. I saw a guy not to long ago try and self launch with the same problem that you are describing. He had his front lines short at the kite and back lines set to far back. Kite just kept falling back into the window.

All so do you have a new kite or used kite. You might want to check and see if your lines are the same length, or if they are the right length for your kite. Most kites now use lines that are the same length. If for some reason your center lines are too short you would have had this problem.

Now for your depower question. It is not depower!!! I hate the fact that people use that term. It is your trim. Yes the kite will feel depowered if your pull in on it or let out the bar. But it is for getting the angle of your kite in the proper position it was designed for to the wind. It is fine to be fully powered when launching as long as your kite is the proper size for the wind. There are a lot of people here that even suggest being unhooked when launching. You just have to have full control over your kite.

You did the right thing, and in time with practice you will have no problem getting out on the water in most conditions.

This will help you with understanding TRIM wiki/index.php?title=Kite_Trim And for tuning your bar http://www.thekiteboarder.com/wordpress ... ntrol-bar/

Chillbay wrote:Hi, you were right not to continue because you felt things wernt quite right. My guess is as you suggest, have someone round who can see what is going wrong if it is. Are you near a school? I would have your trim about midway, you can adjust if necessary later. Your kite launcher is very important, please read the threads on the forum. The kite should feel like its floating in the launchers hands, you will need sheet in a bit, if it feels like its too much sheet out or use your QR.if things still don't feel right then abort, I take it you have had lessons, speak to the school, enjoy

Hi, I kinda missed all the schools "around" (none close) so no, I don't have any lessons but I've watched many "how to kiteboard" movies and I have training kite so I know how it behaves and what to do.
Ok, so I will trim about midway. I will read more threads around here, but yes I know how it should feel, like my buddy isn't even holding it.

frankm1960 wrote: That's probably a great idea. Save you a lot of hassle and time and probably keep you from beating your kite to much as well. Just for the hell of it get him/her to do a quick sanity check on your bar and lines just in case. Only takes 5min but it's worth it.

I will do that.

TheJoe wrote:Sounds like you where either not standing at the proper angle to the wind or your trim was way off. I saw a guy not to long ago try and self launch with the same problem that you are describing. He had his front lines short at the kite and back lines set to far back. Kite just kept falling back into the window.

All so do you have a new kite or used kite. You might want to check and see if your lines are the same length, or if they are the right length for your kite. Most kites now use lines that are the same length. If for some reason your center lines are too short you would have had this problem.

Now for your depower question. It is not depower!!! I hate the fact that people use that term. It is your trim. Yes the kite will feel depowered if your pull in on it or let out the bar. But it is for getting the angle of your kite in the proper position it was designed for to the wind. It is fine to be fully powered when launching as long as your kite is the proper size for the wind. There are a lot of people here that even suggest being unhooked when launching. You just have to have full control over your kite.

You did the right thing, and in time with practice you will have no problem getting out on the water in most conditions.

This will help you with understanding TRIM wiki/index.php?title=Kite_Trim And for tuning your bar http://www.thekiteboarder.com/wordpress ... ntrol-bar/

Hi, I thought about the angle too so I moved myself more into the wind. I don't really remember that well but I think lines were a bit tighter. I was standing at almost 45° at that time, I always thought I should launch from the edge of wind window so didn't even bother to launch from there, just wanted to see what effect would it have on the lines.
My trim was completely out- full power, I will trim it about midway next time.
My kite is used '10 Royal Era 8m. I know, not exactly great first kite but I have it already.
The wind was pretty heavy 20-25kn which would be superb for my kite but very bad for first launch ever.
Your link isn't working for me.

Questions:
-should I pull in my bar while launching (and could the lines not be tight if I don't)
-how much into wind window should I be

I will now go investigate about this matters!

Thank you!

I have the royal era 8 and they are really good kites for hooked in riding.

Do you have the standard royal bar? In any case this is how to check the lines.

Unwind the lines and use a screwdriver or something to pin all lines into the ground. At the bar end put the adjustment strap to full power. Now pick up the bar and do not hook in. All lines should be same tension and the bar square. Adjust the rear lines if required to achieve this.

You should also find someone to assist you at least the first time if you still feel insure about this. Make sure the wind is no more than 10mph for you first flights.

On the 8m you probably do not need to depower at the stra to launch hooked in because the depower loop will have all the range you need if you have the lines setup as described above.

Stan

you can try sheet the bar with only two fingers half way in, standing more downwind, then tight front lines a little and go upwind slowly. When you will reached proper position on the wind you will immediately feel response of you kite. As i know SLE kite launches better from the edge of the wind window with 25-50% bar pulled in.

Bigdog wrote:I have the royal era 8 and they are really good kites for hooked in riding.

Do you have the standard royal bar? In any case this is how to check the lines.

Unwind the lines and use a screwdriver or something to pin all lines into the ground. At the bar end put the adjustment strap to full power. Now pick up the bar and do not hook in. All lines should be same tension and the bar square. Adjust the rear lines if required to achieve this.

You should also find someone to assist you at least the first time if you still feel insure about this. Make sure the wind is no more than 10mph for you first flights.

On the 8m you probably do not need to depower at the stra to launch hooked in because the depower loop will have all the range you need if you have the lines setup as described above.

Stan

Hi, yes, I do have standard bar. I dont know if I understand you correctly.
So, I unwind my lines with my adjustement strap set to full power, pin the lines into the ground at the end and check if all the lines are tensioned the same by holdining the bar. Is this what you meant?

I know the wind was too heavy but I did drive for 100km and didn't want to just go back.

zloilyoha wrote:you can try sheet the bar with only two fingers half way in, standing more downwind, then tight front lines a little and go upwind slowly. When you will reached proper position on the wind you will immediately feel response of you kite. As i know SLE kite launches better from the edge of the wind window with 25-50% bar pulled in.

Hmmm, I read your post many times but I am still not sure if I understand you correctly.
I hold the bar in 50% with two fingers, walk backwards to tight front lines and then walk upwind slowly until I feel proper response from the kite.

I even made a drawing

Thank you!

Thats what I meant.

The kite in the pic above is facing the wrong way. The kite should be facing into the wind, not down wind. Great way to get killed! I hope you just misdrew this. If this is the way you are trying to launch the kite then it's no wonder the lines are loose.