correct launching

[rightguard]

I always thought I knew how to launch until today. I launched two people today and had trouble with both. Am I doing something wrong, or are they wrong.

First I almost always go with my wife, and we have worked out a system that I think works great. Set up kite like normal, kite down wind from bar. When ready she takes kite I walk to edge of wind window. Then right as she lifts the kite into the wind... I step back to tighten the lines. This keeps her from getting thrown down wind by the kite. Once everything is clear she lets go and I fly kite into the air.

So today I help this guy that was new to our beach, maybe doesn't have too much experience. Right as I lift the kite off the ground he takes a step towards me. The kite catches the wind and I go flying down wind. I manage to take a couple steps backwards until I hit the water which knocks me over backwards. I keep a hold of the kite, get my balance, stand back up in waste deep water, and launch successfully. I didn't think much of it, figured he didn't know what he was doing.

So the second guy is an instructor... seems to know way way way more than me. Asks for a quick launch. This time it's the same thing... I lift the kite only when he says go, but he does nothing to tighten the lines. I take two or three steps backwards and fall over again. This time I'm still on the beach, but end up folding the kite around me. Totally stupid mistake... but I keep a hold on the kite, and try and stand back up. He is yelling at me, " you buddy, you don't know what your doing, put that down." I feel like I can't just let go of the kite so I hold onto it until he loosens up the lines. Then he comes over totally pissed, sets up the kite and launches solo.

Funny as 20 minutes earlier he was chasing his kite down the beach after not weighting the front edge. I got to watch him scramble to try and keep the kite out of the trees.

So am I doing something wrong when I flip up the kite, or should the rider tighten the lines to keep me from flying down the beach. I've tried to watch other people launch, and it always seems so easy. I don't really understand what is going on.

Thanks for any help.

[Kamikuza]

I always thought it was the pilots job to get his arse into the correct position? All the helper should be doing is standing there and letting go ...

Instructors eh ... I had one do his nut at me cos I didn't let go the kite when he wanted. Took me a while but I eventually spotted the surreptitious thumb he was twitching in my general direction like it was a secret signal or something

Launched a kite for someone the other day ... picked it up, held it then just let go when they gave me the signal - it shot forwards and into me and I stepped back to avoid it, falling over a hillock thing behind me. I looked up just in time to see the kite sailing off downwind into the trees he hadn't put the donkey dick in and hadn't hooked up the leash correctly!

... and y'all wonder why some of us prefer foils

[geniussamster]

I have a similar problem when launching other experienced riders.

They make me walk to put tension in the lines which results in the kite being strong enough to force me around, and sometimes causes the kite to crash.

My sister and I have worked out a system, when she launches for me, she stands still and I walk around till the kite stops flapping and the lines are tight. Then I slowly fly it up above me.

[sheehyjo]

My sister and I have worked out a system, when she launches for me, she stands still and I walk around till the kite stops flapping and the lines are tight. Then I slowly fly it up above me.

This is the way i try and launch. Flicking the kite up and stepping back to put tension in the lines at the same time just puts another thing in the mix to mess up.

[Toby]

the pilot should be in the correct position, not you...since you are doing him a favor!

flip the kite, hold it in the wind like a U (not like C to launch). check his position, make sure he is at 90° or even 90°+. Then flip the kite on its side to C, then launch position. If you feel and see he is not in the correct position, walk towards him to take pressure out of the lines, or walk upwind quickly.

But great job on NOT letting go when you fell over...you might have saved his life.

[philmb]

Hm, never really thought about it meself. Just kinda happens, both working together or something =/

Ya do see some funny things with people launching other people though. Was watching this guy last season. He'd hold the guys kite (lines nice n tence), then when the kiter give him the thumbs up, he'd take a few quick steps towards the kiter making the lines slack, then let go. .. wtf!! was weird, the kite would fall on the sand, bounce downwind, catch the wind n go flying down the beach with the kiter getting launched through the air behind it.. But they did the same thing again..

Really never got the theory behind that one.. Probably should of said something but, was kinda like watching monkeys in a zoo..... quite entertaining actually =/

[dave12341234]

The rider needs to walk around til the lines are tight.

The holder does not let the kite go until you get a thumbs up from the rider, if the holder sees the kite is loosely flapping in the wind (something an unexperienced rider may think is ok) you DO NOT THROW IT UP! Point in the correct direction that they should go. Its a better to have the kite forcing you around (to a point) rather it be loosely flapping in the wind. As the holder, you dont want that leading edge to turn over and come down on you,getting wrapped in lines.

Communication prevents accidents!

[foam-n-fibre]

Pick up the kite so that the kite itself is at 90 degrees to the wind, so the canopy is flapping. The lines should not be part of the equation when you are picking up the kite and putting it on its side, and there should be no rush to pull on any lines. Once the kite is on its side, then either person can take a step or 2 to carefully tension the lines. This should change the angle of the kite a bit. If both are standing in the right place, you're ready to launch, if not, one of you has to move upwind or downwind so that the kite is virtually flying but still in the launchers hands. When give the thunbs up, you let it go slowly, making sure it is not trying to drift backward out of your hards.

If the kite angle changes a LOT when you tension the lines, then someone was not standing in the right place. This increases the risk of someone getting pulled or pushed too hard, and that of course can lead to more troubles.

HTH,
Peter

[rightguard]

Thanks for all the response.

Foam-n-fibre...I think you are getting close to explaining it to me. When I pick up the kite it is face down on the beach. Should I pick it completely up so that it is still face down, but not touching the beach. Then with the kite still down wind of me turn it 90 degrees so it is standing up with both wing tips pointing sort of towards the pilot. At this point it's kind of a mystery... Do I wait for the pilot to back up to tension the lines or do I back up to tension the lines?

I think I'm doing that part wrong. I've been picking up only one wing tip like I'm flipping the kite over. Hoping the tension on the lines will keep it from flipping completely over.

Can you talk a little more about how you pick up the lines and where you are standing compared to the wind? Maybe a little more about how you do the same thing with a big kite.

When I watch guys that are really good. They seem to only really lift one wingtip into the air, but maybe that is because the pilot is setup to self launch, and only needs a little help.
Thanks again

[foam-n-fibre]

I think you're getting it now. Yes, turn the kite 90 degrees onto its side wihout relying on the lines at the bottom side of the kite being tight. Depending on the area you set up, the lines could be caught on a stick, clump of grass, someone's board rock driftwood etc. Also you need to make sure the bridles are all clear and not snagged on the kite before you want tension on the lines. As for who moves back it could be either one. It depends on the space you have to work with, and maybe water depths if one of you is in the water. When in doubt, I think it is up to the rider to position himself in the right place so you can just stand there and let go.

As for where to stand, you want to have it all set up pretty much so the kite can be flown up from the edge of the window, not a full 90 degrees to the wind but maybe 15 degrees downwind of that. If the kite is trying to drag the holder and rider and pull upwind a lot, you've set up with the kite too far downwind.

Here's a thought - you can set up with the kite lines running either straight upwind or straight downwind from the kite. If you don't walk the bar or kite far enough after that, the one with the kite downwind of the lines and bar is much more likely to end up getting a super hot launch, with too much power. You probably have to be even more careful to get your angles right if starting from a "hot launch" posirion. Of course, a limp launch with a back-staling kite starting too far the other wayis not any better, so you need it right every time.

Peter