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Self-landing. Say again?!

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Postby Guest » Mon Sep 09, 2002 5:47 pm

Royce mentioned a way to fly to the edge of the window...nose the kite down...and pull a line to rotate the kite into the 'parking' position...smile at the ladies and grin like hell internally. I can't seem to make it work.

I'm wondering if it is because I have the Slingshot setup where you have the leash going to a back line on the outside of the bar and super-long leaders. I cannot pull either two left's or two right's at the same time. I think this is the only way this would work, eh?

I'm pretty much alone and launching is pretty easy but I do not impress the ladies with my landings.

Any ideas?

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Postby ctkiteboarding » Mon Sep 09, 2002 6:19 pm

i use royces idea often but if you dont have the space or the skill id say keep it in the water, same style but after you put the kite lead down depower by the leash or if not using a leash??? pull the bottom line to flag the kite , MAKE SURE its the correct line, or you could get in to trouble, i use a depower ring on my kite rig just incase , the best bet is a proper leash system, olr find a kite buddy

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Postby Dwight » Mon Sep 09, 2002 6:40 pm

On 2002-09-09 18:47, Anonymous wrote:
Royce mentioned a way to fly to the edge of the window...nose the kite down...and pull a line to rotate the kite into the 'parking' position...smile at the ladies and grin like hell internally. I can't seem to make it work.

I'm wondering if it is because I have the Slingshot setup where you have the leash going to a back line on the outside of the bar and super-long leaders. I cannot pull either two left's or two right's at the same time. I think this is the only way this would work, eh?

I'm pretty much alone and launching is pretty easy but I do not impress the ladies with my landings.

Any ideas?
You have the best leash system for self landing. When you crash the kite down, to the side of the window, deploy the leash and that spins the kite and kills it. It also helps stretch the kite out when it lands nose down, further helping it stay down. You don't pull two lines, only the leash line. There is only one side to the window that works with this leash. When the kite slams on the beach, you want the leashed tip to pull toward you.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Dwight on 2002-09-09 19:42 ]</font>

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Postby ptraykovski » Mon Sep 09, 2002 6:53 pm

This technique is a bit tricky but works well in lightish winds. Make sure you have at leasst 1.5-2 lines length of room straight dowwind in case the kite tumbles and make sure there are no sharp shells etc that your kite will land on.

Then what you do is fly your kite close to the edge of the window about 30-40 feet above the ground with your leash on either of the upper strings. ( front or back line is fine as long the leash is not on the string closer to the ground). Then dive the kite so it is flying straight down and before impact let go of your bar and deploy the leash. Sometimes also taking a few fast steps toward your kite as it dives helps to decrease the line tension and give a slightly slower impact. Be sure to let go soon enough, about 15 feet before impact!

What will happen is as you throw the bar the kite will rotate so it is leadind edge into the wind and pin itself on the ground. The most common mistake I make on doing this is not diving it straight down. If you dive at an angle the upper wing tip will not hit the ground at the same time as the rest of the leading edge and the kite will semi-relaunch in a depowered mode and tumble to straight downwind. You want the whole leadin edge to hit at once. This is abit heavy on the kite so use this technique with caution. I only do it is light wind as the big kite are heavy and tend to stick when landed in this manner.

You don't need to pull two lines at once just throw your bar.

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Postby Guest » Tue Sep 10, 2002 1:59 am

Dwight & Pete: Thanks. I just wasn't completing all the steps. Luckily, I have a large, sand beach to work off of. The water is the easiest, but wet kites are heavy to lug home when you're all poop'ed out.

The only part I don't like is "diving" the kite into the ground. I think I'll try it on a beater first. Thanks again.

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Postby Toby » Tue Sep 10, 2002 2:06 am

Ptraykosvski:
your system only works to one side!
If you have the leash at the left side, you have to land the kite to the right.
And the other way round.

Toby

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Postby ptraykovski » Tue Sep 10, 2002 5:46 am

yes, definitely only works one one side! Although with a front line leash system you can pick which side you will land on at the beginning of your session when you rig...

ps I hardy ever use this technique...even though it does work I find it is really a bit hard on the kite unless the wind is superlight and most of my beaches are to rocky/sheely/small

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Postby Mr Jo Macdonald » Tue Sep 10, 2002 8:08 am

Another way in light wind is to luff the kite by walking under it, catch it as it glides down if you feel up for it.
Or, just bring it down at the edge of the window and it'll probably fall onto the beach anyway, then you can pull it round a bit so it's facing into the wind.
There are a few techniques for sell landing that work in light wind, strong wind is another ball game.
Personnally, don't like the idea of diving a kite down on the beach, first you can't know if there are any sharp shells or what where it'll hit and it will also hit pretty hard anyway. Sounds like a good way to bust your kite up.

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Postby Ray-au » Tue Sep 10, 2002 8:41 am

The above mentioned self landing only works in light winds. In 20knots+ the kite starts sliding backwards, and will relaunch in the powerzone. If your lucky it just tumbles down the beach. The kite wont stay down without any sand or board waying it down. If you do insist on trying this, you have to get to the kite as fast as you can, and be prepared to reach into one of the lines if the kite begins to take off. Its better to cut your hand than injure a bystander

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Postby JMF » Tue Sep 10, 2002 9:25 am

Also pick up the latest copy of KITEWORLD magazine they have a tutorial on self landing LEI's with pictures..............


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