Weta, I think Eppo is referring to me, I'm the new bloke who sent his kite for a ride down the beach in 30+ when the strap failed.
Appreciate all the tips guys, when it's honking I now double up with a spare safety on the 5 th, and am going to get a lesson in how to self launch unassisted.
Lesson from yesterday, don't forget to put the donkey dick into the chicken loop. Duuuhhhhh. Another unexpected kite dissapearance. At least I had control of it, and it depowered nicely. Another WTF moment.
Cheers
Nah was talking about the guy who posted, sorry weta I know you have been around a while. And to the dude who said if you don't self launch you shouldn't be out there, how long you been at it mate?
Anyone whose new to this don't listen to such trite been at it for 13 seasons and tethering has its place especially alone and in crazy high winds. Also much less wear and tare on your kite. But as I said don't get complacent, still self launch to keep the skill honed.
Thanks Eppo..
Using the beach car to launch (with my strong new system ) is good.
I will learn the unassisted way, in time.
Thanks guys !
another reason to get your self landing down...
i was on a remote beach yesterday, no-one around. Came in and am still not sure how, but released the emergency release. Kite was fully powered with a dyna-bar which isn't the easiest to hook back into and the kite was kickin around pretty seriously
Grabbed both centre lines, pulled the kite down and at about 5m off the ground reefed hard on the closest centre line to pull the leading edge down. Then when it landed pulled the closest centre line to bring the kite dead on the wind so wouldn't roll into relaunch
Saved me screwing around trying to re-hook or just dump the kite with a thumping landing and maybe body drag
only drama was i'd snapped a fin off my sb earlier. but that let me work on keeping an edge on way out. think i'll remove all fins when it's serious low tide. seemed to hang in ok with just an occassional slide
Up to 3 days ago, I would agree with rteam RPM that untethered is ok. However, upon self launching off the sand the other day, my bridle bar pressure options attachment on the leading edge must have snagged something as it was about to launch, and undone it.
End result - Front line on one side was no longer attached to the kite, kite went up in the air and started the good ole deathloop towards our sea wall.
I reached up the lines and grabbed the remaining attached front line, yanked it and 'self landed' it. EPIC line burn on my hands.
Pretty narrow launch window at our spot, next stop is a sea wall (about 3m) then a cafe, so couldn't just release it.
If it was tethered, first it wouldn't have snagged, 2 - If it was loose, I would have seen it when I held it up, and 3 - it would have been attached to something heavy and wasnt going anywhere.
yeah, good point, a death looping kite attached to your car would have been sick fun and done much less damage than just releasing it.......
Dave you gotta take care in the winds you get up your way............you're learning fast what not to do but man the donkey dick/chicken loop finger thing worries me. Thats kiting 101.
Take it Easy
Great to hear you have the stoke Dave, i wasn't being critical just genuinely concerned. Just out of interest; have you had lessons from a professional instructor?
I haven't kited Horrocks yet but hope to make it up your way this season; i'll send ya a pm when i'm heading up. I kited Port Gregory a few years back.
Eppo's on Fire no need to extrapolate the message there!!!
Any thoughts on the Wombat as a safe static launch/landing aid Eppo?
Yeh mate if you take something out of the crew having a go at using a tether, you should consider as you are learning to self launch. There are situations when you can't tether. Hey won't you go down to spot x in less wind and practise. If ya want tips on self launching pm me. Also I remember talking to puertz or was it plummet ages ago about this, I use a different system but they have some good ideas.
Mate as far as using another leash in real high winds I too have never thought of that so we all learn from this which is awesome.
Dear me paul1, so you are suggesting it is best to have the death spiralling kite attached to yourself as the fixed point? I think we may need to work through your logic here although it seems logic and your argument have nothing to do with each other.
And yes I do highly rate wishy, the guys a damn madman and someone who goes out in nuking winds regardless of the nature of this post.
I do see merit in your argument from the perspective one needs to learn to self launch even in high winds.
I'm saying that tethering is a safer option. If the kite wants to death spiral as you say, Id rather it be tethered to a fixed object rather than myself. By tethering also you can minimise the chance of bridals etc catching and causing the death spiral in the first place.
I'm intrigued to find out where you have any room whatsoever in developing a decent point of view from here. Go on, what ya thinking now mate? Lol
Yeh true wave. I reckon anything over 25 knots though I'm starting to consider launching options. Gets bloody windy up in gero though. Lucky bastards.
Maybe Paul likes the thrill of what may happen! Or hasn't been on the end of a death spiralling kite in 30 plus winds? Still trying to see any logic in his argument, no wait, hang on..... No nothing.
Im glad you went back to windsurfing. Its where the real men hang out and watch kiters bail there **** due to lack of weather knowledge in epic winds
In terms of quoting wind speeds, I go off the Gero port authority weather station. Which is relayed through the seabreeze Gero offshore wind tracker. It's further offshore than than the beach, which may mean wind on the beach is a few knots less, probably. But whatever, it's just a number to baseline relative experiences for me. 30 35 on that reading is full on my limit on my rebel 7, and we had a few days of it last week.
And Eppo, have wavesailed heaps at oakagee, just not sure my kiting is mature enough yet to deal with the crowd. I'm happier learning and making dum mistakes on the quiet home territory.
Thanks for the advice guys.
Dave
I would imagine that if in the event that some bystander was injured by an out of control kite having used the this meathod of launch you could well be considered negligent. No one is in control of the kite for 15 to 20 secs while you run back to the car or whatever and take control, seriously doubt your insurance is going to cover you.
learn to self launch and land properly by an instructor bud. Rhino is a pain in the ass but he is right, been an instructor in Brisbane for 5 years.
Cheers guys, weekend is here and the winds up!
i am pretty much the only one at my area that launches with a teather. The rest prefer to drag launch. They are very good at drag launching. but every now and then someone gets dragged over the rocks and goes to hospital for a stuffed up drag launch.
i don't like the anchor idea. there is potential for it to get torn out of the ground. then you have a powered kite draging a pointy spear down the beach at high speed.
I always teather to a solid object. massive log, boulder, fence post, car.
The idea of a strong canvice bag full of sand is a good one. then in huge gusts the bag can be dragged a little but and in effect depower the kite by doing so.
Never used a wombat so can't really comment. Plummet may have a point but I'm sure some people use them effectively.
As for sand bags yes seen them used successfully.
Also watched a mate the other day set up his lines at 90 degrees to the wind, hence in place apart from the bar spin for launching. Makes a lot of sense as you can avoid seaweed etc getting caught in the lines from walking up and across the beach. Used it a few times now on a self launch. Something to consider anyhow.
if a drag launch is a hot launch, agreed it's sketchy
self-launch to the side of the window is heaps safer and controllable, and can be fully de-powered, and you can use it anywhere- if you get washed up on the beach, away from your tether, you can get airborne without drama
