I'm all for someone using it before they comment. Hence I question whether Paul 1 has actually tethered in high winds?
So has someone used the wombat?
Also as for insurance, are you saying that if you cause a death spiral and you are attached to the kite you have more claim to insurance than if connected to a tether system. Either way you may be farqed as I see it? I suppose the insurance would state 'normal' usage, so you may just be right here.
Somehow the 500kg is a strange statement, drill it into a soft dry sand sand dune and it could pop at 25kg, drill it into wet hard packed sand and 500kg may be valid but you are still hoping you hold everytime you hook into it.
Getting dragged on hot launch is a great experience, makes you respect the kite , keeps you on your toes for every future attempts, reminds you why there is a safety and how to use it.
at least I'm constructive and my comments aim to help. You seem to just bag whatever someone says. One could easily apply your judgement of me to yourself seeing as though you are the expert at self launching and everyone else's method is wrong. I personally see sense in both methods and think at least my argument is balanced. Just wondering what it feels like to come across as lacking the ability to analyse and think. Only you must know that feeling I presume.
so all newbies and the poor fella all by himself at horrocks next time it's at 35 knots just self launch. Forget everything everyone has said cause Paul must know what he's talking about. It's obvious just follow his carefully laid out argument it's a marvel to witness.
Hey I'm with Eppo on this one.
The basic question is how to get a kite launched single handed in a strong wind. And if the advice is use a tethered launch (with lots of good advice in the thread how to do it properly) and make sure you can self launch as well, well f'cd if I can see the problem with that.
No you are all wrong. Wtf are you thinking!! You need to self launch it is THE ONLY WAY!
Christ give me a break. I know a lot of experienced guys who don't post on this forum, because of situations like this and its a crying shame cause these are the guys people should be hearing from. Also a lot of them are retailers and run kite schools so they need to be careful not to piss people off for obvious reasons. Again these are the guys we want to hear from. I'm always learning off these guys even after 13 seasons.
Me, I don't give a toss what people say. I also rarely lose an argument its a disease I have.
I'm sure Paul is a great guy, these are only words so I mean no offence personally. I'm sure if I was in sunny Queensland we'd have a beer and a laugh about it.
Having lived on the Goldie for 5 years; Noosa for 1 summer and WA for 20 years i think the wind at 35 knots in WA is alot stronger than the humid wind in Qld at 35 knots. Shoot me down Queenslanders but a cranking seabreeze in WA has to be experienced to appreciate where i'm coming from.
For me personally i am comfortable self launching & landing until the winds really cranking. I have never tried a static launch so cant comment but would definitely be looking at it as an option if i was in Dave the original posters situation.
Lets go a hybrid system??
...set-up, tether kite, run down and hold kite in launch position to check lines and bridle. If all looks good, return kite to the ground in prep for a drag launch (though it wont drag, as you know exactly where to put it as you held it up on the window to check the lines).
Return to the fixed object, un-tether bar, but connect your harness instead. 'Drift launch' kite, untether self ??
1. No down time running back to kite (seems to be the issue of the 'drifters').
2. If **** goes bad, you aint going anywhere, plus you got a chance to check lines and know the exact angle to stop kite dragging (issue for the 'tetherer').
with the amount of people who are too far upwind when you launch their kite I can see why a tethered launch is popular.
seriously though as long as it works for you it's all good.
I even saw our local priest using his own method of self launching the other day. He puts sand behind the middle of the leading edge (4 strut kite)with the kite on it's back and launches like the old c kite style. It works but everyone down wind gets covered in sand.(yes I know he should be downwind of them)
Damn thats a new one. Never seen that. Sprayed by holy sand can't be a bad thing. Lol
I've often thought that the launch is kite surfings weakest point, easy to do on a wide open beach in a stable breeze, can be frickern scary on a narrow beach with beach goers around, kids, obstacles etc....
In A bar downwind set up......What if.....you could somehow walk the bar all the way up to the kite...... launch the kite yourself with the kite straight down wind from you and maybe slightly off to one side out of the power window, steering and power lines run back through the bar, you control the kite buy tilting the bar forward to slow the rate of launch and back towards you to increase the rate.....letting the lines flow, just like feeding a winch on a boat......then the chicken loop hits the bar and you hook in. depower would have to be below the bar....
Dunno...but surely it could be refined by the manufacturers.
yep got that a wombat would do the same thing but would be hard to train/carry/feed and carry back to the car....did i skim the wombat post part...let me know.
seems an easy one to me, if you want to feel safer and dont want to risk damaging your kite then a tethered launch is the way to go, if its nuking then use a bit of sand on your wing tip as a bit of added security whilst walking back to kite , a wombat is fine with horizontal pull but vertical would be a bit iffy,not sure what people class a blasting wind ,but what we get here i and the locals wouldnt dream of self launch and land
At 35 knots, real solid wind not gusts, Im on my 5m 2007 Waroo, I check my safety and self launch without the donkey dick in. Use the right kite for the right wind conditions and theres no increase in danger. self launches are getting the angle right, and can be safer than someone who doesnt know how to assist.
Many kitesurfers dont understand how to launch perfectly with an assist, so a tether to an object that wont move may be an option in strong winds to increase their safety.
Love the SH%^ fight....... Eppo, relax dude....
I'm cool, I'm cool. Just didn't like his attitude Dave saying self launch is the only way. It is not. But I do agree that everyone needs to learn to self launch in lighter winds first. I use both so see advantages to both. The wombat, mm don't know about that one. Do you carry this as well as your electric pump down the beach????
on a side note.
I have a special bar/line set for extreme conditions. it only comes out 28+ knots. Last thing I want is a breakage in those high winds.
I also have crispy kites for those winds too.
If I see another dimwit self-launch or land on a packed beach or even a beach with a few people walking past I think I'll cut their lines.
Don't care if you kill yourself but if you injure another bystander we all get punished by bans, insurance premiums and licensing. Amazed how often I see this!
