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mikie
Since 06 Nov 2011
21 Posts
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 Sun Feb 12, 12 9:28 pm Rebel self launch issue |
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| I was out today checking out self launching with my Rebel tied off to a steak in the snow for the first time. Tried it several times and each time the kite was sitting on snow with little movement. Then one time it powered up and launched, quickly followed by a hard nose dive. So my question is what made it happen? Wind had picked up to about 20 mph and had a 7 m. Would having the kite too far upwind or too far downwind cause it. How about a gust? Any thoughts appreciated. |
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Aeolus
Since 20 Apr 2010
354 Posts
Gold Beach, OR
OR-SoCo-Aficionado
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| Sun Feb 12, 12 10:25 pm |
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I'm going to guess gust on this one, but if you had a steering line all bunged up at the bar or something not skookum with your lines that might do it.
If you self launch a lot off of a fixed anchor you're going to see some crazy kite behavior over time. The gusty/lulling/shifty-self launching combo no doubt sucks donkey balls. It makes you want to get some kiting friends so you don't have to self launch.
I generally don't stand around eating a ham sandwich after launching a kite on a fixed anchor. Sometimes I babysit the kite for a few seconds while it bounces on it's wing tip. If the wind is shifty and gusty you have quite the self launch scene to deal with and should be careful.
Scenario: you set kite out...looks relatively stable....you starting eating aforementioned ham sandwich and take you're good ol time getting back to the wheel....wind lulls...kite falls and rolls into the window....wind comes gusting back and then we all get to see how good your anchor is  |
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harriet
Since 10 Jun 2007
64 Posts
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| Sun Feb 12, 12 10:44 pm |
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A lull, gust, wind shift, etc. can cause an undesired launch.
I know of a guy who anchored from his snowmobile. Kite launched, dragging said sled downwind with it.
Respect the ghost launch. Lol |
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RayFinkle
Since 01 Feb 2012
10 Posts
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| Mon Feb 13, 12 12:09 am Re: Rebel self launch issue |
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| mikie wrote: | | I was out today checking out self launching with my Rebel tied off to a steak in the snow for the first time. Tried it several times and each time the kite was sitting on snow with little movement. Then one time it powered up and launched, quickly followed by a hard nose dive. So my question is what made it happen? Wind had picked up to about 20 mph and had a 7 m. Would having the kite too far upwind or too far downwind cause it. How about a gust? Any thoughts appreciated. |
You definitely want to get to the kite as quickly as possible, a tip a friend passed on to me is to grab front bridal line that is closest to the ground and just slide your hand along it while making your way back to the kite. To be clear not the steering line but the front line. Next time you pump up hold onto one of your front line attachment point where you attach the line the the bridal and you will see how the kite behaves, it just kind of floats there up and down a bit but controllable. Anywho if you hold onto that line while you make your way back to the kite you can keep the kite on the ground. There is always those few seconds where you let go at the swivel and get to the bar but once you have the bar you should be good.
Last tip is to tie your tether to something more reliable than a ground auger. A car, sign, tree, even snowmobile will be more secure in most cases. I've had friends who have had a ground auger rip out of the ground when the kite launched itself and crashed into a wedding! True Story! |
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Justsmile
Since 20 Jul 2009
1530 Posts
Not Portland
XTreme Poster
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| Mon Feb 13, 12 5:16 am |
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| Use the self launch quite often. Works well but I have seen some people put some sand on the inside of the kite that is touching the ground to hold it stable for a short time. Saw a recent video on sbc kiteboarding by matt nuzzo. He puts the chicken loop over his trailer hitch. We use a carabiner/ clip and a rope secured to the trailer hitch to avoid the chicken loop coming dislodged with a gust of wind etc. Appears to be much safer !! |
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wylieflyote
Since 30 Jun 2006
1648 Posts
Puget Sound & Wa. Coast
XTreme Poster
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| Mon Feb 13, 12 7:42 am Re: Rebel self launch issue |
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| RayFinkle wrote: | | a tip a friend passed on to me is to grab front bridal line that is closest to the ground and just slide your hand along it while making your way back to the kite. |
I'm no expert, but I pretty much self-launch non-stop while I kite alone in Mexico and Brazil. This method is proven for me in shifty gusty conditions. I set the kite on edge, but I then gently hold the LE and observe it's behavior, then I sprint to the spot in the lines where I can grab a front line (gently), then I walk to the bar and hook in and fly the kite. There is definitely no time to break for a cigarette. The kite is out of my direct control only briefly when I let go of the LE and before I've reached the front line. I am confident I can kill the kite with a front line.
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Kip Wylie |
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J_Matic
Since 14 Oct 2011
158 Posts
InDaHo
Stoked
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| Mon Feb 13, 12 8:47 am |
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| KMG-365 wrote: | | He puts the chicken loop over his trailer hitch. We use a carabiner/ clip and a rope secured to the trailer hitch to avoid the chicken loop coming dislodged with a gust of wind etc. Appears to be much safer !! |
Here on the rocky shorelines of Idaho with few spare kiters to launch & land, this is the preferred technique. We'll back a track up into a perpendicular position to the wind direction and 'hitch' the chicken loop via carabiner quick-draw to get the kiter in a stable edge of the window spot before hooking in.
As mentioned above, this is a short-term solution for self-launching and if eating a ham sandwich is part of the deal, well eat it quick and get on with it or close the kite off completely.
Getting yarded during self-launch is inevitable over time though, no matter how safe you are something will sooner or later go wrong. Just sayin' |
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mikie
Since 06 Nov 2011
21 Posts
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| Mon Feb 13, 12 10:07 am North rebel launching. |
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| Thanks for the tips. Will try using the front line tip when the wind dies down,blowing 60 mph now. |
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