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Lines Layed Out ~ A time out?

 
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Freeride Kiter

Since 08 Jul 2011
698 Posts
Alaska / PNW / Baja
Instructor



PostTue Jul 22, 14 6:28 pm    Lines Layed Out ~ A time out? Reply with quote

Any thoughts as to how long lines should be on the ground and run out (in time) before you're ready to go?

Again at Rufus I'd see people in "street clothes" pump up the kite, attach lines and run them out - then disappear for 20+ minutes while they got dressed and chatted with others.

In the mean time, other folks are looking for a place to setup and run lines. During launches of other kites it's hard to look down and step between or over lines on the ground. I about gave up and was ready to just walk on 'em and chalk whatever happened "to lesson learned".

The Firefighter / Paramedic / Rescue Diver in me kept me off them but not without a few comments to people as they came back for a launch.

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bigjohn

Since 13 Mar 2012
663 Posts

Addicted



PostTue Jul 22, 14 7:04 pm     Reply with quote

Good Topic;

My 2 cents says:

1) pump your kite
2) run your lines
3) attach your lines
4) wrap your lines back up onto your bar with a little slack and lay your bar by your kite.

Then you can go put your suit on, yap with your buddies or what ever until you are ready to go out.

When you are finally ready to go out and have located a launch buddy it is much easier to navigate to the launch area with wrapped up lines. Once you are at the launch area it only takes a few seconds to unwrap your lines. Before the final launch, tension your lines. You may have to spin your bar to get your lines straight, however it is very easy.

It is both rude and dangerous to leave your lines spread out all over the place. Other kiters are coming in and going out. Inevitably some lines will be over other lines and sorting it out takes time and creates a potential for tangles.


** Take care not to roll your bar through your lines

*** On a side note, learn how to hot wrap your bar (I do this regularly with a very low failure rate). Create a repeatable system and save yourself some time on the beach as you will not have to run your lines.

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Blazeheliski

Since 30 Mar 2011
655 Posts
Mosier
Addicted



PostWed Jul 23, 14 7:48 am     Reply with quote

The normal routine at Stevenson seems to be good for just about any crowded launch. Pump up kite. Chat with buddies/ get suited up and ready to fly - then lay out lines - attach to kite and get launched asap.

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dyyylan

Since 14 May 2014
26 Posts
Hood River
 



PostWed Jul 23, 14 12:02 pm     Reply with quote

I think the spot is the deciding factor. Where I'm from we never rolled up lines because there would be less than 5 kiters total on a huge beach, so you could leave stuff attached and not deal with it. At a spot like stevenson I usually attach my lines right after pumping up, but roll them up and make sure they're not in the way. At HR it depends on the traffic, I don't really hang out on the sandbar very long anyway though.

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ldhr

Since 21 Jul 2009
1470 Posts
Hood River
XTreme Poster



PostWed Jul 23, 14 12:19 pm     Reply with quote

It's an issue at small crowded beaches like Rufus and the Event Site early season when we launch off the grass.
Not so much at issue on the coastal beaches.
If you're polite and explain why they shouldn't leave their lines laid out while they get dressed - most people understand and change their behavior.
Personally - I get dressed, carry everything to the beach, pump up, lay out lines, self launch and get outta there in 7 minutes.
Pumping up with my wetsuit on warms up my muscles.
I don't like leaving my gear on any beach anytime. Dogs, UV rays, wind gusts, stupid tourists......

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dwaynej

Since 09 Sep 2013
207 Posts

Stoked

CGKA Member


PostWed Jul 23, 14 12:19 pm     Reply with quote

I set up and launch which is common at many sites. At Belmont Shores, quite a few kiters will have multiple kites/lines set up lying on the beach and alternate kites based on conditions.

I can't bring myself to leave kites pumped up on the beach, since having spent years sailing and hang gliding, I know UV eats up our kite fabrics. Whenever I switch kites, I will pack away the old kite.

Dwayne

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LapDog

Since 19 Dec 2008
66 Posts
White Salmon
 



PostWed Jul 23, 14 4:14 pm     Reply with quote

Here's a good reason to launch soon after rigging.

The longer the interval between rigging and launching, the more likely that the selected kite will be the wrong size! Winds change.

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dyyylan

Since 14 May 2014
26 Posts
Hood River
 



PostThu Jul 24, 14 4:05 pm     Reply with quote

LapDog wrote:
Here's a good reason to launch soon after rigging.

The longer the interval between rigging and launching, the more likely that the selected kite will be the wrong size! Winds change.


especially when you're pumping up your 13 at the event site because it doesn't look that windy. then you carry your kite to the sandbar and start getting sand blasted Confused

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AC

Since 04 Jul 2012
66 Posts

 

CGKA Member


PostFri Jul 25, 14 8:19 pm    It's just being considerate at a crowded launch . . . Reply with quote

I'm with LDHR. Bring all gear to launch site. Put on your suit/rash guard/etc, pump up kite, lay out and attach lines, launch, and get the eff away from launch/land zone. Don't leave lines or kites laying around taking up space at crowded launch and landing sites.

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Freeride Kiter

Since 08 Jul 2011
698 Posts
Alaska / PNW / Baja
Instructor



PostSat Jul 26, 14 7:51 am     Reply with quote

I try to be as efficient and courteous as possible especially when visiting other launches. So keeping my gear together and out of the way is important to me, plus kiting up here wreaks havoc already on lines and fabric with the glacier silt, ice, blades etc..

I will come down to the launch suited up with all the gear. Pump the kite and run/connect lines - then if I'm ready to go, get in line and launch. If not, I will wrap the lines and secure the kite out of the way.

I like kiting Rufus, but maybe I just need to launch on the north side or further west to avoid that kind of stuff on crowded days.

All in all though - it's always great. I'm just not a fan of leaving stuff strewn out for others to have to try and avoid.

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kitezilla

Since 22 Jun 2006
453 Posts
gorge
Obsessed



PostSat Jul 26, 14 8:46 am     Reply with quote

Down at the south Flats in SPI, I had just come in and had my lines laying out with an "S" shaped loop, in the sand/mud... two guys in two lifted trucks came roaring through, between my kite and my bar... I figured each line got run over something like 16 times.

Nothing snagged on the trucks, and I didn't take it personally...'cause of what I saw in the back windows. Ha, ha...

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krazedkiter

Since 08 Jun 2009
183 Posts
Florida
Stoked



PostSun Jul 27, 14 9:10 pm     Reply with quote

This should apply at any beach, crowded or not. But I do understand the guys riding on big wide open beaches in the middle of nowhere. A kite that gets away in the wind with rolled up lines is less likely to do damage then a kite with lines un-rolled. Just picture it in the air and picture it getting snagged on someone or something and powering up.

Also. where I come from, when you are ready to launch, you pick up your kite and bar, walk the kite to the launch area (the spot where the launcher will be standing) and hand the kite to the launcher that was nice enough to do it for you. Then walk out the lines and get the fudge out of the launch landing area and go ride.

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Krazed

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Oqion

Since 28 Jul 2014
2 Posts

New Member



PostMon Jul 28, 14 3:12 am    Lines tip Reply with quote

To speed the line process you can attach the lines to each other when putting the lines up. Since most brands now hove loops on the front lines and knots on the outside, simply attach the left together and the right together. Then use one of the loops to attach the left and right lines. If there is a fifth line attach all the left and right sets with the fifth. When you go to lay out the lines, they are almost always strait all the way to the end.

In addition tying off the line attachment bundle as described above to the kite will keep the lines from getting twisted.

I have the system down now to the point that I am about 80% successful just reattaching the lines and laying them out. I still walk them to be sure, but it takes 1/10 the time.

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AlterEgo

Since 25 Jul 2014
6 Posts

Kook



PostMon Jul 28, 14 5:27 am     Reply with quote

I think the original question is good based on the scenario and the rider dealt with it. But as for the rest of the viewers and comments youre reading into it too much. Not that big of a deal. You can always tell when the wind sucks by the amount of time we spend on nonsensical issues.

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