The Kite Launcher

mschulz · Since 29 May 2007 530 Posts Reno, NV Addicted

Any One use one of these?

http://www.kitelauncher.com/product.php?product_ID=5

tinyE · Since 21 Jan 2006 2004 Posts not really an XTreme Poster

yeah, i keep it with my go-joe. Laughing

mschulz · Since 29 May 2007 530 Posts Reno, NV Addicted

Definitely gay.

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

There are much better ways to spend $65. Like getting a massage to undo the stress of having to untangle your lines Wink

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

I'm 0-2 with this thing that lives somewhere in my car - thought it would be good for drift launching - I think you are better off just spooling your lines into a bucket.

Unless you got $49 and its yours

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

Bought one and tried to use it for like 5 mins, got frustrated, then said fuck it and tossed it at the bottom of the gear pile (like Gman.)

IMO the best is just to leave lines attached to your kite if you can. I do every once in awhile, but I am not as religous about it as guys like Henry or Tom.

mschulz · Since 29 May 2007 530 Posts Reno, NV Addicted

It is amazing how much gear we all collect that are suppose to save us time, and we always end up going back to the basics. I didn't actually think any one would have bought one of these.

I prefer the bucket method for boat launches with the aide of a line manager. $5 dollar Home Depot bucket, home made line manager, works every time.

DROCK999 · Since 31 May 2007 852 Posts Left Coast Opinionated

such a long list of pros who endorse this product too.

safetychek · Since 07 Nov 2006 72 Posts Hood River

I've got one that I used with 4 and 5 line kites (prior to buying bows).

It came in real handy where I was launching from shallow water, and there were a lot of weeds close to shore.

Without the launcher, dragging the lines through the weeds always made for a kitemare.

If you are launching in a weed-free area, then I'd agree with the crowd, and spend your money on gear or beer.

-Stuart

Cool

97031 · Thu May 29, 08 9:48 pm

Is there a much of a difference between using this and just self-launching by unwrapping your lines from the bar? I`m interested to know if drift launching straight from the bar has caused people a lot of troubles. I could see it being tricky in hight winds.

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

sometimes one line will unwrap while others stay on, it creates a bug mess right away, similar to when wrapping the bar while self-rescuing fails.

pdxmonkeyboy · Thu May 29, 08 11:27 pm

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

kitezilla · Since 22 Jun 2006 453 Posts gorge Obsessed

Here is a copy of a post I entered on a thread on Kiteforum in 2005, when the Kitelauncher first went into production. It expresses the view from outside the “kiddie pool”, where the not-to-cool geeks and tinkerers hang out.

After three years, I feel that point #(1) has the most merit, and that courtesy and consideration for our band of brother kiters, on our over-crowded kite beaches, remains the greatest justification for the use of this gadget.

Warning: Don’t get me started on “drift-launching”…..I will go on…and on….and on….

From 2005 post...

“I have put a lot of thought into the value of the Turbolauncher. I have nothing but respect for its inventor. My heroes have always been inventors.......especially the ones who invent toys.....recreational items for kids and adults. These people have done as much for the good of modern day, overly stressed, frustrated and over-worked humanity as the inventors of valium and Prozac. These special people have risked bodily injury from the initial testing of their recreational devices, have risked liver damage from the toxic fumes of epoxy, PVC glue, metal filings, and lung disease from dust particulates, psychological damage from being ridiculed and under appreciated......They are modern day heroes to me!

Back to the Turbolauncher.......It seems it was designed to solve 2 main problems:

(1) As a courtesy to other kiters and beach goers, to keep beaches free of lines, and the lines in an oriented, untangled state for quick and easy deployment.

(2) As a tool to make drift launching a kite less dangerous and annoying, by minimizing the infinite combinations of knots, snags, braids and tangles, that drifting kite lines have a propensity to produce, as a result of wind gusts, waves, waterborne debris, vegetation, rocks......etc.

I get the feeling that the device is not selling like hotcakes, even though it is elegantly designed, and probably achieves the above goals. People seem shocked by the price, but do not realize that the design and manufacturing costs of such a tool, for as small a population as the kiting community, demand such prices. The other reason for the lack of interest in the Turbolauncher, is that of what to do with it after the lines have been unwound from it. Had I been a consultant on the project, I would have suggested:

(a) Put a pocket in the back containing a little anchor and line, so that the item could remain in the water as buoy to tie you flip-flops to while you were out kiting. We do this at some locations in the rocky-bottomed Columbia River Gorge, where you need sandals to survive the pain and slickness of the bottom.

(b) Make the device inflatable, using a sewn nylon outer shell and a bladder to be pumped up with a kite pump. After using it, deflate it and tuck it in your vest or shorts, or a little pouch under the board handle.

Sorry about this opinionated aside, but I couldn't stop myself.

Answer me this though.....you users of the Turbolauncher:

Can one use it to feed out the lines, when the one line, that is the traditional "C" kite reride safety line, is wrapped somewhere, in order for that line to be the kite's length shorter than the other 3 lines? Is it better to have the extra line wrapped on the back side of the bar? Or somewhere on the Turbolauncher itself?

Also, do you think that it would be a good idea to use some kind of an automatic braking line feeding device (as I describe in the link below), to feed out the kite on its safety line?

http://www.kiteforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2321829

Thanks in advance for your response. ”
……………………………….................................

FL_Kiteboarder · Since 02 Feb 2009 48 Posts Ft. Pierce, FL USA

-
When opportunity knocks, take it.
This unique insight into the life of a Professional Kite Launcher
shows that dreams can come true when you have failed at everything else...

Link

Brought to you by Tom Court

SHARE THIS VIDEO - http://bit.ly/ProKiteLauncher

For more Kite Line & Launch Tools - http://bit.ly/KiteLaunchTools

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

i don't land kites Thumb's Up

hiphop · Since 22 Aug 2008 11 Posts PDX

WHY???????