Northwest Kiteboarding
Forum | Classifieds | Lost & Found | CGKA | Industry | Sensors | Forecast | Spots | Seattle | Decals | RSS | Facebook

Events | Photos | Search | Register | Profile | Log in to check your messages | Log in 

The Kite Launcher
Page 1, 2  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Northwest Kiteboarding -> Gorge / Portland / Oregon Coast
previous topic :: next topic  
Author Message
mschulz

Since 29 May 2007
530 Posts
Reno, NV
Addicted



PostThu May 29, 08 12:58 pm    The Kite Launcher Reply with quote

Any One use one of these?

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

_________________
MS

View user's profile Send private message
tinyE

Since 21 Jan 2006
2004 Posts
not really an
XTreme Poster



PostThu May 29, 08 1:10 pm     Reply with quote

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

View user's profile Send private message
mschulz

Since 29 May 2007
530 Posts
Reno, NV
Addicted



PostThu May 29, 08 1:18 pm     Reply with quote

Definitely gay.
_________________
MS

View user's profile Send private message
genek

Since 21 Jul 2006
2165 Posts
East Po
KGB



PostThu May 29, 08 1:22 pm     Reply with quote

There are much better ways to spend $65. Like getting a massage to undo the stress of having to untangle your lines Wink
_________________
The Slider Project, LLC
Support the cause!
http://www.sliderproject.com/

View user's profile Send private message
Gman

Since 11 Feb 2006
4911 Posts
Portland
Unstrapped



PostThu May 29, 08 1:24 pm     Reply with quote

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

_________________
Go Deep!


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eu2pBpQolKE

View user's profile Send private message
pkh

Since 27 Feb 2005
6549 Posts
Couve / Hood
Honored Founder



PostThu May 29, 08 1:27 pm     Reply with quote

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.

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
mschulz

Since 29 May 2007
530 Posts
Reno, NV
Addicted



PostThu May 29, 08 1:31 pm     Reply with quote

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.

_________________
MS

View user's profile Send private message
DROCK999

Since 31 May 2007
852 Posts
Left Coast
Opinionated



PostThu May 29, 08 2:36 pm     Reply with quote

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

View user's profile Send private message
safetychek

Since 07 Nov 2006
72 Posts
Hood River
 



PostThu May 29, 08 9:12 pm     Reply with quote

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

View user's profile Send private message
97031

Since 22 May 2008
145 Posts
Hood River
Stoked

CGKA Member


PostThu May 29, 08 9:48 pm     Reply with quote

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.

View user's profile Send private message
Spike

Since 13 May 2007
1414 Posts
Alameda
Spelling Expert



PostThu May 29, 08 9:50 pm     Reply with quote

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.

View user's profile Send private message
pdxmonkeyboy

Since 16 May 2006
6081 Posts
forever labled as the
retired kiter & motorhead Unicorn Master



PostThu May 29, 08 11:27 pm     Reply with quote

Spike wrote:
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.


dude, you do not want a bug mess on your hands!! Smile

View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Spike

Since 13 May 2007
1414 Posts
Alameda
Spelling Expert



PostFri May 30, 08 5:32 am     Reply with quote

pdxmonkeyboy wrote:
Spike wrote:
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.


dude, you do not want a bug mess on your hands!! Smile
Laughing dammit. some day I'll live up to my reputation...

View user's profile Send private message
kitezilla

Since 22 Jun 2006
453 Posts
gorge
Obsessed



PostFri May 30, 08 6:14 am     Reply with quote

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. ”
……………………………….................................

View user's profile Send private message
FL_Kiteboarder

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



PostMon Oct 25, 10 12:26 pm     Reply with quote

-
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

_________________
Marc
Cabrinha - XBOW '09 16m / GK - Trix '08 12m & 9m / Eclipse -Thruster '08 14m
VIDEO: Kiteboarder Struck by Lightning

View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Gman

Since 11 Feb 2006
4911 Posts
Portland
Unstrapped



PostMon Oct 25, 10 1:29 pm     Reply with quote

i don't land kites Thumb's Up
_________________
Go Deep!


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eu2pBpQolKE

View user's profile Send private message
hiphop

Since 22 Aug 2008
11 Posts
PDX
 



PostMon Oct 25, 10 1:57 pm     Reply with quote

WHY???????
_________________
New Addict

View user's profile Send private message
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Northwest Kiteboarding -> Gorge / Portland / Oregon Coast All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You can attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum