Self-Launch – Lines up wind or downwind?

wylieflyote · Thu Jul 02, 15 2:05 pm

Years ago we were all rigging up for the "Blowout" race from Stevenson to Sandbar. With over 60 kiters essentially rigging in a parking lot... it pretty much demanded that we all rig one-direction only. I don't remember which up-down direction it was... but it was a deal breaker for my friend who couldn't switch-hit.
Yes, a competent kiter should have the skill to rig up or down. Just a quick occasional glance at your kook-proof red or blue should be sufficient.
Unless you've purchased the newer Naishes with yellow & grey? WTF? Smile

Blazeheliski · Since 30 Mar 2011 655 Posts Mosier Addicted

Yes - any competent kiter should know how to rig upways, downways, sideways - anyway. On a crowded day at Rufus a few weeks ago - I had to run my lines sideways over the bushes. But crowded Rufus, Stevenson or any tight spot - I am generally not doing a standard sliding self launch. There is usually someone there to help with an assisted launch. If I have to self launch in a crowded or tight spot - I usually am doing a tethered launch or drift launch. The standard sliding self launch like you can do on most large beach areas - implies that you have tons of room. I don't don't do a self launch like that if I don't have the room. Because there is tons of room - I will always rig downwind because it makes it easier to see the lines. I am able to do it upwind or sideways - but why pass the opportunity to have an easier chance to catch line crossings and such? I think the author of the thread was asking about sliding self launches.

hoarhey · Since 20 Jul 2008 63 Posts the corridor

I like to rig sidewind. On narrow spits it is a better management of space. Plus your launch assistant doesn't need to move and neither to you. Try it sometime, you might prefer it. But I also self launch from fixed objects and rig in places where if you have two kites, one of you goes the opposite way of the other.

A classic place where this would be better management of kites and lines would be at the Event Site for the spring grass sessions. As soon as someone lands a kit it crosses like three bars of lines. Then you have some people rigging downwind and some people rigging upwind and kites stacked 4 deep. If everybody rigged sidewind then the assistant would just pick up the kite and move toward the launcher toward the water. Meanwhile, you wouldn't be crossing upwind and downwind lines. Who am I kidding, people don't like making things easy.

I've only had 1 day where rigging sidewind was a problem and that day it was nuking with gusts up to 40. Had to rig upwind to keep my line straightened out.

runaway · Since 31 Aug 2010 66 Posts Anchorage

great discussion... be courteous and safe if you are self launching and scope the consequence if things go bad. check your lines however you do it. I like launching DW with tension on far steering line...walk around slowly if you can kite to the water side and the kite will just roll up. One thing I see a lot of people doing is PULLIN on the bar and yanking it all over the place. if you just pull the far steering line and essentially let go of the bar chances are you will have a very easy launch. I always have my fingers on bar but try to mentally let it be loose. We launch in some really high winds with slippery mud so we don't like the kite heading up in the sky. landing is a whole nuther subject, and a wee bit of luck! I'm with the dude that says all learn all types of launches

kitebug · Since 27 Apr 2015 40 Posts Hood River

I'm reluctant to try drift launching in the Gorge, especially on a windy or gusty day which is 99% of the days I'm out there. I guess I'm a wuss (woos?, wus?).

I watched that instructional video, good idea on the water but I would be nervous letting my kite drift away on slack lines. It seems to me all these instructional videos with Australian accents are done at long sandy beaches with light steady winds. What looks safe in Australia or the Caribbean doesn't apply here.

wylieflyote · Sat Jul 04, 15 8:53 am

DownStream · Since 18 Apr 2007 381 Posts Obsessed

for those that have mentioned self landing as being some kind of an issue:

single centerline kite leash systems (virtually every brand at this point) land kites. there should be 0 confusion about how to put your kite down when you need to. release the bar and let the leash system do its job.

there are of course other ways to put a kite down, but disabling it with the leash system, 'flagging it out' is the sure way to bring it down safely.

people that are concerned about line tangle etc simply haven't practiced it enough to know that it is easily avoidable and generally a non issue.

have a great summer Hood River, I wont be making it to the NW this year so shred it up for me, and I hope to see many of you here on SPI this OCT NOV and DEC.

wylieflyote · Sun Jul 05, 15 8:53 am

Wow. Should have seen this picture back in January before I learned just how damn much FF pressure the LFFoil likes. You must be like %90/%10 on this?

DownStream · Since 18 Apr 2007 381 Posts Obsessed

I was just learning and moving around a lot, but ya too much forward pressure was never really a problem, the opposite definitely was/is.

DownStream · Since 18 Apr 2007 381 Posts Obsessed

in a sketchy drift launch (heavy wind, etc) you don't need to let it drift with slack lines .... you can pay it out while keeping tension on just one centerline nearly the entire way, keeping it disabled and under control.

shred_da_gorge · Wed Jul 08, 15 10:39 pm

We'll miss you in Da Hood, Brett! BTW, where's your hair?? It was a LOT longer when I first met you... Smile

bwd · Since 04 Aug 2007 385 Posts Obsessed

Freeride Kiter · Since 08 Jul 2011 698 Posts Alaska / PNW / Baja Instructor

All good stuff here in terms of self launching. I rig lines depending on space and traffic. Usually off to the side for a quick launch. Getting the angle right and understanding the launch angle is good practice so your kite isn't dragging across the ground.

There are just as many drift launch tips and tricks out there too. Practice.. practice.. practice self launching and landing. The more you know and are proficient the better. Reverse launching is a great skill also. Great for snow kiting and kite boarding works with foil kites just as well.

1surfer · Thu Jul 09, 15 8:45 pm **Depends**

It seems like people who learned to kite on a huge beach with tons of extra room like to run them downwind. Smaller beaches that are crowded or beaches that require some degree of combat launch require upwind. At kite/teach beach on Maui, down wind does not work very well. It crosses the flow and confuses the organized chaos and and it pisses everybody else trying to rig upwind, off. Ladat.