This may be suited to non beginners too.
On the weekend we had numerous kites go down due to the wind dropping. It was amazing how people don't know how to adequately pack down there gear, and self rescue properly. One guy ditched his kite and was only a few hundred meters from shore. When his gear was brought in by the clubbies it amazed me how he had tied a complete mess around his hook, so When he ditched his kite he also ditched his new harness as well.
Please everyone learn to self rescue, for the safety of yourself and other beach goers.
The other thing I noticed that people with SLE and bow kites don't know how to hot launch by yanking hard on the middle front lines together. (when the wind is light) unless you are ruben Lenten. This is the easiest way to pull the kite out of the water, when trailing edge is in the water, and leading edge is facing the sky, down wind of you.
I know everyone wants to learn the tricks. But the basics, are invaluable.
KR
Amen to the basics.
please learn to launch properly too.
Sick of seeing people falling over because the kiter is too far upwind, and sick of seeing kites drifting backwards because the kiter is too far downwind.
Don't give thumbs up til it's right people!!
If you can "hot-launch" a kite, in deep water, in light wind (10-13kts) then you need to write a book about it.
People need to know!
Another tip for winds too light to get the kite to stand on a wingtip (SLE kite) - if the kite is leading edge down, you can hold the bar at a bit of an angle and reach over the bar with the other hand, grab both back lines and pull. The kite should launch backwards and turn. Let go of the back lines! Using your legs to swim away from the kite (ie upwind) helps.
Ahhhhhh gotta love the reverse launch,,,leading edge down,trailing edge up, straight down wind of you,pull both out side lines and she reverses up off the water,let go of one side line,she turns up and off you go.Hot launch style.
Works on ozone catalyst anyway.
And another .....
When the kite is leading edge down ( light wind or wind shadow) and hard to relaunch ... Pull the outside line as per normal and you will notice the kite slowly slide accross the wind to the side and line your pulling let the kite slide then quickly pull the opposite line.... it will cause the kite to rock or dig in as the power moves to the opposite side. Often this is enough to get the kite onto it's wingtip for launch.
