Seen a couple of kites on the Slsc roof at my local after flying across the wind window
ANaish helix and a cab switchblade as there's no trees to wrap them around

raggedflyer said..

ActionSportsWA said..
The problem with an unattended kite (tethered Launch) is that the kite will move forward in a gust as it re-positions itself in the new upwind neutral zone. When the gust is past, the kite needs to move back downwind to the old neutral position. If the wingtip bites in the sand, the kite will roll facing the kite up into the wind window. It will naturally lift off and screech across the wind window ... unattended!

Don't tether launch. In almost 20 years of kiting, I have never had to tether launch and I have kited almost every kitable beach in Oz and many in Hawaii, NZ, Indo, Thailand and many more. Just don't do it, not worth it.

DM

I've seen this happen and agree, assisted launch or self launc are better options. I still set the tether for landing in case I come in with nobody around to help or wind speed has increased or if I'm fatigued beyond limits for whatever reason. The Ozone vid of self land by releasing works a treat so now I'm using that method when assistance isn't on hand.

Another cautionary note for tether launch & land which I mentioned to a beginner practicing this in 18kt the other day... never walk back from your kite to your bar on the downwind side of your lines...you might easily get taken out if the kite rolls over in the gusts. It doesn't take much.

I think I'll try the peg on steering line method one day.

As mentioned before it's sll dependant on beach/ conditions/ debris, you may as well toss a coin self launching on my beach whether you pick up weed to snag lines, all locals use the tether post I installed, reason I installed it was watching a few literally get away with serious injury

Maybe the length of the teather is critical. If its say around a meter long or more the bar would be bouncing around on the ground probably digging an end into the sand etc. which could be enough to give some steering input.
I used to use 2 big plastic tent pegs.
one with a tether to the safety and the chichen loop straight over the other with the bar sitting flat on the sand.
Agree that its hard to do a pretty self land if its over 20 knots and I often end up walking up a front line after the kite has rolled down wind.
Its probably a good idea to drop your chicken loop off the harness while doing this, it could be ugly if the kite got away from you.
sometimes i land it in shallow water if its nuking coz being wet calms it down a lot and if it goes to ****e I'd rather get dragged through the water than accross whatevers on the other side of the beach.

shi thouse said..
Still yet to see anyone cleanly make a self landing in nuking wind. All the videos out there show people doing in wind conditions below the 20knt mark. I like the technique of pulling the quick release just before landing and then pulling at a 45 degree angle as you move upwind of the kite but that still has lots of potential to send your kite tumbling back downwind before coming to rest, but at least your safe. That said, make sure you have plenty of space downwind.

Spot on, with that comment

I tether only to self land my foil kites, pulling the back lines and hooking in an Ozone stake. When it is windier, I find a tree or a fence and land it the same way allowing the kite to rest against it, or if that is not available, land leading edge about 45deg downwind and again using a stake but this time through the chicken loop.

quikdrawMcgraw said..
I'm curious when a self land goes wrong and you say the kite has "rolled down wind", do you pull the safety as it's rolling down wind?

Yep. same goes for a self launch
In my opinion you can't pull the safety too early in that situation.
Many leave it too late and get whipped for it

MDSXR6T said..

shi thouse said..
Still yet to see anyone cleanly make a self landing in nuking wind. All the videos out there show people doing in wind conditions below the 20knt mark. I like the technique of pulling the quick release just before landing and then pulling at a 45 degree angle as you move upwind of the kite but that still has lots of potential to send your kite tumbling back downwind before coming to rest, but at least your safe. That said, make sure you have plenty of space downwind.

I use Christian's self launching technique and have no issues with self landing in a strong seabreeze (23kn++) on a 12m if i need to. Use a bit of common sense and control, pull the top centre line down hard and the wind just pushes the kite down.

I usually just tether launch or land and never had a problem

20-25 knts isn't nuking
its average for some, did a solo dwinder last week to 7 mile, was mid to high 30s on an 8, I clip a carabinah on a 600 mm heavy braided line to the rear of my harness for a tether land when I get down there, it was very gusty as I came in so came in dropped the kite on the water and pulled the safety, didn't trust setting the tether on the bench seat whilst controlling the kite,
I'd thought this through prior
so worth having a think pre session on planning

My personal favorite last week was watching a person come in un hook his safety leash from the back of his harness sit down in the sand wrap the safety around the copper log and hook it to the chichen loop.
The kite was going ape ****. He then pulled out his donk dick dumped the loop and bolted to the kite tripping over on the way.
it was 25 to 28 knots other kiters on the beach.
i was 50 m away on top of the hill.
you just cannot help some people.