Relaunching downwind

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superlizard

VIC

702 posts

superlizard

VIC, 702 posts

12 Dec 2007 11:57am

I haven't had chance to do too many water relaunches yet. (Mostly because i hardly drop the kite). But last night the kite dropped leading edge down, in downwind position. So since i'm waiting for a replacement of my 5th line, i'm only flying 4 lines on my 13m C kite (with safety connected to the one of the back lines as per usual 4 line setup). So, I tried to replicate what the instructor tought me, and pulled the bar to one side. However the kite didn't really fly to the edge of the window, but instead turned around to it's back whilst downwind, so i simply had to relaunch downwind. Luckly it was only around 15 knots, so didn't get dragged too much down wind during relaunch.

Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated, since i haven't found much. Should i have kept the bar out with still pulling the one side after the kite turnet around until it reached the edge? (couldn't find any clear instructions online)

vertigo

NSW

34 posts

vertigo

NSW, 34 posts

12 Dec 2007 12:41pm

I'd love to hear peoples tips on this too. Since buying my C, i've only managed to water launch it twice, the first of which was right smack bang in the power zone too**remembers superman impression**

Kite is a Cabrinha Nitro, but i've given up on the recon relaunch feature, and just want to launch it normally, but i cant get it to head to the edge of the window either, kite just wants to go leading edge down again.

I ended up cracking it that badly yesterday i went and booked more lessons..

Blaster

501 posts

Blaster

WA, 501 posts

12 Dec 2007 2:53pm

Get a hybrid superlizard/vertigo!! Just kidding,[}:)]

I use to swim at the kite until it would roll on its side with the winds assistance. But give your board a good shove down wind before you start swimming (not into your lines obviously). That way when you get the kite up you don't have to body drag back up wind to the board, more often than not you'll just swing the kite to 12 and the board will be close by.

This process use to work for me with my airush's anyway, good luck.

maramu

28 posts

maramu

SA, 28 posts

12 Dec 2007 4:38pm

If the kite is in the water, leading edge down, pull on the front lines and as you let go swim as fast as you can towards the kite so it rolls on its back, then pull on one side of the bar and it will move around to one side of the window, swim in the other direction to help it out a bit (ie. swim to the side of the window). When the kite is at the edge of the window it will then relaunch easily. Make sure you don't over sheet it.
And as Blaster said, pushing your board down wind of you before you do this is a good idea.

elizabethb

QLD

2081 posts

elizabethb

QLD, 2081 posts

12 Dec 2007 4:43pm

vertigo said...

Kite is a Cabrinha Nitro, but i've given up on the recon relaunch feature, and just want to launch it normally, but i cant get it to head to the edge of the window either, kite just wants to go leading edge down again.

The recon features on cabrinhas is the feature which makes it stand out from other 4 line kites. It does work well if you know how to do it. A lot easier, less strenuous and less swimming involved. Pull it until you see the wingtip crumple.... HOLD IT THERE! It will pull upwards, slowly.... (esp a 12m or later = slow) and when you see it go to fall onto its windtips in the 'C' position in the water let it out slowly and steer it up.

Old school I knwo but it might help you. about 2min 50 onwards its about recon specific.

Otherwise... Pull hard, swim fast while its on its back. Pull one back line to make it go to the side and walllllah.

user

1140 posts

user

WA, 1140 posts

12 Dec 2007 9:00pm

Don't waste your time!

Get a Bow type kite and relaunching is eeeeaaasssyyyy !

"C" kites are a nightmare to relaunch.

vertigo

NSW

34 posts

vertigo

NSW, 34 posts

13 Dec 2007 12:00am

user said...

Don't waste your time!

Get a Bow type kite and relaunching is eeeeaaasssyyyy !

"C" kites are a nightmare to relaunch.

but C's are so much cheaper! Dont spose you got a spare 1600 to give me so i can buy a bow?

Neill

VIC

484 posts

Neill

VIC, 484 posts

13 Dec 2007 2:07am

LOL i used to have a CO2 with the recon system, i love how simple the video makes it look. the system worked really well for relaunching (basically made your C-kite relaunch like a modern bow kite) but it was totally impossible to re-fit the thing together if you activated the safety and the kite flagged to the rear lines. You would end up with this massive tangle of ****, with kite lines everywhere, and the two front lines were somewhere up along the lines halfway to the kite, no way to get them back. The kite would backstall down onto the water/ground then quickly roll itself into a tight ball from which it would almost certainly not recover anyway.

Then, if you somehow did manage to get the two front lines back to your body, the tension on the spring loaded safety mechanism was so great that in order to re-seat the system you needed to stand on the bar and pull upwards with one arm whilst the other hand guided the steel pin inside. an absolute impossibility on the water, that's for sure!

hirschausen

422 posts

hirschausen

WA, 422 posts

13 Dec 2007 12:36am

Pfff.... "User" obviously, you didn't drop your "C" type kite much? Or did you go to a flat kite before you learnt to re-launch a C?. I find them easier to re-launch than a flat style kite. It's all just technique.

Don't be put off, it's just practice and knowing the technique.

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