Most accidents happen when launching an landing the kite. I say this all the time in lessons and it usually surprises the student to hear this. When you see a powered crash in to the water and imagine most of danger in the sport involves attempting tricks and riding in gnarly conditions. But if you spend a day people watching at a busy kite surfing beach, you will know that it is true. Most injuries DO happen in launching and landing.
Here are some basic tips to keep you from injuring yourself, others, or damaging your equipment.
So lets talk about some basic elements to guide you to a safe launch of your kite.
Wind awareness
Be aware of the wind window. Launching and landing occur in the area called the neutral zone. When you are blowing up the kite and running the lines visualize where you will be standing as the rider and where the kite will be with someone holding it for you. Are there any downwind hazards. Does the launching spot have a consistent onshore steady wind?,… or is there a “dead zone” with some turbulence?
Communication
Once your kite is set up and you have a friend to launch. Discuss the plan with your pal. If I ever have a stranger launching for me I will be sure to ask if they have ever done this before. If not I explain to them how they are going to hold the kite and tell them “hold it like you mean it” . I also flip the kite over for them and place it in their hands.
For someone experienced launching and first timer alike I do ALWAYS inform the person that I will be checking my lines first before hooking in, and DO NOT RELEASE THE KITE UNTIL I GIVE A THUMBS UP.
thumbs up
Approach from downwind
If you are rigging your lines downwind of the kite, I recommend walking straight up to the kite then walking out at a 90 degree angle feeling the wind as you start to place tension on the lines. I always walk away from the kite on a bit of a downwind angle then walk upwind until I see the sail fill. In fact that is how I know that I am right where I need to be to launch.
If you walk too far upwind of the kite then place tension on the lines the person holding the kite will be holding it in the power zone and it can push them over.
Safety steps at the bar
When you are walking out and placing tension on the lines make sure that you are only hooked in to the flagging line and not fully hooked in to the chicken loop.
The reason for this is simple if the person holding the kite accidentally lets go and the lines were crossed then your kite is automatically flagged.
Also, as you are approaching the launch zone and the lines begin to tension, make sure that the bar is sheeted all the way out. Keep the bar out the whole time, even to visualize the lines. There is no reason to sheet in until you are ready for the person holding the kite to let go.
Once you see that the lines are not crossed and everything looks good at the kite then you can hook into the chicken loop.
Hook in, give the thumbs up, sheet in just enough to steer the kite, and lift off.
Remember, when the kite is low in the window it performs much better with the bar mostly sheeted out. So only sheet in enough to gain steering power on the kite. If you sheet in too much the kite can back stall and fall leading edge up into the power zone. Once it catches wind, you can end up getting “hot launched” and risk injury.
I hope you enjoyed the Blown tip as much as I did.