Power Kite Forum

Launching and landing on your own?

the lemming - 12-5-2010 at 09:30 AM

Any advice on launching and landing a kite when using a grass field?

I've sussed launching my kite on the beach as I can weight it down with sand before running the lines out and checking for twists in them. However I don't know how to do this when I'm Billy-no-mates on the local field.

Also I'd appreciate any good ideas on how to retrieve my kite when I want to go home. At the moment all I can do is let it land and then roll the lines up while the kite is still frisky at the other end. At least with my delta kite, once it was down, it played nicely and stayed still.

Cheers

Maven454 - 12-5-2010 at 09:33 AM

Is this a two line kite or a four line kite? If it's a four line, you stake down the brakes and that should hold the kite on the ground.

the lemming - 12-5-2010 at 09:34 AM

Four line kite

Maven454 - 12-5-2010 at 09:36 AM

Then did my above response successfully answer the question or is clarification needed? Not trying to sound like a smart $@%, just trying to make sure that you get the help you need.

flyjump - 12-5-2010 at 09:37 AM

I usually use large water bottles as weights. Double purpose :) they also roll off your kite easily when you're ready to launch

cheezycheese - 12-5-2010 at 09:38 AM

Stake the kite, then walk to the kite while the handles are STILL staked and fold your kite. Place the bag or something on top to hold it down while you go wind your lines...

ragden - 12-5-2010 at 10:03 AM

I normally bring a small over-the-shoulder cooler filled with bottles of water to the fields with me. During setup, I weight the trailing edge with the cooler. Once i'm done for the day, I stake the lines, walk down to the kite, and drop the cooler on it again... Works great :)

flash - 12-5-2010 at 10:18 AM

so do small children, pets, the nearby jogger knocked unconscious, and loving grandmas :) j/k Yeah it is as simple as they say, stake it and walk. Make sure that the brake line is just hooked around the stake at the handle, don't pull the brake lines all the way (like if you are using kite killers and attaching them to the stake) this can actually lead to the kite 'reverse inflating' and make it bounce about the air like crazy.

ragden - 12-5-2010 at 10:21 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by flash
...Make sure that the brake line is just hooked around the stake at the handle, don't pull the brake lines all the way (like if you are using kite killers and attaching them to the stake) this can actually lead to the kite 'reverse inflating' and make it bounce about the air like crazy.


Had this happen before. Not fun. Good tip. :)

macboy - 12-5-2010 at 12:12 PM

Should clarify that this is a foil kite? Or is it an LEI?

the lemming - 12-5-2010 at 12:41 PM

Please excuse my ignorance, but could people please explain in a bit more detail the process of staking a kite?

I'm new to the world of kiting, so what may seem like second nature to you, and you can visualize in a single sentence what staking is does not compute for myself. Unfortunately for me I do not exactly understand what it is that I am meant to stake.

Do I:

Stake the actual kite to the ground
Stake the handles to the ground, no idea how to do this
Tie a clove hitch around the brake lines and stake them to the ground

Thanks for the tips on water bottles to weight the kite down in the field.

BTW flying a viper 3.9 kite

bobalooie57 - 12-5-2010 at 01:03 PM

Some folks stake their brake lines thru the loops on the back side of the handles. Some push the kite stake into the ground, and just hook each brake line around the stake, some with handles apart, some together, just personal preference, and what works for you, and the particular kite. The kite has been landed, trailing edge down, and with the lines taut, the handles are staked to the ground, either thru the loops, or thru the 'v' between the brake lines and the handles, as described before. Sounds simple enough to be obvious, but to someone who has never seen it done, could conjure up visions of kite torture! I say "I staked out the kite" and you think of the poor thing perforated with kite stakes! If you haven't checked out the tutorial "better buggy basics" or "power kiting 101" at coastal wind sports dot com, you should. There's a wealth of info there, though I don't remember if he goes into detail on how to stake out your kite!

indigo_wolf - 12-5-2010 at 02:15 PM

He (Angus) covers how to stake out the kite using handles with and without brake loops in the "Traction Kiting 101: First Time Out with your Four Line Traction Kite" section.

ATB,
Sam

the lemming - 13-5-2010 at 11:25 AM

Thanks for the replies chaps and I'll check out the recommended tutorials.

Cheers

Flying G Zeus - 13-5-2010 at 02:43 PM

In strong wind staking a kite won't work. At least not with the Flysurfer foil kites I own.

I suggest buying a tent pole bag, costs 5 bucks, and filling it with sand to hold down a wing tip. I do this snow kiting especially.

If you're going to use a cooler - I suggest filling it with beer.

newtokiting - 13-5-2010 at 05:18 PM

you might want to go to racekites.com and check out some tutorials there....... parapacking a kite is a good one---its not for everyone,but its fast and easy for me.........

flash - 13-5-2010 at 06:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Flying G Zeus
If you're going to use a cooler - I suggest filling it with beer.


DUH! :) Mine are usually full of fresh growlers and microbrew!

and yeah... don't stake your de-powers like you would your handles. Your best bet is to sit something on the kite like he said, it's amazing that a few pounds on the kite will hold it, but the force it generates back at the bar is tremendous. Just recently I temporally staked a montana v 9.5m in 10mph wind because the board I had holding it down was in my hands for a repair and my sandbag was walking off with a buddy. (I usually fold the kite in half and put the board on top when I am not right there able to grab the brake lines) I needed to leave the kite to fix the board and was going to roll up the kite, so I popped the Chicken loop and a drive line on to the stake I had out for my 5m beamer, lo and behold a little ground wind came along and pulled the kite enough that it snapped a heavy duty construction stake in half.

I hope the OP figured out the staking thing we are talking about. IF not I can post a photo of how I usually do it if that would help.

Flash

ragden - 17-5-2010 at 06:02 AM

Personally, I always double-stake my depower kites. One stake on the brake lines, and a second on the fifth line. If the brake lines pulls free, the kite flags on the fifth line. Normally works pretty good. Then I run down to the kite and drop something heavy on it (sand, cooler, whatever is on hand).
:)

Maven454 - 17-5-2010 at 06:07 AM

Which works great, but only on kites that have a fifth line. I haven't had an issue (yet) staking my Manta's on the brake strap.

bug - 31-5-2010 at 09:49 AM

What about bar kites? I'm new too here and I am wondering how to pack up and stake a kite with a bar and depower.

flash - 31-5-2010 at 02:34 PM

bug - what kind of bar is it? is it a full depower kite or a trainer on a bar with a brake leash?

djsquare1 - 17-7-2010 at 11:37 AM

With a Leading edge inflation kite with a bar, I double stake the chicken loop to the ground so it's fully depowered for anything i need to do. Either reverse relaunch, or flip and relaunch with the steering line and your good to go.

Another way is to weigh down one leading edge, this way you can do stuff to your lines without tension.