Power Kite Forum

Parapacking video

John Holgate - 26-4-2011 at 12:50 AM

After reading Sam's links on parapacking, I thought I'd have a go at it myself. And why not run the video too? I get the feeling true parapacking is stuffing the lines into a fold in the kite whereas I've actually stuffed the lines down one side of the kite and put the handles down the other. Did it half a dozen times and it worked perfectly for me every time. Worst thing that happened was I got one twist in the lines - fliperooni with the handles and fixed. Remember how exciting the editing was on the first Transformer film by Michael Bay ??? This is sort of the opposite...and you'll just about need headphones to hear anything I say. Oh, well. It might be useful to someone that winding lines doesn't work for.


Kamikuza - 26-4-2011 at 04:33 AM

Nice :thumbup: now let's see you do that in 20 knots :lol:

John Holgate - 26-4-2011 at 05:12 AM

Quote:

now let's see you do that in 20 knots :lol:


Nah, I got NO knots - that's the whole point :smilegrin:

I'll try and combine it with a side launch in some decent wind next time. Wind noise is gonna be a problem on the cam though.....

Kamikuza - 26-4-2011 at 03:49 PM

The problem is big wind blowing the bloody kite around and making a nice tidy pack-up impossible :(
Cut up a fluffy toy and stick it over the case ...
http://cgi.ebay.com/WIND-NOISE-SOLUTION-your-GoPro-CAMERA-/1...

B-Roc - 26-4-2011 at 04:59 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kamikuza
The problem is big wind blowing the bloody kite around and making a nice tidy pack-up impossible


I have never had that problem and don't really know how you would. Stake the kite out and then fold it and stuff it in the bag - no chance of it flapping around. When unpacking its the last thing to come out of the bag and if you fold it correctly and open it correctly it snaps open and pinned to the ground if your handles are staked properly. I've been parapacking since 2005 and while I have had a few tangles I've never had major problems. The key thing is to shake out all twists / knots as you run the lines out of the bag to set up. If the kite comes out of the bag and with twists in the lines and knots they can be hard to get out once the kite is under power and staked out.

I will never not parapack FB kites. So simple and easy:thumbup:

Kamikuza - 26-4-2011 at 05:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by B-RocStake the kite out and then fold it ...

That's about where the problems start :lol: which is why I evolved my "wrapped myself up in a kite skirt" technique - keeps it all under control but sure looks whacky.

The key thing I found about parapacking was putting the kite in the bag so the lines came out of the kite at the bottom of the bag so when you stuffed the lines in, they don't just pop back out :)

shaggs2riches - 26-4-2011 at 05:41 PM

Nice very informative video!!!! I've never thought to ask this till now; but, has anyone ever tried this with a depower foil??? Almost looks as if it could be done in the same manner. I've unrolled the lines of my access and staked it at the landing handle, went back and unfolded the kite letting it sit on the ground just like you did. It was awesome to not rely on weights. This has me curious if it could work to toss the lines in just like you did.

John Holgate - 26-4-2011 at 06:11 PM

Kami - had a look at the eBay noise thingo, saw the price and fell off my chair laughing. I'll try some med density soft foam - I've used it for mic windshields before with pretty good results. And a rubber band to hold it on!

Shaggs - with a depower, you have a really nice bar that the lines wrap quickly around, why on earth would you want to try parapacking it? It should work exactly the same way. BTW, with a depower or turbo bar, I never use a stake when I'm buggying - just put the brake strap around the rear wheel of the buggy. I have usually dumped the kite on the ground with a bit of sand on it, then unwind, hook brake strap, go back and unfurl kite. I'm in the habit of putting the depower bar w/lines on the trailing edge of the kite and roll it up, but there's no reason why you couldn't keep the bar/lines separate so that you can unwind, hook brake strap, THEN take kite out of pack and pop it open. Cats. Skinned. Many ways!

By the way, Kami, is the 'wrapped me up in a skirt technique' about storage or fashion??

My emergency high wind tecnique (relative term, I wouldn't put a kite up over 35 knots) is get it down anyway I can and then haull a$$ on one the brake lines till it's laid out and flappin in front of me then get it in the bag anyway I can, sort it out later!!

indigo_wolf - 26-4-2011 at 06:21 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by John Holgate
is the 'wrapped me up in a skirt technique' about storage or fashion??


Most likely storage for most.... for Flash, I think it qualifies as fashion. :lol:

ATB,
Sam

shaggs2riches - 26-4-2011 at 06:35 PM

Yeah I don't have a reason for wanting to parapack a depower, more or less wondering if anyone has ever done it.:duh: I fold my kites tips to center then roll the folded kite up with bar laid at trailing edge (if that makes sense). I've found a bit of tangling when I put the bar inside the kite before folding, and I can roll the lines out before unfolding the kite like you mentioned.

John Holgate - 26-4-2011 at 07:36 PM

Quote:

for Flash, I think it qualifies as fashion. :lol:


I see what you mean. You can be damn sure I don't look that good wrapped in a kite!

@ Shaggs, I've never heard of anyone parapacking a depower - give it a whirl next time your out and let us know how it goes. Nothin' ventured, nothin' gained.

Kamikuza - 26-4-2011 at 08:40 PM

I don't know why you'd want to do it, shaggs ... much neater and less twists etc if you wrap lines around the bar - that's why Flysurfer setup time is very short ;)

Um. Storage. Deffo.

shaggs2riches - 26-4-2011 at 09:11 PM

I don't have any reason to do it myself. I was kinda curious if it has been done. I would never ever attempt it with a flysurfer WAY too many bridle lines to get tangled.

Kamikuza - 26-4-2011 at 10:36 PM

I've thought about it too but have never done it :D

B-Roc - 27-4-2011 at 03:42 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by shaggs2riches
I don't have any reason to do it myself. I was kinda curious if it has been done. I would never ever attempt it with a flysurfer WAY too many bridle lines to get tangled.


I have done it both with my Pulse and Eskimo when I first got them because I like the bar staked out before the kite comes out of the bag. Now I wrap with the bar. It worked fine with depowers but there isn't as big a benefit to it as there is with handles IMO.

shaggs2riches - 27-4-2011 at 04:23 PM

nice:thumbup: just for the hell of it I think I'll give it a go the next time I have the access out. I'll take some video and post it

Wasd9595 - 11-6-2011 at 02:15 AM

Can anyone tell me what parapacking is? :D

apextech - 11-6-2011 at 08:35 AM

I'd like to know how you would lay the rig out in high winds (+20 kts) at the beach, when the sand is drifting over the kite and filling the intakes up.

shaggs2riches - 11-6-2011 at 03:05 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by apextech
I'd like to know how you would lay the rig out in high winds (+20 kts) at the beach, when the sand is drifting over the kite and filling the intakes up.

Forgive my ignorance if you already knew about this method but.....
Ever consider sideways launching????? Similar to Peter Lynn or Flysurfer launches..... The sand may not fill your intakes as easily (never experienced this myself though), also you will be launching at the edge of the window. Safer in those higher winds where you might get lofted or dragged when hot launching......real nice video of sideways launching, forget about the bits related to a flysurfer kite.


John Holgate - 11-6-2011 at 05:05 PM

Quote:

I'd like to know how you would lay the rig out in high winds (+20 kts) at the beach, when the sand is drifting over the kite and filling the intakes up.


When the kite comes out of the bag, I grab an side/edge and let it unfurl (so it's side on to the wind) then I fold an edge over - say four to six inches and heap sand on it. Walk back, grab my handles and walk around until the kite is on the edge of the window and pick up the downwind edge of the kite first - sort of peel it off the ground so it comes up on it's side facing the edge of the window. Angus might have some info on a side launch on his coastwindsports site. I'm intending to do a video when I get the right conditions.

shaggs2riches - 11-6-2011 at 05:25 PM

is the method to side launching a fixed bridle any different to side launching a depower like in the video above???????I've never flown handles so it makes me curious.

apextech - 11-6-2011 at 05:32 PM

Thanks very much for the insight on side launching, its true I have only hot launched through the middle of the window but will try this new approach, its seems similar to self launching an LEI where you stand it on its wing tip at the side of the window and steer it up.

John Holgate - 12-6-2011 at 03:21 AM

Quote:

ts seems similar to self launching an LEI where you stand it on its wing tip at the side of the window and steer it up.


Sounds about the same. If it doesn't look like it's going to 'peel' off the ground cleanly, put it back down and walk around a bit adjusting your angle and try again. If it doesn't come up cleanly and crumples or rolls it'll end up falling back into the power zone and you know what comes next! I tend to put a fair bit of sand on the side/edge, so when I have it sitting up on it's side, I will sometimes need to give it a bit extra shake 'n nudge to dislodge the sand.


Quote:

is the method to side launching a fixed bridle any different to side launching a depower like in the video above?


I can't think of any differences - I do both pretty much the same way. Handles might be a tad easier as your usually a little less restricted. I find my 4m Access XT very fussy about side launches - I really have to force myself to walk around a bit adjusting the angle if it doesn't look like it's going to peel off the ground neatly.