Power Kite Forum - setting up in heavy winds

setting up in heavy winds

biglou13 - 23-5-2008 at 12:24 AM

newb ?

ok so i attemted to fly in heaviest winds ive yet to experience it was not at beach.

i didnt dare take out the 5m (yet) i was amazed at torque on the 3.4m

what is procedure for setting up kite and taking down in heavy winds.

ok i cluster F*&%ed a rig, i had some weights but obviously not enough. im thinking of filling 8 to 10 small water bottles with sand

help please

KiteProject - 23-5-2008 at 12:49 AM

For the longest time, not having a system for setting up kites soured the kiting experience for me. After trial and error, I have established a system that's working - no bridle or line tangles, easy launch and easy packing.

- Take 4-6 plastic (shopping) bags with you and fill them with couple of fists of sand. The wider the wing span, more the bags you use.

- Take kite out of it's bag and without unfolding it, put it on the ground with one or two bags.

- Unfold one side or one quarter side of the kite and place another bag. Unfold the kite one quarter section at a time and put a bag on it. By the time all of your kite is out, it's nicely covered under sand bags and in control.

- Connect your lines and stretch them out. [If you don't have a system for setting up lines without tangles, let me know and I'll share my system]. Connect your lines to handles and peg the handles down with brakes extended with a stake. This will keep the kite down.

- At this point you can either tug the kite so that the bags will just fall over and kite will fly out.

Or, you can do what I do, which is remove the bags and adjust the kite so that it's standing in the brake-applied-ready position. Remember the handles are held down (brakes pulled) by the kite stake. I remove the stake while holding both handles in one hand in brake extended position. Take each handle in one hand and walk back; gently bring the handles upright to fly the kite (and hook the strop to the harness). You are ready to fly the kite.

Landing and packing:

- Use brakes to land the kite where you left the plastic bags.

- Peg the handles, brakes pulled, to the stake.

- Walk to the kite and put the bags back on the TE of the kite.

- Disconnect the brake lines from bridals. Disconnect the power lines.

- Remove the farthest left (or right) bag and fold that quarter section and place the bag back on top. Fold the bridals from that side under the fold so they don't hang out and don't get tangled. Remove the next bag, then fold the kite over and place the bags back. Repeat from the other side as well. Remember: remove bag, fold and put bag back; then remove the next bag, fold over again and place bag back. In a few folds, you'll have the kite neatly folded in two halfs.

- Remove all bags and fold up the kite and put it in the bag.

It takes me 10 minutes to setup and about the same time to fold the kite back. I have done this many times in 18 - 24 mph winds. I see other kiters, who leave lines and handles wrapped with each kite, unpack and fly in much less time than mine but with my (slow) system, I NEVER have any line or bridal tangles. Also, my kites are packed neatly and ready for use (unfolded cleanly) for the next time. I rarely open up my kites at home anymore; I only do that when kite had gotten wet or had excessive sand in it which I wipe off with a paper towel.

The only down side of this system is that it takes slightly longer for me. 10 - 15 minutes tops but I prefer that over spending 30-45 minutes untangling lines/bridals in high wind conditions which was extremely frustrating.

Have fun!

BeamerBob - 23-5-2008 at 04:54 AM

I finally got a system for folding a kite regardless of the wind. I stake my handles and then go pull the kite toward the handles while rotating the kite around so a tip is pointing into the wind. I'm holding the tip down with my hands then reach to a point halfway to the midpoint of the kite and hold the leading and trailing edges with my fingers. I lift my knee which had been holding the tip down and the wind blows the tip right to the middle of the kite. I repeat until I have that upwind side folded as far down as I need it. Then I reach across the kite with my knees on the folded half and grab the other side pulling the tip to the center of the kite. I keep grabbing the edge of the kite furthest from me folding my way to the middle. Every motion I do is helped by the wind instead of messing up my plans. If there isn't enough wind to help me with this technique, then I didn't need to rotate the kite and can just fold it up where it landed. It works every time for me right up to my 6.5m. I am taller than most guys so I have an advantage there, but you don't have to reach where you need to be holding in one stretch either. You can just grab as much kite as you can and keep going till it folds where you want it to.

acampbell - 23-5-2008 at 05:44 AM

I always set up a new kite and attachg lines in the calm of my back yard then re-pack so setting up on a windy beach/ field is easier.

If in sand, I use my heel to kickan elliptical trench in the sand to approximate the entire trailing edge. Then starting in the middle, bury the trailing endge in the sand as you unfold one side, using a water bottle or two to hold down the other folded half. Then do the other half. You do not need a lot of sand as it is not about the weight but just sealing the trailing edge so wind does not get under.

Orient your lines so that the kite is at an angle to the wind with the wind off one shoulder and the kite isa bout 45 degrees from the edge of the window. Launch and fly along the ground towrds your upwind shoulder so the kite goes to the edge of the window, then go up the edge to the zenith.

When landing in highe winds, move your hands down the handles a bit for more leverage on the brakes. Land at the edge of the window. When the tip touches, let the kite drop to the trailing edge with the brakes on.

Never disconnect your lines if you can avoid it Use Bobby's method above to fold. I bring filled water bottles as weights for third hand while folding.

furbowski - 23-5-2008 at 06:20 AM

The above information is excellent.

I've folded head sails of 15-60 sq meters of area on the fore-decks of offshore racing sailboats in BF 6 - 7 in heavy swells, and never had much trouble with handling kites in heavy winds.

The keys are threefold: respect the wind, have best plan you can, and take your time.

The above information is spot on with respect to fixed foils in strong winds, and I've learned something new from each of the above posts.

cheers,

furbo.

Bladerunner - 23-5-2008 at 07:57 AM

I guess I was taught different :duh:

In BIG WIND I set the kite out with the bridle side up. I hold one wing tip and let the other flag down wind. I fold about 1 ft. ( depending on kite size ) of the upwind wing back on itself and put a weight on top of the fold. ( digging an indent in the sand also helps ) I walk my lines out cross wind NOT downwind .

When it is time to launch you pull on the lines and the downwind tip will start to come up. Take a moment to let the kite fill with air then continue. When all is good give it a jerk. The weight will pop off the end avoiding any chance of tangle with the bridle + your kite will be sitting depowered at the edge of the window.

NEVER HOT LAUNCH your kite in big wind unless you want to be Superman !!!! Launch from the side in big winds !!!! :yes:

BeamerBob - 23-5-2008 at 08:34 AM

That makes complete sense to me. I had thought of launching like you said and if you launch with the kite downwind, the kite worst case is going to drive to the edge of the window. In the worst of winds though, launching at about a 45 degree angle would give you all the control.

furbowski - 23-5-2008 at 09:02 AM

I think the strongest overall point of the earlier above posts was the detail on groundhandling:

start with the kite folded up small

have some good quickly usable anchors / weights handy like your knees, bags of sand, and a kite stake

use them to anchor the kite upwind as needed while unfolding the kite as carefully as possible

launch depowered, but with enough power for control: not too close to the edge of the wind, well away from directly downwind

acampbell - 23-5-2008 at 09:06 AM

...and the slight downwind component helps the kite fill reliably. You can move it closer to the edge a bit if it's really stupid winds. I find rolling it off the ground like Bladerunner says puts it in a direction just about already flying along the ground to the edge...

furbowski - 23-5-2008 at 09:20 AM

...then you pull a bit on the downwind brake line to send it up along the edge to a bit short of zenith, then start poking about to see just how dangerous it is deeper in the wind window...

woo hoo!

dylanj423 - 23-5-2008 at 03:18 PM

I think you need some sort of mountainboard to put on your kite!!!

KiteProject - 23-5-2008 at 04:07 PM

I should add something...I place kite at an angle downwind at the edge. I am assuming that you are using an appropriate size kite for the wind conditions and your skill level. I tend to fly a bit underpowered. My high wind kite is a Profoil 2.5 which is an extremely user-friendly kite. I know how it pulls and I fly it in 17-22 mph range. If I am flying overpowered, or flying a new kite, I'd place parallel to the wind and lines crosswind as Bladerunner indicated.

In addition to a kite stake, I'd highly recommend investing in a wind meter. You can keep track of what size kite you are flying in what kind of winds. Once you have a baseline, you can tweak the kite size for over/under powered flying.

DAKITEZ - 23-5-2008 at 08:59 PM

All good points, but my thought is if i can't take the kite straight up from takeoff ... Then I shouldn't have it out. I parapack so I pull the handles out of the bag and stake them down .. walk out the lines and flop the kite out ... open the kite and its ready to go. I walk back and yank it up straight through the window. Then I know the max power I can expect. like i said earlier if I don't feel comfortable doing that then i need to get a different kite out. just my 2 cents and shurely not the best advise I know, but thats what I do.

Bladerunner - 24-5-2008 at 08:29 AM

Very good point Dlish,

I think what you suggest applies more and more depending on the size of kite you are flying and your experience.

Whenever the power feels large you should move to the side. Both to launch and land. Or as you say move to a smaller kite. Learn how to do it for no other reason than it is the RIGHT WAY. The way they teach in lessons.

I like to fly fully powered. Particularily on the ATB. For me , it is when the wind is strong enough that I feel the need to side launch my larger kites that I know I'm going to have a good day. :yes:

If we all had the same style and desires there wouldn't be so many choices of kites out there ! Go with what works for you and Be Safe !!!!

Quote:

Originally posted by dlish89
All good points, but my thought is if i can't take the kite straight up from takeoff ... Then I shouldn't have it out.

Sthrasher38 - 25-5-2008 at 09:11 AM

How about the padded stakes that most people used at Nabx? That was the first time I had seen that done. I use to use water bottles. Another good thing is to alway's have someone with you if you can. an extra set of hands helps launching at the side of the window and for packing up.

NPWfever - 25-5-2008 at 10:25 AM

I use a stake, I walk out my lines, put my stake through the brake loops, and then attach the kite to the lines, and it inflates on the end ready to take off. Then just unstake, pick up the handles, and you're good to go.

Scudley - 23-3-2009 at 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladerunner

NEVER HOT LAUNCH your kite in big wind unless you want to be Superman !!!! Launch from the side in big winds !!!! :yes:

I think I saw you learn that lesson at Vanier. That is still the longest scud on a single pass through the power zone I have seen.
S

geojones - 23-3-2009 at 07:07 PM

i did a couple hot launches thru the power zone today with my blade 6.6 in 15-20 winds--long super fast scuds,but im not down with (suicide by kite), so only a couple direct downwind launches....mostly launching at the edge of window......it seems to me that a lifty kite give more stability at the end of a scud than a lower aspect kite does--to me ,it feels like the lift at the end seems to keep me upright.......

Bladerunner - 23-3-2009 at 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Scudley

Quote:

Originally posted by Bladerunner

NEVER HOT LAUNCH your kite in big wind unless you want to be Superman !!!! Launch from the side in big winds !!!! :yes:

I think I saw you learn that lesson at Vanier. That is still the longest scud on a single pass through the power zone I have seen.
S

AHH....... GOOD TIMES :singing: The day we all met ! :yes:

You and I imagined ourselves here but having Becky come along so far is the amazing thing ! You are one lucky man to have such a great flying / life partner . :thumbup:

Scudley's S.O. took the step up to depower this weekend. Amazing me with her natural abilaty again ! :wee: