nwsurfwakeskate - 7-6-2008 at 11:48 PM
alright so I have a scenario here that I need help with.
Say you go out kiting and initially you've got good wind but you hit a lul and the kite lands on the water leading edge down....now there isn't enough
wind to fly the kite backwards up off the water and after trying several times some water has managed to get in the kite. so you eventually give up
and wind in the lines and roll the kite up. except the kite has what seems like a 50lbs of water in it and can not be picked up out of the water and
is very difficult to drag.
how do you get the water out? I'm wondering because this situation happened to me today on the Pulse 2. I drifted into a strong current low wind area
that was luckily standing water but the current was strong enough to suck one corner of the kite down in the water and fill it up with water.
I had to drag the kite on to the beach and spent a good 20mins trying to work the water through all the cells and to the zipper on the back of the
canopy.
I wasn't able to get all of the water out until after I preinflated the kite and tried relaunching it again but once it was back up in the air the
last few pounds of water drained out of the wingtips without too much hassle.
domdino - 8-6-2008 at 12:42 AM
I'm drunk... this isn't going to be a very useful reply :D but if you get water in the flysurfer and can't turn it over (which has only happened once
or twice, usually it can be turned over even if it's really weighed down...) then i just self rescue... goto the kite and drag yourself in by holding
the two tips together, the water should totally fall out of the sand pocket things on either end of the kite though...
I'm really surprised this happened to you on a pulse2 though, i've had this happen on my old psychos but the pulse is so amazingly easy to relaunch,
i've never got water in it, it just turns over so fast and easily, i even rolled it in surf once no problems...!
Anyway, i'm gonna post you a silverarrow on monday hope you like it, go out in
ultralightwinds at first and try crashing it and seeing if you can turn it over... i find it quite easy but it does take a little bit of technique i
guess!
nwsurfwakeskate - 8-6-2008 at 01:11 AM
yeah I was pretty shocked it happend too. I think the thing that screwed me was the current, where the kite fell it was probably cooking a good 5knts
along the beach. I knew the tide was coming in but I didn't except it to be that strong. anyway in all of the efforts to get it flipped over, the
right wing tip started to get some water in it and once that happened the current sucked it down and I'm guessing started filling it up through the
sand/water drain. since I was in waste deep water I could stand and fight it which sucked the wingtip down even further and filled it up that much
quicker.
so I guess the main things I learned from this experience is even if your launch looks good, ninja currents can show up nearby without warning. and let the water drain through the wing tips instead of trying to get it out
through the zipper.
I'm definitely excited for the Silver Arrow. there is enough places around here that between the P2 12m and the SA1.5 I should be able to kite
everyday. unless its blowing 25+ and then I can just bust out the windsurfing gear.
speleopower - 8-6-2008 at 09:25 AM
I only fly open cell foils on the water and I carry a self rescue kit. Basicly I carry a large mesh laundry sack that I can stuff the water filled
kite into. When it's in the mesh bag the water naturally comes out of the kite making the whole mess easy to deal with. Plus you can lay on the bag
while paddling back in. Pretty easy just takes awhile.
Do I do and don't ever crash your kite
Ok every now and then I crash but like all kitesurfers you should be close enough to shore to easily swim back to land.
Scott
DenisLaMenace - 8-6-2008 at 04:42 PM
It happened to me last year with a Pulse1 10m.
I realized that I had pulled the front lines while the kite upside down
since I dont do it, it has never happen.
the kite may take some little water through the tissue when sitting upright, but easy to launch with enough winds
Bladerunner - 9-6-2008 at 08:59 AM
The 1st time I dropped my Psyhco 2 the same thing with the tide got me. I was in shallow and stood up holding the kite back. It filled quick. That
was lesson # 1 with Flysurfers.