So, whenever I fly my 8m Speed 4 I love, but I haven't been flying it lately because I've been scared of having it on the water since I had a bad experience with it.

When I was out in Aruba I managed to crash it on the water. No big deal I though, I'll just relaunch it. The first couple of times it was fine, but eventually I managed to get some water in it and it wouldn't relaunch. The problem was definitely me instinctively standing up to add tension to the lines which apparently can pump water into the kite. Anyways, i ended up releasing to the safety and dragging the kite back to shore.

However, my real problem began when I tried to get the kite out of the tiny waves. There was plenty of air left in the kite and it floated fine, but there was also enough water in it that I couldn't easily lift it out of the water. I struggled for what felt like at least 15-20 minutes to get it clear of the water so I could focus on emptying the water out.

What I'm wondering is what I could have done better once the kite has taken on too much water to relaunch. I feel like I know enough now to keep water from entering next time I crash it, but I want to be prepared for the worst case before I take it out again on the water.

dosent the kite have some small vents on the left and right bottom of the kite that's let water drain out. I'm not sure if tht would work in your scenario. may be if u can get the kite to rock a little bit off the water it can drain enough to launch. If it has taken on water and you want to bring it in just open the deflate Velcro on the bottom of the kite I suppose. its the same to get the air out after a session . this was recommended to me and it works just open the deflate Velcro and place the kite 90 degrees to the wind and drop your bag and lines on the center of the kite and leave it in about 15 mins or soo most of the air will be out.

ok , #1 rule DO NOT DROP KITE, you must fly with this in mind, always be in control. this kite is amazing in flight! but it cannot swim. if your dropping that much get a tube and get in control before using this kite in the water. if unit is getting loaded man

now if you per chance you ALLOW the kite to hit the water, first thing to relaunch unit ASAP --->(LE down)super hard both back line pull for reverse launch as soon it opens ! keeping the board makes much easier.... if not swim like olypiman and make it happen . KNOWNING what the kite is GOING to do and what YOU need to do needs to be reflex apparent, if not more practice and time with kite flying in control.


if you are in a shallow safe spot this really should not be a problem, if kite handling skills are READY water and self resuse action

i am stressing the mastery of these elements in water, you want fun, not panic.



this is a serious sweet unit BTW , this is fundamental safety, not being harsh. instructor on the seen? how much time in harness total?

The kite does have valves to drain water. If it takes on a little you're supposed to get it on its side and it should drain out.

What I'm wondering about is how to deal with it should it end up with more than a little water inside. I know this shouldn't happen and it's very possible it won't ever (now that I know my feet should never be in the ground when the kite is in the water), but I'd like to feel more prepared.

Currently I stick with inflatables on the water because I don't feel like I can handle a foil that won't relaunch.

I'm definitely a beginner on the water, but I'm not dropping kites often. Maybe twice in an average four hour session. I feel very comfortable with an inflatable and I don't think it's likely I'd have any problem with my flysurfer now.

What I really want to know is: in the unlikely event of the kite taking on too much water to relaunch, how do you get it out of the water to drain?

It depends on the winds you are in. I have taken on quite a bit of fresh water with a couple of my kites. It has happened mainly when the wind drops. That is the worst.

If there is still wind I let it sit on the water, right side up and keep trying to launch it. The kite is likely designed for water to drain out this direction. It will take some time but as the kite keeps trying to lift into the air, the water will drain out. Eventually it will fly, usually with water draining out for a bit.

When the wind drops and I have to swim in or self rescue, I always carry a strap to wrap up the kite. I usually wrap the strap around my leg where it will cross over the leg straps on my harness, lay flat, and stay out of the way. I wrap up the lines then roll up the kit in the water from the wingtips. I wrap the strap around it to keep it relatively compressed and pile it on my board. Then I swim in.

I always dress for the swim, not the ride. Water is cold around here.

Occasionally I have created an anchor myself as well. I get to shore and start in the middle I lift the kite and let the water drain slowly toward the tips. I pile the kite on my shoulder as I go. The kite can hold a ton of water and I am always careful not to put too much weight against the kite stitching. I think once I also tried opening the large central zipper and started from both wing tips. Either way works but the large zipper drains faster. Usually the water is located more on the tips so that is usually the direction I go.

Now is where someone gets to tell me I have been doing it wrong. No one told me the best way. I was taught by necessity. Anyway, I hope this helps.

stetson05: So, you put the wingtips together and then roll it up towards the center forcing out air and water as you go? Do you open any valves or just move slowly?

across the back TE in each profile rib there tiny holes that water drain cross cell, they are not big and it just takes time for it to drain. tips together and roll to center is the rescue model but by this time its really loaded ! its a SLOW process to bag effectively in water loaded... roll squeeze roll squeeze roll squeeze...you have to make the decision which has the most water and work to that opening. keeping the leading edge somewhat vertical(at least out of water ) assist you in keeping it floating while you work . its tough even for experienced.

Main thing with those kites is to ensure it hits the water in a nice organized way. Fluttering from a stall or landing in some kind of awkward position - especially if the lines wrap it on the way down - leads to not being able to reset it for launch soon enough. Not usually because time is short - but more due to the fact that to get it reset - there's usually an orientation along the way that it gets into that forces water into the kite. If you land it leading edge down, don't pull the front lines. Get on the back lines asap. In the same sense, if it lands trailing edge down, don't pull the back lines. I've had mine anchor me too, and yes it does take a long time to drain all the water because the inner cells don't let it flow so easily toward a drain hole.

If you are in the situation where the kite has landed in the water without any awkwardness and the water is not being forced into the intakes on the leading edge or the outlets at the wingtips - you do actually have quite a bit of time to relaunch. It's not like you're flying a sponge. The fresher the fabric, the more this is true. Flying in the ocean I see all kinds of inflatables get drowned in waves. The only thing those have going for them is the kite won't become an anchor. They get swamped in the waves just as easily. That being said I wouldn't use a flysurfer where there's offshore current unless I was prepared to do a lot of swimming post-self-rescue or release the kite entirely if it became an anchor. Something I'd probably think harder about anyway if I just bought a brand new one or something - might be more choosy about where I ride.

Pretty sure my problem was just not realizing you're supposed to drift with a foil. I'm pretty sure in hindsight the kite would have drained itself if I just picked my feet up off the ground.

This weekend if the water is looking calm enough I might give it a try again. I know I loved the feel of that kite in the air.

Quote:

If you land it leading edge down, don't pull the front lines. Get on the back lines asap

FOR SURE! If you pull the front lines with LE down you are pulling the vents open and through the water. NEVER pull the front lines when the leading edge is down. Grab those back lines ASAP to reverse launch it. That is the only way I have gotten enough water in the kite that I could not relaunch it. If it gets some water, just get it LE facing up straight downwind and the water will drain out eventually. Water comes out and weighs down one side so you have to also pull the opposite side so it doesnt flip over. Also pump the center lines if necessary.

Scott flies open cell and takes a mesh bag with him to stuff the kite into.

Stetsons's method to push out the air is good. Combine it with a mesh bag and you should get homes safe.

I got my FS filled with water few times ..... Each time it was a pain to take it out from water to the beach and first time it happened I rip it ....
All those incidents happened when kite was in a water for longer piriod of time .... and all 3 times I pull safety for some reason with full knowledge that I will need to drag that beast to the shore with water slowly filling up chambers .... there was just no other way .....
Last time I knew it will take me more then 30 min to get to the shore and with off shore wind at this moment I decided to pack a kite before that swim back .... That decision definitely save me a lots of troubles .... But it was hard to wrap up 18m partly filled with water in 40mph winds .... I put my kite on a board and wrap it up with leash .... When I got closer to the beach I got some help from another kiter ......

I never got any water from trying to relaunch kite ...

I have to drift launch and water land 100% of the time where I kite. The trick to not get water in the flysurfer is, after you release the safety and it is laying in the water, DONT pull the kite towards you as you wrap your lines, walk or swim towards the kite just fast enough to avoid pulling it through the water. When you get to the kite roll it up while making your way back to shore. Dragging the kite through the water will cause it to take on a lot of water. Not much water at all in it if you avoid doing that.