So... after my first real session with my Fuel this weekend (flying static) I have fallen in love with this kite. But I have run into one problem, reverse and self launching. Is there a way to do this with an LEI? I have seen a video of how to self launch at the edge of the window on sand. The video demonstrated how to place the kite on a wingtip facing the edge of the window, folding the tip over, and placing sand on top of the folded wingtip. So what do I do when I'm flying on grass and have nothing to place on the tip? Am I out of luck and stuck flying with a helper? I tried pulling on one brake line to get the kite to roll over, but that didn't work well. The kite just kept sliding around on the ground. Any tips and advice would be great, especially since I was so impressed by the characteristics of this kite (and I found another amazing deal) that I picked up an 11m Fuel for myself. I guess I'm Fueling my addiction so to speak... :roll:

Are you flying on water or land? 4-line C-kites are hard to relaunch on water, even harder on land. If you have a 5th-line setup it will be a piece of cake.

I am flying on land for now, and I forgot to mention that it does have the 5th line setup. So what are the steps?

Perfect!

So when it's leading edge down, pull in on your 5th line until the kite flips on its back (leading edge is now facing you) and the wingtips are up in the air (kinda like a U).
Then slowly start pulling in on one of the backlines and you'll curl a wingtip towards you. This will cause the kite to goto the edge of the window. If you pull to hard, you'll pull the whole kite down on its leading edge again and you'll have to start over, so pull slowly.
Once it's at the edge of the window you can pull harder on that line and the kite will go up into the air.

With a 5th line setup, when the kite is down leading edge to the ground, you pull in on the fifth line until it rolls over on its back (leading edge coming towards you). Then you grab a brake line and let the kite slide to the edge of the window. Once there, you slowly let the fifth line out while keeping tension on the brake line. If done properly, the kite will stand up on its wingtip and relaunch from there.

Self launch is gonna be a bear. On water, its easy, but on land, I am not positive of a good way. I think you can use sand to weigh down the wingtips and then launch from there. Never done it before though... Sorry.

Awesome! That actually makes perfect sense, and I'm starting to wonder why I didn't try that. Now that you explained it like that it is completely obvious. So the 11m Fuel that's on the way I'm assuming does not have the 5th line installed. (the description of the bar and line set was very brief) How would I self launch a 4 line C kite?

Ragden brought up a good point, I/we described a relaunch on water. What you can do to relaunch on land is:

1. Pull in on the 5th line to lay the kite on its back
2. Slowly pull in on either back (a.k.a. steering or brake) line to where a wingtip curls towards you and the kite is now planted on the ground.
3. Slowly walk to the OPPOSITE edge of the window that the kite is facing maintaining tension on the back and 5th line. What this does is simulate the kite getting to the right-side edge of the window. (ex. If you pulled on the left steering line the kite is now facing the right. Walk to the left. The kite is now at the right-side edge of the window).
4. Let the 5th line out and steer the kite up into the air

If you're not using weights, I think you can use this method to self-launch the kite. Just stake the 5th-line down at the start, then follow the steps above.

On a 4-line setup re-launch:
1. You pull in the front lines (the line lines attached to the wingtips closest to the leading edge) and hold them.
2. You *quickly* run (or swim) towards the kite in hopes of getting it to lay down on its back (like in the 5th-line methods)
3. You slowly pull one of the back/steering lines and
a. on water: let the kite goto the edge of the window
b. on land: walk to the opposite side of the window
4. Hold that same steering/back line until the kite goes up into the air.

Wow, sounds pretty simple, but I'm sure I'll have to practice it a lot before I get the technique down. Thanks for all the help burritobandit, you're a life saver!

There's also this method, but I'm not sure if it's possible (due to design differences) on the older Fuels (he's on 2009 gear in this vid).
Pay close attention at the 2:20 mark: http://www.rubenlenten.com/videos/46/LEN10_in_the_Gorge.html

He basically pulled both backlines HARD to pop the kite up into the air and once it was in the air, let go of one backline.

This is the same method as reverse launching a foil kite.

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Originally posted by Jovver Wow, sounds pretty simple, but I'm sure I'll have to practice it a lot before I get the technique down. Thanks for all the help burritobandit, you're a life saver!

Practice makes perfect! Just be sure you're not trying it out in heavy winds, or on punishing turf. Soft grass or sand would be best.

And if something goes wrong while trying in faster winds, just release to your 5th. It's one of the best safeties for LEIs. Cabrinha and Best have tried replicating it using 4-lines with their IDS and RedLine technologies (respectively).

Also on your 4-line Fuel, see how similar the leading edge is to your 5th-line fuel. You might be able to attach your 5th line to your 4-line fuel and use your 5th line bar. Lots of C-kites had 5th-line tabs in the center of the leading edge as an option for people to use 5th-line bars..

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This is the same method as reverse launching a foil kite.

That is exactly what I was trying to do at first and basically you have to get the distance of line you pull just right so that the kite angles itself as if it is flying backwards, all while you are holding those rear lines. My 15m pulls like a truck so it's really hard to hold onto those lines and I am not looking forward to getting cut by them.

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Also on your 4-line Fuel, see how similar the leading edge is to your 5th-line fuel. You might be able to attach your 5th line to your 4-line fuel and use your 5th line bar. Lots of C-kites had 5th-line tabs in the center of the leading edge as an option for people to use 5th-line bars..

That's really nice to know. I'll have to check it out when it arrives, and as usual, I will be sure to post pics on here.

Thanks again burritobandit!

Jov youll have to practice a bit to get proficient at it. The 4 line will be almost impossible to relaunch on land, the kite will tend to slide when you run at it.
As far as self launching, Pump it up, set everything up facing down wind, oppisite of how you fly. kite upwind and bar and lines layed out downwind. Once your ready walk to the side pulling one of the outside lines to pull the kite around. Once the kite starts catching wind it will slide down wind and just do a relaunch.

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Originally posted by burritobandit There's also this method, but I'm not sure if it's possible (due to design differences) on the older Fuels (he's on 2009 gear in this vid). Pay close attention at the 2:20 mark: http://www.rubenlenten.com/videos/46/LEN10_in_the_Gorge.html He basically pulled both backlines HARD to pop the kite up into the air and once it was in the air, let go of one backline. This is the same method as reverse launching a foil kite.

i was wondering if that would work when erik was trying to relaunch the other day.........

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Originally posted by kitejumper i was wondering if that would work when erik was trying to relaunch the other day.........

If you're using bows, it might be easier since the wingtips are swept. Here's a detailed instructional vid: http://www.bestkiteboarding.com/Videos?p=4&v=7

Brilliant, now I know what those loops are actually for! I assumed they were points to attach a leash to kind of flag the kite out when you activate the QR on the chicken loop. I'll have to give it a try. Thanks for all the info guys, I knew I could count on you!

Those loops are known as 'Oh $h1t Handles'. You *can* use them to leash off of (just be sure they are loose and not velcro-ed to the leader lines) to flag the kite, but it's *possible* that the kite will spin a little or a lot as it comes down. Another disadvantage to leasing on an OSH is that if you pull your QR, your bar will shoot up the line you leashed to and the bar will be out of easy reach. You'll have to swim to the bar and be mindful of avoiding getting caught up in your kite lines. Then reset your leash, hook in, and relaunch. In your case, just leash to your 5th line

One way to safely see what happens when you pull your QR or safely practice pulling/reassembling your QR is to attach all your kite lines to a fixed object, hook in, then pull the QR. Here are the steps I used to practice:

1. Find a tree and throw a bike chain around it
2. Unwrap lines from your bar, sort them out, and lay them out straight to the tree.
3. Connect kite lines to the chain.
4. Secure the chain to the tree
5. Walk back to bar, hook in, and hook leash line to desired leash point (5th line, 1 steering line, 1 front line)
6. Lean back to put tension on the lines.
7. Pull QR and and BE READY TO STEP BACK TO CATCH YOURSELF :D

Watch what happens with the bar. Imagine all this is happening in the water. Note that all but one line will be slack. Depending on your leash point, the bar may travel further up the line.

8. Retrieve bar and reassemble chicken loop and hook back in.
Repeat as necessary until you've explored your options/got the whole process down.

If you ever pick up a bow kite, there's usually a little ring below the bar where you attach your leash to. This simply doubles the depower of the kite and lets you collect your bar much easier than having it shoot up one of the kites lines. You just pull your chicken loop line until you get to your CL, reassemble it, then hook in and it should all reset itself.


*PRO-TIP*: You can tune your lines by using steps 1 - 6, setting your sheeting strap/rope to full power, and leaning back. If your bar is properly tuned, all your lines should be even. Your bar should be absolutely perpendicular to the tree/fixed object. If one line or more lines is slack, then you'll have to make adjustments using knots on your leader lines. Same if your bar is not perpendicular.


edit: I keep envisioning this all happening water even tho you've already stated you're kiting on land haha... Oh well, most if not all of it still applies and if you ever make it to kiting on water, you'll know what's up.