So I bought a 3m and a 5m Beamer and was going to give this kite thing a try... They haven't arrived yet but I followed a suggestion in another thread and read up on the process here:

http://www.coastalwindsports.com/101FirstFlight4LineHandles....

So my question is, it looks like a nightmare tying everything up and getting it ready to fly... It would be nice to have that entire article available to consult as I run into the inevitable snafu while tying up the handles and lines, etc... Is it possible to just do in your house or do I really need to stretch out the lines the entire length to get everything orientated correctly?

sconley, It's fine to stretch things out and give it a look at the house and then go out and setup in the field and just fly it, you can't properly set it up without room to run the lines.

Ok thanks... I figured but was being hopeful...

I've setup my last few kites inside my house but it's tricky and I have got lines snaking all over the place. Much easier to do it outside where you can run things in a straight line to the kite but of course, the weather doesn't always cooperate and impatience and enthusiasm usually see me doing stuff like that inside.

Although my two biggest stuff ups have happened outside. One was a demo kite where I unwrapped the lines incorrectly and it took me 45 minutes to sort it out. The other was changing lines over on the turbo bar at the beach - side launched the kite and I'd crossed stuff over left, right and center. Another 25 minutes of pure gold buggying time lost!

I'm lucky I am normally the last person at work so I get to lay out my lines in-front of the check-stands in Fred Meyer. Security has yet to say anything.:D

FWIW: The instructions for setting up a FB are fairly detaled... sort of like the instructions for giving pills to a cat. The things that seem like they are complex while reading will seem much simpler out on the field. With a little practice things will go faster and faster, until setup becomes almost second nature.

Some things that will make life easier:

• A method for weighing down the trailing edge of the kite before launch. Different people use different methods.
  
• A method to stake down the brake loops on your kite handles. Some people use long handles screwdrivers, several companies make stakes especially for kiting, and the HQ kites should come with a stake that looks like this:
  .
  picture courtesy of Coastal Wind Sports
  Just make sure that the stake doesn't get left at home.
  
• Make sure that when attaching the kite killers, they can only minimally slide back and forth on the brake leaders.
  

Once you are comfortable with setting up and packing away the kite, you can also look into "parapacking" which some people prefer as it speed things up. When done correctly, it can save a lot of time. When done incorrectly, it can lead to colorful language, elevated blood pressure and scaring local wildlife.

Here are some threads on parapacking to tuck away for future reference.

Racekites Guide to Parapacking

How to parapack video "Screwy Style"

If you are concerned about tangled lines during setup or packing away, this might be of interest.

Twisted lines (kiting's dirty little secret?) - Tips for putting away your lines

Hope that helps.

ATB,
Sam

Thanks Wolf, that's some great material there...

I think you will find line management one of the harder things to get used to. I wish I had all those tips when starting out! Find a method that works and stick with it.

Lay the kite out and admire it but hooking up lines inside a house with no previous experience sounds like trouble?

check the line lengths to make sure they are equal but if you bought those from Rip they are probably already stretched

Wolf, I disagree , it's nothing like giving pills to a cat ... I read it over and over and couldn't find the steps for the kite stake. and where does the kite killer goes on the cat??

Stetson05... I did buy them from Rip, what do you mean they are probably stretched? And what if they aren't, does that mean they will have to be quickly adjusted? I guess I don't understand the significance? Rip said the kites are new/never flown... Just taken out and displayed, fwiw?

Quote:

Originally posted by van I read it over and over and couldn't find the steps for the kite stake. and where does the kite killer goes on the cat??

The steps for the kite were probably left out due to ASPCA concerns. This is unwarranted as long as you use the stakes with a bungee net...carefully. :o

The kite killer doesn't go on the cat..... the cat is a kite killer. Many an intake mesh and bridles have fallen prey to admantanium claws. :wow:

ATB,
Sam

I've never seen a cat take down a kite, but I have seen many a small-midsize canine.

Quote:

Originally posted by Sconley Stetson05... I did buy them from Rip, what do you mean they are probably stretched? And what if they aren't, does that mean they will have to be quickly adjusted? I guess I don't understand the significance? Rip said the kites are new/never flown... Just taken out and displayed, fwiw?

Just about all of the major manufacturers pre-stretch the lines, before forming the connection loops at the end which are then sleeved with woven dacro and then stitched or tied in place to lock the loops. This is to prevent creep (line stretch) in the lines over time as you fly the kite.

Over time and depending on how hard and what kinds of winds you fly in, creep can still occur, but it should be well down the road.

If they kites were just displayed, it is more than likely that the flying lines are on the winder just as they had been delivered from the factory and all is right with the world.

If you are really concerned, you can check the line lengths on the ground before flight.

ATB,
Sam