I have been launching the ARC as shown in the manual and on vids with it laid out and a sand bag on one end. That may work great on a nice sandy beach or open field but where I launch there are wind shadows and little room for error. Today when I launched the downwind end kept on flapping around getting the lines all tangled up. I eventually got going but it took far longer than pumping up an LEI.

So I have to come up with a different launch procedure and get it dialed in so it takes no time to get on the water. I recall Feyd uses a taco launch technique so does flexiblade. Any tips?

I have a PC fan and 18v battery setup that I get the kite fairly well inflated prior to launch.

I had a couple of great sessions once I got going. I took a break between sessions and hooked the chicken loop to a pole leaving it at autozenith. V13 is a great kite.

dean launches his phantoms in a certain way which is very interesting. its sort of a hot launch where you put sand on both wingtips. when you launch, it is not completely inflated so that you don't get superman tossed downwind. you just walk strait upwind and pull both front lines so that the tips unstick from the sand and open the kite completely up into the wind.

maybe you can get him to post a short video cliip or possibly a picture. its a pretty good idea if you are an experienced pilot

albatrossMark does the taco launch too...

I've been trying more hot-launches in low winds lately too, that and anchoring down the CL and just manually assisting either on the kite, or tugging the top lines further up.

When trying the standard launch, I've been trying to fold the downwind end a couple of feet upwind over the kite, at a 45 degree angle toward the bar, and weight/sand down across the fold's seam. That way, I bypass the need for launch-assist tabs as the lines are less likely to flip underneath (providing you weighed the back fold enough). You will have to do some extra tugs to fully inflate those folded feet before launch. I do a small fold on the upwind end, too, so the sand/weight can roll away from the sticks. This is probably not something new at all, and described elsewhere.

I am starting to realize that an experienced pumper has good odds of being up before I am on an arc + he will likely beat me in pack up as well.

Usually conditions are less than ideal . Inflation takes time by mother nature. Add spar insertion + walking out / attaching lines / setting lines for launch and a well organised pumper is ready to go . Using a fan = using a pump IMHO.

If wind is stong and infation is pretty fast I usuall struggle with the worm effect and extra time is lost in set up.

I love my arcs but 2 out of 3 times flying them lately I swear I am buying open cell foil the next time ! I am starting to really envy those who flop and fly !

Yeah, I'm thinking keeping lines/sticks attached, weighted taco fold-over with inflator assist (like my handy little WD clylinder fan) would the the quick, painless way up and out (if you're sure which kite you're going to use to begin with)

I'm keeping my arcs with spars in right now. I'd like to move towards keeping bar and lines attached also and then I'd be almost as quick to launch as with my Apexs and Montanas. I always launch with the traditional method of weighted upwind edge with downwind lines in BOTH launch assist tabs. This helps keep the lines from tangling under the kite if its flopping around much.

I do what BB just mentioned but in high winds with my Venom II's to keep the kite from moving and flopping around (especially the downwind tip), I put a few handfuls of sand on the 3rd cell upwards the downwind zipper and a few handfuls of sand in the middle of the kite. Never had any problems launching in this manner and keeps the kite exactly where it should be.

Bob I also put the lines through both of my launch tabs when the wind is really strong and the kite tends to flap around. that helps keep the lines from going underneath the wingtip if it is bouncing around

I found a couple of things to help with inflation & launch. To stop the flapping of the downwind tip I open both inflation zips and fill the downwind end first then close the downwind zip when there is about 3/4 of the cells filled. The launch assist tabs on my Venom I barely stick any more so I hold the downwind lines in my hand as I walk back from the kite to my bar and keep tension on the top line. This keeps the tip up so it is ready to catch wind to launch.

with spars in lines attached, i can get it up and going, take a lap or 2 then help a tube launch while flying my arc.

if the tabs are weak , i sand(weight) the lines downwind lines right before the walk back to launch. the flapping is best controlled for problem free launches. little bit of sand will certainly help

if the lines go underneath the flopping tip ..its AN ALL STOP and reset.

Question to those who keep their lines attached:
How do you ensure no twists or tangles prior to launch?
I'm super new to Arcs, but one thing I've done is keep the lines attached, but remove the spars to pack the kite down tighter. It seemed a good compromise while still packing the kite smaller. I just wasn't sure how to pull some tension on the bar/lines to check them without moving the kite while it was filling. Any thoughts?

@AD72 - I finally got the 15 synergy from my Mom! Super stoked! Can't wait to ride it! Yesterday had a 6m lei and was lit. Thanks again!

line check first , then fill

the spars being taken out AND the lines attached is something different that could get messy, not a time saver to futz with spars. i would take off the lines if the spars are coming out. same way IN, then same way OUT. it can be done just one flop through and you'll be taken off a line.

roll it out , weight the tip on tip, walk out the lines pull taught to check , NOW open and fill, while its filling do a walk back from the kite to sort any X'ed stuff. be aware of the BAR orientation to the kite! it is the key to "A READY to GO" pack up. and when unwinding, maintain BAR orientation.

Phree, thank you! That makes tons of sense to first check then fill! Also your tip about keeping the bar the same winding up as well as unwinding seems critical!

Quote:

Originally posted by Flyfish @AD72 - I finally got the 15 synergy from my Mom! Super stoked! Can't wait to ride it! Yesterday had a 6m lei and was lit. Thanks again!

Cheers. Let me know how it goes. I have had more time with LEIs and FS on the water than ARCs as well (in the short 2 years I have been on the water).

Good tips on a quick setup. I am going to need to get some sand bags. There is no sand at the launch site.

I keep my lines and sparse in most of the time
My props for learning have to go to mougl when the kite arived I just flopped it out I extended the lines that were already attached which I thought was cool put the sparse in because they had been removed for shipping opened it up filled and launch the lines were perfect so when I packed it up I just reversed the process and that is the way I do it from now on but it is super fast unless I don't have enough wind to fly the trick is the same with the foil handles u just have to pick them up and put them away in the exact same way and they musnt move while the kite is stored I will try and get some raw footage and one of the video gurus on here can make an instructional

Quote:

Originally posted by PHREERIDER roll it out , weight the tip on tip, walk out the lines pull taught to check , NOW open and fill, while its filling do a walk back from the kite to sort any X'ed stuff. be aware of the BAR orientation to the kite! it is the key to "A READY to GO" pack up. and when unwinding, maintain BAR orientation.

You forgot one crucial part in that step by step...

Be sure to hit the record button on the GoPro before grabbing some wind.

Quote:

Originally posted by Todd Quote: Originally posted by PHREERIDER roll it out , weight the tip on tip, walk out the lines pull taught to check , NOW open and fill, while its filling do a walk back from the kite to sort any X'ed stuff. be aware of the BAR orientation to the kite! it is the key to "A READY to GO" pack up. and when unwinding, maintain BAR orientation. You forgot one crucial part in that step by step... Be sure to hit the record button on the GoPro before grabbing some wind.

gopro habit indeed! hit the button THEN ride it!

For those who use leaf blowers have you considered creating some artificial wind just so the kite can take it shape a little easier? I wonder if that would assist getting the kite up

ahh just reading this gives me a headache.
FLOP and fllyy

I have only launched my 13m bomba 10 times or so and each time I had to hot launch. I find that the kite refuses to let mother nature give it a blow job :wee: and having less air in it actually lets me hot launch without worrying about doing a super man. Basically when I get the kite up it will inflate and come to zenith. I have yet to do this in a really strong wind as I am to new to it, but I have had luck in the 13-16 knot zone.

I leave everything attached as well and find that 95% i have never had a line tangle. I am not sure if I do things 'right' but it seems to be working for me.

Quote:

Originally posted by dandre ahh just reading this gives me a headache. FLOP and fllyy

Are you referring to my comment? It seems plausible I'm not saying this would get the kite air born just enough to get the kite in the first stage of launching

haha no I always think about getting arcs; then I read everyone talking in all this complicated jargon.
maybe it'd be worth it for a 13m VII...

but I like my 3 minute setup time

I see what you mean. Yeah going from an open cell kite to my PL scorpion was a huge transition. Granted I was in light winds I had to go out 3 times before i got it in the air but when I did get the kite up it was totally worth the hassle!

yo thats what happens anytime you branch out into new things. Small victories are what learning is all about

Today I had a great time with my Scorpion it went up less difficult than before credit goes to pulling on the "power" and a great inflation thanks every one once again!