Hi,
I own an Eleveight OS V1 in 10m and use it for foiling kn very light wind. Problem is that I am not able to relaunch, if the kite falls on trailing edge. Normally with other kites, I grab the swivel and push it towards me and the kite flies instantly in the air. But not with the OS - when doing this, the kite seams to have not equal long frontlines and tries to move on one side of the tip (rather than straight in the air). But lines are equally long and while riding no tendenca to one side, everything fine.
Does anyone have an idea what could be the problem?
If there is enough wind and the kite is on the leading edge it is pretty quick to relaunch over one tip.

Hi Pampel,

I'm a bit confused with those words : "I grab the swivel and push it towards me'

If your kite is stuck on the trailing edge you push the bar all the way out (zero power) then pull the front lines and swim against the kite, which is probably what you're doing anyways.

When a kite launches straight up in the power zone towards the Zenith from the trailing edge we call this a "hot launch"

For a hot launch to happen, you need near perfect symmetry with your kite and your lines. This means your kite has to be directly (or almost directly) downwind of you and centred as well meaning both sides of your kite are sunk equally in the water. You also need the lines to have equal tension as you pointed out. This is all a matter of luck more than anything else.

Remember that single strut kites can be harder to relaunch in general due to the lack of structure / support usually provided with the additional struts.

My recommendation are:

1 - Inflate your kite harder which will always make relaunching easier and quicker regardless of which kite you use. This is especially important for low wind relaunch performance.

2- Improve your kite control so you can avoid crashing your kite in those very low wind sessions, even when you crash off of your board.

3- Use line extensions. If you are flying in sub 12 knots, adding line extensions (between 3m and 6m) will give you more time and space in the wind window to react / correct / recover when you make piloting mistakes or when the wind suddenly drops.

4- Use thinner lines for sub 12 knots hydrofoiling. Thinner "race" lines create less drag which makes it easier to keep the kite up and gives better performance overall due to reduced drag in very low winds. This is an example of the lines I use: www.kitebud.com.au/product/airush-eurocord-replacement-lines-sets-4x-15mlow-drag/

5- If your kite ends up on the trailing edge it's usually because you are oversteering and/or overpowering during the relaunch process OR that you have back-stalled the kite while flying it. If you improve your relaunching skills your kite should very rarely end up on the trailing edge. If you improve your kite control skills, your kite should very rarely end up back-stalling to the point of having the trailing edge hit the water.

Hope this helps

Christian - KiteBud

Hi Christian,
thanks for the detailed explenations. Maybe it is just the fact, that (as you said) onestrut kites are in general harder to relaunch if sitting on trailing edge in low wind. All my other kites were way easier to hot launch in low wind situations, but that maybe only because they all were 3 or 5 strut kites. I thought that this phenomen could be an Eleveight problem in general, but what you said makes sense. By the way, the wind was really light and the kite ended in water because in lulls, there was virtually no wind at all and I was standing on a sandbank. As often, I was the only guy out...!
Thanks

1 - Suggestion to pump it harder does not work on one strut, ie Ultra.

Because the strut is quite thin. Hence it bends when on TE and this is not helping at all to relaunch.

The solution would be to use one way valve and inflate strut only to high psi. Than it might not bend but support the canopy when on TE.

No idea where to buy one way, old style valve. And to be fair no idea why using one pump system on one strut kite. It is not a problem to inflate one strut at all.

D.

I personally wouldnt say that single strut kites are harder to relaunch, infact some single strut kites relaunch easier.

Select to expand quote

cbulota said..

Remember that single strut kites can be harder to relaunch in general due to the lack of structure / support usually provided with the additional struts.

Select to expand quote

IWB said..
I personally wouldnt say that single strut kites are harder to relaunch, infact some single strut kites relaunch easier.

cbulota said..

Remember that single strut kites can be harder to relaunch in general due to the lack of structure / support usually provided with the additional struts.

It really depends on the actual kite and circumstances of the relaunch. that's why I said "can be harder to relaunch in general" and not "are harder to relaunch"

Select to expand quote

dbabicwa said..
1 - Suggestion to pump it harder does not work on one strut, ie Ultra.

Because the strut is quite thin. Hence it bends when on TE and this is not helping at all to relaunch.

The solution would be to use one way valve and inflate strut only to high psi. Than it might not bend but support the canopy when on TE.

No idea where to buy one way, old style valve. And to be fair no idea why using one pump system on one strut kite. It is not a problem to inflate one strut at all.

D.

You can just inflate the whole kite more than usual which will give more air to the strut. You can then clamp the strut and unscrew the deflation valve slowly to let some air out if you don't want to run a very high pressure on your leading edge. That's a very easy solution and is better than changing your valves on your leading edge and strut which you be a tricky job and will devaluate your kite.

I don't know any brand that designs LEI kites without a one pump system anymore, it's just the evolution of the sport and design.

The Newer construction Ultra Team Hookipa kites will allow to pressure them to double what you usually put in a standard Ultra kite therefore giving you a very stiff strut and very stiff Leading edge.

That being said, the ultra has never been designed to be easy to relaunch. A bit like foil kites, It's a high performance kite that is mostly aimed at experienced hydrofoil kiters who rarely crash their kite. Like with any kite out there, it's about compromise. You have a better performing kite, you sacrifice the relaunching ability. Something that the foil-kite users know very well.

While I wait for the Ultra Team kites to arrive, I'm using the single strut Airush One V2 kite which has a thicker LE and thicker strut. This makes a huge difference in relaunching especially in tricky situations or low wind situations. If you crash your kite often, the One kite might be a better option and is also much more affordable than the Ultra while still offering excellent low wind performance for hydrofoiling.

Another point worth mentioning is that over time, the canopy of any kite wears out, stretches and becomes more porous. It therefore absorbs more water, making the kite heavier and harder to relaunch in low winds. The Dacron on the Leading edge and strut tends to bend more easily, even under high pressure. In low winds, relaunching the exact same kite that is new-ish will most often be much easier compared to a kite that's been used a lot. We replace our single strut school kites half way through the season and the difference in relaunching for the same kite new vs used is mind-blowing in low winds for complete beginners.

Hope this helps

Christian - KiteBud

Inflating LE hard to get the strut pressure is a risky business. Blown LE with the bladder will devaluate kite more than anything.
As you wrote, we can clamp the LE, not the strut, and inflate strut only providing one way valve is there. Plenty of old strut bladders in my garage, I bet you have heaps. But the old style valve with a ball? Not so.

Ultra is an excellent kite for TT and light riders. Ask Sophie, probably seen one on PeliPt... ;)