After watching Shingo Hayakawa-sans Foil Kite Catcher video, I liked the idea but thought the catcher could be simplified.
So i took an old walking stick, about 80cm long and added a tennis ball to the end so there,s nothing sharp to damage the kite on.
I also put on a small flag as to make it easy to see, with a note, DO NOT REMOVE.
I then push or hammer the stick about half way in to the ground/sand at an angle in to the wind.
The idea is to fly the kite just ahead of the stick and let it drift back catching the tip and/or tip bridle and the kite lays down nicely every time.
Depending on which bridles catch, the kite will lay down a bit different each time , but it always lays down.
I,ve had a 100% success rate in the few months i,ve been using the stick.
After the kite has landed, weight the tip, lift the bridles off the stick and the kite's ready to launch again.
There has been no signs of wear or damage and i think there is less strain on the bridles compared to flagging out on the safety line.
The biggest kite i,ve landed on the stick is 12m, but i,m sure bigger kites will land just the same.
The hardest part is getting the distance right from the stick, so i often do a couple of practice flyby swoops to check the distance.
It,s actually good fun to land the kite on the stick.
For the record, i can land foil kites all 8 ways as shown in Adventure Logs video.
What i like best about the stick is the kite lands right there where the stick is.
It,s easy to make and fun to use so give it a go.

Cunning!.....I wonder how easy that would be in bat**** crazy gusty wind.

I suppose if you were always in a spot were no one is available to catch your kite it would be an option. Front line flagging would clearly be safer and less likely to damage the kite.

Fantastic!!

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snalberski said..
I suppose if you were always in a spot were no one is available to catch your kite it would be an option. Front line flagging would clearly be safer and less likely to damage the kite.

Disagree. Front line flagging puts a lot of stress on the kite, sometimes it's flapping like mad until you get to it.
Also it's landing 20-25m downwind of you. You don't know if there sticks or shells on the beach there doing damage to your kite.
No wear or damage has happened to my kites in the months if been using the stick.

Excellent idea, thanks for sharing.

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stevy said..
After watching Shingo Hayakawa-sans Foil Kite Catcher video, I liked the idea but thought the catcher could be simplified.
So i took an old walking stick, about 80cm long and added a tennis ball to the end so there,s nothing sharp to damage the kite on.
I also put on a small flag as to make it easy to see, with a note, DO NOT REMOVE.
I then push or hammer the stick about half way in to the ground/sand at an angle in to the wind.
The idea is to fly the kite just ahead of the stick and let it drift back catching the tip and/or tip bridle and the kite lays down nicely every time.
Depending on which bridles catch, the kite will lay down a bit different each time , but it always lays down.
I,ve had a 100% success rate in the few months i,ve been using the stick.
After the kite has landed, weight the tip, lift the bridles off the stick and the kite's ready to launch again.
There has been no signs of wear or damage and i think there is less strain on the bridles compared to flagging out on the safety line.
The biggest kite i,ve landed on the stick is 12m, but i,m sure bigger kites will land just the same.
The hardest part is getting the distance right from the stick, so i often do a couple of practice flyby swoops to check the distance.
It,s actually good fun to land the kite on the stick.
For the record, i can land foil kites all 8 ways as shown in Adventure Logs video.
What i like best about the stick is the kite lands right there where the stick is.
It,s easy to make and fun to use so give it a go.

is that the richmond river?

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stevy said..

snalberski said..
I suppose if you were always in a spot were no one is available to catch your kite it would be an option. Front line flagging would clearly be safer and less likely to damage the kite.

Disagree. Front line flagging puts a lot of stress on the kite, sometimes it's flapping like mad until you get to it.
Also it's landing 20-25m downwind of you. You don't know if there sticks or shells on the beach there doing damage to your kite.
No wear or damage has happened to my kites in the months if been using the stick.

? Your avoiding landing on sticks by landing on a stick? Maybe you should revisit your front flagging technique. Neither method will be a problem in 10 knts as in you video but in high teens it will be a different kettle of fish. Either way assisted landing is preferred.

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snalberski said..

stevy said..

snalberski said..
I suppose if you were always in a spot were no one is available to catch your kite it would be an option. Front line flagging would clearly be safer and less likely to damage the kite.

Disagree. Front line flagging puts a lot of stress on the kite, sometimes it's flapping like mad until you get to it.
Also it's landing 20-25m downwind of you. You don't know if there sticks or shells on the beach there doing damage to your kite.
No wear or damage has happened to my kites in the months if been using the stick.

? Your avoiding landing on sticks by landing on a stick? Maybe you should revisit your front flagging technique. Neither method will be a problem in 10 knts as in you video but in high teens it will be a different kettle of fish. Either way assisted landing is preferred.

Thanks snalberski. But as you see in the video, my stick has a ball on the end for protection ,so impossible to do damage to the kite with it.
The day of the video was around 15kts and I've successfully landed my 6m kite in 20kts+ and my 12m kite in15kts.
Both the same result, no problems. Maybe you should make one and try it, then give us your review.

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CJ2478 said..

stevy said..
After watching Shingo Hayakawa-sans Foil Kite Catcher video, I liked the idea but thought the catcher could be simplified.
So i took an old walking stick, about 80cm long and added a tennis ball to the end so there,s nothing sharp to damage the kite on.
I also put on a small flag as to make it easy to see, with a note, DO NOT REMOVE.
I then push or hammer the stick about half way in to the ground/sand at an angle in to the wind.
The idea is to fly the kite just ahead of the stick and let it drift back catching the tip and/or tip bridle and the kite lays down nicely every time.
Depending on which bridles catch, the kite will lay down a bit different each time , but it always lays down.
I,ve had a 100% success rate in the few months i,ve been using the stick.
After the kite has landed, weight the tip, lift the bridles off the stick and the kite's ready to launch again.
There has been no signs of wear or damage and i think there is less strain on the bridles compared to flagging out on the safety line.
The biggest kite i,ve landed on the stick is 12m, but i,m sure bigger kites will land just the same.
The hardest part is getting the distance right from the stick, so i often do a couple of practice flyby swoops to check the distance.
It,s actually good fun to land the kite on the stick.
For the record, i can land foil kites all 8 ways as shown in Adventure Logs video.
What i like best about the stick is the kite lands right there where the stick is.
It,s easy to make and fun to use so give it a go.

is that the richmond river?

Hi CJ,
Yes thats the Richmond River.

In my foil kiting days I used the following methods to land.

- Hook the bridles on a shrub.

- Land in the wind shadow of a building or tree.

- This was my usual method.
Bring the kite to the edge of the window. Hover the kite on a tip. Walk upwind and slowly stall the kite down onto the ground. Finish off by running upwind and pulling in a more solid stall.

Once down you can kill the kite by holding a single brake line down on the ground. The line has to be down on the ground to limit air getting under the wing. If necessary walk hand over hand up the brake line to the kite.

The advantages of this are:
- You're not stalling from zenith so you don't have the kite plummeting backwards out of the sky onto some random spot.
- You can easily modulate the stall so that the kite does not flip over and reverse up.
- Most times the kite will settle where you've parked the tip and not go sliding all over the place.

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Gorgo said..
In my foil kiting days I used the following methods to land.

- Hook the bridles on a shrub.

- Land in the wind shadow of a building or tree.

- This was my usual method.
Bring the kite to the edge of the window. Hover the kite on a tip. Walk upwind and slowly stall the kite down onto the ground. Finish off by running upwind and pulling in a more solid stall.

Once down you can kill the kite by holding a single brake line down on the ground. The line has to be down on the ground to limit air getting under the wing. If necessary walk hand over hand up the brake line to the kite.

The advantages of this are:
- You're not stalling from zenith so you don't have the kite plummeting backwards out of the sky onto some random spot.
- You can easily modulate the stall so that the kite does not flip over and reverse up.
- Most times the kite will settle where you've parked the tip and not go sliding all over the place.

Now this I like... minus the hook on a shrub bit

Glad you made the video, mis-interpretation at the local, has seen hundreds of kites hooking the stick in the top part of the tree

Thanks Steve!
Self landing this way is a breeze. Used this method now a couple of times from 7 - 20 knots with my Sonic2, 13 & 9m. Just like in the video. Easy pack up, no tangles, ready to fly for the next session.

Really appreciated , thanks mate

Fantastic idea mate! I had a similar idea with an arm contraption sticking out to catch the wing tip, but this is way better!
Fantastic seeing kiters be so inventive without the need to ... hmm I wish they would make something like..... JUST MAKE IT YOURSELF!
Well done

Is the stick at the edge of the window? Was hard for me to pick it in the video and it almost looks straight downwind, but I'm guessing that can't be right. Cheers.

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Trenttdk said..
Is the stick at the edge of the window? Was hard for me to pick it in the video and it almost looks straight downwind, but I'm guessing that can't be right. Cheers.

Pretty easy to work out. Just look at the telltail on the stick. He walks onto the sand direct down wind, then puts the kite to the edge of the wind window to hook the bridle. Fantastic idea.

i like it. might give it a go as i often do solo sessions in light winds with my foil kites.

Hey Stevy
Awesome idea.Will make one.
I have a custom made stainless 45cm threaded Screwpipe kite self land and launch rope attached with snap shackle, works well with normal kites .
Could add a tennis ball should work fine.
I am just down the road Shark Bay Iluka.
Always kite foiling solo.
Cross on to on eneasters to nth west winds from September to April.
Trees downwind of landing just waiting for a failure.
Offshore in winter anything south to swest.
Only the river in winter.
Couple of narrow launching and landing spots in river,which would be ok with your landing tool.
Have had a couple of close calls solo.
Come down the road when we get the Seabreeze again.