Hi Guys,

Booked on a live aboard dive trip at the end of the year in the Marshal Island and im thinking about taking my kite. Th eplace looks spectacular for kiting but I was just wondering how you go setting up launching of a boat?

Anyone done this before, trick tips?

Have a search for for the "bucket method."

It involves rigging up on shore, and then winding your lines up around a bucket, still attached to the kite. You then deflate the kite. When you get out on the boat, you re-inflate the kite and spool the lines off the bucket.

I lived on a boat for a year and used to do this all the time, wasn't hard at all, you just need 1 or 2 people on board to help. For a boat under anchor

Step 1: pump kite up (at the stern) while someone holds it (and makes sure it is clear of obstructions)
Step 2: helper on board holds end of lines while kiter swims out (downwind) and unravels lines at same time
Step 3: once lines are completely unravelled, helper on board move the 4 lines around to ensure no tangles
Step 4: once clear of tangles, helper hooks lines to kite
Step 5: kiter swims around (upwind) with bar to the side of the boat (until on correct angle to launch)
Step 6: helper launches kite and away you go

-we designed a spool to keep the lines untangled but it got too hard, found it easier to just untangle them once they were unravelled (which was not hard provided the lines were wound up properly in the first place).

Never done it myself but I came across these while looking for something else- maybe they’ll help you…

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Awesome, Thanks guys.

Looks like im taking my kite

Might have a trial run off a jetty before though and test the best method. I do like the bucket method though.

Make one of these line organizers with some plastic tubing and cable ties.
Set up lines on the beach so no tangles. Wind lines onto bar and secure the organizer with elastic bands so it all stays in place.
Rig kite on boat, remove the line organizer, unwind lines while swimming away from boat, launch like shown in bucket method, or have boat person put kite leading edge down on water and do a water relaunch. The organizer is way simpler than the bucket, does the same thing and less chance of tangles.

The other method shown in windreams video, complete with line tangles, is just stupid and asking for trouble.

The bucket method works surprisingly good. I am always amazed that by putting the lines randomly in the bucket, (after first organizing them and attaching them to the kite) that they come out so smoothly. Have done this off a jet ski several times and works pretty well. Does take two of you to make it work, but if someone on the boat can help you than it should be easy.

Hunter, could you explain your line organizer a little better, not sure I understand how you use it and pay out the lines. Cheers

that line organizer seems pretty complicated,
why not just take the tube and cut 4 or 5 slits in it and be done?
won't have to use the elastic bands or anything else to keep it in place

I've launched of a mates boat, ran lines out at home, depower and connected to kite. Pull flagging lineout a heap wind your lines up and pack your kite up, careful not to pass lines through bridals etc.

Pump kite up on boat, put on water and feed lines off bar as it floats downwind. Sort twists out with kite straight downwind and relaunch as normal.

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NickT said..

I've launched of a mates boat, ran lines out at home, depower and connected to kite. Pull flagging lineout a heap wind your lines up and pack your kite up, careful not to pass lines through bridals etc.

Pump kite up on boat, put on water and feed lines off bar as it floats downwind. Sort twists out with kite straight downwind and relaunch as normal.

to keep the bar from going through the lines attach the chicken loop to the pump leash on the leading edge

If you’re interested in some awesome kitesurfing footage on the Marshall Islands do a search in You Tube for drifting+cabrinha+marshall+islands. There is an extremely short clip on boat launching in the extended version but it's more about the scenery…

This is how we did it in Fiji...obviously helps if you have an assistant and an open boat.
1. Lay kite on ground in'ready to pump up position'
2. Attach lines
3. Inflate
4. Lock off struts
5. Deflate leading edge
6. Wind lines
7. Attach bar and lines to pump attachment point
8. Roll kite with bar and lines still connected and inside kite
9. On boat pump leading edge up
10. Have launcher hold kite
11. Jump over and start swimming backwards whilst unwrapping lines
12. Check lines, hook in, Swim yourself into position, launch n go

Works a treat.... they were churning 10 of us out in 30 mins or so.... no problems

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BoardGirl said..
1. Lay kite on ground in'ready to pump up position'
2. Attach lines
3. Inflate

WTF!?

Inflate AFTER attaching lines?

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Loftywinds said..

BoardGirl said..

1. Lay kite on ground in'ready to pump up position'

2. Attach lines

3. Inflate

WTF!?Inflate AFTER attaching lines?

It doesn't matter which way you do it, inflate the kite, lock off struts, attach lines - makes no difference other than stops you from having to flip the kite over a couple of times.

Do whatever you are comfortable with, but last time I checked, my steering pigtails and bridle attachment points were in the same place whether the kite is inflated or not.


Steps 1 - 8 are done on dry land as preparation steps, just in case that isn't clear.....

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dafish said..

The bucket method works surprisingly good. I am always amazed that by putting the lines randomly in the bucket, (after first organizing them and attaching them to the kite) that they come out so smoothly. Have done this off a jet ski several times and works pretty well. Does take two of you to make it work, but if someone on the boat can help you than it should be easy.

Hunter, could you explain your line organizer a little better, not sure I understand how you use it and pay out the lines. Cheers

The line organizer just keeps the lines in the right order and stops them from getting tangled. It allows you to correctly connect your lines to the kite in a small area (e.g. a boat) without unwinding all the lines off the bar. Once the kite is inflated I unwind just enough line to connect up to the kite, slide the organizer back down the lines toward the bar and connect to the lines to the kite. Then remove the line organizer and you are right to unwind the lines as normal e.g. swimming away from the boat or if you are comfortable drifting the kite off the back of the boat.

@Knotwindy - I've tried other designs e.g. holes and slits in an old credit card. Slits in a piece of tubing make it easy for the lines to escape - bummer, you're now on a boat and not sure if you can go kiting without crossed lines.

I've also just set the whole kite up on shore as previously mentioned and then packed it all up. Folding the kite up with all the bridle lines inside the folds and putting the bar on top helps to stops the bar going through the line, but you have to be careful unpacking it.

Line organizer means you can use one bar with two or more kites.

Hey hunter I can't quite see that line organiser construction in the photos.. Some closer shots from some differnt angles maybe? I'd like to make one of those.

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Loftywinds said...

BoardGirl said..
1. Lay kite on ground in'ready to pump up position'
2. Attach lines
3. Inflate

WTF!?

Inflate AFTER attaching lines?

Don't bag someone who's actually done it , which method do you use and recommend ?

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TurtleHunter said...

NickT said..

I've launched of a mates boat, ran lines out at home, depower and connected to kite. Pull flagging lineout a heap wind your lines up and pack your kite up, careful not to pass lines through bridals etc.

Pump kite up on boat, put on water and feed lines off bar as it floats downwind. Sort twists out with kite straight downwind and relaunch as normal.

to keep the bar from going through the lines attach the chicken loop to the pump leash on the leading edge

Good idea unless you have a Liquid force chicken loop.

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eppo said..

Hey hunter I can't quite see that line organiser construction in the photos.. Some closer shots from some differnt angles maybe? I'd like to make one of those.

Check it out and some other info on this thread

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Deep-Water-Boat-Launch/

And here

kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2316213

Same topic different direction, retrieve from a vessel with view to relaunch. Under way or at anchor, adapt rescue technique ?

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Hunter S said..

eppo said..

Hey hunter I can't quite see that line organiser construction in the photos.. Some closer shots from some differnt angles maybe? I'd like to make one of those.

Check it out and some other info on this thread

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Deep-Water-Boat-Launch/

And here

kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2316213

Thanks hunter nice solution man.

hey hunter, good to use every day on line tails, didn't go too far into engineering, made the same without zip ties in 5 minutes, drilled the tube and sliced alternating sides to slip in line, all the slices on the same side would tend to go banana ...opening up the slice side.
Back on boats and kites, does not appear so far that there is a lot of experience in pick up..
A sports tri 8M yacht, launching a kite as previously described i have no problem with...picking up kiters underway no emergency is another story.
Options
Kiter parks to allow vessel under way to pick up kite, deflate LE and retrieve bait !
Bait kites along side back to vessel and use safety to drop kite and drag back on board.
I'm going with reduce risk AMAP
Could use a drouge or heave to allowing kiter put the wing in catchers hands, just like on the beach .
We could be at anchor...another approach ??
Any constructive advice appreciated ....