Should all kite surfers know how to self launch and land
This topic steems from a topic in the newbies section .

I say yes

Im getting popcorn....

Ah - YES !!

I often kite when there are few other people around (joys of remote locations) and Im not about to be sitting on my ass waiting for a launch or land!!

My best option is to launch and land off the bull bar - failing that and where there is space and the right surface (smooth grass or sand - no sharp shells or stick and seaweed) ) I'll self launch with the kite out to the 3 or 9 o'clock position - hot launching is my last option.

Self landing ? Ok I reckon I take a bit of a risk here but I unclip my safety and just walk up the front lines to the kite - that way Im not dragging the bar behind me and making a mess of the lines - lazy hey!!

Hot tip - if you are launching using a strap from your bull bar/fence post / tow ball - make sure your pull 'full depower' on your bar - it tends to stop the kite lifting off when it get hit by a gust etc

When its nucking the above still works but the risks kind of climb a bit - then its best to get a mate to help :-)

Of course, how can anyone not be able to do both….????

Yes and no..
Absolutely everyone should learn to launch and land.. But, when you are learning I would definately not recommend self launch and lands until you are comfortable flying a kite..
I still always ask someone to launch and land me if I'm out in the open as it's easier and safer for all..

Should be included in every Kiters Lessons, along with releasing to your safety/using your safety systems. These basic skills nearly always get overlooked

Eventually yes .... Perhaps not in the first few seasons though.

After watching a couple of gals today helping everyone land, which entailed them jogging back n forth in bikini's...... with all the jiggling that results...... I say no. Nobody is allowed to self land.

The boring response is that it's a handy skill to be able to self launch and land, but an assisted, or tethered launch is good when it's available. Yawn. Apologies.

Why is this even a topic?

If you can't solo land how can you kite?


What happens if no one is available to catch your kite when you are ready to finish?

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stuntnaz said..

Should all kite surfers know how to self launch and land

Like world peace and the end to poverty .... another motherhood statement. ^^^

A feel-good platitude.

Next.

What's your preferred solo land method? just wondering...there's a few out there, what is the most efficient and safest? Obviously depends on location / surroundings etc...

Kiters should be aware of the ttechniques and skills required to self launch and land for the times there are no other options definitely.
It should not be taught in your first lessons no way does a punter have the kite control and awareness of potential dangers involved at the beginner level.
After 3 months of Kiting I was having a ball comfortable in 3-4 feet waves, untill I hot launched myself.
Surgery 9 months later I started Kiting again.
Safety should be everyone's No. 1 concern.

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waveslave said...

stuntnaz said..

Should all kite surfers know how to self launch and land

Like world peace and the end to poverty .... another motherhood statement. ^^^

A feel-good platitude.

Next.

Here's a feel good platitude.. STFU
If you were trying to land slave I would run over and pull the steering lines real good

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Kahuna said..
What's your preferred solo land method? just wondering...there's a few out there, what is the most efficient and safest? Obviously depends on location / surroundings etc...

My personal favourite method

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RPM said ...

If you were trying to land slave I would run over and pull the steering lines real good

Now don't go spilling any of your popcorn on account of me.

lol.

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Mark _australia said..
After watching a couple of gals today helping everyone land, which entailed them jogging back n forth in bikini's...... with all the jiggling that results...... I say no. Nobody is allowed to self land.

Dirty, dirty old poler, keep a way from our young kite girls.

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Plummet said..
If you can't solo land how can you kite?


What happens if no one is available to catch your kite when you are ready to finish?

Isn't that what the misses is for?

Or someone else's missus

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Kahuna said...
What's your preferred solo land method? just wondering...there's a few out there, what is the most efficient and safest? Obviously depends on location / surroundings etc...

The hindenberg and tomahawk are quite efficent and effective....any location is suitable , quite safe and enjoyable to watch from a distance too

Self launching and landing both take good kite control... Damn right you should know how to do both there isn't always someone around to help you out

There was a guy on the Redbull L2L a couple weeks ago that didn't know how to launch someone else let alone self land or launch...

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Freddofrog said...

Plummet said..
If you can't solo land how can you kite?


What happens if no one is available to catch your kite when you are ready to finish?

Isn't that what the misses is for?

Hot missis slowly turns into grumpy old wife after 20 years or so.

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harry potter said..
Eventually yes .... Perhaps not in the first few seasons though.

+1 for this


I reckon you need a couple of seasons under your belt before you are have enough kite control/ ability to react if it goes pear shaped/ respect for the power of the kite.


Yes, its essential to self launch and land if nobody is around, but newbs shouldn't be going out solo anyhoo.

The obsession with self launch/ land amuses me - why would you rather do this than get an assist if there's people around? Seems more risky from a safety perspective, and is more likely to damage your gear.

I do Kite lessons, IKO trained and have organized a bunch of IKO training sessions that got about 20 people IKO qualified.

IKO say DON'T teach your students how to self land and self launch. Here are the reasons:

1) If a student does not have some one to help launch and land, they should not be kiting with out help, its dangerous.

2) Nearly ALL (80% or more) accidents that end in pain and hurt happen on the beach when self launching and self landing.

3) A student is more likely to f#ck up line attachments and self launch with lines attached wrong.

4) Even after 10 years of kiting, a self launch or land can still go bad for a number of reasons.

The above makes sense, but what happens when there is no option to self land or launch? I tell students to never self launch or land and explain why, and then show them how I self land and launch and how easy it is to f#ck it up, and say always get some one to launch and catch your kite, for safety reasons. So the know how to do it, and know they should not do it.

Just to make it clear I'm asking about All kite surfers not just beginners .

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KiteDesigner said..
I do Kite lessons, IKO trained and have organized a bunch of IKO training sessions that got about 20 people IKO qualified.

IKO say DON'T teach your students how to self land and self launch. Here are the reasons:

1) If a student does not have some one to help launch and land, they should not be kiting with out help, its dangerous.

2) Nearly ALL (80% or more) accidents that end in pain and hurt happen on the beach when self launching and self landing.

3) A student is more likely to f#ck up line attachments and self launch with lines attached wrong.

4) Even after 10 years of kiting, a self launch or land can still go bad for a number of reasons.

The above makes sense, but what happens when there is no option to self land or launch? I tell students to never self launch or land and explain why, and then show them how I self land and launch and how easy it is to f#ck it up, and say always get some one to launch and catch your kite, for safety reasons. So the know how to do it, and know they should not do it.

I agree about self-launching, however most people's view of Self-landing typically don't involve using safety systems, which makes this as dangerous as self-launching of course!

I can't see how can someone get hurt from using their safety system to self-land and that's the problem, no students are being showed how to do this, therefore when they get in trouble or simply when there is absolutely no one to help (i.e drifting far downwind away from all other kiters at the spot) how would you suggest they recover their kite once back on the shore?

I completely agree with Plummet's comment, If you don't teach your student to release the safety system and self-retrieve their kite after it's flagged on the beach, you simply can't say they are independent, which means they would be forced to have someone follow them everywhere they go after they launch the kite ??!! More IKO nonsense if you ask me.

We taught thousands of students to self-retrieve their kites using the safety system, never had issues and this is always done in the very first lesson, on the beach, after the first few minutes of flying.

If things still go wrong with your self-landing after 10 years of kiting, perhaps it's time to re-think your method and start using your safety system ?

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Nathe said..
Self launching and landing both take good kite control... Damn right you should know how to do both there isn't always someone around to help you out

You don't need any kite control skills to release your safety system and retrieve your kite all by yourself.

Christian

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cbulota said..

We taught thousands of students to self-retrieve their kites using the safety system, never had issues and this is always done in the very first lesson.

How many newbies have you taught to selfie launch on their very first lesson ?

None .. I thought so.

lol.