Does anyone have good ideas launching and landing sonics/bows particulary landing when space is an issue by yourself.

My favourite is using the tow ball of the ute or the device you wind into the sand to keep your dog tied up, but both of these only work when there is enough beach. I have folded the tip of the kite and put sand on. I don't mind doing this but I have to use a lot of sand and am a worried about stress on the leading edge seam. Is this a reasonable worry or should my kite be able to handle this stress. I have tried putting sand on tip without folding over. This didn't work very well for me.

Landing, then walking along the 2 lines worries me in 25 knots or more. Have tried hooking the safety up to one of the front lines, it was a disaster....kite powered up and looped twice. Have thought about hooking safety leash up to steering lines but doesn't seem practical as leash would have to be too long. I have a kite release on my bar now and consider this the only option if things go wrong but would really like to know if there is any way of fully depowering or flattening these kites out on a single line like you can a C kite

Heya, I launch and land my bow kite without any troubles and without the sand over wing tip hassles.. Hard to explain with words. but lay the lines upwind from the kite making sure your bars upside down because otherwise you will tie the wrong lines to the wrong sides, then with the kite still leading edge on the ground with sand on as it is normally placed prior to attaching the lines / laying on beach for a session break, hook up and walk sideways from the kite while at the same time keeping a slight tension on the lines then walk backwards once you are roughly 90 degrees from the wind direction so basically the kite will be launching almost on the edge of the wind window (don’t worry if its not accurate but allow for the kite to float a back if it needs to grab a little more wind to pop off the ground) basically the back of the kite will turn around towards you don’t forget while the kites furthest wingtip is filling with air to flip over the bar because remember its upside down and the kite should (should unless you are in too low winds or pulling the wrong rear line) flip up and fly... I haven’t written the greatest of descriptions but this is how I do it on my 9m crossbow and my 16m assault. Just make sure u can use the so called total depower on your bow incase u turn the kite directly into the power zone ... anyhow have done this self launch method in 25 knots. But if you going to try it - do in obviously light winds for a practice, its pretty safe once u know how to do it and ultimately the best thing to do is find someone that uses this method and have them show you….

to land the kite I use my centre line and bring the kite down to the edge of the window then let it fall slack for a split second and pull the TOP centre line so the kite falls on to its leading edge facing into the wind. This takes a bit of practice but again is easy as once down pat. just try to do it first in the lower winds for your kite at first till your comfy with it.

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Originally posted by cwamit

hook up and walk sideways from the kite while at the same time keeping a slight tension on the lines then walk backwards once you are roughly 90 degrees from the wind direction so basically the kite will be launching almost on the edge of the wind window

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I am presuming you do this with no sand on the kite and with the tips facing up. Is this correct?

basically do everything you would for a normal self launch (tip fold) but just dont touch the kite after you pumped it up and flipped it over and attached the lines.

you need to make the opposite tip of the kite come towards you and fill the kite with wind.This means the bottom lines if the kite was sitting on the edge of the wind window.

kite will totally fill with wind, grab the other side of the bar to steer it up HARD and your up and flying

just dont try it on rocky/sticky beach, sand only or nice grass.

Read my first post and noticed my mistake in saying lay the lines upwind of the kite I actualy mean downwind and the bar upside down when doing so.....another blonde moment!

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I am presuming you do this with no sand on the kite and with the tips facing up. Is this correct?

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Na, you have normal sand on the kite as you would to keep it from having the leading edge lip picked up by wind. It's exactly like u would normally lay a kite on the beach into the wind with sand on top to prevent it from being grabbed by a gust, and then lay the lines out the back as mentioned above. The sand will fall off as the kite pops up. Obviously if you're trying this first time in light winds then you might not normally put sand on the kite so don't...

I haven't seen a sonic kite but if it's similar as my bows can't see why it would be any different. The technique sounds and may even look dodgy the first time, but give it a go in light winds a few times. one aspect of this launch is you don't need allot of beach to launch especially if its a slight onshore wind because u are effectively launching within the narrow beach width ninety degrees from the wind direction. Keep in mind at first the kite might drift to one side until you get your angle right so the beach shouldnt have obstacles for a kite to become damaged on.


here's pretty much an animated image link that is the method I use



doesnt look like he had that much room for his launch....

Here is another one from kitepowers video section, again this is a sim method I use ,but he is laying the lines upwind of his kite and moving his kite instead of hooking in and moving the bar across from downwind.

www.kitepower.com.au/blogs/news

Your not trying to launch a bucket *sniggers* like the C kites , One final point is to make sure your chicken loop is the right side up when hooking in if your laying the bar downwind and hence its upside down, this is so the donkey dick is correctly locked in the chicken loop.. Seen a c kite normal side launch go wrong once because of that - This dude was lucky not to become impaled on a pine post

let us know how you go - best of luck

Thanks for all info, especially the links to pictures. Launching looks relatively easy, so see how I go putting it into practice. Landing doesn't sound that difficult that way either, however I would have to be very confident to use this method in 25knt+ and I am still not that keen landing and walking up front lines in 25knt+ but have not a great deal of practice at this as there is usually someone there anyway. Will let you know how I get on when we finally get some wind. There has been no wind over 10 knots for over 2 weeks now in SA

i use the same way as kitepower vid to and it works great. I used to make the mistake of pulling to hard to swing the kite around and letting it go all the way downwind. much easier to do it slowly like on the video.

self landing is harder I find because I struggle to reach my center lines. I find pulling both the top outside line and center line works well to.

Hey Morgo, I'm in ADL too, with my brand new 12M Crossbow and this lack of wind SUCKS!! I can't wait to finally get it in the air.

Hey coastflyer, been over three weeks now since I got one. Longest I have gone since I started kiting 3 and a half years ago. But, Wed and Thur looks good. I'll probably do snapper in arvo.