Looks like another Great week

Tighe · Post by **Tighe** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 7:23 am

Northerlies today as a Low leaves the region and then another one swings in Weds with strong southerlies on the front side Weds and Thursday.

Tip of the day:
During a launch (assisted or drift launch), clip your kite leash to your board. I'll keep it close and handy and remind you to clip in your kite leash before you go out.

steveb · Post by **steveb** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:30 am

and what happens if you get a bridal wrap and want to release the kite to one line without reaching for an oh shit handle?.
Drift launching is the only time I attach my leash to the one line safety, after I'm going I move the leash from the one line depower to the typical flat kite leash on the chicken loop.
Interesting all the different ways we do things. I'm far more concerned about switching the kite off when it's in a spiral than where my board is.

Denis · Post by **Denis** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:01 am

That's a good idea, Steve. I usually have the kite leash attached to the chicken loop for the bow-style depower, even during a drift launch. I might be using your technique next time I am out.

I can see where Tighe's coming from though. There's nothing worst than successfully drift launching, only to see you board back on the beach. D'oh! Land the kite and start again.

steveb · Post by **steveb** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 10:03 am

Denis...you hold the board in your teeth!.
I usually hold the board in my other hand or push it out into the lake depending on how straight the kite unwinds.

SCOTT RIDOUT · Post by **SCOTT RIDOUT** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:23 pm

I usually carry the kite out with me and when I let go of the kite to drift launch it I give the board a really good push behind me, usually by the time the board catches up to you you have already launched the kite. I used to connect my leash to the board but no more after a few bad experiences wishing I had the leash hooked to the kite, it's just safer to always be away from your board if you can be, if anything always keep the board behind you, you never want to be in the position to be dragged across your board, especially if it flips upside down, the fins will rip you up. Kiting can be a scary experience when things go wrong, but most of the time if you use a little common sense it can be very safe and fun.

Kite till it hurts!!!!

ice_kmauve · Post by **ice_kmauve** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 5:34 pm

Wed, gusts to 36!!! and I have a new medium sized board to try out.

Tighe · Post by **Tighe** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:01 pm

Good points.

I actually never attach myself to the kite until I can check my lines, assisted or unassisted. If there is a knot in the kite lines your leash won't do a damn good anyway. I'm just talking for the walk upwind.

I was working with a student with a 5th line today. Forgot how often that can botch a drift launch. Had to wind the lines back on the bar more than once. Is there a technique to avoid that?

steveb · Post by **steveb** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:51 pm

I don't get it, the other day you posted about a kitemare when you had to release because of a tangled bridal...so you were attached. A front line release is going to have to have one hell of a tangle not to work, I'm not saying it could never happen , but I feel the percentages are on the side of leashing the front line and flagging the kite, putting you in a position you don't have to release and lose the kite.

5th line drift is the same as a 4 line, so how do you do it?.

TomG · Post by **TomG** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:58 pm

Dave! you panzy you ride your Medium board.. you want fries with that ? I'm gona supersize 16! and 157 baby!

ice_kmauve · Post by **ice_kmauve** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:20 pm

Tom you'll drool when you see what I'm bringing to the beach...

ice_kmauve · Post by **ice_kmauve** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:24 pm

by the way Tom if you can ride your 16 with the large board when it's gusting to 30 (which it's predicted to do on Wednesday) I'll give you a free "upwind riding" lesson (up to a half hour). Now don't blame me if it goes south on you because I don't really want you to do it. If you need to go down to the 122 again, you can wait until I'm done with it.

BTW, tell Andy to bring his boat, so I can ride my kite behind it (kind of wake/kite hybrid riding).

Tighe · Post by **Tighe** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:52 am

Steve,
I guess I'm being confusing. I'm not recommending attaching and riding with the kite leash on the board. My only point was that if you have a point when you want both hands and it may take awhile, hook your kite leash to your board to keep it from floating away, or if sideshore, into shore.

The other day when I had my NEAR kitemare I had a launcher holding my kite, I checked my lines then hooked into my CL and leash. I've launched many people who get all hooked in, to their leash and chicken loop then check their lines. Half the time they need to clear their lines, so then they have to unhook everything, clear their lines and hook back in. Why not just reverse the order so you don't have your launcher waiting there longer than they need to.

The extra length of the 5th line always seems to create a rats tail in the lines as I take them off. I just thought of a big difference from how I do a drift launch and how you do. Correct me if I'm wrong but don't you put the kite upwind of you and walk backwards upwind? That would have the slack in the 5th line taken up by the depth of the kite. Most likely eliminating some of the issues I've had. I usually walk upwind with the wingtips up taking the lines off. Then flip the kite onto the water. I think your method (or was it Chris's) may be better for 5 line kites. Not as easy to do on a boat or jetski though. We do a lot of jetski drift launches in the lesson program.

Tighe · Post by **Tighe** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 2:19 am

I now realize that my previous comments may have seem critical of 5 liners. I just don't have enough experience drift launching them to know how to do it. The 5th liners are actually the safest kites out there hands down. They are also the easiest to relaunch after releasing the chicken loop. I haven't seen an ideal leash attachment on four line kites yet.

ice_kmauve · Post by **ice_kmauve** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 8:35 am

Tighe are you saying the leash system on the T2 is not ideal? I thought it was pretty good.

Coach · Post by **Coach** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 9:18 am

I think what he is saying is that none of the 4-line SLE leash systems are ideal, and I would concur. I haven't seen one that I liked yet. None of them work well for spinning, either.

The ones on the Slingshot C kites are OK. But then again... that was in 5-line mode.

But, I'm weird that way and I know a ton of people will disagree. I've have problems with supposed "spinning" leash system on a few different brands. I usually rig my leash "suicide" (to the chicken loop) anyway. Silly, but true. I do switch it back to the sliding ring on tricky launchings and landings...

-Coach

Tighe · Post by **Tighe** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 9:26 am

No I had thought the 08 T2 Leash system was the cat's meow. It is a center line attachment below the bar, but because the T2 has pulleys and the rear lines connect to the front lines, spinning of the bar spins the attachment below the bar. So if you're doing considerable spins in one direction, like I do, you'll get a leash wrapped around the chicken loop when you unspin your bar.. Would it interfere with it's function? Maybe, but I doubt it. It is a lot better than having the lines wrap above the bar and in the flying lines.

I think it is the best out there, as far as I've seen, but still not ideal. This system with a stubby leash on the Surefire spreader bar or the Peter Lynn Bar (both with spinning leash attachments) would be ideal.

I think SS is working on a spinning system. Not sure if it is part of the control bar or spreader bar.

drknap · Post by **drknap** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 11:48 am

Tighe, you spinning dawg!

I have no problems with the surefire bar with respect to leash wrapping. But my front lines still gradually start to wind up despite a swivel. I've used this nusiance to my advantage in forcing me to learn to loop/spin in both direction and both sides. Still favor the port side back roll though.

Dave, see the problems you will soon be encountering with that awesome back roll you've been working so deligently on.

Tighe · Post by **Tighe** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 12:23 pm

I think you've discovered the medicine for all our troubles, Kurt. Prior to 4 line spinable bars, riders spun one way then unspun the otherway to clear their lines. It forced you to work on both styles of spins. Needless to say I wasn't spinning much then.

I'm sure in time someone is going to come up with a slick connector for the
center lines (currently the chicken loop) and the leash all together. Almost like a quick connect connector. If we're not doing unhooked stuff why do we need a loop?

Dave you don't need to clear your lines after your backroll, just go up and pull hard on your back hand...real hard. You'll come out with your lines clear as a bell. No spinning required. : )

drknap · Post by **drknap** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 2:11 pm

Yeah, Dave pull real hard like this:

Avery caught in the process of a backroll kite loop

Tighe · Post by **Tighe** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 2:20 pm

Dave next time you're on one of the Links give it a try. It's like cheating. They turn on axis and really don't give too much of a yank. Don't tell anyone though cause it still looks cool....if that's what you're going for.

nice shot Kurt...nice form Avery.