Pontoon Launch

[peterrib]

Anyone have any experience they want to share about deep water launching off a pontoon. I think I can figure out the launch okay but I can't quite visualize the landing and retrieving the kite without flagging it. This would be solo.
Peter

[tumblemonster]

We've done launches of the boat at Larry's place at Lake Vermillion. Shoreline is rocky and deep and there are lots of trees. We inflate the kite, run out the lines, then a person on the boat holds the kite until the lines are almost out. Kiter goes in the water and drifts back and the person on the boat launches the kite. Sometimes It doesn't work quite right and the kite gets dropped in the water, then we did a water launch. Landing we did the opposite, fly to the edge of the power zone and put the boat under it and catch.

Requires 3 people to do safely.

[mdh01]

I do this a lot...and solo.

Anchor the pontoon - I use two anchors in the rear to keep the boat lined up in the wind and stable.
Secure a line to the front of the boat (I use a 10 foot rope with a caribeaner clip and small float at the end). This is used when landing at the end of the session.
Inflate the kite and take the lines off the bar. Attach chicken loop to harness.
Drift the kite from the front of the boat
Sit on the front of the boat with board on feet and drift launch the kite.

Coming in, I ride up to the boat and drop the kite once I'm at the 10 foot section of rope. Clip into the 10 foot rope at the chicken loop or flagging line and remove the chicken loop from harness. Swim to boat with your board and haul in the kite on one of the front lines.

I'm not saying this is the best way to do this, but it works for me when I'm solo.

Mark

[peterrib]

Thanks Mark, That's about what I had in mind. Glad to hear it works. I assume you drift your lines off the bar before letting the kite drift.
Peter