Kiteboarding Magazine

Kristin
2009-11-02 13:14:40 | 2614 views | 1 Comments

Launching from a boat may be your only option someday. Instead of just taking your chances, remember these tips. They apply to launching from a large vessel. From a small vessel, you just have to do some of the early preparation on land.

Unroll your lines
Starting from the stern of the boat, unroll your lines from your bar while moving toward the bow. Spread your lines out in a zigzag pattern and keep the lines from piling on top of each other. Turn the bar over so the right side is on the left (i.e., upside down, like a downwind setup).

Use a line manager to comb your lines
Line managers such as the Turbolauncher will allow you to comb your lines. Have a friend hold the bar while you attach each of your lines to the line manager, starting at the bar, and pull the line manager down the lines until you reach the ends.

Carefully roll the lines back onto the bar
This could be the most important step since this is where it can all go wrong with one bad wrap, so when rolling the lines back onto the bar in a figure-eight pattern, do it carefully and slowly. Be sure each wrap is tight and orderly.

Attach lines to the kite
Lay the kite out in a suitable location at the stern of the boat. If you are using a kite with independent struts, fill them up, but do not inflate the leading edge. With the kite on its back (exactly like you would inflate a kite on the beach), very carefully attach the lines from one side to the other without crossing any. I find it useful to only detach one line at a time from the line manager. Note the lines will be correctly attached (left and right side) because you already turned the bar over.

Inflate your kite
It's very important to make sure you keep the lines on top of the kite as you inflate it. Do not allow the lines to go around the back of the kite. Once inflated, your friend can hold the kite by the leading edge in the launch position.

Unwind your lines from the water
Now you are ready to jump off the boat and into the water. Face the kite and swim backward at a right angle to the boat while unrolling your lines one wrap at a time, making sure none go around the back of the bar. Once you reach the end, do a thorough line and bridle check to make sure they are clean. Now hook in and give a thumbs up for a launch. It can be useful for you to be slightly upwind of a typical beach launch, so the kite is launched hotter than usual. Once your kite is launched, body drag back to the stern of the boat and have your assistant throw you your board and off you go.

BOAT LAUNCH PRECAUTIONS

Before launching, ask yourself what if your launch doesn't go as planned. Do you have a dinghy or PWC to get you back to the anchored boat? And if you do float downwind, are you going to get pulled through waves, coral or shallow areas? Discuss this with you partner before launching. There is a good chance it will become your turn to be the kite launcher and lander as well. Generally, the area to hold a kite in the launch position is fairly small and could have objects to bump into and potentially rip your kite. If possible, move anything out of your way to prevent bridle snags or canopy tears. Give the rider hand signals for a successful catch. Point in the direction you need the kite to go or give the rider an OK signal if they are right on track.