Self landing technique

[Loki]

So I had my first wide open beach opportunity to try out my previously posted method of self-landing using a 17m fat lady in ~15mph winds with a 2011 slingshot compstick bar:



Here's the video:


This kite/bar setup is is the dual front line with mini fifth they're talking about. I just followed the video.

Depowered the kite a bit.
Brought the kite down on a wingtip.
Unhooked, holding the chicken loop.
Walk up the center lines, hand over hand, making sure to keep tension in the lines.
Take 3 or 4 steps upwind while getting to the "Y".
The compstick bar only took 2 or 3 hand-over-hands until I was at the Y (unlike the guy in the video, who had to reel the center lines in 10? feet.)
I grabbed the higher of the two center lines and gave it a couple quick pulls.
The kite landed facing upwind perfectly. It was seriously as gentle as someone catching your kite and setting it down.

I did it again after going out for a 2nd session. Both times left my lines in a bit of a rats nest. I had an assisted launch for round two and was able to work out the line crossings without unhooking any lines, though.

[evh]

I had to self-land a 2012 Fatlady at the Jetty yesterday. I initially tried the hit-the-beach and one-line pull approach. But the kite flipped over. So, I pushed the release, got to the bar, and then hand-threaded up the two front lines. The kite was well behaved, in contrast to experiences I have had with the shorten-one-line, then wrap approach. This happened while the kite was leading-edge down.

I tried the two-front-lines approach because I recalled something about the recommended approach, but not all of it. In any case, it seems like once the kite is leading-edge down, as opposed to on one wingtip, the method of the video is no longer applicable.

[KitesofFury]

I just put the kite into a hard dive and quickly overfly it about a foot off the beach, then I grab the top steering line and set it down. The only time this doesn't work is when I don't fly the kite hard enough past the window

[C.J.]

I've used this method quite a bit and I've had mixed results.

Seems like if you don't have steady wind where you're trying to land the kite might surge forward in a gust and then when it lulls it falls on its back ready to hot launch.

I've also found in overpowered conditions sometimes when I flag to the upper main line the kite will relaunch instead of falling forward. It generally then seems to fly straight across the window on the one main line I'm still attached to before crashing on the ground on the other side. If I'm really powered then sometimes the kite will just continue to fly upside down like a big U shape in the sky on the flagging line.

It seems like this works best with Delta's and C's.

Bow's and C Hybrids seem to be a little less predictable especially in lulling or overpowered winds.

The most reliable method I've found is a secured chickenloop with the kite sitting on the water. Works really well in side shore conditions and as the wind lulls and surges the kite can easily slide forwards and backwards on the water. My favorite thing about this method is that you can do it at beaches where there is lots of barnacles and shells that would otherwise shred your kite. My least favorite thing is that you always end up with a partially wet kite when you pack up.

[surfer]

I started using the video way and it worked awesome, but I was up and riding the other day and my red 5th line just snapped. Im so glad it did not do that when i was landing in high wind like 2 days earlier. Check your lines for wear. I found more parts of my 5th line that are worn. the whole kite is on one line and it need to b strong or bye bye kite.

[evh]

So, suppose one uses the technique in the video, but it does not work i.e. the kite flips the wrong way. What is plan B?

[Loki]

This is obviously bar-dependent, but 2013 north, naish, slingshot, blade and best bars (sorry to those I left out - I stopped looking at this point) all have the same "Y" setup now that's relatively close to the bar. For me on the SS CPR bar, it takes about 5 seconds to go from unhook to pulling on the highest center line. At this point, you're basically flagging the kite out to the safety depower line. At worst (I think?), the kite flips leading edge up and you can walk up the safety line to your kite as it's flapping away upside down. I would take off your leash if this happens, because you'll have a major rats nest if you keep it on all the way to the kite. I think the only way this can get majorly out of hand is if the kite does something funky while you're walking up the center lines to the "Y", since the kite is powered up still. At this point, you have your leash still attached, so just drop everything and let the safety do its thing. I won't be pushing my luck with gusty/high wind/sketch landing until I've done this a couple dozen times ... maybe not even then. It's a convenience thing if I'm not in the mood to wave my hands wildly in order to flag someone down and have them run over.

Another method to keep in mind:
http://pskite.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9466

As far as the 5th line breaking goes - it happened to me in hatteras. 40mph winds. Downloop that went a bit too low. Kite rolled. Eject. Mini fifth broke. Long swim after kite.

[Wanna-Go]

I had to land like this today as the wind shifted and my land anchor wouldn't work. Usually I would just pull the release but was worried the kite would slide thru some glass or goose poo. Any how method worked great. Kite came down on leading edge and stayed put. Thanks for the tip.

[Freeride]

So, suppose one uses the technique in the video, but it does not work i.e. the kite flips the wrong way. What is plan B?

You should be still attached to the safety as I understand it, so the kite should just flag on that line. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Loki]

Right. Just let go and let the safety do it's thing. The only thing I can see going wrong is getting tangled in your lines. That and your kite might be flagged over/on something that damages it.