FYI on launching kites at Killer Kabrillo.

While we are waiting for Mel's story:
Since I only used foils for initial training on land,
I talked with a former foil kiter,an accomplished kiter,
that kites with me at Killer Kabrillo,
he switched a
long time ago to inflatables .

He states the typical launching of a foil kite - dead downwind
and you have to run to the kite as you launch it-
is a real problem here in our gusty conditions.
If you have to 'grab' your board
while doing this to go out and IF
you miss grabbing your board and
have to come back to it -
you will have doubled your problem here.

With inflatables - we walk out into the surf/water with bar and board.
we launch the self launch kite side angle to the wind at the edge of the wind

window.
Then we carefully fly it over zenith to the water side,
ALL while being in thigh to waist deep water,
with our board in hand or attached by leash already.
If we get lofted while doing this we continue to bring the kite
over head to water side closer to the edge of the window.
Thus diminshing the lofting effect.

We may be pulled by a strong gust - but we are going out to sea
and we are no longer being lofted. Or we can land in some water to
break our fall. Then we just grab the board and put it on our feet and go.
Others at other typical locations probably launch similarly.
Scott


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