How to Self Launch A Bow Kite

Self Launching a bow kite is very easy and safe to do.

Product Used: Cabrinha Crossbow 1, size 7

Location: Dolphin Beach & Sunset Beach, Cape Town, South Africa

Wind Direction: South South East

Wind Speed: 11-15 knots

Important Warning: This procedure is not advised for inexperienced kiters to attempt on their own.  We will also highly recommend that you try to do this for the first time together with someone standing by just in case things do start to go wrong for you.

1. Place the kite on the specific spot from where you would like to launch it.  (Remember to take into consideration obstacles such as rocks, kelp, people, other kites, and sign posts for the actual launching procedure).

2. Pull the bridle lines out from underneath the kite and separate them neatly.

3. Walk the bar and lines directly into the wind.  (I recommend this way as it is easier for me to deal with the wind and the lines.)  Separate the lines and connect them to the bridle lines of the kite according to the colours on the lines and the kite.

4. Take both kite lines on the right side of the kite and pull them underneath the kite, to the left side of the kite.  (This is to stop the kite lines from tangling during the launching process.)

5. If the wind is very strong, you can place a bit of sand on the far right side of the kite.

6. Pull the right side of the kite slightly into the wind so that wing-tip catches a bit of wind.

7. Walk to your bar and connect the bar to your harness.

8. Connect your safety leash to the kite bar.  (This method is for half-release: which means that I will not loose my bar and the kite will not collapse if I unhook by accident - which has happened to me a few times during launching the kite.  Full-release connecting means that the safety leash is connected directly to your left centre line on the bar.  This will instantly collapse the kite once you have unhooked and let go of the bar.)

9. You are now standing directly upwind from your kite.  Walk with your bar and lines connected to your harness, to a 90 degree angle of your kite (directly into the wind window where it is the safest position to launch your kite from.)

10. Hold the bar with your left hand.  With your right hand take hold of the right inside line.  Pull backwards until all the lines in the kite start to tension.  (You might need to walk back a few steps while pulling on this line.)

11. Once the kite has flipped up, let go of the line and take control of the bar and launch the kite.

12. Depending on the speed of the wind and the location, you can also stand at a 45 degree angle to launch the kite safely.  If there is too much power in the kite while it is launching, you can let go of the bar and the kite will continue to go up and stop pulling you instantly.