Self Landing
Self Landing
Self landing : Video Transcript
In a previous video, we learned how to self-launch the kite.
Self landing is generally perceived as a dangerous skill, which is true if you use unsafe techniques and try to copy other kiters. However with the right approach and a good understanding of the way your safety system works, self-landing can be perfectly safe regardless of how strong the wind is even when you fail to self-land.
Before attempting more advanced self-landing procedures, you must already fully understand how your safety works and be comfortable using it to perform an emergency self-landing and a self-rescue.
Once you are comfortable performing emergency self-landings, you are now ready to take a few shortcuts and land your kite directly in a secure position like a pro!
First, let’s go over some common self landing mistakes and dangers.
A common technique is to try to self-land by pulling any of the back lines of your kite. This may work sometimes in light wind but you will have to force the kite to the ground which could damage it and you run the risk of steering your kite in the power zone while still being hooked in the chicken loop
Perhaps the most dangerous thing to do is to try to self-land your kite while other people are inside or close to your wind window. Always remember that it’s best and safest to use other people’s help to land your kite, especially on a busy beach! Trying to self-land your kite with other kiters nearby is dangerous. Always make sure there is plenty of space downwind, empty of other people and obstacles.
Another dangerous technique is to try to self-land by pulling on one of your front lines without disconnecting yourself from the chicken loop first. This basically means that when fail to self-land, your kite will regain power and could potentially drag you forcefully in the power zone.
This is where our self-landing technique dissociates from the rest in that if you fail to land your kite in a secure position, you won’t get dragged by your kite, simply because you have previously made sure you were disconnected from the chicken loop, before attempting to self-land.
So let’s go over the correct and safe technique to self-land. Once you found a safe location to self-land, lower your kite to the edge of the wind window and let go of the bar
If the wind is strong and your kite is bouncing up and down, pull the trim strap in all the way
You must make sure your safety leash is NOT connected in suicide mode but in the standard safety mode.
Now unhook from the chicken loop and hold on to it with the downwind hand.
Now walk a few steps upwind while holding the chicken loop in one hand, the stronger the wind is, the more upwind you will have to walk. Walking upwind ensures your kite doesn’t bounce up from the wing tip and rather there is as much surface area as possible from the leading edge in contact with the ground.
Climb up your front lines hand over hand, making sure you stay upwind of the rest of your lines and bar. Once you passed the front line split, hold only the UPPER front line while you continue to walk a few steps upwind.
Now pull that upper front line hard and fast, hand over hand and toward the ground. The initial pull is the most important and you must have good tension on the upper front line BEFORE pulling it. This will lower your kite to the ground in a temporarily secure position.
Walk over to your kite and secure it completely
Here are some replays from different angles.
This technique works well and is SAFE whether you have a single front line safety system, dual front line safety system or a 5th line safety system.
This technique works best with modern bow and delta kites and won’t work on foil kites. Even if it’s more difficult on C-Kites it can still work with some practice.
And remember, To be safe using this self-landing technique, get comfortable with using your safety system first as you may not always succeed in all your self-landing attempts.
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