Questions about the launch at Lake Koshkonong

[Peo Spi Kite]

Was in Wisconsin yesterday and drove over to Koshkonong to check out the launch areas.

The north side launch is really narrow and surrounded by trees with a very short beach (and a lot of rocks at that). South side off of Charlie Bluff not much more room by the dock. Actually there was a kiter out on a Cabrinha Crossbow and it wasn't blowing much more than 10 mph pretty much dead on shore which I'm guessing would be northwest. He got going and managed to stay upwind, but the kite took a drink several times. Didn't stick around to help him land as I didn't have a bathing suit or anything.

Was wondering how people launch there unassisted. I assume the guy yesterday did because he was the only one there. After laying out your lines (on the boat ramp?), how do you launch? If nobody else is there, do you use a turbolauncher, carry the kite out in to the water then let it drift down wind and water launch?

Just curious how you get going with nobody there to give a toss. Oh yeah, are booties necessary - looks like they might be at the north side launch.

[Guest]

If your by yourself you have to carry the kite out and do a drift launch. This is common on a lot of inland lakes. If you have a helper they have to walk out with you. Nothing like Padre!

Karl

[Peo Spi Kite]

You bet - nothing like South Padre as far as room to launch. Self launch is easy there because you have room to weight down a wingtip.

The part I don't get is if you drift launch and the wind is straight on shore, how do you keep from getting your lines all tangled up in the water? Do you keep 'em rolled on your bar as you walk out far enough to drift back to shore? Then un-roll with the kite drifting back towards shore?

[kris]

for the north launch use Norms bar instead

booties, not neccessary...yes on the drift launch, drag the lines behind you....except the west launch for some reason weeds grow on that side, best to launch assisted on that side or be prepared to "shake out the laundry(weeds)"

that was me out there by the way. a little earlier the wind was better as well as the riding.... when i finally was coming in it was almost nothing.

[Karl]

I just drag the lines behind me in the water, flip the kite over, throw some water on it to keep it weighted down, and run as fast as I can up wind and to the side. Its not fool proof but 9 times out of 10 its works like a charm. Kosh is shallow so things are pretty manageable.

[V]

I set up the kite on shore with the bar hooked up to the kite. I'll wrap the lines around the bar but leave about 20 feet unwrapped. I'll bring the setup out with me past any weeds that might get caught in the lines. As I continue to walk upwind to a distance farther than the length of my kitelines beyond any weeds, I will hook my board to my leash to keep it near me (I dont' want it drifting to the shore after I launch), and slowly unwrap my lines. Once the lines are unwrapped and I'm far enough upwind to stay outta the weeds after my kite flips on its back, I put the kite LE down in the water like Karl said, throw about 3 handfuls of water on each side of the main strut, and make sure the lines are not caught on any part of the kite. Letting go, it will just drift back on its own. I'll take some steps upwind here to just make the process happen a bit faster. The lines will get taut on one side and rotate the kite to be LE down straight downwind. Now just relaunch as though you dumped your kite and ride.

http://www.chicagokitesurfing.com/infla ... html#Drift

[Peo Spi Kite]

Thanks for all the info. This will help me a lot launching locally on the Illinois River because the launch conditions here are a very short and sometimes rocky beach like there. Not sure how much I'll get up to Koshkonong since it's about a 3 plus hour drive for me.

Klimber: What size 'Bow were you riding and how do you like the 'Bow? I have a 17 CO2 and 12 Nitro - both are 2004's.

[kris]

Crossbow is pretty cool. I was on a 16.

the only modifications I made were reversing the outside leader lines to get the knots out of the way and added a 4th knot to the rear lines (about 2" up from the third)

I haven't even engaged the stopper ball thingy yet, haven't needed to...the bar pressure (which I don't find that hard) is reassuring for me, keeps me feeling like I have control over my destiny and shit

I don't have anything bad to say about it at all
-relaunches in a fart
-doesn't hindenberg
-i think upwind ability is better (or at least easier to obtain due to instead of diving it as much as usuall for more power you just keep it parked and pull the bar closer for more power and maintain your edge) obviously you have to work the kite if the wind is really light
- yeah..the cost is a pisser

i've only been out on it three days, but in my opinion I dig this kite
i don't jump yet so I can't tell you much about that

the way my brain works..the way the kite flys and the way you use the control bar is very logicall to me..

1. adjust depower strap to the wind for that day
2. go
3. pull bar in for more, push bar out for less
4. left turn, right turn
5. opps, need to relaunch? pull on a line and up it goes

[V]

Do your existing cabrinahs have the recon? That would make it easier for you. Or get a 5th line (not sure if there's an option for that for the cabrinahs). The crossbow at the contest looked good. The guy was doing well with it, but admittedly he was not jumping as high as the regular kites. Not sure if that was a new kite thing regarding unproven technique, or rider weight to windspeed, or what, but I thought it was strange no one commented on that. They look good in the air though. Even more flat than the machine. But man, that bridle would be a problem in the weeds for sure. klimber, is the kite a onepump setup?

[Peo Spi Kite]

Yeah, both my 2004 Cabrinhas are Recon 1 equipped. I also have 3 older 2003 Naish's that I retroed with a 5th line (18m Aero II, 14m Aero II, and 9m Boxer). Also rigged an after market Slingshot stopper ball on my Naish chicken line above the bar so I have a variable power stop on it. Works great when you have more constant conditions. Found my older Naish's fly much better with the 5th line - distort much less in the puffs.

I've been real interested in the new Rapture2 from Windwing. But on the other hand, all of my current kites fly OK and I don't know how much I could get for them so I'll probably ride them till they bag out - which may take a long time based on how much riding time I get in Illinois.

[kris]

no...it's not a one pump....it a whole lot of pump kite. something to do with differences in pressure between the leading edge and the struts....

not a big deal to me, don't really care that it isn't a one-pump

the fun i am having on the water FAR outweighs any pumping that needs to be done. even though it may be a few minutes later than everyone else