How to Rig Your Kite

January 18, 2004

{8 comments}

Secure your kite with sand and rig your lines upwind of your kite. Your kite will be downwind of your lines. This method is safer than rigging your lines downwind of your kite.

If you rig your lines downwind of your kite you have to rig your lines the other side around and flip your bar around. When you are ready to launch your kite, you have to flip your bar around again. That method is considered dangerous, as it is confusing, and many people forget to flip their bar around before launching the kite.

By rigging your lines upwind of your kite you don't have to worry about flipping your bar around and getting confused about which line goes to what side.

 
Put your two outside lines on the outside of your kite and put your two middle lines undeneath your kite. 

 
Connect your outside line to the trailing edge of the kite.

 
Connect your middle line (the line that's underneath your kite) to the leading edge of the kite.

 
Make sure that your middle line is connected to the leading edge of your kite, and that your outside line is connected to the trailing edge of your kite. Once that is done, repeat steps 3 and 4 to connect your other middle and outside lines to the other side of the kite. 

 
Once you've made sure that all your lines are connected properly, simply move your lines into the launch position, and ask a helper to launch the kite for you.

 


8 Comments
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1 Jim 9/25/2005 8:32:06 AM

.....since I self-launch 90% of the time, I use a modified - bar upwind - version. The kite get's sanded by folding the tip in the location a helper would hold it for launching. I spread my lines, in's/out's...connect the inside lines first. (even older Naish have striped or solid color ends...if you failed to spread them properly.)

The tip off the ground can be a handful to catch on a 20M, but do not put any pressure on it...rig the rears...and run back to the bar - and give it a pop.

I 'really' do not like the upside down/downwind version as I feel that I have to "think upsidedown" and then walk 30M in the other direction to get the kite to fly. I guess it's what you are used to...

Play safe.

Jim

2 Rick Iossi 9/25/2005 8:32:06 AM

Thanks for preparing the nice article and a good, simple, systematic approach. I agree, riders need to select a reliable approach and use that same approach pretty much everytime that they setup. Irregularities in setup or errors caused by rushing often figure in accidents that happen to well experienced riders.

Another suggestion would be to retro fit kite lines and leaders as "kook proof" or "polar connectors" in the fashion of North and Cabrinha. You can basically do this fairly easily with any system that I have seen to date. This would make your approach even more fool proof than it is already.

I understand that most of the new bars will be setup with connectors that are difficult to attach incorrectly. Still that leaves a large quantity of earlier systems out there. As a result I suspect that there will be a quantity of accidents caused by attachment errors in the future. It would be great to head some of these off by retrofitting these older setups. If there is interest, I could shoot some closeups of an adapted set of lines and post them here.

3 Tim 9/25/2005 8:32:06 AM

Tim - IKO full time kiteboard instructor

I disagree with the safe rigging technique article.

I would recommend placing the bar downwind of the kite for a safe rigging technique for students and inexperienced kiteboarders. For experienced riders-- stick to method that you know best.

I think other factors should be to taken into consideration….

A) The persons mental state ie I have seen students and riders get nervous before launch and they can get easily confused
B) People get distracted

Therefore The key is the ‘pre flight’ check. If this is easy and fool proof then accidents can be prevented. I tell my students to set the bar downwind of the kite. All the bar/line combos I have seen has the wrist leash on the left hand side whilst riding. I tell them the kite is upside down so the bar must be upside down when setting up (this makes sense to the first time flyer).

A So always put the leash on the right hand side when laying the bar down.
B Then check your leash is free running. ie the bar slides up the leash line unhindered.
C Then check your outside lines are clear of the inside lines by lifting them up and check they are at the back of the kite visa a vie highest.

These checks are easy to remember and easy to see

D if you do not launch then roll your lines up and place under the kite

There are certainly arguments for the safety of both setups but Bar/lines downwind is safer - In my view –
Heres why......


1. The student can make a clear check of the lines after attaching them to the kite by lifting each outside line (4line setup) to make sure they are clear of the centre lines.

Note the kite can turn inside out on the water after a self rescue/self land. The rider can detect this when re-setting up on land with this line check.

2. In the event of sudden heavy gust of wind or an unsecured kite, The kite can flip over and roll down the beach. With bar downwind the kite can be caught. In the method described by the article the kite has a chance of powering up in the centre of the powerzone.


Notes. A rolling kite can tangle other beach users and cause a serious accident/fatality which would effect the whole sport in general. People, children and dogs are exceptionally curious of kites. I have seen a dog maul a kite, a child lift a kite. Also we have quad bikes and horses to be aware of as well

3. An inexperienced kite launcher is outside the powerzone when he/she takes the kite out ready for launch. The method defined by the article opens up the possiblity for the launcher to let go in the centre of the powerzone.

4. Self Launching for the first few times can be precarious. So if you set the lines downwind then you are outside the powerzone if the kite become unsercured giving the pilot time to either catch the kite or pull the safety line .
Note even a small amount of tension in the line can trigger a launch.

In regards – to flipping the bar over when setting up.

There is still a chance that a student can put the bar upside down if setting the lines upwind… but I will conceed that you have a point but I belive the risks in points 1-4 above outweigh the risk of the student forgetting to flip the bar over.

Manufacturers

It is an excellent idea to have a fixing method where the rider cannot attach the line in the wrong way. There needs to be a kite manufacturing standards document. I have been studying and practicing industrial design for the past 8 years and every product from lawnmowers to Giant video screens I have designed has had stringent standards attached.

4 Tom Rogie 9/25/2005 8:32:06 AM

Well, the persons I have seen dragged on the sand because they were not able to pull their safety fast enough really liked my idea of rigging the kite downwind.

First, I never had a student who got confused by remembering 'Red Rests Right'. The 'Rests' is very important in this case!

Offcourse you have to put enough weight on your kite, but I have seen a lot of kiters who just put their board on the kite and the kite just slides slowly downwind and suddenly pick up in the wind. One time, a kid wanted to look under my kite and lifted the leading edge up, the kite got some air inside and lifted. I can't image how many people who have been hit by my kite!

When you are downwind you can check the lines very good:
you can put a little tension on the lines check that your lines are not twisted. You can see the small bridle line on you kite. By taking one of the stearing lines and pulling it a little up you can check that the lines on your left side are not twisted, also on the right.

I don't like the many "you shouldn't". I prefer to prevent accidents and I already saw a lot of very experienced kiters releasing the kite tooo soon! Especially with big high AR kites. I can't image my students get that power stroke of a full powered kite.

The time it takes a kite to roll downwind is long, the possibility to get tangled in the lines is very very small. Although the speed the kite roll downwind is bigger then anyone can run. The chance that the kite will fall down and stay is even a little bigger.
The power stroke, you will experience if the helper releases the kite downwind is _immediate_, because the kite is fully fully powered. In my opinion, that's much much much more dangerous.

Trogie

5 Erwin 9/25/2005 8:32:06 AM

And what do you think will happen to you if you hold the bar upwind
from the kite,....and the kite gets launched ( even by accident ).
.................. right it sits dead in the center of the powerzone..... byby
rider

Have fun

6 Brad 9/25/2005 8:32:06 AM

Right Erwin so the advice you offer is?

Whether you rig upwind or downwind is your choice. The best thing to do is use the method you know well.
And this goes for all your kiting. Some say get on the board unhooked others stay hooked in.

The most important thing to do is use what you are comfortable with. If you are entry level then keep it simple. Only try a new set up if you are 100% comfortable and remember to de-power and launch unhooked if you are on your own.
I teach the same method as above and the other method as well as you will need both at some stage.

7 Tom Rogie 9/25/2005 8:32:06 AM

that's not the safest way to rig the kite!

When you go downwind there are 3 very important raisons for safety:
1. if you didn't put enough weight on the kite and it flies away you can still try to catch it when it's rolling downwind. If you're upwind of the kite there's no way you can run fast enough and the kite will hit somebody, something downwind.
2. when you get your bar, you can check better that you rigged the kite ok. That's the second check after unwinding/untwisting the lines to the kite.
3. when somebody helps you to launch the kite and is not soo 'experienced' and lets go the kite, the kite is fully depowered if the kiter is downwind of the kite. If the kite is downwind, it's FULLY POWERED and the only thing that will happen for sure is an extreme powerfull drag over the sand on the beach!

I tell my students to remember 1 thing when they put the bar down to the sand: Red Rests Right. When the bar rests on the sand the red color of the bar is right. Then you will not twist your lines.

Trogie

8 AGUS HUSEIN 8/17/2009 3:49:36 AM

IS POSSIBLE TO LAUNCH ALL BY YOURSELF.
IF SO HOW TO DO IT

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