This tutorial looks at different ways to self-land.
Starting with the safest techniques.
THE safest way to self-land, is to just use your self-rescue procedure.
Eject the chicken loop ... and the kite should flag out on a single line.
Move up this safety line to the bar.
Secure the safety line on one end of the bar, so it can’t slide back through the bar.
The safety line is now shortened compared to the other lines -
so you can wrap all of the lines together, in figures of 8, until you reach your kite.
This is the safest technique but you don’t see it that often - as takes time, and can
make a mess of your equipment. The kite can get scratched and
the lines get plastered in sand.
The quick rescue is a shortcut of the previous technique.
Like before, use the quick release to flag out the kite on a single line.
Wait to make sure the kite is flagged out and not going to move.
Then pull in your kite using the safety line.
When you reach the bar, remove your leash and identify the safety line beyond the bar.
The safety line is the tense line holding the kite, DO NOT pull on any slack lines.
Also, be very careful to keep all lines on your downwind side and
to not wrap lines around your hand.
This method is quicker than the self rescue but has far more risks. If the kite starts
moving, it can damage your hands, or – since you aren’t leashed to the safety line – the
kite can drift downwind and hurt someone else.
This method does, however, let a skilled kiter quickly rescue a downed kite in calm conditions.
The anchor technique, uses a heavy object to secure your chicken loop,
while you recover the kite.
If you don’t have an anchor prepared, you can make one.
Secure a leash to a heavy object. Ideally, use a spare leash if you have one.
Stand downwind of your anchor and land the kite. Take a moment to check your kite is
stable. Move the chicken loop from your harness to the leash’s hook, then recover your kite.
This method, stops your kite from dragging on the ground AND if the wind is clean, the
kite should sit still on its corner. In gusty wind, the kite can fly and be very dangerous
to anyone downwind. If you notice the kite is not stable in the air or on its side, do
not use this method.
The overfly technique is risky, but probably the most common method you will see in light
wind.
The idea is to force the kite to fly out of the wind window then collapse the leading
edge onto the ground.
Before you begin, remove the chicken stick, as this will helpful later on.
Lower the kite towards the ground.
Just before it lands, push the bar out and pull the centre lines. This makes the kite
fly forwards, out of the wind window.
The kite should land with no power.
Pull the centre lines again and the kite will topple over. Even better, if your centre lines
split near the bar, you can pull the upper centre line, to collapse the kite more easily.
As soon as the kite is down, take the chicken loop off. That way, if the kite drifts, it
should flag out on the safety line.
A variation of this, is to land the kite with some speed, forcing the leading edge to the
ground. Then quickly pull the nearest line to point the leading edge upwind.
This technique is only for experienced kiters. If something goes wrong, you need to know
what to do. Also, this method only works in light wind. In stronger wind the kite will
relaunch.
The line walk is the most difficult and risky technique.
I do not advice you to try it. It is shown here the sake of completeness.
The idea is to land your kite on the ground, then unhook and walk along your centre lines,
keeping the kite on its side.
Keeping the kite in position is the difficult part.
You must keep a little tension in the lines. If needed, head upwind to catch more wind,
and head downwind to catch less wind.
Also, you must make sure the kite is sitting properly on its corner. If the kite starts
to fall away from you, pull in the top line; if it starts to fall towards you, pull in
the bottom line.
This technique is very risky. If the kite flies away, it can damages your hands, or
drift downwind and hurt somebody else.
So there you have a range of self-landing options.
The self rescue is the safest, and if in any doubt you should use this method.
The overfly & collapse method is effective in light wind for advanced kiters. The anchor
method works well in strong, clean wind.
You have to know your own limits, and avoid doing anything that might endanger yourself,
hurt others or damage the reputation of kitesurfing to the general public.