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"How-To"
Learn it here: Terminology, Techniques,
Challenges, and Solutions
Trainer Kites, Larger Foils, Inflatables
*** 4/22/07 Note:
We are in the process of restoring text, photos and
video to this page
after experiencing a system crash.
( Don't make the same mistake we did , back it up, back it ALL up!)
This Page:
Terminology
Trainer and Traction Kites:
Set Up,
Connecting and adjusting lines
Line maintenance: Sorting, checking, correct wrapping to avoid tangles
Launching, relaunching and landing
Basic Terminology you should know:
Foil Kite
Inflatable Kite
"C" Kite
Flat or Bow Kite
Leading edge
Trailing edge
Upwind
Downwind
Wind-Window
Power zone
Off-shore wind
On-shore wind
Side-shore wind
Side-off
Side-on
Edge of the window
Control Bar
Figure 8 line wrapping.
Handles
Safety Leash
Leader lines
Flying lines
Larks Head Knot
Brake lines
Harness line
Chicken-loop / Trim-loop
Trainer
& Traction Kite Set-up
Flying practice: exercises and skills to learn.
Adjusting line length on a
4-line kite , & Line extenions
Inflatable Kite Set-up
5th Line Set up (best kick 5th upgrade kit)
Safety Leash set-up and adjusting
If you don't find the answer you are looking for
here, Contact Us with
your questions.
This website was designed for You. Let us
know how we can better meet your needs.
Our goal is pretty straight
forward, we want you to...
"Learn fast, kite safe, get amped, go huge, and share the
stoke!" - Jeff Weiss / Kitemare.com
Trainer
Kite (Foil kite) Set-Up and Flying.
Kite Manuals by Brand.
Best Kiteboarding Gear Manuals ( 3m Trainer, Waroo, etc)
HQ Beamer
TSR
FOILS ( trainers and kites used
for landboarding or snowkiting)
Proper set-up & launching:
Pick a wide open area free of obstructions ( trees, powerlines,
etc),
and a safe distance from people.
Pick a location with Clean Wind (Avoiding obstructions that
block, or re-direct the wind flowing
toward your kite.
Lay your trainer kite on the ground with the bridal lines facing up and be sure
the
"trailing edge" ( back end of the kite, sewn closed) is facing
"up-wind"
If the terminology is confusing, think of "up-wind" like
"up-stream" or "up-hill")
Weight down the trailing edge with sand, dirt, or small rocks. (only weight the
trailing edge
of the kite to keep the wind from blowing under it).
Leading Edge (Front) notice the openings. Trailing Edge:
Being weighted down with sand.
Once you Kite is Secured and unable to blow away,
Unwrap your lines, and connect the lines ( if not previously
connected) using a "Larks Head Knot"
Connect:
"Larks Head knot" ready for "Bridal point Attachment"
> Attached >
Tightened
VIDEO
Clip: Connecting your lines. "Larks Head" to "Bridal Point"
Locate the Bridal Point attachments, un-tangle them if necessary, and separate
them ( right and left)
Connect the flying lines ( the ones than come packed on the plastic winder) to
the "bridal points"
with a "larks-head" knot (larks-head is a fancy name for a basic slip-knot)
Photos: Making a larks head knot from a loop, by folding the loop over the
stem.
Lines wrapped in a figure "8" pattern on the bar.
Unwind your lines from the winder as you walk upwind, away from the kite.
Leave the lines a bit slack on the
on the ground so you don't accidentally cause
the
kite to launch.
Separate your lines, removing any twists, so that you can clearly see the right
& left lines lying apart.
Position the "control bar" so that the logo reads left to right as you
look down-wind toward your kite.
Red line on the Left.
Connect your "flying lines" to the "leader lines" (leader
lines are heavier lines attached to the control bar.
Review these instructions an double check your set-up, BEFORE, launching the
kite.
Launching ( a trainer kite / Foil Kite )
Connect the safety leash to your wrist.
If wearing a Kite-Harness, you'll also have the option
to connect the safety leash directly to your Harness.
Note: Do NOT use or even wear a harness until you have first mastered
basic kite flying skills.
Pick up the control Bar
Red on your Left.
Now..
Open your hands and "RELEASE" Yes, Drop the control bar...
RELEASE!!!!.
Next...
Pick up the control bar, Red-Left....
Next...
RELEASE!!!!.
You NEED to PRACTICE, " RELEASING " the control bar.
Do this Control Bar "Pick-up and RELEASE" atleast 5 times
and get it wired into your "muscle memory".
This is NOT a joke, Practice this exercise.
You would be amazing at the % of people who freeze-up in an emergency, and
lock their grip onto the bar, even as they're getting dragged down the beach!
RELEASE! A properly rigged safety leash will "Kill the kites
power", and also
keep the kite from getting away.
Walk back to tighten the lines until you see the "leading edge" of the
kite lift up a bit.
like the back on a chair
Hold the bar, level to the ground.
RED side of the bar (or red lines) go to
the Left.
Blue / Black / Yellow / or Green are used on the Right
Give a tug to dump off the sand or dirt and ..... up she goes!
Keep the bar level to the ground and steady.
Your initial goal is just to launch the kite and keep as close to a "12:00"
position
as possible with very little movement.
Picture a Huge Kitchen wall clock. 12 is at the top. 6 is straight
down.
9:00 is out to the side of your leftshoulder. 3:00 is out to the side of your right shoulder.
Skills... to practice with your trainer kite
STEERING
Steering a trainer kite is like steering a mountain bike,
or a wave-runner, its a
push-pull movement,
keeping the bar level to the ground. One arm extends, and the other arm
bends.
( a common mistake is tilting/ turning the bar, hand over hand,
like a car steering wheel ...
NO , Not a Car.
Think steer like a "mountain BIKE" or Boxing, one arm out, and one arm
in.
Pull (bend your right arm) to turn the kite to the right. ( just like steering a
bicycle)
WIND WINDOW
This is the area of the sky that you fly your kite in.
I like to picture it as a giant Dart Board and clock combined.
SLOW MOVEMENT
Once you can maintain a 12:00 position ( straight up overhead also called neutral),
its time to get brave and move your kite
slightly to the right to a 1:00 position,
and then s l o w l y back to
12:00. Small, slow movements.
SLOW and PARK
Now practice "12 to 1" and then "1 to 2" and back to 1 and back to
12.
Initially, keep the right flying only straight up at 12 or slightly off to the right side
of
"the wind window" (like 12:30)
PARKING
Practice Holding your kite Steady at a designated position
between 10 and 2.
Pick only "1" position, and learn to keep the kite as steady as possible in the sky avoiding
quick
movements.
This skill will help keep the kites power to a minimum
needed when
you're strapping into your snowboard bindings, or putting your feet into the
footstraps.
Practice slowly bringing your kite to the far edge of the window
and then hovering it 3 feet above
the ground.(this position, the edge, is where you will eventually be launching and landing
your "Inflatable"
kite, when the time comes.
Remember: This is a training kite... ideally to train in
preparation for Kiteboarding on the Water, Sand,
or Snow.
POWER ZONE
The outer edge having minimal
power ( or minimal points on a dart board)
The center, bulls-eye, having max power ( like max points on a dart board).
This is the "power zone"!
Divide the sky into Right & Left. Imagine a vertical line from 12:00, straight
above your head,
down
to 6:00, The Ground. This imaginary line divides the flying area (aka
wind window)
into 2
halves,
Right and Left.
Practice flying the kite in only the right half of
the sky, From 12:30 over to 3:00.
and then
practice flying only in the left half 11:30 over to 9:00.
being careful to avoid crossing sides like
using figure 8's or "10 to 2" patterns)
Only cross this imaginary "12:00 " line slowly with caution.
The "figure 8" flying pattern, cris-crossing
the wind window is fun,
but something
you will not be doing much when riding with a full size power-kite
on the water.
PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE
12 to 1, 12 to 2, 12 to
3.
Each time returning to the 12:00 position.
One you wire that, go back to 12, and practice the same skills on the left side
only.
12 to 11, 12 to 10, 12 to 9, back to 12
SIMULATED RIDING
Kites feel different when
you are moving at speed across the Water, Sand,
or Snow.
GOING / WALKING / RIDING TO THE RIGHT
Walking to the right,
perpendicular to the direction of
the wind.
Not upwind, Not downwind, but ... Across the wind.
GENTLE UP AND DOWN TO THE RIGHT
At the same time, fly your kite in a gentle up and down pattern to the
right
keeping the kite between 1:00 and 3:00.
YOUR FIRST SIMULATED TRANSITION
Stop and change direction: From going Right to going Left.
Slowly bring your kite up to the 12:30 position, and stop walking.
Look to the Left in your new desired direction. Spot a location thats
perpendicular
to the wind.
Direct the kite to the new side of the wind, 10:00, and start walking to the
Left,
moving the kite in the same gentle up and down flow to the left. keeping
the kite between 9:00 and 11:00.
MOVE IT FAST ... FEEL THE POWER
Learn to adjust the power of your kite while moving.
Using the same walking skill above.
The only difference is your be moving the kite at steeper angles.
Going to the Right, you can try a 1:00 to 5:00 dive.
The steeper and longer the dive (aka power stroke) the more power is generated.
For less power,move the kite in small more gentle movements.
RIGHT - RIGHT or LEFT
- LEFT
Just be sure to
keep the kite to the Left side of 12:00 when
move to the Left.
and keep the
kite to the Right side of 12:00 when moving (walking or riding) to the Right.
<<< F left 12:00
right F >>>
SLOW & SAFE or FAST & FURIOUS
Fast Kite movement that cross over the 12:00 line can kick
your butt
in a big way. Similar to driving your car at 30+ mph, and then slamming
the shifter
into Reverse without slowing down!
DE-RIGGING
When your done for the day... I recommend leaving everything
connected.
Take one of your lines, and wrap it in a "figure 8" pattern onto the
control bar. If your kite is 6 feet long, wrap up
6 feet of line (
only one line) approx 3 wraps if your control bar is 2 feet long. ( 2- foot
bar X 3-wraps = 6 feet )
Wrapping the lines asymmetrically is done to keep the kite depowered and prevent
it from launching. After
the 3 wraps, go ahead a wrap both lines until you reach the kite. (On a larger kite, more
wraps will be needed)
Lay the kite "belly up" line on top. fold the kite like folding dinner
rolls in a cloth napkin to keep the lines hidden.
Put a rubberband on the end of the bar to keep the wrapped lines in place.
Put it all in your Kite Bag , go have a Redbull and vodka... you
deserve it.
Harness Line: How to connect a harness line to your bar.
Adjusting line length on a
4-line kite.
How to make a line extension
"Flying line" thin lines ranging from 20 to 30 meters,
which normally have a sleeved end used for making your
"larks head knot"
"Leader Line" ( shown in grey) A heavy (thicker) line than
originated at the control bar.
Photo above: Flying line connected to the leader line. Notice
the
extra knot in the grey line. If you loosen and move your "lark-head"
to the 2nd knot, you will be "shortening" your line.
If you find that your line is still "Too short" even after using the "end
knot
on the "Leader line". There are a few ways to extend it.
One way is the use of a small "line extension"
Photo below:
Flying line ( larkhead) Extension line(White,
bottom of image) Leader line (grey)
 t
The extension line is simply a short piece of line. That you but
inbetween you flying line
and your Leader line. One side has a basic overhand knot, ( or a
figure 8 knot )
and the other end is an "overhand knot with a loop" The loop allow
you to create a larks
for a fast connection to the leader line.
______________________________________________________
Inflatable Kites
Click
here for the BEST Kites Online Manual. (Pdf format)
A excellent manual for set-up and tuning of your
inflatable kite.
Best
2008 Control Bar Users Manual
Leaking
Air-valve fix:
5th
Line Set-up: ( Changing a 4-line to a 5-line) pdf format
Best
"KICK" 5th line (kick upgrade kit sold with 5-line set)
"4-line" Inflatable kites
Rigging
Place you control bar on the ground directly upwind of your
kite.
When standing on the "Upwind" side of your kite
The Red lines should be to your Left, and the
black or Grey lines to your right.
Walk-out and separate the 4 (or 5) lines taking out any twists, and checking for
line abrasions
and the lines glide in-between your fingers.
Left (RED) lines to the LEFT side of the kite. RED - LEFT
Right (black, Grey, White, or Green) lines to the right of the kite.
4 lines total, 2 lines to each side of the kite. RED LINES go to the LEFT
side.
( 5-line kites, have 1 additional line that will go to the center of the kites
"Leading Edge".
The line that originates from the "center of the bar" connects to the leading
edge
of the kite.
Remember: "Front and center". ( this is only for
Inflatable kites, or for specially designed
"Sheetable-Foils" ( standard 4-line foil kites are rigged differently).
Front (aka leading edge) connect to the Center of the bar just above the
"Trim strap"
Remember: "Out-Back" Outside lines go to
the Back (aka trailing edge)
The line that originates from the Outside ends of the bar connects to the trailing
edge (back)
of the kite.
Kites with 5th lines are almost the identical set-up with the addition one more
line. (the 5th)
Tangles , How to avoid them.
Launching
Perfect angle for smooth launch
Water Re-Launching
Tuning your 4-line kite
Transitions / Direction change
Jumping
Kite
falls out of the sky during or upon landing a Jump:
4-line, High AR kites are very sensitive to line
adjustments.
Over-sheeting the kite ( back
lines too tight , or front lines too long) will cause the kite to stall.
Solution, relax your arms a bit if you're riding in the trim-loop, and or
.... shorten the center ( front ) lines using the trim strap. Shortening the
front lines has the same effect as lengthening the back lines.
The other , more likely, possibility is improperly steering the kite, during the
jump.
1- Example: when riding to the left, with your left foot forward (aka port tack) your kite will be flying at around "10 O'clock"
Gradually bring the kite higher to 11:00
Pull hard on the back hand steering the kite to "1:00"
Jump, and in the air...
Pull your front hand ( left hand in this example) to get the kite to return to
its 10:00-11:00 position. ( the direction of travel) Keeping the kite
overhead for a soft landing.
Common errors:
- Pulling the kite "too far" Back as you lift off.
- Not re-directing the kite enough as you come in for a landing. Watch the kite
and re-direct it ( much like the way you do exiting a turn )
*** Start looking up at your kite the whole time during a jump ( lift-off to
landing ) and pay attention to the kites position in the
sky.
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