Kitesurfing Lessons – Flying your Trainer Kite

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Basic Flying of the Trainer Kite (you can do this before taking your Kitesurfing Lessons)

First pick out a good field or beach to fly at. The bigger the area the better. Be aware that if there are trees or buildings between you and the wind, the kite will not fly properly. Beware of practising close to obstacles (trees, roads, lamp-posts etc) as they can all get tangled up with the kite, also avoid practising close to high buildings as these can create up-drafts and eddies which will adversely effect the kites performance. If you think of a river running over rocks, those white bits of swirling water just after the rocks are showing exactly the same effect that obstacles have on the wind, causing it to eddy, swirl and generally do nasty things. The bigger the open space you can find the better.

Launching a Trainer Kite

In general, you want to launch your trainer kite where you have enough power to get it off the ground, but not so much power that you get overwhelmed when it launches. This spot will change depending on how much wind you have. The picture below is a bird’s eye view of the flying area showing where you want to launch your trainer kite in different winds

Note: do not try and launch a Leading Edge Inflatable – LEI (any kite you have to blow up) kite like this under any circumstances. You will go through the correct launch technique for these types of kites in your kitesurfing lessons.

Take your trainer kite out of its bag and lay the trainer kite on the ground with the bridle lines facing up and the trailing edge facing the wind. Place sand, dirt or any other non-sharp and fairly weighty object on the trailing edge so the kite does not blow away, or have an assistant hold the back of the kite with both hands making sure the leading edge is facing up into the wind (make sure they do NOT let go). Unwind the lines from the bar, walking into the wind, and then walk between them to the kite to make sure there are no knots or twists prior to launch. Untangle the lines as needed. Go back to the bar and attach your safety leash. Pull firmly on the bar while the assistant lets go and the kite will launch. Flying a trainer kite is just like riding a bicycle; pull left and the kite will turn left, pull right and the kite will turn right. Wherever the leading edge is pointed (like the front wheel of your bike) is where the kite will go. Try to think of your arms as pistons, keep the bar level in front of you and just pull with one arm while pushing with the other. This will avoid twisting and turning with the bar which will lead to problems later on.

So to break it down into action points:

Do the following to launch your kite with a partner:

• Chose the spot you are going to launch from.
• Unpack your kite and have your partner secure it so it doesn’t blow away.
• Lay out your lines and position yourself so you and your kite are in the proper spot of the wind window for your launch (see diagram above).
• Attach your safety leash.
• Have your partner take your kite with both hands by the leading edge and hold it up between their fingers to catch the wind.
• When the kite has filled with wind, indicate to your partner to let go. At the same time pull gently but firmly on the control bar.
• Thats it! The kite should rise gracefully into the sky. If not, reset and try again, this time with the kite further downwind.
• Once up, navigate your kite to the edge of the wind window and you’re ready to start your exercises!

Self Launching

Self-launching is a bit more tricky. To pull this off you will need some loose sand, 4 or 5 smooth rocks, or some small sandbags. With these in hand, do the following:

• Choose the spot you are going to launch from.
• Unpack your kite and lay it on the ground so the underside of the kite faces upwards with the trailing edge into the wind (see the diagrams below).
• Place your rocks, sand, or sandbags on the trailing edge of the kite to hold it down. Make sure it’s secure.
• Is your kite secure? If it is, lay out your lines so you are in the proper location for the launch.
• Attach your safety leash.
• Gently pull on the control bar. The front lines of the kite should begin to pull the leading edge off the ground and into the wind. The kite should begin to fill with wind and get its shape.
• Once the kite has filled with wind, give a firm pull on the control bar to lift it off the ground and into the air. The weights you used slide off the trailing edge and let your kite go free.
• Navigate the kite to the edge of the wind window. You’re ready to rock!

The safety leash

Now that you have your kite in the air, it’s time to learn one of the most important things a beginner must know – how to use your safety system. Assuming that your kite has a safety leash (it should) and that you are wearing it (you absolutely should be) all you need to do is this:

LET GO OF THE BAR!

So why is this a difficult thing to do? It’s the opposite of your natural reaction.

Let’s think about it. You use the safety system when things get out of control; when you get overpowered and don’t have time to react. You’re getting jerked and pulled by the kite and you have more power than you can handle. What do most people do? They instinctively fight back. They flex their muscles, clench the bar, and fight with the kite (whilst thinking ‘oh sh*!’). What they need to do is let go! You cannot wrestle with the full power of these kites and win! You don’t even want to try – it’s a bad habit to get into.

Bottom line: If you get overpowered, don’t fight the kite. Get into the habit of letting go of the bar and using your safety leash.

So here is your task: Fly your kite around and let it catch some power. When you feel the kite begin to pull, let go of the bar. Do this until it feels natural, and keep practicing it so that it always feels natural. I practice letting go of the bar at least once every time I fly my trainer.

Your kite is in the air and you’re ready to go. Great! It’s time to learn about Kitesurfing Lessons – The Wind Window

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