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In lighter winds, once you have the kite on its back it may be beneficial to use your board to create extra
resistance to the pull of the kite. This will enable faster relaunch and speed the kite into taking an upright
position at the edge of the wind window. Once in this position, simply adjust the bar and steer the kite,
launching it upward.
Hot launching:
While the kite is resting on its trailing edge in the water, with its weight partly supported by the struts, it is
possible that the kite may accidentally ‘hot launch’. As soon as the kite powers up, you must sheet out the
kite, front-line load only. The rear lines must not have any tension until the kite is safely in the neutral
zone which, in this case, would be overhead at the zenith.
Reverse launching:
When the LE is downwind on the water (with the wingtips closer to you and the c-shaped center of the
kite farthest away from you), you can create a reverse draft using the rear lines on the trailing edge, which
causes the kite to hover up backwards. If both rear lines are pulled with even tension, the kite will hover
up, evenly balanced. If one rear line is released a few inches, the kite will spin around in the opposite
direction and start to redirect. In this case, be prepared to flip the bar and sheet-out the kite to reduce
powering up the kite in a downwind position and crashing it back into the water.
Both of these techniques should be practiced in low wind conditions. They are advanced
techniques and are only recommended for experienced riders.
Assisted landing of the kite:
When landing your kite with an assistant, simply fly the kite to the edge of the window and down to
ground level slowly. Have your assistant take hold of the kite firmly in the middle of the leading edge, and
then walk towards your assistant to remove all flying line tension. Your assistant can either lay the kite
down and place sand on the upper canopy, or hold the kite until you are unhooked from the bar and
safely able to take over the kite.
Wind ranges:
The suggested wind range chart is just that: a ‘suggestion.’ Always know your limits and when in doubt rig
a smaller kite, if possible. Wind speeds may vary according to where they are taken, always take a wind
reading more than 100m past the nearest upwind object to get an accurate maximum reading. If flying in
the mountains, always take a wind reading towards the highest point of land as wind accelerates up hill.
The wind ranges are based on a 75kg (165
pound) rider and kitesurfing usage. For
snowkiting and landboarding, wind ranges will
vary according to surface conditions, but will
be 3-5 knots lower for bottom end and 4-6
knots lower for top end. The lower wind range
for any kite can be increased by the use of a
larger surface area or volume board.
Depending on your riding technique and the
position of your stopper ball, it is possible,
though not advisable, to ride outside of the
stated wind speeds and still retain complete
stability of the kite.
Summary of Contents for '08 Waroo
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