lauching from a boat

[wink]

I have been kiting for about 6 months now mostly on the flats around the st.pete pier and coquina key from a boat. And just wondering if any one out there as any tips on how to rig, launch and land seeing how there are probably better ways to do it then i have thought of. Thanks for any tip.

[BigR]

obviously from a boat is suboptimal and a last resort if there's no alternative.

But

There are many strategies, some good, others not well thought out.

prolly a good general idea is to pre-inflate your kite and connect your lines then put your bar next to a bucket and start winding your lines in a spiral fashion into the bucket and carry the whole mess in a geometically aligned way into the boat and launch in the opposite manner. If you don't have two people it at least doubles the complexity tho' I've not tried solo from a boat. Landing, just crash it into the water . Duh, not much else to do.

good luck

there really is not much need to boat launch in TB with our access to all wind directions, but I won't say I didn't do it when I lived in Gibsonton.
It can be novel and a thrill at times as well as gives you great secluded kite spots if thats what you're after

[TritonKiteboarding]

If your setting up on a sand bar it can be easier, than on land. Anchor from the stern, while you set up your kite only, this could swamp your vessel in rough seas, but keeps your kite from getting caught on an engine or anything in the stern.
Blow the kite up and tie it off the bow with a line to the pump lease attachment. Let your lines off the bar and unless theres a current walk down wind and let your lines out on the way back to the boat, hook the chicken loop up to the bow cleat also and place the outside lines over your shoulders and the insides around the hips, (Red or Yellow on the right) walk out the lines to the side and walk back upwind to your kite, making sure to keep the right lines in the right spots.
If its blowing anything over 20 you should do an assisted launch not a drift launch, anything under place it sideways to the wind and let it drift into the power zone.
I live in coquina key and worked for the kitehouse, this is how we launch everyday without fail, without a diagram its wierd to explain but just contact me if you ever want some help on the water, i've never ridden the flats off my nieghborhood.
(203) 918 6637
-Matt Sexton
TritonKiteboarding.com

[jim]

Kiting from a boat is really easy and safe and gives you access to some great spots. Just takes some planning.
First, a shallow draft flats style boat is nice for getting onto those grassflats. I have a 24 ft carolina skiff with a jackplate to allow you to run in shallow water.
Anchor off the stern, using an anchor for a larger boat(I use one for a 28-30 foot boat, chain on anchor is a good idea to help it set)
To your boats bow eye(that you use for trailering) attach via a bowline knot 4 ft of stout line ending in a caribener style shackle, let this hang in the water until you need it. Pump up the kite on the bow of the boat, and when done attach the shackle on the line attached to the bow eye to the leading edge bridle of the kite, flip it over wingtips down, and let it drift off the bow of the boat.
At home you have laid out your lines to be tangle free, and index them in correct order onto a foam block with slits cut into it so lines will stay in the correct orientation. there is a product called the time manager that will do this but why pay the 20 bucks. If you have kids no doubt one of their toys will suffice!
Attach your lines from the rear of the kite, and walk your lines dead downwind until they come tight. You are carrying with you a small kayak anchor with a small line about 3 feet long ending in another caribener shackle. you attach your chicken loop to this caribener/ anchor and pull it tight.
Now walk back up your lines verifying they are all straight(bar is upside down for this setup downwind)
If your lines arent straight undo them and hook them up correctly.
You are almost done...
At this point your harness is on and you are ready to go , board is within easy reach on bow of boat.
Unhook caribener from chicken loop, walk bar back to boat, hooking chicken loop to caribener that held kite(you unhook the kite , keeeping a hold on it, and hook the bar up )
Walk kite to edge of wind window, and set it on its wingtip(fully depowered)-this only works for bow style kites-kite will just bounce on its wingtip waiting for you. In windy cond it will jump around and surge back and forth.
Get back to boat quickly, keeping an eye on the kite. The kite will pull pretty hard on the boat thats why the bigger anchor.
Hook in, get kite to neutral and then undo caribener from chicken loop and off you go.
For landing ride up to boat, depower kite hook caribener to chicken loop, land kite on its wingtip and then unhook yourself. You can take a break this way and kite will wait for you. if done just walk up most upwind line until you reach the kite and then you grab it and derig.
This sounds like a real pain in the ass but is really simple once you have done it a few times. Much safer too than launching and landing from shore.
Hope this helps!

Originally Posted by BigR

obviously from a boat is suboptimal and a last resort if there's no alternative.

I disagree. It's just different than what most people do. It has its pros and cons and, as Big R noted later in his post, it gives you the ability to kite in places that landlubbers can't reach. If I could kite by boat every session, I probably would. It seems to lend itself to a more enjoyable kiting session overall and wind conditions away from land seem to be much more consistent.

Keep charging by boat. Like Jim said, it just takes a little planning.

[Kamikazi]

I see a couple of people at sunset beach go out in a boat to 3 rooker islands. It was a little blue infleteble boat with a scuba tank and a long hose. i watched him blowe up three kites with the scuba. it was really cool. he sayd he launches from the boat all the time with kids. the scuba tank was very cool. i'd be scared to pop my kite with a scuba tank thouhg.

Paz
Jaime

That's Chili (Jim) with his Dux boat.