Date: Tue, 25 Apr 1995 06:37:25 -1000 From: oakden@vo1.ph.liv.ac.uk (Mark Oakden) Message-Id: Organization: The University of Liverpool Subject: *preventing* flexifoils from launching Hi all, What are peoples favourite methods for preventing flexifoils from launching themselves prematurely while trying to launch without a helper? The only method I have found to consistently work with my 4-stack is to lay the kites, top side up, at an angle to the wind, then race back to the handles and launch by pulling the downwind side of teh kites level then taking a couple of steps back. However, in a hefty wind, on flat packed sand, even this didn't seem enough to prevent them trying to self launch. (on the day I tried this, I had some help, ... but I imagine I may have had to peg ONE of the handles -- the upwind one -- to prevent them either self launching or just skating away downwind [hmm... there's an idea... let them skate away downwind and make a grab for the handles as they zip past... save myself 150ft walk ;-) ]) Anybody have any clever methods? ... I know that with a single flexi, and a bit of practice, one can lay it upside down then flip it back over when you get back tothe handles, but I gather this won't work with a stack. Thanks in advance, Mark. -- oakden@dice2.desy.de oakden@hep.ph.liv.ac.uk | Beyond waves, I'm not politically incorrect, | reaching far, the I'm just differently articulate. | cuckoo's song. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 27 Apr 1995 01:04:12 -1000 From: andrewh@holly.harvard.edu (Andrew Hawken) Message-Id: <3nntnc$j8e@epsilon.qmw.ac.uk> Organization: Queen Mary & Westfield College, London, UK Subject: Re: *preventing* flexifoils from launching Mark Oakden (oakden@vo1.ph.liv.ac.uk) wrote: : What are peoples favourite methods for preventing flexifoils from : launching themselves prematurely while trying to launch without a : helper? Mark mentioned my solution in his later text... peg ONE handle down. Then you have all the time in the world to get back to the handles, sort yourself out and fly. I have also self launced a stack on rough grass using an experimental brake on the lines. The brake worked fine (I had the lines laid out behind me with skyclaws attached) but as the handles approached they whipped round and one managed to get a turn around my wrist. Needless to say this could have been very nasty, but with gloves and a heavy jacket it was OK. Shan't try that again in a hurry though. Andy -- ____________________________Andrew Hawken______________________________ "However many ways there may be of being alive, it is certain that there are vastly more ways of being dead" R Dawkins. Home : 0895 420110 QMW : 071 975 5542 AIIT : 0494 677045 Email : A.Hawken@QMW.AC.UK = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 27 Apr 1995 05:53:45 -1000 From: markh@platon.cs.rhbnc.ac.uk (Mark P Hoyle) Message-Id: <3noem9$9b9@sun.rhbnc.ac.uk> Organization: Royal Holloway, Univ of London Subject: Re: *preventing* flexifoils from launching Mark Oakden (oakden@vo1.ph.liv.ac.uk) wrote: : Hi all, : What are peoples favourite methods for preventing flexifoils from : launching themselves prematurely while trying to launch without a : helper? : The only method I have found to consistently work with my 4-stack is : to lay the kites, top side up, at an angle to the wind, then race : back to the handles and launch by pulling the downwind side of teh : kites level then taking a couple of steps back. However, in a hefty : wind, on flat packed sand, even this didn't seem enough to prevent : them trying to self launch. (on the day I tried this, I had some : help, ... but I imagine I may have had to peg ONE of the handles -- : the upwind one -- to prevent them either self launching or just : skating away downwind [hmm... there's an idea... let them skate away Pegging the upwind handle is the method I use for my single 6' flexi, works fine with no trouble - even in v. heavy winds. mark = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =