Line management by KiteLife

Transcript

1. ›

   Securing the kite

   0:00

   In this tutorial, I'll show you my preferred method for winding lines, assuming your lines are connected to the kite, untwisted. The first step is to land the kite inverted, leading edge down. With no twists, I stake the handles down. One way is right through the center, overlapping the right and left handles with the stake in the middle — I like this because it clearly identifies the right and left handles for later. The other way is both handles over the same side, and that's fine too. With the handles staked at the top, the kite is in forward drive: it's driven into the ground and can't launch, which is the safest position when you're not flying.

2. ›

   Unhooking at the kite

   1:01

   At the kite end, I start by removing one bottom line — the true bottom of the kite, remembering it's upside down — then the top line. The secret to clean line winding starts right here: I larks head the top line onto the bottom line and slide it down to the knot. This brings the bottom of the handle out, which matters when we finish winding at the other end. I do the same on the other side: bottom line, then top line, larks head the top line onto the bottom line, slide it down to the knot. Notice that I keep a grip on the lines at all times, so they don't twist as they might if I dropped them.

3. ›

   Winding

   2:37

   For the winding itself, I use a typical card winder, finger in the hole so I'm holding the correct side. Sometimes I do a single figure-8 wrap to keep the knots out of the way, then I wind straight, spreading the line evenly across the winder and keeping some tension, since loose line can slip off. As I approach the handles, I come down to them: I don't want the handles to come off the ground and spin, which adds unexpected twists when I unwind again. I remove the ground stake and wind down to the handles; because we pulled the bottom line out at the kite, the bottom of the handles comes out too, which lets me put a very neat fold directly onto the winder. Then it goes in my bag until I want to fly.

4. ›

   Removing the handles

   3:57

   Some people have only one set of handles and more than one set of lines, so here's how to remove the handles at this end. I remove one line, then the other. At the kite end we larks headed the top line onto the bottom line; at this end I reverse it and larks head the bottom line onto the top line, on both sides. I wind it all up very carefully to avoid twists and lock the lines down on the winder with a bungee — that's very important, as they tend to rotate if they come loose.

5. ›

   Setting up again

   5:15

   To set up again, I unwrap a length of line, separate the two pairs and reattach the lines. My bottom lines are black for a simple reason: B for black, B for bottom — an easy way to tell top from bottom. Red goes to the top, black to the bottom, on both sides. I stake the handles at the top again, so that when I connect the kite and set it leading edge down, it won't launch by mistake. Then I simply stand up, tension the lines and walk away: thanks to the orientation of the handles, the lines unwind smoothly all the way to the kite.

6. ›

   Connecting the kite

   6:35

   At the kite, I separate the two pairs, draw tension and pull them apart. I do not try to fix any apparent wraps yet, as there can be pseudo wraps that come out once I'm set up. The best thing to do first is connect the lines to the kite: it's on the ground, belly up, giving me full access to the bridle without fighting the wind. Red onto the top, black onto the bottom, then the same on the other side. With all four lines on the kite and the handles staked at the top, I set the kite at the end of the lines so it's secure on the ground.

7. ›

   Clearing apparent wraps

   8:01

   Back at the handles: winding and unwinding creates a lot of opposing twists. They may not be true twists where the ends rotated — somewhere in the middle, the lines just rolled together. So don't start fixing apparent wraps yet; draw tension into all four lines first. I pick up the handles with the right grip, ready to control the kite if it launches by accident, and shake one bottom line to check right from left: because the kite is upside down, shaking the right line should move the left side of the kite. Then I draw tension into all four lines, and almost everything that looked like wraps comes apart. I launch the kite and land it upright; if a wrap or two remains, I rotate both handles together, or just one, depending on the wraps, being careful not to launch the kite by pulling more on one line. That's it, you're ready to go.

8. ›

   Notes

   9:43

   Where do twists come from? From either end of the lines rotating, not from the winding itself. Are there more twists with figure-8 winding than with straight winding? No difference — it's a matter of which movement is easier and tidier. The secret: keep your lines from twisting at the kite as you remove them and put them on the winder; avoid twisting as you wind to the handles; and pull the lines taut after unwinding to remove any false twists.