Tutorial: How to Dead Launch Your Quad Kite – #1
Do you wanna walk or do you wanna fly? I guess I know your answer, and in this tutorial I’ll teach you how to dead launch your quad kite and them walks of shame will belong to history!
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The 26th Nordic Kite Meeting
Blokhus Denmark
May 13th - 19th 2024

Ouch! Your kite ended up on the ground, belly down and the leading edge pointing downwind. It’s dead! I gotta walk the walk of shame over to the kite and set it up for launch. ?

…or…?

Nope! When you find your kite in this position, no walk of shame is required! Just take a deep breath, wiggle your lines a little, allowing the wind to blow underneath your kite. In really light winds you will have to walk a couple of steps backwards.

And then – just like magic – the wind blowing underneath your kite will lift the downspars and your kite ends up upside down resting on its leading edge ready for an inverted or reversed launch!

No more walks of shame! ?

Hey, that sounds too easy to be true! Yes, it might sound like that, but it’s a really easy ‘manoeuvre’ and in the tutorial below I’ll guide you through it all!

Let’s go!

Dead Launch #1

Your kite might end up in other dead positions too, but more on those dead launces in another tutorial. So you better stay tuned!

2 Responses

  1. > it’s a really easy ‘manoeuvre

    Well this kind on quad line dead launch is certainly easier than a dual line kite dead launch (or even a sleeping beauty, DPmama74: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VANxs3rZd5E&list=PL12B7F9C4DAB7EBCB&index=14).

    One thing one possibly could emphasize is that making a sharp tug will most likely not result in having the trailing edge rising from the ground. Most likely the kite will only slide parallel to the ground (or possibly somewhat rotate on the ground). Wiggling (as you already recommend) while more softly/smoothly/uniformly pulling (as you demonstrate in the video) should work better.

    1. Quote:
      One thing one possibly could emphasize is that making a sharp tug will most likely not result in having the trailing edge rising from the ground.
      /Quote

      Spot on! ??

      The gentle wiggling of the lines will help lifting the trailing edge a tiny bit, just enough allowing the light wind to blow in under the kite, thus bringing the trailing edge all up.

      And like said above, and also seen in the video, moving backwards a few steps will help in really light winds.

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See you at the 26th
Nordic Kite Meeting!

Blokhus, Denmark

May 13th - 19th, 2023

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