Deep Water Boat Launch
 

Has anyone successfully lauched a kite from a boat in deep water?

I am going to be on a big boat Saturday in Miami - Biscayne Bay and it will be windy.

1. I think you attach your lines to the kite and then fold everything up before the boat ride.

2. Then inflate your kite and put in water being careful to rotate the kite lines underneath the kite so they don't invert?

3. Hang on tight for a hot launch. I could tie the chicken loop to the cleat on the boat to absorb the initial shock of the hot launch. Or should I just go for the hot lauch ride and hope that the lines are correct? If not, I will have to release and have a real line mess on my hands.

4. I would love for someone to have a better idea of how to launch in deep water off of a large boat.

Thanks much!

Gris

Keep the kite at the boat and swim your lines out away from the boat, once everything is tight and looking good; you in the water away from the boat your kite in the hand of a trusted assistant at the back of the boat have them let go of the kite for a safe controlled launch. Captain of the boat at the helm to pull forward away from the kite if needed. Same thing for landing come to a stop downwind and away from the boat and bring the kite to the back of the boat to your assistant. Stop short of the kite meeting the boat and let yourself and kite drag into range, if things don't look good put the kite up in the air, ride around and try it again. Only for an experienced group of trusted folks, all members including the person at the helm should have lots of kite time.

Launching directly from a boat in deep water...Always a bit sketchy and I'd look at other options if I were you.

If you have a tender with the boat just go to a "flats" area and get into shallow water.

You can anchor very close to Stiltsville. Anchor your dinghy in shallow water. Pump the kite up. Typically I would anchor the dinghy from the stern while pumping the kite over the bow (so the kite doesnt get all fouled up on the motor), however you need to be careful that you don't swamp the boat if wind or waves increase or you take a big wake from a power boat. You can apply pretty much all these concepts to a jetski as well.

You can use a long line or a second small anchor to tether to the middle of your kite (LE down and facing upwind) about 10-15m downwind of your anchored dinghy (put a float on the line so you can get it easily later). Stand by your dinghy and unwind your lines, then attach the bar to the dinghy and walk the lines out and hook up to kite. Then you can either a) unclip your tether and walk the kite to the edge of the window and set it on a wingtip, then go to the bar and hook in and launch...or b) untether the kite and walk it to where your bar is anchored, hook in and then release the kite to do a drift launch.

Other things to be careful of: tides and currents can push your lines around in undesirable directions; make sure your boat is anchored well - if the wind drags it or the kite powers up and drags it you've got a bummer situation; always better to have a buddy in this situation to assist if necessary. I'd wear booties out there as well.

You can preinflate struts if you like and have room in the dinghy, and you can pre-connect lines but sometimes that backfires on you. As Whitey suggests, anybody assisting needs to know what's going on or you'll likely have a real fubar.

good luck with it

Thank you!
 

Both scenarios beat a hot launch. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks again.

Gris