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In my first tutorial, I'll show you my preferred method for winding lines.
I'll assume that you have your lines connected to the kite, untwisted.
The first step is to land on the ground, inverted, leading edge down.
Once we've landed with no twists, we'll stake the handles down.
There are a couple of ways to do this, one is right through the center...
Overlap the right and left handles and put your stake in the middle.
I like this method because it clearly identifies the right and left handles for later.
The other method is two handles over the same side, and that's fine too.
Now we're staked with the leading edge down...
Handles staked at the top, the kite is in forward drive...
This will keep the kite on the ground, and keep it from launching.
Now we'll go to the kite end and start the winding process.
The kite is leading edge down, handles are staked at the top so it's secure.
This drives the kite into the ground, and is the safest position when not flying.
To wind, we start by removing the lines, removing one bottom line first.
True bottom of the kite, remembering that it is upside down.
Then I'll remove the top line.
The secret to clean line winding actually starts right here.
I'll start by larks heading the top line onto the bottom line…
Then slide it down to the knot.
This brings the bottom of the handle out like this...
This comes into play when we complete the winding process at that end.
Now let's do the other side as well...
Once more, starting with the bottom line..
And then the top line.
As I've released the lines, the kite has relaxed and laid back.
Once more, we larks head the top line onto the bottom line, then slide it down to the knot.
Notice that I've kept a grip on the lines at all times...
This is simply to keep them from twisting, which they might do if you drop them.
So again, I've just minimized the chances of them twisting accidentally.
For the actual winding process, we'll start with a typical card winder...
Finger in the hole so I'm holding the correct side of the winder...
Sometimes I do a single figure-8 wrap to keep knots out of the way...
Now I use a straight winding method, just like this.
I'm spooling the line, distributing it across the winder space so it is even...
I'm also applying some tension, since the lines can slip off the winder if they're too loose.
Just like this, we'll wind up all the way to the handles.
We've wound most of the line, and as I approach the handles you'll notice that I actually come down to them.
The reason is, I don't want the handles to come off the ground and spin which adds unexpected twists when I unwind again.
Once we're at this end, we remove the ground stake...
Wind down to the handles, and because we pulled the bottom line out at the kite, it's pulled the bottom of the handles out...
That allows me to put this very nice fold directly onto the winder.
Once like this, put it in my bag, pull it back out when I want to fly.
I know some people have only one set of handles and more than one set of line…
So, I'll show you how to remove the handles at this end.
Start by removing one line, then the other...
At the kite end, we larks headed the top line onto the bottom line...
Because we're at the opposite end, I'll larks head the bottom line onto the top line.
I know this may be confusing, but we're just reversing what we did at the kite end.
Now we remove the lines from the other side...
And again, reversing what we did at the other end of the lines by larks heading the bottom line onto the top line.
Slide it down to the knot and with all four lines done now, wind it all up very carefully to avoid any twists...
Then use your bunji to lock those down on the winder.
It's very important to have these locked down, they have a tendency to rotate (twist) if they come loose.
Now I could switch lines, but in this case, I'll put these back on.
Unwrap a length of line and separate the two pairs of lines...
And reattach the lines.
Notice that my bottom lines are black, there's a simple reason for this...
When I'm teaching this, I say "B" for black, "B" for bottom, it's easy to remember.
It's just a good reference tool to differentiate top from bottom.
I've reattached red to the top, black to the bottom...
We'll repeat that on the other side...
Black to bottom...
And red to top.
Those are set up, so once more, I'll stake the handles at the top so when I connect my kite and set it leading edge down, it won't launch by mistake.
Now my handles are reconnected and staked, simply stand up…
Tension the lines and walk away… Due to the orientation of the handles, the lines will unwind smoothly all the way to the kite.
Now that I'm at the kite, I'll separate the two pairs, draw tension and pull them apart like this.
I do NOT try to fix any apparent wraps yet, as there can be "pseudo wraps" that will come out once I'm set up.
Best thing to do first, is connect the lines to the kite.
My kite is on the ground, belly up, giving me full access to the bridle without having to fight the wind.
Once more, red onto the top of the kite...
Black onto the bottom of the kite...
Now repeat that with the other side.
The top line...
Then the bottom line.
I have all four lines on the kite, handles staked at the top to create forward drive...
Set the kite at the end of the lines, and I let it sit like this so the kite is secure on the ground.
Now I'll show you how to take care of whatever wraps might be in the lines, or wraps that *appear* to be in the lines.
With the kite connected, we've come back to the handle end.
It's important to know, that when you wind and unwind your lines, it creates a lot of opposing twists...
They may not be true twists where the ends rotated, but somewhere in the middle of the line, they rolled together like this.
The idea is not to start fixing apparent wraps yet, be sure you draw tension into all four lines first.
I'll begin by picking up my handles with the right grip, so that I'm prepared to control my kite if it launches by accident.
I then shake one bottom line so I can identify right from left on the kite, making sure I'm holding the handles correctly.
Because my kite is upside down, if I shake my right line, the left side of the kite should move.
Now that I have the handles in the correct hands, I'll draw tension into all four lines…
Doing this, almost all of what looked like wraps will come apart.
Now that's done, I'll launch the kite and land it upright...
Now I may have a wrap or two, either together, or in an individual pair of lines...
Notice the way I rotate my handles, so I don't launch the kite by mistake by pulling more on one line…
To unwrap, I can put both handles together and rotate them, or just one, depending on the wraps… That's it, you're ready to go!
Where do twists come from? The come from either end of the lines rotating, not from the winding itself… Are there more twists with figure-8 instead of straight winding? No difference, it's a matter of what movement is easier and tidy winding.
What is the secret? One, keep your lines from twisting at the kite when you remove and handle them, then put them on the winder… Two, avoid twisting when you wind to the handles… Three, pull the lines taut after unwinding to remove any faux twists.
** English subtitles by Kitelife.com **