How to Self Land a Kite

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How to Self Land Your Kite

Most people's first experience with self landing their kites is by accident after they crash their kite and cant relaunch it so just let it drag them to land. Eventually though you will need to self land your kite if you end up down from your launch site and no one is there to catch your kite (like after a crash or after the wind dies and can't get back upwind).

Some kites are easier to land than others depending on their safety system and kite type (SLE, Bow, or C-kite) which will determine how much they can be depowered.

Usually follow the instructions from the manufacturer for your kite which will explain the best way to depower/land your kite. For many newer kites you can literally just trigger the safety system release and the kite will fall into the water but you can also try one of the methods below for self landings :

As you come into land, hold the kite at the edge of the window where there is minimal resistance and hold the kite at 45 degrees like you would normally when having someone catch your kite just slightly above the ground. If you have a tight launch or small shallow area you are better off getting to land with kite at 90degrees above you and once on land then steer the kite back towards the water along the edge of the wind window until its just above ground and then follow the landing steps below.
If you safety leash attached to the top(like on bow kites) of the kite(front) then you can release the bar and pull in the safety leash so the kite cant flip over downwind and and walk towards the kite from land.
Another method is if you have the kite at the end of the window release the bar and pull in on the safety leash/bottom edge front lines nearest you so the pull is on the front lines with the back lines loose and the kite is flapping open into the wind like a flat-c shape because you are pulling in on one side.
In light winds some people will just set their kite down lightly in the water or sand and just quickly pull in on the upper leading edge so the kite sets down on ground with the leading edge down and facing into the wind.

For whatever method works best with your kite, you should always practice it first in light winds.