Kitemare

[Guest]

I recently unfortunate enough (and fortunate in the outcome) to be on the bad end of a kitemare.

I was going out in a cross shore wind, with a 6 foot shore break and 6-8 foot surf, nothing spectacular as I had learnt to kite in waves (although most of my kiting is now inland for other reasons).

The wind was slightly gusty and I was a little uncomfortable about going out, but marked it off to having not been in the waves for one or two months. I entered the water and body dragged through the shore break, something I have done many times before without problem. As I reached the point where I normally put on my board, I was lofted out the water twice by two small gusts (a metre out the water) but it was enough for me to call it quits and I decided today was not my day for kiting and I turned my kite over towards shore to drag back into shore. During the period of this lofting and my subsequent decision to go back in, I made the fatal mistake of taking my eyes off the waves, and as I watched the kite go over towards land I was hit from behind by a heavy break which was hard enough to send me into a forward roll directly into my lines. When I came up out of the water from tumbling, my kite had hit the water and I was wrapped up in my lines, and much to my horror, the kite was in the process of launching again.(anyone who tells you high aspects don't automatically launch themselves should speak to me, I know they do at the most inappropriate moment) At this time, I had unhooked, but being wrapped in my lines, I was attached to the kite (lines around my back and arms, but fortunately not around my neck) without any control, a feeling I do not want to repeat. The kite went through the powerzone dragging me at high speed, before diving back through the powerzone again for another speed run while I made frantic attempts to untangled myself while swallowing lots of sea water and trying to get air. The kite hit the water, and relaunched again following the same sequence before I gave up trying to untangle myself and tried pulling on the leader lines. I eventually managed to get enough control to get the kite to aim towards land again although this control was still minimal (not that I wanted to be dragged on land, but breathing was fast becoming a priority as the tangled lines were dragging me underwater) and I figured I had more chance with a crashed kite on land with a couple of kiters on the ground to try grab it. I managed to crash the kite on land, before being knocked by the shorebreak into another foward roll. When I stood up I was still tangled, in fact more so now, but a fisherman had managed to secure the kite long enough for another kiter to grab it. On a funny note I suddenly became aware of the fact that I had lost my kitepants in the process of being dragged at high speed and I was butt naked, forcing me to take a breather seated on the beach while a friend fetched me a spare set of pants.

Having been through this, it gave a long hard look at the dangers of the sport, particularly when you don't follow some of the basic rules. Call it complacency, incompetance, but I should have known better, and its a mistake I was fortunate enough to live through.

My main mistakes:

Not keeping my eye on the waves.
Going out when I was weary of the conditions.
NOT CARRYING A HOOK KNIFE

The last point became very apparent to me, as I could easily have lost my life had things gone the wrong way, and if I had a hook knife, I would have used it. At the time things happened, the last thing on my mind was saving my kite. The value of your life becomes very apparent.

The other mistake was body dragging in, as I believe riding in would have given me more control in the waves...body dragging gives you limited speed dragging towards the edge of the wind and the chances of being knocked towards the kite are higher. My problems started when I lost tension in the lines and was knocked towards the kite.

And of course, my biggest mistake...taking my eyes off the waves.

Keep it safe guys, and hopefully someone else can learn from this.

[RickI]

I recently unfortunate enough (and fortunate in the outcome) to be on the bad end of a kitemare.

I was going out in a cross shore wind, with a 6 foot shore break and 6-8 foot surf, nothing spectacular as I had learnt to kite in waves (although most of my kiting is now inland for other reasons).

The wind was slightly gusty and I was a little uncomfortable about going out, but marked it off to having not been in the waves for one or two months. I entered the water and body dragged through the shore break, something I have done many times before without problem. As I reached the point where I normally put on my board, I was lofted out the water twice by two small gusts (a metre out the water) but it was enough for me to call it quits and I decided today was not my day for kiting and I turned my kite over towards shore to drag back into shore. During the period of this lofting and my subsequent decision to go back in, I made the fatal mistake of taking my eyes off the waves, and as I watched the kite go over towards land I was hit from behind by a heavy break which was hard enough to send me into a forward roll directly into my lines. When I came up out of the water from tumbling, my kite had hit the water and I was wrapped up in my lines, and much to my horror, the kite was in the process of launching again.(anyone who tells you high aspects don't automatically launch themselves should speak to me, I know they do at the most inappropriate moment) At this time, I had unhooked, but being wrapped in my lines, I was attached to the kite (lines around my back and arms, but fortunately not around my neck) without any control, a feeling I do not want to repeat. The kite went through the powerzone dragging me at high speed, before diving back through the powerzone again for another speed run while I made frantic attempts to untangled myself while swallowing lots of sea water and trying to get air. The kite hit the water, and relaunched again following the same sequence before I gave up trying to untangle myself and tried pulling on the leader lines. I eventually managed to get enough control to get the kite to aim towards land again although this control was still minimal (not that I wanted to be dragged on land, but breathing was fast becoming a priority as the tangled lines were dragging me underwater) and I figured I had more chance with a crashed kite on land with a couple of kiters on the ground to try grab it. I managed to crash the kite on land, before being knocked by the shorebreak into another foward roll. When I stood up I was still tangled, in fact more so now, but a fisherman had managed to secure the kite long enough for another kiter to grab it. On a funny note I suddenly became aware of the fact that I had lost my kitepants in the process of being dragged at high speed and I was butt naked, forcing me to take a breather seated on the beach while a friend fetched me a spare set of pants.

Having been through this, it gave a long hard look at the dangers of the sport, particularly when you don't follow some of the basic rules. Call it complacency, incompetance, but I should have known better, and its a mistake I was fortunate enough to live through.

My main mistakes:

Not keeping my eye on the waves.
Going out when I was weary of the conditions.
NOT CARRYING A HOOK KNIFE

The last point became very apparent to me, as I could easily have lost my life had things gone the wrong way, and if I had a hook knife, I would have used it. At the time things happened, the last thing on my mind was saving my kite. The value of your life becomes very apparent.

The other mistake was body dragging in, as I believe riding in would have given me more control in the waves...body dragging gives you limited speed dragging towards the edge of the wind and the chances of being knocked towards the kite are higher. My problems started when I lost tension in the lines and was knocked towards the kite.

And of course, my biggest mistake...taking my eyes off the waves.

Keep it safe guys, and hopefully someone else can learn from this.

Congratulations on coming through a nasty go to and passing the benefit of your experience on to the rest of us. I was wondering about some additional details including:

What was the approximate side onshore (?), wind and gust range?

Roughly how far would you guess you were dragged?

What size and type kite were you using?

I couldn't agree more about the hook knife(s). Kiteboarders have almost 400 ft or 120 m of lines flapping around over ahead or in the water and many carry no knives whatsoever. Cave divers generally have only one line to deal with at a time and many carry as many as FIVE KNIVES at various point on their body. A knife doesn't do you much good if you can't reach it or if you drop the only one you are carrying.

[tonycp]

I carry the Da Kine hook knife in the back of the harness and occasionally fumble around my back side to see if I could get hold of it in an emergency.

I like the idea of having several locations with knives. Where else have kiteboarders placed hook-knives for fast access

Tony

[Flyboy II]

And apparently, don't carry the hook knife in your kite pants....

[RickI]

I carry the Da Kine hook knife in the back of the harness and occasionally fumble around my back side to see if I could get hold of it in an emergency.

I like the idea of having several locations with knives. Where else have kiteboarders placed hook-knives for fast access

Tony

I wrote up one summary of a particularly nasty long distance, high speed dragging in the NW USA last year for the KSI. The kiteboarder was fairly well tied up, was wearing a Dakine Fusion harness but wasn't able to reach the hook knife being tied up and banged along at high speed. You many never use multiple knives but the one time the need arises you might be glad that you took the trouble.

[jpkiter]

I have a small line (about an arms length worth) attached to my hook knife + that is attached to a secure spot on my harness.....if the knife ever gets ripped out of my hand or dropped....i can follow the line back the the knife....( in theory..similar to scuba diving...if you lose your regulator, reach back + follow the air tubing to find your regulator)......fortunately, i have not yet have to test my knife line idea

[mergulhao]

I have a small line (about an arms length worth) attached to my hook knife + that is attached to a secure spot on my harness.....if the knife ever gets ripped out of my hand or dropped....i can follow the line back the the knife....( in theory..similar to scuba diving...if you lose your regulator, reach back + follow the air tubing to find your regulator)......fortunately, i have not yet have to test my knife line idea

that's a good ideia
a knife leash , it's better to pickup and you never loose it, if it's attach to your harness.

I must try that.

[loco4viento]

Hello anonymous guest,

I am glad you were fortunate enough to have survived your incident without serious harm and appreciate your efforts to share the experience with others. I wouldn't be surprised if you save somebody from injury or worse with your post. I think your learning points are excellent.

I thought I'd add that over the years I have read numerous comments regarding the "inherent safety" of inflatable kites (buoyancy). I happen to agree that buoyancy can at times provide added safety. However, this same "inherent safety" feature carries its own risks, such as unwanted, uncontrolled relaunching. This is not an anti-inflatable comment; the same holds for any relaunchable kite, including closed cell ram air kites. A kite that once crashed sits in the water with no chance of relaunch certainly exposes the rider and others to some risks, but does not expose them to the particular risk of a relaunching kite.

My only points are that we shouldn't ever be lulled into a false sense of security and should not ever think any of our kites are "inherently safe." Even "inherent safety" features carry inherent dangers of their own. While relaunching kites are convenient, we pay a price for this convenience. Part of this price is the danger that caused this kitemare; a danger that could have resulted in a person's death of serious injury.

Stay safe and have fun,

John

John

[robertovillate]

Wow, thats quite a story. Thanks for passing it along!

Last weekend I was riding with 6-7 buddies over in Muskegon, MI in beautiful 12m-14m conditions. One of our bro was ripping it real fast and landing his jumps really fast. He's an excellent rider/teacher and knows all about safety, etc.

On one of his high speed landings he outran the kite and crashed. While the kite floated downwind one of the kite lines had wrapped around his neck!!! Fortunatley he had the awareness and the presence of mind to immediately unwrap the noose that would have garotted him in the next moment when the kite fully powered and relaunched in the powerzone. Another second could have meant disaster, or at least some serious burns around the neck.

What really made me think later on as we talked about it is that none of the other kitesurfers (me included) were aware of it when it happened, and even if we saw it, theres probably nothing we coud have done to help our bro.

Things happen so fast. Be careful out there everyone.

Roberto

PS. I carry a hook knife with a lanyard stuffed into my Dakine back pocket (which is a bit hard to reach) AND I also have a Gerber River Shorty knife with a lanyard strapped to my harness webbing on my hip (easier to reach). Some of my friends laugh at me (helmet, knives, impact vest), but 75% of the time I am kiting alone and I figure bettter safe than sorry...better to be able to kite another day. I hope I never have to use a knife, but I won't hesitate if I get wrapped in a line by a wave, etc.

[kitester]

http://www.hookknife.com/hookknives.htm