Unstable, squally weather can be hazardous to kiteboarders,
for example ... (NOTE***)
Getting dragged to a fatal impact by a 40 mph storm related gust in Spain this week.
Getting lofted over 800 ft. horizontally in Cabarete at high speed in a 60
mph storm related gust.
Two riders in Miami being sent to the hospital following loftings in storm related gusts
that were likely less than 20 mph above background wind speed
Sending lots of riders to the hospital with a variety of injuries over the
years. Just look in the KSI.
Lots of power and surprises lurking in squalls and storms and more than
virtually anyone can handle, no matter how good they are. Oh, and then
there is the lightening but that is another story.
So: a 10 mph gust can loft a rider particularly if they set themselves up
for it.
a 20 mph gust makes it a bit more certain and is less likely to be
blocked by technique
a 60 mph gust takes all the guesswork out of it, someone is going to
the hospital, IF they are very lucky.
Question: Why are riders still being injured and causing incidents in
unstable weather?
Click on the following links to graphics to fill in the gaps from
ikitesurf.com. These guys have put together an outstanding wind record
archive that tells this tale in spades. Other similar resources exist in other countries. In the absence of similar internet windspeed, radar and prediction sites, be particularly careful with regard to squalls.
The time periods shown represent lots of lulls and frequent squalls for Florida. Wind starved kiteboarders are ripe for the plucking or more accurately lofting when tempted to go riding when it would be far wiser to stay at home.
Crandon Park, Miami August 2002
Summary: Gusts over 10 mph on 7 events on 19 days recorded or 9 for the
month on average
Gusts over 60 mph on 2 events of 19 days recorded or 3 for the month on
average
Crandon Park, Miami, September 2001
Summary: Gusts over 10 mph on 7 events on 11 days recorded or 21 for the
month on average
Gusts over 60 mph on 2 events of 11 days recorded or 6 for the month on
average
Jupiter, August 2002
Summary: Gusts over 10 mph on 10 events on 27 days recorded
Gusts over 20 mph on 5 events of 27 days recorded
Jupiter, September 2001
Summary: Gusts over 10 mph on 13 events on 29 days recorded
Gusts over 20 mph on 5 events of 29 days recorded
Sanibel Island, August 2002
Summary: Gusts over 10 mph on 18 events on 21 days recorded or 24 for the
month on average
Gusts over 20 mph on 10 events of 21 days recorded or 13 for the month on
average
Sanibel Island, September 2001
Summary: Gusts over 10 mph on 13 events on 21 days recorded or 17 for the
month on average
Gusts over 20 mph on 8 events of 21 days recorded or 10 for the month on
average
I pulled together graphics for South Florida for the east and west coast but
please help yourselves in evaluating other parts of the state, country and world.
This is by no means a South Florida phenomena alone. The ikitesurf.com
sites marked by an " * " seem to have easier to read wind graphics in this
regard. I have included both last month and this month for last year. Both
months are quite active for unstable squally weather with frequent calms unlike some other times
of the year. So consider September 2001 a preview of what might happen this
year. Early indications support that conclusion.
So what we can handle it right? Not really, not when the nasty stuff comes
barreling in. So what do you do? Some ideas and suggestions appear in the
following documents located at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kitesurf/ ... EFERENCES/
under:
2. SAFE KITEBOARDING GUIDELINES - June 20, 2002.doc
4. LOFTING AND HOW TO TRY TO AVOID IT
and Weather and Kiteboarding w-photos 8-7-02.doc
(in General References)
So look it over and let's talk about it both here and at your local launch.
We really need to get the word out to riders about these simple, logical
precautions. Things like not parking their kite over head on or near the
beach while waiting obliviously for that nice gust to loft them into
something hard downwind. Or, to rip their kite leash off in a squally gust
and send an out of control runaway kite as happened recently to a bunch of
Crandon riders. Runaway kites can move vans, potentially cut people in very
serious ways, cut off power and all sorts of things that we can all live
better without.
Rick Iossi
(NOTE***)
The following article appears with functioning links to gust/storm graphics
as pfd and Word files at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kitesurf/ ... EFERENCES/
Copyright Rick Iossi 2002