Thanks for the report. I'm seriously considering getting a helmet again. I used to use one many years ago when I was still riding with a leash. I think it's about time to rethink the use of a helmet.

I had my board hit mit twice on my impact vest. The fins have left a deep cut in the foam from the vest. Luckily it wasn't my head.

Cheers,

P

Yes, board leashes can do a lot of damage. I hope that guy that had his throat slashed and teeth broken in Swan River, Oz fully recovered.

More about this in the KSI Vol. 2002, #67 and 68 HERE.

There are so many telling cases in which a helmet might have reduced or avoided injury in kiteboarding accidents. Here's a new one.

I met a man in person at Surf Expo for the first time after communicating with and about him online. He was lofted in June '05 and reportedly suffering seven broken vertebrae in his back (luckily no paralysis), a broken pelvis, broken tail bone and bruised lungs and kidneys. A good friend of his had died a short time before this accident in fairly light winds of a terminal head injury. As a result this rider had been wearing a helmet only for a few days before his accident. His helmet took a major dent in a powered impact. Doctors told this man the impact likely would have been fatal but for the helmet.

The guy looked GREAT! With no sign of apparent injury, remarkable healing powers just three months. Still, but for the helmet he would likely have died. More information appears at here and here .

I would buy a good lid impact vest, wear them whenever I ride and forget they are even on. The last part comes naturally to most people.

FKA, Inc.

transcribed by:
Rick Iossi

Just ordered a stack hat with the new kite.
Although I kite with out it now , its always in the back of my mind.

HA

Respek

I just received some photos of our recovered kiter, ripping loose off Nassau.






One of two very important reasons, (soon to be three!), why the rider is so grateful to have pulled through and recovered from his accident.




He has revisited his demons at Go Slow Bend, bolstered with some precautions, like a helmet and life goes on.

Looking good, thanks for sharing your story.

Ride on!

looking at the last picture, it seems that hr did not learn everything yet...
that water looks so shallow....

I noticed that too. Some guys have really been hit pretty hard as a result of riding in really shallow conditions, broken legs, concussions, paralysis.

Still, how many guys routinely do this despite the potential consequences? At least he will have a lid on that may help, unlike quite a few of the other riders that are prone to doing this.

It's all about choices.

Good story, the photos really drive it home. If this story saves one life, it is worth the potential misuse by detractors of this sport. While I agree I do not want to lose my access at the limited number of spots available to me, I can guarantee they would be shut down to access if an accident like this occurred as well. It truly is a double edged sword. Since there will always be detractors I say do the database with photos to help those who are interested in helping themselves. Remembering you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. Some people are more stubborn than others. In those cases the forces of Natural Selection take over. In this case the rider has "evolved" and now wears a helmet. I see that as being fundamentally different than being unaware of the dangers we face in this sport. KSI can't help the former, but can the latter, in which case it is a worthwhile teaching tool.
In the Ten4 Kiteboarding video several of the riders can be seen wearing helmets, especially when performing tricks. Most of the video footage was shot in 2003.
Personally I have always worn a helmet , and will continue to do so. I also wear a life jacket (OK Impact, Good flotation) or impact vest (good impact, OK flotation).
Kudos to this rider for sharing his story and his healthy recovery.

..one of the most notable of which was the lacerated scalp, broken shoulder, collar bone and fractured vertabra that this very same guy suffered after a lofting IN THE SHALLOWS!.




AKA "Natural Selection"


Steve T.

I m very glad to hear about this guy get out of death door to be great survivial ! , also too me who did that , last summer
at nitinat lake , there usually be onshore windy 15 to 25 kts anyway
my freind warned about onshore windy cuz last summer i started to learn kitesurfing , after many yrs windsurfing and no sailing since 8 yrs cause 3 times vehicle accidents within 7 yrs then start to learn kitesurfing
i gone to rig up at learning area and i got bad stress from carpool driver who gave me bad vibes cause my focus was nt fully for 2 days
i got twice accident , there so first day i was lucky surivial but next day , i got very bad accident cause miscontrolled to make me get out of water, instantily and pulled me toward beach and trees as over 30 mph when helment on me as i saw big log on beach as my mind said there was death door toward me so quickly thinking to make my front body was dragged and turn to be back body to dragging on water when let harness with kite wildy flied , very fast to pull me out of water surface and helment got stratch after get over log then log abused at my whole back and after hit log and i already accepted to enter death door than get stuck with death door , then my back body qucikly turn to be front body on grass cover small rocks when i tried to reach release other leash when kite get stuck with trees to stop me ! and i got up with my mind said big ouch and it looked alike to have 20 people beat my back get hurt , up so few kiters and one windsurfer witnessed my accident to ran after me and they were glad with me as okie so i thanked to use helment ! but no impact vest then i bought new one . i was glad to get out of death door !
i like 2004 cabrinha control bar than 2005 one cause during kite pulled me, dragged on water toward beach and tree when i tried to get out control bar away from powerlock after body dragged very fast to make control bar go down toward powerlock so it wont help when i tried to get it out from powerlock to plan to hit release then i learned lesson about 2005 control bar ! i still think of using helment and impact vest are rules !

Here you are completly wrong. "A photo is worth a thousand words" and "reads instantaneausly".

Ricky thanks for this great posting and the time you put into it.

I always wear a helmet and try to convince everyone I meet to wear one.
One thing I do when someone wants to try my kite or board is I tell them they can, but only if they wear a helmet and I'll lend them mine if they want. I've had people say that they like the helmet too and asked about where to get one.

You always need one. The while back I smacked my head on a chunk of driftwood lurking an inch or two under water. Made a nasty mark on my helmet. Without the helmet I most likely would have been hurt quite badly or worse knocked out. Just think about it, unconscious and getting dragged around by a powered up kite or a kite in the surf

Important thing to keep in mind is that even on sand you can get badly hurt. If you smack your head on someone elses board or get dragged onto one of the many sticks and stones often 1/2 an inch under the sand.

Last week JUST WALKING I put a 3 inch nail right through my foot. How about that in the back of your skull.

Cheers