Electricity Static Shock

[kitezilla]

This subject has been discussed a few times before on this forum. Do a search. I believe the phenomenom is real. Past discussion and comments have attributed the mild shock to static electricity build up from the kite lines in motion through charged air. When you do a jump, you loose the ground connection to the water. While in the air, the lines recieve a charge. When you land, the electrical connection is reestablished through the first part of your body to touch the water.

The theory says that charged air extends a few miles out from the part of the storm that is experiencing actual lightning strikes, so the shocks should serve as a warning to get off the water, since the storm may be heading toward you with subsequent lighting strikes. If the lighting actually strikes you, you won't be writing in to the forum, to describe the experience.

[Beachbum1236]

I had this too. IT was a cloudy day, witha little bit of drizzle. and I Was doing some land jumping at first and everytimg i would touch back down to the beach, I got a shock through my little toe. the shockgot bigger when the jumps were higher and went longer. zzzzzzzzzzt.

[RickI]

Static discharges are quite real and fairly common under the right conditions. The conditions seem to vary too. Such discharges can range from an oddity, fairly painful and/or an advanced sign of lightning.

An article from The Kiteboarder Mag:
ELECTRIC KITE EXPERIENCE


A more indepth, technical look at various causes of the phenomena:
phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2318240

[kitester]

I think this is how it works....

Just like walking across the carpet which rubs electrons off the floor the kite and its lines rub electrons off the air as they pass through it. It happens all the time but sometimes there are more free electrons to be "gathered". So when you have an electricly charged atmosphere, like there would be near a storm, the charge can build up quickly. When you jump that charge has nowhere to go. When you touch down the charge is dissapated. If there is enough you get to feel it or even see it. I had it happen to me while on a buggy about three years ago. As I rolled down the beach the kite, lines and I built up a charge. There was thunder way off in the distance but I did not feel it was a threat. As it got closer I decided to head back to the car and stop. When I put my heels agianst the tire to slow down I closed the circut and got zapped hard. Since then I dont kite if I can see lightning or hear thunder and I tell my students its not a good idea.

[randykato]

It definitely happens... just ask any of the guys in the '05 Velocity Games pro men's freestyle final... they all felt it, and the heat was called.

[Galeltic]

Hey
Was it cause wet pant ? lol

[Ten4]

well its happened to me heaps.. mainly cause i love kiting in storms bit dangerous but yeah

[Beachbum1236]

and u thought i was crazy going in high winds

[johnmelton]

I believe it has more to do with really humid air rubbing up against the kite than impending lightening. I have had it happen many days without any lightening around. While it can certainly be a precursor to a lightening strike it more often is not. You need clouds with enough vertical to create lightening. If all you have is a low overcast sky and no thunderstorms forecast I wouldn't be worried about lightening. If you are really getting zapped and but the conditions are that good, I would consider trailing a line to disapate the charge or keeping your jumps short. I definetely have a bad feeling that really long jump could create enough charge to kill you so don't push your luck.

[RickI]

I believe it has more to do with really humid air rubbing up against the kite than impending lightening. I have had it happen many days without any lightening around. While it can certainly be a precursor to a lightening strike it more often is not. You need clouds with enough vertical to create lightening. If all you have is a low overcast sky and no thunderstorms forecast I wouldn't be worried about lightening. If you are really getting zapped and but the conditions are that good, I would consider trailing a line to disapate the charge or keeping your jumps short. I definetely have a bad feeling that really long jump could create enough charge to kill you so don't push your luck.

I had some in OBX once. I think there may have been lightning about 10 miles to the north of where I was being shocked with every jump. In that case lightning never came to my area.

By contrast in Florida, there was lightning in each case I have experienced this within 15 minutes. This phenomena may be more complex and variable over different areas and times of year than it might appear on the surface.

If in doubt, sit it out.