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Ok I might have been wrong generalizing with 'kids'... And in fact I don't have anything against people taking kiting to the extreme jumping piers and other stuff

...fair enough

You just don't get anything we are talking about (safety) and the whole meaning of this forum! Have you thought to read a different forum perhaps?

...you're right, i don't really get the (imo over the top safety craziness), that's why originally posted. Isn't the whole idea of thread topic to split opinions and have pros/cons and fors/againsts otherwise your thread would just be...

Topic: SAFETY

1st Post: YEP

the end.

...that and it was amusing me to see Mr Sensible Safety Guy earlier throw his toys out the pram and turn into a petulent kid when i dared to suggest an alternative to his opinion.

Where, or how do you guys who carry knives attach them to your harness? Any info or photos thanks

Wiski23 wrote:Where, or how do you guys who carry knives attach them to your harness? Any info or photos thanks

hi wiski, marine safety rescue knifes are normally supplied with a pouch with belt loop, that can easily be inserted on the adjustable side straps. Smaller hook knifes can be inserted in harness holes, there should be some somewhere..
For maximum safety I advise to carry a foldable knife (one hand opening type) in your boardshorts pocket too
You can get some ideas here: http://www.wetsuitoutlet.co.uk/marine-t ... 0_410.html
Hope that helps..

finally. actual safety tips....

instead of having to search your bar and shorts a little bungie loop around your wrist is right where you'll need it when the time comes.

works if you're wearing a long sleeve wetsuit or rash guard and can tuck it up beneath the cuff. otherwise you could accidentally cut a line.

i've never had to use one. i hear they only work on taught lines. a guy i know carries a couple pairs of surgical scissors.

Safety must be the most important part on kitesurfing, people that want to learn the sport must see a good and safe example of independent and expirienced kiteboarders in order to feel confident about learning.

theres plenty of problems you can avoid by practicing in a safe area with plenty of space, keeping yourself away from obstacules like palmtrees, other kiters, houses. Basicly plan your session with evrything around you in consideration.

Wind Regards
Caribbean-kite

www.caribbean-kite.com

Witnessed a girlfriend launch a boyfriends kite when he was not ready,he was unhooked and it pulled him up into a tree, only had minor cuts. luckily not impaled.....

always have good communication between launcher and rider! Always

thekoning wrote:Witnessed a girlfriend launch a boyfriends kite when he was not ready,he was unhooked and it pulled him up into a tree, only had minor cuts. luckily not impaled.....

always have good communication between launcher and rider! Always

Retarded. They need to start issuing licenses like the same as a car license. A tether perhaps? Some people amaze me. Dumb and dumber comes to mind. Haha

Posted this on another thread. Just for beginners starting out.

I've been kiting since 1999 here in Japan and have been through all the things you and others have stated. Some good advice posted here and I'd like to through in points that I've learned over the years which I think is important and see others struggling in.

1) before going out at all you need to be taught clearly and you need to have 100% understanding of, wind strength and kite needed, wind condition gusty or changing direction, and the direction of the wind and where you should kite in that wind direction. This is very important before even putting a kite in your hands and I have yet seen a kite instructor here teach this here and thus people getting into trouble.
Not knowing this clearly puts you into situations that are dangerous or not having fun like the 3 hour swim because you didn't consider "what if I dropped my kite and can't relaunch it here" situation. Pro riders here know that and do their new tricks on their tack close to the beach just in case they get tangled up. All stuff that you need to study and have someone show you on paper or it will take you a long time to learn by trial and error.

2) choosing the right gear to learn on. Easy relaunch a kite and board that goes upwind better than most helps a lot. Hard to get get upwind if you don't all the skill in hand at first.

3) stay away from other kiters or anything hard this includes shallow water less than 1 meter that has coral underneath. Kiter here learning got torn to shreds getting dragged through coral in about 2 feet of water. Drill this into your head and kiting can be one of the safest sports you can do. Don't and you are asking for problems. Advanced kiters often want to add some danger to the sport so kite in 20cm water with coral underneath then jump in a sandy patch. I love doing this but have years of experience to do it.

4)after studying you need to really practice at least 3 times in say a week just with kite as you are building muscle memory and confidence on how to control the power. You should be able to move the kite around while not looking at it and know where it is. I say 3 days maybe 3-4 hours a day. This builds up the trigger from your mind to hand as it all happens too fast and I have seen the same person pulling in on the bar in a gust for over a year now because he comes out only every 3 months.

5) now you need to practice how to body drag upwind to get your board. I've seen kiters here who have kited for years who still can't do this. It just amazes me and can't stop laughing watching them do a back crawl upwind which barely holds their position.

6) lastly is the board. Now you can practice with the board while practicing going upwind body dragging but I wouldn't recommend it while just learning the kite from point #4 as you need to focus on your kite skills first. One exception is if you catch on really quick in some cases people get the kite part very quickly but this is rare.

7) launching and landing your kite. Assuming you had an assisted launch you need to understand where you should be standing to land your kite. Again I have seen kites going into trees even by seasoned kiters just because they are not thinking. You need to see what is downwind of you and if the kite safety release is deployed then that is where your kite will be. Either in trees on sunbathers on the beach or torn on a hard object.

8 ) you need to keep at it kiting every week until you are going upwind easily. Then if you take a break for a few months you'll be fine. If not you'll be back to square one every time. Just like anything else.

Kiting gets exponentially more fun the better you get. So keep in mind you are only having a fraction of the fun than if you were better. So work hard on improving. One way is to tell yourself before going out that you will try a new trick just one and do it ever tack. Otherwise you will be doing the same thing over and over and not learning new skills.

Know these points then the rest is just enjoying the art of kiting. All good things in life take an effort and kiting is no exception. It is one of those sports that takes a fair bit of effort to be proficient but once you got it, it will reward you for life.

Enjoy and get on it.

I have a question for you guys, why the obsession with a knife when it seems all the safety systems include a primary emergency release that will release the kite. I have a knife in a special compartment in my harness but I could do a QR-> ER MUCH faster than I could slice off my lines if it came to it. Once did it by accident, releases very fast (went running to catch that kite, fortunately it was soaked in water and plopped down).

What am I missing that makes a knife so valuable over that system?

On a different note, since you guys advise having a plan for anything that might come up, what's your plan for accidentally ending up kitesurfing in a school of sharks? The jumping, biting, aggressive kind! Do you guys carry a gun as well? A machete? Spear gun? We just went thru shark migration season in FL, it can be scary to see thousands of sharks in the water. You don't always know they are there until tis too late though. Make for a good lunch if you could haul it back attached to your safety leash attachment line...

I'm a noob but if there is one thing Ive learned so far in this sport, its that in ksing, snit happens!