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My Foil Kite Sunk!

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jakemoore
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My Foil Kite Sunk!

Postby jakemoore » Mon Mar 10, 2008 4:24 am

Well after hundreds of successful and often times improbable water relaunches I lost my 5 meter foil kite to a wave. The kite luffed and bowtied so I sat there 3/4 mi from shore waiting patiently for it to sort itself out as it always has done but it never happened. Finally I gave up and started wrapping the lines around the bar to pack it down but as it did I started drifting through the impact zone so I had to let it go. We had shoulder high peeling waves that would have munched any kite and the crashes were starting to pull it. I just calmly bodysurfed back in with my board and waited for my kite but it never came. A few friends sailed out to check on it but there were no sightings. I rigged another kite and didn't find it either but did have a good session. Who knows? Maybe the water inside the kite really is heavier than on the outside.

Thanks for the people who checked up on me and didn't get tangled in the bridle.

Jake

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Re: My Foil Kite Sunk!

Postby flyingtrunkie » Mon Mar 10, 2008 12:43 pm

That's a bad thing to hear... :(
What kind of foil was it?

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Re: My Foil Kite Sunk!

Postby zfennell » Mon Mar 10, 2008 1:35 pm

any chance that the lines snagged something on the bottom?

I'm sure it's somewhere, but if it was not free to migrate through the surf i doubt there is much left that looks like a kite
:(


my condolences jake.

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Re: My Foil Kite Sunk!

Postby 20 m or bust » Mon Mar 10, 2008 4:05 pm

Your sure it's somewhere...ya think? I hereby dub thee MASTER OF THE OBVIOUS!!!

Sorry about the kite. Sucks to lose one.

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Pump me up
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Re: My Foil Kite Sunk!

Postby Pump me up » Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:35 pm

Ram airs simply aren't safe. They are inferior to inflatables aerodynamically AND in safety terms.

8: Safety
- Inflatables are safer than ram airs because
-- Downwind launches are bloody SCARY for a beginner
-- Rams deform, twist, wineglass, explode in the middle of the power zone etc when they are downwind of obstacles, in rotors, and in VERY gusty conditions. This is VERY dangerous. Some of the most frightening kitemares ever witnessed have involved ram users walking along beaches in cross-offshore conditions - their kites have been virtually uncontrollable and have endangered both the rider and other beach users.
-- Wind dropouts and gear failure
--- You will invariably experience a few gear failures (eg broken lines) and COMPLETE wind dropouts every year. If you are a fair way offshore, you can use the inflatable as a "sail" to get back in. Alternatively you can use the inflatable structure to support your weight.
--- All ram airs become hopelessly waterlogged after 45 minutes - unlaunchable and certainly unable to support your body weight.
-- Surf conditions
---While it is always a gamble if your kite gets caught by a wave, at least you've got a fighting chance if it is an inflatable. If it is a ram air, it's all over.
-- Bridle tangles and failures - Scary and expensive (US $500 plus) (eg see the thread titled "Flysurfer Warrior Exploding:" phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=4612" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )

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Re: My Foil Kite Sunk!

Postby lejonklou » Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:45 pm

Link to a 5 year old post? :lol:

I've seen several inflatables exploding, but so far never a foil (and the foil users are plenty where I normally ride).

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Re: My Foil Kite Sunk!

Postby domdino » Tue Mar 11, 2008 1:19 am

The author still hasn't made it clear what kite this was, but as far as i can tell it certainly wasn't any kind of modern flysurfer, what with it being 5meters which no flysurfer is. There's really no need to readdress the obvious awesomeness of flysurfer's latest kites, as with most of todays kites. They are all great, just make sure you try them before making silly comments, innit, i feel lilke i'm just feeding into PMU's psychotic ego.... oops.

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Re: My Foil Kite Sunk!

Postby FredBGG » Tue Mar 11, 2008 3:29 am

Could have been a Pulse 1. It came in 5m size.

Sorry to hear that you lost your kite.

You did the right thing to let it go...to many kiters have got into trouble trying to save a kite against all odds.

I had a harness failure and my Psycho 3 13 blew away and floated around for over 45 mintes.
Finally got it back still more that 80% floating, but with some water in it.

Currents, big waves and kelp/underwater snags can eat any type of kite.

Just yesterday a friend of mine had to go through the surf with his Peter Lynn Venom on the water.
Got through it fine, but kept a safe distance from the kite in the waves.

Cheers

Fred

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jakemoore
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Re: My Foil Kite Sunk!

Postby jakemoore » Tue Mar 11, 2008 5:44 am

I didn’t really want this to become a brand bashing thread but let’s just say it is probably one of the most relaunchable kites out there with a custom bridle modified by me. I could have considered untangling the bridle and drift launching it in flat water as I have done in the past but not safe in peeling waves. I imagine if it was a deflatable I would have also had to let it go as well probably resulting in a trashed kite in any case. The idea that I could have used a tube as a life raft is laughable in this situation. I’m just glad I had the sense to stay out of the lines, a knife but no need to use it, and the ability to stay calm so the swim to shore was mellow. I definitely would have drowned if panicked.

I worry a little about a drunk spring breaker encountering it in the shallows so I explored 10 miles of beach today at low tide. No sign. I also notified the USCG so a search would not follow if an unmanned kite was found. I’m quite surprised there wasn’t enough air to bring it in to shore. We have a sandy bottom so a line snag seems improbable to me but would be a pretty good explanation. Maybe the sinking foil is actually safer than an LEI which is certain to bring 27M of tangled lines into breakers? I think this is a no blood no foul situation regarding safety but I appreciate PMU’s concern. Maybe we could have the full cut and paste rant for old times’ sake?

Its sad to lose a kite but now I guess there is a little more room in the trunk.)

Jake

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Re: My Foil Kite Sunk!

Postby airsurfer » Tue Mar 11, 2008 7:07 am

Jake
sorry about your kite.sometimes it's just better to let it go. ANY kite rolling in the surf is no cake walk. I already saw 2 kites this season get munched in so called Miami "surf" so it doesn't take much. BTW- neither kite sank but you certainly wouldn't be trying to use them as a raft either :lol:

forget the foil how about this one in the surf... I think the bar would make a great self rescue float and shark deterant :o
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