Are you really that cool...

ScottM · **Joined:** Mon Nov 07, 2005 7:56 pm **Posts:** 2387

rightguard wrote:

Kind of funny story.

I just started kiting and have only been out 5 times so far three of those times were lessons. Today I was launching from Kite beach, and my wife was helping me launch. Of course she is brand new too, only done it twice now. Well she picked the kite up strange and ended up getting down wind of the kite, of course getting it all wrapped around her. I know this is not good, but there wasn't much I could do to help.

The crazy thing is that there were three guys standing about three feet away from her, just watching. They were toooooooo cool to help a newbie. Then this guy yells at them "hey, aren't you going to help her" and they still just stood there. So I yelled at them " hey, could you help her out." So this guy walks over all huffy and helped. He got me launched and I had a great time playing around in the waves for my first time.

I just can't stand that you have to rely on other people in this sport, and that it seems like no one really wants to help you. I've heard that maybe Naish beach is a little more friendly, but I've been apprehensive to try a new beach when I'm so new. I guess I'll try it anyway.

Thanks for listening.

Hey one thing is you can make your launchers job easier if you realise your kite is trying to push them over, quickly move yourself downwind a bit. Generally it's better to estimate the launch so the kite is too far upwind and then work backwards so the canopy fills for a suitable launch.

From another point of view if things looked dangerous then I'd assist, but sometimes it's better to let persons learn from mistakes!

Younger · **Posted:** Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:28 pm

I have only been kitesurfing just over a year and have to say that I have been takeen aback by how supportive all other riders have been as I went through the newbie stage. Riders have stopped riding to help me disentangle lines at the edge of the water and to give help and advice. The recurring comment they make is: 'we've all been here'.

2tall · **Joined:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:29 pm **Posts:** 133

Bad situation....but I could tell about a sentence into your post what was going to happen. Having two inexperienced people on both the kite and bar end is really a bad idea. Don't mean to bag on you because I've done the same thing when I was learning. Each beach has it's own issues and Kite Beach is a launch low and go beach because of the wind shadow there. That and inexperience is probably why she got all tangled up....good thing the kite didn't launch itself then

Some on here will probably bag on me for saying this, but it is really important to get good at self launching/landing once you figure things out. There will be times when no one is at the beach (unless you live in Maui), and you need to be good at this for your own safety.

Your same scenario is probably happening at all the busy kite spots right now because of the growth of this sport....hard way to learn a lesson.

As others have stated, don't be afraid to ask for help. We were all newbs/kooks at one time, and some still are kooks after many sessions :naughty:

Wakeboarder · **Joined:** Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:29 pm **Posts:** 78

Man:

Some times its better to wait until some body ask for help, and if you are a rookie and dont know what to do its better step of unless some one tell you what to do, other ways could get worst.

rightguard · **Posted:** Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:08 pm

Magic, Dave, Yomotha, and all the rest...

BELIEVE ME I know it was my fault for getting into this situation. I shouldn't have a beginner helping me when I'm such a beginner. Our first day out I had my instructor give her some lessons on launching and we did well. This time the problem was that I wanted to walk a little closer to the water before launching and she has never walked with the kite, except after landing. I should have just launched from where I was so that she didn't have to move the kite that much. I just hate having to launch from so close to the trees.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement and yeah I should ask for more help.

2tall · **Joined:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:29 pm **Posts:** 133

Don't beat up on yourself too much. You are going to take some licks while learning all this stuff....at least you realized what was happening. :thumb:

abel · **Posted:** Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:55 pm

rightguard wrote:

BELIEVE ME I know it was my fault for getting into this situation. I shouldn't have a beginner helping me when I'm such a beginner. Our first day out I had my instructor give her some lessons on launching and we did well. This time the problem was that I wanted to walk a little closer to the water before launching and she has never walked with the kite, except after landing. I should have just launched from where I was so that she didn't have to move the kite that much. I just hate having to launch from so close to the trees.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement and yeah I should ask for more help.

@rightguard

You learned quite a lesson but still missing some points.

Two additional points understand:

Quote:

...she has never walked with the kite...
...I should have just launched from where I was...

1- Never expect from the launcher to position himself in the right place, even if he is an experienced kiter!
2- It is your responsibility to position yourself at the right angle.
Think it this way: It's your life your betting on every time you launch.
Before positioning, keep the lines a bit lose (very slight bending) when you think you're OK, pull gently the lines and OBSERVE if the launcher moves forward or backwards, if so your missing the correct angle!
Loose the lines.
Move a bit to the opposite side of the launchers movement (your right or left respectively) and sense again by pulling gently the lines.
I recommend you to ask a vet again about this procedure. Trust me it is worthy.

assmaster · **Posted:** Wed Sep 02, 2009 1:53 am

I wouldn't have jumped in to help in an instant either in that described situation... If you had asked me to launch you before I would have though.
You really should learn how to self launch and land, I can understand why some people get pissed off when asked to do it. Nothings more annoying than standing trying to have a conversation with someone when you have to land or launch a kite every minute or 2 because someone hasn't learnt how to do it by themselves.

Bstevs · **Posted:** Wed Sep 02, 2009 2:26 am

Quote:

I wouldn't have jumped in to help in an instant either in that described situation... If you had asked me to launch you before I would have though.
You really should learn how to self launch and land, I can understand why some people get pissed off when asked to do it. Nothings more annoying than standing trying to have a conversation with someone when you have to land or launch a kite every minute or 2 because someone hasn't learnt how to do it by themselves.

agreed

Laughingman · **Posted:** Wed Sep 02, 2009 2:40 am

Bstevs wrote:

Quote:

I wouldn't have jumped in to help in an instant either in that described situation... If you had asked me to launch you before I would have though.
You really should learn how to self launch and land, I can understand why some people get pissed off when asked to do it. Nothings more annoying than standing trying to have a conversation with someone when you have to land or launch a kite every minute or 2 because someone hasn't learnt how to do it by themselves.

agreed

I translate this as being lazy. Don't be surprised when you loose access to your favorite spot if you are not willing to help keep people safe. Noobs want to be safe, but when faced with a local group that is not willing to step up to help them out they may need to ask their wife for a launch and think of it as something that was required. If everyone on the beach was stepping up to help, you would not be the only one helping every 1 or 2 minutes... your basically saying that your conversation is more important the safety of your fellow kiters... shame on you. If you think it is required for a kiter to be able to self launch and land and you see someone that doesn't know how... why not help them, teach them, share a bit of your experience. By stepping up you could be helping to avoid a serious accident, would you rather be saying... I could have done this... but I was to busy talking to bother?

Sincerely

Pete

Are you really that cool...

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