Lost @ Sea

[kitester]

Saturday at Huguenot Park we had west winds. Most people were behind the sand bars or at least near them. One of our riders was right on top of the last one when his centerline snapped. The bar was yanked out of his hands and because the kite had been at noon and the weight of the bar and lines was just enough the kite remained balanced as it sailed out into the ocean well beyond the reach of other riders or swimmers. It tumbled into the distance and out of site quickly. Last seen it was moving toward the open ocean near the mouth of the St. Johns River. The current may have carried it well off shore or it may have been blown back as the wind came around to the NE It could be on the jetty but it might have cleared the river and come back in down the coast. If you find it the owner would like to have it back of course. Contact Extreme Kites in St Aug. 904-461-9415. They will know who it belongs to and its description, size, make, model, color, etc.

Thanks

[tunceskite415]

Maybe it will get blown back onto a highway and some good semaritan will return it after the ambulance leaves the crash site with the injured and the tow truck cleans the mess.

Really, what happened to the safety system. Why didn't the kite 'flag' when the bar left the riders hands?

[Laughingman]

If you break a line and your kite is out of control, releasing the kite seems like the smart thing to do no? Isn't that what the safety systems are for? To release the kite if there is a malfunction?
If I let go of my bar even with all my lines intact, the kite does not flag out, it flys to edge of the window and sits there. I doubt it would do the same thing if you had a broken line.... I have read that kites have a tendency to start to spin when lines break...

Maybe it will get blown back onto a highway and some good semaritan will return it after the ambulance leaves the crash site with the injured and the tow truck cleans the mess.

Really, what happened to the safety system. Why didn't the kite 'flag' when the bar left the riders hands?

[Safe_Cracker]

This is where inspections are important, could have been prevented. I agree where was the leash? JMHO..

Polo..

[Laughingman]

This is where inspections are important, could have been prevented. I agree where was the leash? JMHO..

Polo..

Well I don't know, but if it was my 9m xbow the leash would have been connected to one of the center lines... which means if one broke I have a 50% chance of not having a leash to release too.....

[scklandl]

what the frack? where was the leash?

the guys centerlines BROKE, that means that kite is a disaster waiting to happen, 60% of kites have centerline systems, which by breaking the centerline, makes that system null and void!

ya'll need to to chill, im sure it would never happen to you with your 200% depowerable kite!

[tunceskite415]

what the frack? where was the leash?

the guys centerlines BROKE, that means that kite is a disaster waiting to happen, 60% of kites have centerline systems, which by breaking the centerline, makes that system null and void!

ya'll need to to chill, im sure it would never happen to you with your 200% depowerable kite!

Right, shame on us for being concerned about safety, and irresponsible kiters!!!!!

[randykato]

Call the Coast Guard to let them know there's no missing rider. If that kite gets spotted out there, they'll go into full search and rescue mode.

This is one of our local kiter's accounts:

I got caught on the inside and my kite went down trying to get back out and a wave ate my kite and then it started pulling me out so I pulled my release and detached from the kite. Made it back to shore (kind of scary with the waves and crazy current) but my kite went out to sea. I called the coast guard and notified them no search and rescue is necessary and they were VERY thankful for the call. They said last time they spent a day searching via sea and air after finding a loose kite at sea and it was for no reason, the guy was safe and on land. The coast guard officer said "the sport already has a black eye and calling in to inform us when this stuff happens helps tremendously." he also reminded me that we should all put our name and phone number on our gear.

[scklandl]

[
Right, shame on us for being concerned about safety, and irresponsible kiters!!!!!

right.... If the guy had gotten dragged out to sea and drowned you'd be pointing out that he didnt pull his safety, or practice it every time he was out just like you do.

different situations call for different actions. so fer fracks sake, just let the guy know if you find his kite instead of armchair jockeying him to death

[sarcasm]

I agree.