Kiteforum.com

R.I.P.
quite simply...

fo tip #86

"you either see it coming or you take the hit....."

bottom line : there but for the grace / good sense go us all.

the more stoked you are the less likely you are to remember this ? maxim

so be it

condolence
fo

this sucks to hear condolences to the family.

Jumping in shallow water... what a meaningless way to die or get injured... but still people do it... let this be a lesson for us?

RickI wrote:Looking at translated accounts they seem to largely repeat the same information most of which has already been posted here. My lack of understanding of Portuguese isn't helping in this review in picking up more subtle points.

I listened and read your link to the reports.. all the reports seem to say basically the same - laymens terms - descriptions.. 5 years experience.. riding close to the beach, lots of folk on the beach, 2 gusts, 1st lofts him and drops him at the waters edge.. then he's trying to undo his harness.. and gets lofted again.. this time a bigger loft with a head crash.. dies at the hospital.

laymens description again - the kiter is trying to undo the harness.. - its not clear -- whether he was trying to release the safety or his harness.

The brazilian kite forums are also trying to find out what happened.

A second report here says something different -

http://portalcorreio.uol.com.br/noticia ... EDELO.aspx

“Uma pena, infelizmente assisti o acidente da varanda do meu apto aqui em Areia Dourada, ele foi lançado do mar para a areia, onde caiu de cabeça. Que Deus conforte seus familiares”

Different beach - and different detail - this person witnessed the accident from her porch in Areia Dourada beach, and says that he was lofted from the sea (maby a big jump?) and landed directly on the sand with his head.

Some reports say he died on the spot, some say he died at the hospital.

Some reports are titled "kitesurfing kills a military Colonel"

"The beach was busy with people." Makes one wonder, how windy could it have been.

I would agree. Doesn't matter how good the safety gear is, reaction time can get ya. Its human nature to wait that split second to see if you can steady yourself. It all happens so fast!

Rider of 5 years he was no slouch.

He sounds like he was a good sort to a real loss to the human race, someone with contribulative skills and an even greater loss to his family.

Rest in peace buddy.

Westozzy wrote:I would agree. Doesn't matter how good the safety gear is, reaction time can get ya.
...

Rest in peace buddy.

And the Only way i know of, to improve on that reaction time, is to
be aware of what's behind Ya. Bummed me out whenever Luck takes over
because i Forgot and let my guard down, then walking away saying to myself :
"Damn -- that was a Close one" !!

I Try to keep those to a minimum , but i have gotten launched in the water before,
by an unseen gust, or a thermal that hadn't touched down yet, giving me No warning.
That's the Biggest reason i Don't like playing next to shore !!

It's Strange the mind-set i use whenever i fly a Hang glider or a PG ; seams
the level of Wiredness is Way higher when i Know i'm about to get wamped
by a thermal, then i go Look for them; i hardly ever feel that when i'm kiting, and
i know i Should .

Bille

sorry to hear. RIP
My condolences to his family and friends.

This sucks. Sounds like a broken record .

Same does this:
Any safety pull, release, knife, etc., is (are) useless, unless you have time to use them as intended.
If someone tried to use them, but died, did anyone ever check if there was a flaw?
Also none are 100% fool proof.
Maybe it's time for some crash testing, like cars.(in a lab of sorts, not just with a ram and straight pulling)

Sucks this still happens.
But as I understand there was a sign in the sky " don't go out" (storm clouds) .

RIP
---
For years I wouldn't land a kite on land, period.
Refused to use kites with pulleys or long bridles.
Always landed in the water, usually unhooked before landing, wore a helmet.
This was possible in my spots, and I usually avoided any spaghetti or other problems.
Very rarely got dragged in the water while landing, & never lofted.
But after 10 years or so, I have ridden all over, many spots it's hard or impossible to land or launch from the water. So I usually don't.
Normally there is a friend to help with the kite, that is safer, right?
And the helmet, is it a gopro accessory or a safety device?
Not sure, but I think it is still rolling around in the back of the truck...
My skills are so much better than in 2003, so many easy self and assisted launchings/landings under my belt, not too much to worry about... ?

Well, last year a guy who had been a rancher 30 years turned his back on a donkey, bent to pick his hat off the ground....
He was found dead by neighbors a few days later, kicked in the head.

Just because you have to launch in a sketchy way in some places, when you are caught out or clueless, or just desperate, don't make every session a high risk by carelessness or lack of focus.

Unhook before you land.
You can land in water if it's safe -it's often safer if it's flat water. The kite will dry.
If its too windy, you might have to have help landing on the beach, or drop the bar.
Yes, that might make you look like a kook sometimes.
Might scuff your kite up a bit.
Deal with it.
Maybe it's time to find that helmet.

Thx BWD...soo true.

How many people do you see launching and landing a kite on the beach with the board still in their hand?

As long as people are not really aware of potential dangers, and don't get taught that (yes, blaming IKO etc and instructors), unfortunately we will see many more fatalities.