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Lofting/Deadly Dragging

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loco4viento
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Re: Lofting/Deadly Dragging

Postby loco4viento » Thu Nov 21, 2013 7:30 am

timothymcmackin wrote:a rideable wind range and a "get back to land before you get killed" range.
When the wind starts exceeding a comfortable level, the best way to look for serious trouble is to get back to land before landing your kite. If you think you'd better "get back to land before you get killed" my suggestion is that you don't get back to land until after you've disabled your kite in the water. Just one guy's opinion, but if you spend some time reviewing deaths and injuries in our sport you'll find out that launching and landing in excessive winds (on land) are a significant factor in our morbidity and mortality. Convenience is great but safety is better. And it's a lot safer not to fly overpowered on land.

(I know this isn't exactly what you meant but I thought I'd point it out just in case it makes even one person think a bit before coming ashore while overpowered.)

Have fun,

John

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balugh
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Re: Lofting/Deadly Dragging

Postby balugh » Thu Nov 21, 2013 5:20 pm

loco4viento wrote:
timothymcmackin wrote:a rideable wind range and a "get back to land before you get killed" range.
When the wind starts exceeding a comfortable level, the best way to look for serious trouble is to get back to land before landing your kite. If you think you'd better "get back to land before you get killed" my suggestion is that you don't get back to land until after you've disabled your kite in the water. Just one guy's opinion, but if you spend some time reviewing deaths and injuries in our sport you'll find out that launching and landing in excessive winds (on land) are a significant factor in our morbidity and mortality. Convenience is great but safety is better. And it's a lot safer not to fly overpowered on land.

(I know this isn't exactly what you meant but I thought I'd point it out just in case it makes even one person think a bit before coming ashore while overpowered.)

Have fun,

John
Yep...if you watch the windsurfers when a gale hits they get someplace safe(ish) and drop the sail in the water. You don't see em trying to tear back into shore to walk up the beach with it. Yes...you can get tea bagged in the water but that's better than getting dumped on land and if it's stupid windy the resistance of the water might give you the fraction of a second required to dump the kite completely.

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RickI
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Re: Lofting/Deadly Dragging

Postby RickI » Thu Nov 21, 2013 6:03 pm

John's point which I agree with, is to disable your kite while still offshore and not to keep it flying until the hazardous wind is on you. In my experience with the weather in these parts anyway, it is fairly easy to avoid hazardous weather if you try. So many people involved in severe accidents simply kept their kites flying too long rather than disabling them early, even if still in the water.

Once your kite is down, you need to secure it while avoid getting tangled or pulled off by a looping kite or one driven by breaking waves and eventually get yourself safely into shore by your own power. Again, most of this is doable in my experience in the conditions I have been in Florida and the Caribbean. Also, I always wear an impact vest aiding with sorting things out while still in deep water. Situations can differ which is why we need to avoid weather hazards in the first place removing the need for ANY of this and the following uncertainty. Plus we need to work to be strong watermen should we screw up and need to swim our gear and selves into shore.


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