Had a few lessons earlier, about to practice waterstart, but wind disappeared for weeks, so I decided to buy a used kite (some old 17m c kite) of course without being able to test it or seeing it flying...
Drove to a windy spot 900kms away to finally became a kitesurfer.
When getting the kit ready at the beach a guy tells me the kite is waay to big for the conditions. Of course I said: I know what I`m doing.
My mate helps me with the launch everything seems fine apart from being well overpowered... no probs at least waterstart will be easier... so board on feet, steer kite quickly into power zone... board stayed place and jump was about 5m high and who knows how long... kite crashes, loops multiple times and I have no chance to recover it dragging me downwind like crazy...
Ok hit the QR now... wait.... i forgot to clip my leash in... as triing to do so the kite hits a boat full of tourists and finally it stops pulling... Ok safe... I see the captain swearing, walking to my kite and throwing it to the power zone... tourists scream as I fly pass the boat.
Some loops, crashes and a few minutes later the kite crashes into a yacht. Ok I managed to clip my leash in so finally hit the QR. The captain of the yacht seems unhappy about me using his vessel as a landing spot and swears at me. Luckily we dont speak the same language.
A rescue boat approches us and collects the kite and me. Turns out its the same guy who said the kite was too big. He jumped into the rescue boat when I hit the tourist boat and he was local kite instructor btw
The reason not being able to recover the kite was that one of the steering lines was 20cm short... the seller must be an honest guy.
Of course there is no explanation for fotgetting the leash and ignoring local advice.
Lesson learned.