Who dont use safety leash?

[Do-it]

I also watched an unattended kite tumble into a heard of camels on a beach in morocco. One kite brought 2 of them to the ground in screams. The kite wrapped itself around one, which took the tension out of the lines, but then blood everywhere as they tried to kick their way out of the strings in panic.

That's the crazy shit you need a go pro for. Did they die? What does camel taste like?


Original poster- Quit being such a pussy. The leash wasn't designed for your safety. If you are that scared, maybe you should quit kiting.Leash up for other peoples safety.

[Kamikuza]

I asked if you were trolling, not accused... There's a difference in my mind.

And Felix used 2 line kites for longer than most... What's your point? Pros doing pro stuff. 99.99% of riders need a leash, attached to the front of their harness. Your personal kite flying skill will not stop a kite flying off downwind once it's out if your hands.

If you've got a primo spot with SFA downwind, you might be able to get away with it just letting your kite tumble till it stops of its own accord... or a very understanding public.

[Flyfish]

@ Do-it.
Quit being such a prick. Your not as cool as your brain thinks you are.

[Flyfish]

Back on track.
I thought about this conversation while I was at work yesterday. It seems to me that the question shouldn't be asked to leash or not. (it's obvious as most agree). But the question should really be: is the modern chicken loop/leash system really that good?

Back in my C kite days I was using the Naish UDS. I loved it for a ton of reasons then, but I really didn't appreciate the underlying release system for several years later. Of coarse I don't believe the UDS bar is appropriate in it's original form now, but the two releases methods really show that an integrated leash is possible. On that system, one pull down was to flag the kite, and a separate pull the other way was full release of the kite. Thus there is always the ability of a one step kite eject. This is of coarse is huge for the massive oh shit moment.

[DrLightWind]

Has anyone a real experience of a runaway kite that created an accident ?

About 8 year ago a guy didn't have a safety leash and he released it near from me in 25 knots winds
the way his bar just slingshotted 6 inches from my head, so scared the crap out of me.
Than finally tangled into another kite the way now two kites were pulling the guy.
Than the guy was pulled on to the rocks and just could release when one of the kite landed on a palm tree.

Since that I don't want to hear anybody when flying kites with others not using any safety leash.
In fact if somebody is ignoring the rules and not listening, I'll be the one who is going to cut the lines
and talking to the park manager to get rid of that person so he would never be able to come in to that location again,
since jeopardizing other people's life.

DrLW

[darippah]

Boardriding maui ccs bar, problem solved

[darippah]

I made my own and dont use a leash with certain kites. My kite flags to 2 lines so i just made my bar throw 36 inches or so , letting go of the bar depowers enough that i dont need a safety leash

[Laughingman]

36" is not quite long enough to flag your kite, in the event of a squall you could be in trouble and need to let it go completely. A safe flag system is to a single center line flag line which allows the kite bar to travel at least the length of the kite up the line. Also, what happens if you come unhooked in error?

As far as BRM bar, or IDS systems etc... they work fine but a leash is still required in the event you come untied or unhooked. It happens, it happened to me a few times now.

[tomatkins]

I made my own and dont use a leash with certain kites. My kite flags to 2 lines so i just made my bar throw 36 inches or so , letting go of the bar depowers enough that i dont need a safety leash

When I was using IDS safety system kites, I made my bar, so that when I let go of the bar the bar traveled 15 feet up the double center lines, and flagged the kite (no powerline adjuster or stopper ball to get in the way). At that time, I saw no reason to have an additional kite safety line, since the 15 foot long power line, acted as the safety leash. I loved the simplicity of the system until............... one day I was carrying a guys board and the board hit the safety.......... bye, bye kite....... hello, a mile and a half swim... hello $120. kite repair.

During that swim, I swore that I would never again have a set-up with a single release mechanism that let go of the kite, bar and lines. Having a 2-step release mechanism is much less stressful... especially in shark-infested water.

Experience changes a person’s priorities.

[romkite]

Has anyone a real experience of a runaway kite that created an accident ?

About 8 year ago a guy didn't have a safety leash and he released it near from me in 25 knots winds
the way his bar just slingshotted 6 inches from my head, so scared the crap out of me.
Than finally tangled into another kite the way now two kites were pulling the guy.
Than the guy was pulled on to the rocks and just could release when one of the kite landed on a palm tree.

Correct me if I am wrong but 8 years ago most kites didn't have a fifth/safety line on the bar ? So either the guy did not intentionally release, or he would have released anyway twice (QR+leash) because he (thought he) was in big trouble. A leash for safety is useless without the safety line on the bar.

Since that I don't want to hear anybody when flying kites with others not using any safety leash.
In fact if somebody is ignoring the rules and not listening, I'll be the one who is going to cut the lines
and talking to the park manager to get rid of that person so he would never be able to come in to that location again,
since jeopardizing other people's life.
DrLW

Please keep it moderate, it's an interesting discussion. Plus, I can hardly imagine you cutting Rebstock's or Alldredge's lines (example of guys not using leash, safety line, not even a trim).

cheers