How to jump out of a big wave when things go very wrong?

[sarc]

SOOOoooooo after ripped kite, snapped lines, and a long swim I started thinking about how to get the hell out of a wave when it hits the fan.

In my case it was an overhead set that became very steep (pretty much vertical) as I was taking the drop - I suppose there was a rip current / backflow that was pushing the waves back making them more steep than all the others.

At the same exact moment there was a big lull so I could not pop the board and jump ahead of the impact zone (cross/onshore wind). I tried to surf out on wave power but I made it only 1/2 of the way down.

I remember seeing videos of people doing some sort of kiteloop as an eject / bailout action when they were eating it on big waves. Can anyone share any tips? Thanks!

[Bushflyr]

There used to be a video on the Caution kites site on how to do a wave eject. Basically send the kite over the back of the wave in a combination with a back roll to land toeside. Having said that I can easily pull it in flat water, but getting the timing down to do it over the back of a big wave is going to take me a lot more practice.


The most important thing in big surf is to realize that you need a lot of wind. It doesn't matter what sort of Floaty McDriftyface kite you have if there's only 18kts of wind and you're blazing down the wave at 25. The second thing is to do lots of downloops. They'll help keep tension in your lines in a way that uploops cant. Last, be aware and bail over the back of the wave before it gets too steep if there's ANY danger of slacking your lines. No wave is worth hanging on to at the cost of a kite in the impact zone.

[plummet]

What was the wind direction in the relation to the wave?

[abel]

SOOOoooooo after ripped kite, snapped lines, and a long swim I started thinking about how to get the hell out of a wave when it hits the fan.
........
At the same exact moment there was a big lull so I could not pop the board and jump ahead of the impact zone (cross/onshore wind). I tried to surf out on wave power but I made it only 1/2 of the way down.
....

Been there ..., tried to outrun the wall that was chasing me, but lagged the turn-back because of the lull.
The wave caught me, pushed the board forcing to bend my knees almost sticking the board to my ars trough my legs. Quite painful with minor knees injuries.

Anyhow, if it hits the fan, its already too late, isn't it? The kite has slack lines, its lulling, and the waves are controlling you. What can you really do?
In such a situation I can only think about mitigating the possible damage: Jump off the board and release the kite as fast as possible whiteout hesitation.
This will avoid lines ripping the kite (or you), as well as the kite pulling you under.

[johnm]

https://www.facebook.com/kai.lenny/vide ... 935459312/

[BWD]

If you are lucky/good and conditions allow you can boost out through the top as described already, either looping the kite or with it at 12-2 o'clock.

Keep in mind if you have an overhead plus wave, it will be moving you at least as much as the wind, even if the wind is 20kts or so.
So it's a challenge to keep the lines tight.

As far as my experience tells me, whether the wind is side, side-off or onshore, you are going to at the least send the kite back hard, once you are in the "oh shit" zone, downloops are usually ineffective whether due to bad positioning, lack of tension in the kite, etc. Can still be an option if the kite is high enough, but the wave will catch up again and your kite may or may not climb fast enough.

So you send the kite back hard, and if your steeze karma is up, pop over or through the lip and land without uncontrolled spinning bodyslam.
If wind is light, angles aren't right or timing is off, the wave will still eat you but as the kite has been sent out to sea, the wave dragging you will keep tension in the lines so kite stays up.
As the the foam clears, enjoy flying your kite from underwater if needed. Then you will probably get to practice simultaneous bodydrag/duckdiving through the rest of the set.
Unless really big, then you are still wrecked.

If there are a lot of closing sections, consider a surf leash (and helmet). Last surf sesh for me I didn't bring the leash and with 50-100m wide closing out OH+ sections, I spent half the time chasing my board. Still one of the best sessions of the year though.
Also, while short lines may be the most fun/stylish, a 25m set can help you keep the kite flying in clean air, when the waves jack up, and buys you extra reaction time when things go wrong...

[juandesooka]

I don't have much to add to what others suggested. I have seen videos where they talk about one of the advantages of kiting in big surf is that if you are getting worked, you can power the kite up and get pulled out, like spitting a watermelon seed. And also use the kite to jump over sections ... which is more an advantage strapped for most people.

This video shows rider getting plucked out after going over the falls at teahupoo (at 1:55):



The famous example of jumping over the section gone wrong:

[sarc]

What was the wind direction in the relation to the wave?

Side-on!

Thanks everybody for the advice!

[flybykite]

I've never been in waves like the photos above but loads of 3 and 4 meter waves. Just as I realize I'm going to eat it (side on direction), I pull the backhand to get the kite pulling me against the wave and I either duck through it or hope for the best in the falls while trying to hold onto the bar. If the kite is in front of the wave it's usually bad news since it will go slack in your tumble. Best is to keep the tension on the kite.

[plummet]

What was the wind direction in the relation to the wave?

Side-on!

Thanks everybody for the advice!

Those vids above of dudes jumping or attempting to jump of the back of the wave are in cross off condition. That wont happen cross on.

If you hit a lull deep on the impact zone riding down the line there is zero chance of jumping over the wave. You can try and ride off the back of the wave if its not closing out. But that probably means your kite will fall out of the sky if you have already lost line tension.

Best thing I find is to cut back downloop at the same time to get line tension and power then haul arse out in front of the white wash. The suck back current of the wave will give your additional kite power to hopefully outrun the monster chasing you down.

I do this quite often on purpose at a particular part of our beach with peels for a bit then jacks up and dumps. I ride down the line till theres a vert wall and race downing in looping and speeding in front of the wave. If you get slapped on the back by the white wash you know yourve cut it close.