Ditch Fixed Board Leashes

[cglazier]

I agree that a fixed surfboard type leash should not be used. However the Oceanic Reel leash is different. It extends to about 10 feet in length and keeps my board well away from me in a crash. And it does not slingshot my board back at me with force.

In can remember several sessions when I would have lost my board my board if I was not using my reel leash (when I was way overpowered or way underpowered). And I know others who have lost their boards (forever) just because they couldn't find them bodydragging after a big crash.

When I don't wear my reel leash It is easy to bodydrag back to my board, but I generally prefer the security and convenience of using it. The exception would be in big surf where a wave could throw my board at me. (And that can even happen if you ride leashless.)

I always wear a helmet.

Chris G


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: cglazier on 2002-11-18 16:45 ]</font>

[RickI]

Hello Chris,

I carry a reel leash full time these days myself. I only use it if I have trouble relaunching a kite, need both hands or have some nasty surf to try to edge through. Once the situation is over, the leash comes off.

There are accounts of riders being injured even by reel leashes. Normally it is from a wave propelled board striking the rider. There are some cases though when a really lit rider stretched out the ten to twelve foot reel leash and had it slam back into him.

I am not aware of a full time leash design on the market today that is free of hazards. I like the reel leash for temporary use however.

[fokiten]

Leashes, oh shit hear we go, Fixed static leash for kiting bad bad bad idea. No leash? different story, Are you out of board hit danger, No,no,no. Are you safer than having a reel leash? yes and no. yes you are free and clear,no you have traded off, free of strap issues, for loss of board, no ability to fix a kite, broken line,deflated bladder,and no safe way to save your disabled kite from a lee shore, no way to body drag through the impact zone in onshore wind, Now I kite in the middle of friggin nowear, no boats, no roads,figgin nowear, if i drop my kite and loose my board im fucked, if i breack a line and donot have my board to attach the bar to and be able to crawl up and down my lines and fixem im fucked, all of thease things keep me on a reel leash, for those of you who can rely on others to save you your all set. I Have to be able to deal with every possible problem or im asking for it for this reason I accept the tangle thing, IMO if you had a way to make a much longer reel leach you would have the safest possible all around board kite and body situation. Saftey is impossible in kiting, There never will be a safe kite boarder, I choose to risk my ass for kicks, I am a kiteboarder, I am my own problem, I biggest worry is fuc-en up and hurting a bystander, or busting up my gear, I love to kite, f-it i ain't quiten for no-body.

[Guest]

On 2002-11-18 16:57, RickI wrote:
I am not aware of a full time leash design on the market today that is free of hazards. I like the reel leash for temporary use however.

Free of hazards? There never will be. If you want to live free of hazards, stop kiteboarding. Kiteboarding is about risk management (and having fun). I use the reel leash full time, haven't had the board touch my body since I started using it. My riding style and local conditions make using a leash a good choice to me. Not hazard free but a workable solution. I believe I can make that choice based on 3 years of kiteboarding. The reel leash is the safest design available. The potential slingshotting issues are greatly reduced compared to standard fixed leashes. To me the risk involved with loosing a board outweigh those involved with a reel leash. Be assured that I would not need a leash at friendly side-on beaches where upwind bodydragging and being able to see your board is as simple as it is usually made out to be. R!

[RickI]

The best solution to getting around board rebound issue is of course to stop using fix leashes. Another approach that may work and then again may not be so practical or safe follows. One possible idea that I had for continuing to use existing but modified fixed leashes came to me a while ago. I am not certain if this modification would avoid serious injury or not in certain types of board impact.

It would involve inserting a weak link at some point in the fixed leash. Monofilament fishing line of a specified service strength as verified by practical testing might be used. A block of some other material with a tested tensile capacity could also be implemented perhaps.

At any rate, the weak link could yield at a relatively low tensile strength. How much? I really have no idea. You would have to come up with that through practical testing. Certainly in the scenario of the board submarining with the kite dragging it deeper would likely develop some substantial loading perhaps on the order of 30 to 40 lbs. or perhaps much more. So picking a weak link to fail at around those tensions would be relatively easy and should avoid the more dramatic type of rebound.

I am less certain about the tensions that may be developed if a rider is flying at high speed through the air towing his board when he suddenly plows into the water and the board slams into him. I would think the leash tensions in that case would be relatively low and the weak link might not serve any useful purpose.

A downside of this weak link concept is that it will yield during normal use at times. It will allow the convenience of a connection to the board much of the time but once in a while it will be time to body drag up to the board again.

It is another idea at any rate although perhaps not a good one.

FKA, Inc.

transcribed by,
Rick Iossi

[xid3d]

tell you what makes a good weak link,
those belt loops for the PFD vest straps.

mine are all ripped off. it's hard to find the strap ends when i put on the vest now. i need to do some sewing.

[Guest]

This is what I have been saying since the beginning.

Screw wearing a board leash.

Save your kiteboard leash for your surfboard. I got hit in the head 2 times with mt Slingshot Jarvis and after the 2nd time I was hit I never used the leash again. The edge of the board and the front fin caught me on the back of the head and my ear. The fin cut the back of my ear just a bit to scare me silly. I thought I had half an ear from the impact of the board. Not a good feeling.

Forget the leashes people.

Justin D.
Slingshot Rider
GA Kite Crew

[phree]

Another vote for reel leashes here. In addition to what has already been said in their favor, I'd like to point out something else.

Many kite zones are fairly packed with riders in a relatively small area. Distinct traffic patterns emerge and keep the flow moving. Until somebody loses their board. Now everyone's safety (and stoke)is compromised because somebody is body dragging for five minutes all through the middle of the zone. Traffic is snarled. If he had a reel leash, he'd have been up and going and kept traffic flowing. Crowded zones may be another time to use a reel leash.

I agree that fixed leashes are bad. However, a quality reel leash is much safer. I think we should be careful not to condemn the concept of board leashes. Reel leash manufacturers will hopefully continue to improve their product over time. Please keep an open mind toward reel leashes.

[zbose]

I agree about going leashless. I have been for awhile now, and it is the only way i feel safe. I think the 10 feet or so on the reel leash isnt enough, but what about a different version with a super long (50 feet?) of line? Seems that the risk would be super minimal at length.

Any reason why this hasn't happened?

[Protos]

Luckily, those damn reel leashes have the desired "safety release" that was mentioned above. I've owned two of them and they both snapped after using them only a couple of times.

Going leashless may be a viable option if you ride TTs, but if you ride a directionla/Mutant there's a good chance (for me, anyhow ) that I'll be losing the board when I go to jibe.

ANybody have experience/comments on Dakine's directional kiteleash? It has a very low stretch line to reduce springback.