squalls .... Update On Accident In Korea

[RickI]

This is a repost regarding the fatality in Korea from:
MAWWKSA · Marianas Wind,Wave, &KiteSurfing Asso
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/MA ... essage/145


Hey Daniel,
I just got back to seoul from Jeju Island. I am heading back to Boracay tomorrow.

This accident was tragic.

It was a overcast day cool some rain...strong winds...Mr suh would have prefered a smaller kite but the smallest was his Rinho 2 10M. launched out fine no problems Mr suh he was good if anyone could handle it, it was him. drop the kite down a few times but he still had things in hand. A squal had moved in and it blew so hard that the wind surfers fell down. next thing was a kite flying away. they found him on the rocks quite soon after not moving or breathing. he had sustained major injories to the head an neck, compound fracture of the arm, fraacture hip and alot of trauma to the pelvic region where the seat harness was attach. his harness torn and stainless attachment bent snap shackle in tack...he never had a chance to release. police investigation proved there was no problem with the shackle becaused it release fine. it was not pulled. finally the chicken loop had snapped. Mr. suh like to ride hard and had had chicken loops break before so he was extremely proud of his new stainlees steel cable chicken which we tested in Pusan 3 weeks prior... he had hit so hard with so much force...

I played with jun (the man's son), yesterday taught him how to roller blade...he is happy and care free just doesn't understand what has happened...he asked us what we were all doing....no one could talk

It will be a difficult for all of us for a while trying to understand a carry on with our daily routines...

tahnks for your understanding and support.

Chris




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[RickI]

I think I have had a chicken loop break twice over the years in not real powered up conditions. In lighter conditions the kite goes to maximum power and then falls to the water.

There was a case in New Jersey some years ago in which a chicken loop broke apparently in powered up conditions with the kite at the zenith. The guy was lofted straight up and then knocked out on impact.

It sounds like conditions were majorily powered up that day in Korea. Knocking windsurfers over setup for 10 m kite conditions, say they were on 4.x to 5.x m sails? What would that be, a gust up to 40 to 45 mph or higher perhaps? I don't think I would like to be connected to a kite without a chicken loop, without ready control, overly powered up in strong squall gusts.


What has happened to people when their chicken loops have broken under load? I don't believe this is something to try to make happen given the probable spike in power and loss of control.

[windshreder]

Rick,
I have broken two chicken loops in the last week from two different brand kites under extremely high loads.

The first one was at the bottom end of a kiteloop, the kite was stroking thru straight downwind about 10 feet off the water as I was dropping into the water and the CL broke. The bar hit the kite before the kite hit the water. I had it set up with a front line safety. I swam in.

The second breakage was yesterday. I was out on a 10 Wip in 22-28 mph with 33mph gusts. I was getting hauled off in a gust and was edging very hard. Then the CL line failed. It was a 2004 Wipika with about 6 hours of use. The stitching that holds the line into the webbing above the QR pulled out. Definitely a manufacturers defect.
I am looking for a replacement.
This kite was set up with a 5th line safety. It deployed perfectly, the kite hovered 3 feet above the water inverted. I swam in and the kite stayed dry and out of the huge shore break. I think the kite would have been destroyed if it was a front line safety.

Im glad the CL broke in the first case but not in the second.

[RickI]

Rick,
I have broken two chicken loops in the last week from two different brand kites under extremely high loads.

The first one was at the bottom end of a kiteloop, the kite was stroking thru straight downwind about 10 feet off the water as I was dropping into the water and the CL broke. The bar hit the kite before the kite hit the water. I had it set up with a front line safety. I swam in.

The second breakage was yesterday. I was out on a 10 Wip in 22-28 mph with 33mph gusts. I was getting hauled off in a gust and was edging very hard. Then the CL line failed. It was a 2004 Wipika with about 6 hours of use. The stitching that holds the line into the webbing above the QR pulled out. Definitely a manufacturers defect.
I am looking for a replacement.
This kite was set up with a 5th line safety. It deployed perfectly, the kite hovered 3 feet above the water inverted. I swam in and the kite stayed dry and out of the huge shore break. I think the kite would have been destroyed if it was a front line safety.

Im glad the CL broke in the first case but not in the second.

Thanks for the stories. Northern Florida has had some really strong stuff blowing through, more than in the southern part of the state. Still we have been getting quite a bit of powered time on the water. Still, two chicken loop failures in just one week! That is some loaded up riding along with premature failure as you said.

Have others had excessive power after breakage of the chicken loop to where the front lines lose all tension?

[Nick-san]

Have others had excessive power after breakage of the chicken loop to where the front lines lose all tension?

I'd like to know what happens to a fully powered kite when the CL snaps. I had 2 breaks years ago, but the kite stayed in the air and I was able to get back. The wind wasn't that strong though. Does it look as if the CL breaking could have been a cause of this accident?

I've been using a double chicken loop line for about 3 years now, and it is still in good condition. Even if one of the lines did snap, the kite would be supported by the second line. I originally converted my bar for the purpose of having a spinning leash, but it would seem to have a safety role as well.

[RickI]

Have others had excessive power after breakage of the chicken loop to where the front lines lose all tension?

I'd like to know what happens to a fully powered kite when the CL snaps. I had 2 breaks years ago, but the kite stayed in the air and I was able to get back. The wind wasn't that strong though. Does it look as if the CL breaking could have been a cause of this accident?

I've been using a double chicken loop line for about 3 years now, and it is still in good condition. Even if one of the lines did snap, the kite would be supported by the second line. I originally converted my bar for the purpose of having a spinning leash, but it would seem to have a safety role as well.

Hello Nick,

That is what I have been asking as well. Reasoning throught things, if a rider were hit with a strong gust say on the order of 40 kts. plus or minus, with a 10 m kite, the kite should go to an excessive positive angle of attack. Of course there would be a lot of shape distortion but it would seem that it would totally power up and not allow a great deal of control, perhaps very little control in heavily over powered conditions. Based upon reasoning alone, it seems like it could be a serious step towards injury, particularly in extreme conditions.

In the only two cases I am familar with the kite was near the zenith. In once case the guy was lofted straight up and injured on land and in the other, I was only moderately powered and the kite allowed some minor control before hitting the water.


Do others have experience with broken chicken loops particularly in powered conditions?

[Baboon]

10m foil , chicken loop with QR. Wiped out, kite looped, yanked me that hard it partially unbent my spreader bar hook(now at 90 degrees and not bothered to bend back) QR released on own, brake line attachment ripped from harness, kite went back to beach on own, I followed. I am happy that the QR on the chicken loop released on its own accord! guess you could say it broke.

[pbrain]

What has happened to people when their chicken loops have broken under load? I don't believe this is something to try to make happen given the probable spike in power and loss of control.

I've broken two chicken loops in powered up conditions. Both times the bar just got ripped out of my hands and the kite went to the safety. I guess if you had a fixed loop on the bar and you were hooked into that as well as the chicken loop you would get more powered up depending on the kite you were using. Otherwise you'd be lucky to hang on to the bar when the CL goes.

[RickI]

What has happened to people when their chicken loops have broken under load? I don't believe this is something to try to make happen given the probable spike in power and loss of control.

I've broken two chicken loops in powered up conditions. Both times the bar just got ripped out of my hands and the kite went to the safety. I guess if you had a fixed loop on the bar and you were hooked into that as well as the chicken loop you would get more powered up depending on the kite you were using. Otherwise you'd be lucky to hang on to the bar when the CL goes.

I agree, most people would not be able to hold on to the bar if they are only hooked into the chicken loop alone and it breaks under major load.

If you were hooked into the fixed harness line and the chicken loop when your chicken loop broke in over powered conditions and your kite continued to fly, off the back lines only, what do you think would happen?

[surferjane]

im shocked about reading this article - its dramatic in any manner but is it mr. suh who is often in boracay?! this would make me very sad!out from here all the very best for your heahling - cu in paradise again