Deadline - simple rule to be safer
Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 9:27 am
Hi,
When you ride in a spot with a downwind limit (rocks, end of kite-zone, windless area, etc) you should define a "deadline" (or security line) and never cross downwind of it.
As a basic rule, a imaginary line 45 degrees of wind direction is fine (this depends on wind strength, water current, etc) with the extremity on the end of the rideable zone at the beach.
Believe me that this can save you from a lot of trouble!
Inside that line:
- you can body drag if you loose your board
- event with current, the board usually gets to shore inside the good area
- if the kite tumbles in the saves it reaches the beach. And you too
- if the widn drops you have space to generate apparent wind to reach the safe area at the beach
Where i ride - Guincho in Portugal - is not a good kite beach because of it's rocky surroundings, this rule leaves little place to ride. Even though I have been following this rule and never had troubles like the riders that don't follow it have.
Today, a very good rider lost his board in huge swell and beleave me he really had a huge scare. If he was in the "save area" he would just return to the beach (suffering with the swell, of course, but not putting his life at risk!).
In huge beachs with large areas downwind, you can ignore this and just be carefull not to ride in crowded areas.
See you!
When you ride in a spot with a downwind limit (rocks, end of kite-zone, windless area, etc) you should define a "deadline" (or security line) and never cross downwind of it.
As a basic rule, a imaginary line 45 degrees of wind direction is fine (this depends on wind strength, water current, etc) with the extremity on the end of the rideable zone at the beach.
Believe me that this can save you from a lot of trouble!
Inside that line:
- you can body drag if you loose your board
- event with current, the board usually gets to shore inside the good area
- if the kite tumbles in the saves it reaches the beach. And you too
- if the widn drops you have space to generate apparent wind to reach the safe area at the beach
Where i ride - Guincho in Portugal - is not a good kite beach because of it's rocky surroundings, this rule leaves little place to ride. Even though I have been following this rule and never had troubles like the riders that don't follow it have.
Today, a very good rider lost his board in huge swell and beleave me he really had a huge scare. If he was in the "save area" he would just return to the beach (suffering with the swell, of course, but not putting his life at risk!).
In huge beachs with large areas downwind, you can ignore this and just be carefull not to ride in crowded areas.
See you!