Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Forum with lots of safety info - a must for newbees
User avatar
EvanOR
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 737
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 2:36 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: California, US Sales Ocean Rodeo Kiteboarding/Hyperflex Wetsuits
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby EvanOR » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:33 pm

I learned this from a recent experience, after almost eight years in the sport.....

It's not enough to have a bar with an excellent safety release and to know where it is when you need it. You should also know how to put it back together on the water after you've pulled it, regardless of the reason for ejecting in the first place. I've pulled my release in the past but been close to shore in onshore conditions/surf so I just drifted im an reassembled it on the beach.

In Cozumel I twisted kites while drag racing with a friend. Both kites went down and I ejected since I was upwind of him and did not want any power in the kite. Once both of us were free and clear, I realized that it was the first time (ever) that I would need to put the bar back together and relaunch the kite, as the wind was blowing almost straight offshore from the launch . In this case we did have back-up boat support, but as this is rare, normally I would have been heading to Playa 12 miles away...

I'm stoked to say that it was a piece of cake and that within a few minutes of the initial crash both of us were up and riding again. It did make me realize though that I should have done a trial run at some point in the past.....

Cheers,

Evan

Ocean Rodeo


Choose Performance over Hype


Image

Image

Image

Chingadero
Medium Poster
Posts: 84
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2007 2:39 am
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby Chingadero » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:53 pm

bekite wrote:If you use a board leash, never attach it to the board strap. The board start sinking, the kite pulls and you go under water.
If you use it, the leash should be attached to one of the fin's screw. The leash could be dangerous because when you fall it pulls the board that could crash on your head. Learn to a scholl how to rescue your board when you loose it, it's safer for your head.
YOU SHOULD NEVER USE A CONVENTIONAL BOAD LEASH> USE THE REEL!!!!. It hs NO snap back and is very safe. http://www.oceanustech.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ALSO YOU SHOULD NEVER USE A LEASH OF ANY KIND IN THE SURF!!!!! If you cannot get back to your board in the waves, you do not need to be inthe waves!

10horses
Medium Poster
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 9:32 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Germany
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby 10horses » Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:30 am

Sure, it's good to practice putting your bar back together on the water after releasing
but never go out in offshore conditions in the first place if you don't have a back-up boat to rescue you!

Maybe it's ok in flat water, but offshore in deep water? NEVER!

It happend to me once, i thought i'm a good rider and can always come back to the launch and the conditions where good, but then the wind suddenly died. I had no chance going upwind anymore. I was lucky that a boat saw and helped me.

User avatar
Cosmic
Rare Poster
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 3:19 am
Local Beach: Long Beach New York
Favorite Beaches: Everywhere the wind blows!
Brand Affiliation: We sell over 36 Brands!
Location: Long Beach New York
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0
Contact:

Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby Cosmic » Wed Feb 27, 2008 4:47 am

The only time I will NOT use a dog stake or sandbag to launch and land is in gusty wind. I perform a sanded wing tip launch and to land I simply reach up and pull my center line when kite is about ten feet off of beach (sb3) .. If it is too gusty then I will only launch and land with someone safe that knows what they are doing. I really think the sandbag/stake is the safest route. I enjoy launching and landing that way and feel secure doing it. The only pointer that wasn't mentioned about this process is to walk upwind of your lines pre launch and post landing. The kite can swing through the window if your unlucky and you would not want to be in the way of those lines.. I also have seen a few experienced kiters walking on the beach with their kite overhead and their hands at the end of the bar. When a friend got lifted he let go with one hand and immediately looped the kite taking him for a very serius drag. If his hand was centered on the bar and he had the kite around 10 he would have avoided the situation.. Safe and Happy Kiting!

User avatar
EvanOR
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 737
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 2:36 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: California, US Sales Ocean Rodeo Kiteboarding/Hyperflex Wetsuits
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby EvanOR » Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:01 am

10horses wrote:Sure, it's good to practice putting your bar back together on the water after releasing
but never go out in offshore conditions in the first place if you don't have a back-up boat to rescue you!

Maybe it's ok in flat water, but offshore in deep water? NEVER!

It happend to me once, i thought i'm a good rider and can always come back to the launch and the conditions where good, but then the wind suddenly died. I had no chance going upwind anymore. I was lucky that a boat saw and helped me.
Sure, that's good advice, but sometimes things change after you get out there. As such, I'd rather be as prepared as possible for what may happen. I learned to kite on mountain lakes where it is entirely possible to launch in a North wind and have it shut off completely and then blow from the South.....or vice versa.

Cheers,

Evan

Ocean Rodeo

Chooser Performance over Hype.

User avatar
Cosmic
Rare Poster
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 3:19 am
Local Beach: Long Beach New York
Favorite Beaches: Everywhere the wind blows!
Brand Affiliation: We sell over 36 Brands!
Location: Long Beach New York
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0
Contact:

Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby Cosmic » Wed Feb 27, 2008 8:04 am

EvanOR wrote:
10horses wrote:Sure, it's good to practice putting your bar back together on the water after releasing
but never go out in offshore conditions in the first place if you don't have a back-up boat to rescue you!

Maybe it's ok in flat water, but offshore in deep water? NEVER!

It happend to me once, i thought i'm a good rider and can always come back to the launch and the conditions where good, but then the wind suddenly died. I had no chance going upwind anymore. I was lucky that a boat saw and helped me.
Sure, that's good advice, but sometimes things change after you get out there. As such, I'd rather be as prepared as possible for what may happen. I learned to kite on mountain lakes where it is entirely possible to launch in a North wind and have it shut off completely and then blow from the South.....or vice versa.

Cheers,

Evan

Ocean Rodeo

Chooser Performance over Hype.
Hi Evan,
I agree, sometimes there is nothing you can do and it is a terrible feeling. You have to bail from your expensive gear . It's cliche but you can replace your gear, not yourself. An experienced kiter in Connecticut died this way. Middle of winter and the wind switched offshore. He made the choice to stay with his gear and paid the price. It's a tuff choice to ditch everything but you have to mentally prepare yourself to make a quick decision for when the time comes.

10horses
Medium Poster
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 9:32 am
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Germany
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby 10horses » Wed Feb 27, 2008 10:03 am

Hi Evan,

Good point!
I never experienced conditions where the wind switched from on- to offshore. Not beeing able to put the bar back together in such a case is a scary thought and you really should be prepared!

User avatar
montanna
Medium Poster
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:50 pm
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: MA
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby montanna » Wed Feb 27, 2008 11:15 pm

Hands down i think this is the safest way to launch an inflatable kite:

I have seen too many bad and dangerous launches in my years of kiting. We practice the following launch method which has been flawless EVERY time. Let me know your thoughts.
1. pick up only the chicken loop in one hand. do not grab the bar, just hold the chicken loop.
2. have your experienced launcher grab your kite and you should be heading to the edge of the window at the same time
3. when you are both at the edge of the window you are still only holding the chicken loop in your hand (do not grab the bar).
4. now there is no tension on the lines so your launcher has an easy time holding the kite. in the event that something goes wrong you simply let go of the chicken loop.
5. when all lines look to be clear and all is a go, simply attach chicken loop and safety and give thumbs up to launch.

i have seen too many times people hooking in before someone even picks up the kite. then i see that while they are walking to the edge of the window they have the bar sheeted all the way in. as the launcher gets near the edge of the window they are literally fighting the kite. this is never good.

give it a try and/or offer some feedback

safe kiting

ronnie
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 4184
Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2005 6:39 pm
Has thanked: 31 times
Been thanked: 59 times

Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby ronnie » Sun Mar 02, 2008 11:10 am

montanna wrote:Hands down i think this is the safest way to launch an inflatable kite:

I have seen too many bad and dangerous launches in my years of kiting. We practice the following launch method which has been flawless EVERY time. Let me know your thoughts.
1. pick up only the chicken loop in one hand. do not grab the bar, just hold the chicken loop.
2. have your experienced launcher grab your kite and you should be heading to the edge of the window at the same time
3. when you are both at the edge of the window you are still only holding the chicken loop in your hand (do not grab the bar).
4. now there is no tension on the lines so your launcher has an easy time holding the kite. in the event that something goes wrong you simply let go of the chicken loop.
5. when all lines look to be clear and all is a go, simply attach chicken loop and safety and give thumbs up to launch.

i have seen too many times people hooking in before someone even picks up the kite. then i see that while they are walking to the edge of the window they have the bar sheeted all the way in. as the launcher gets near the edge of the window they are literally fighting the kite. this is never good.

give it a try and/or offer some feedback

safe kiting
Why not leash to the kite so it does not blow away?

User avatar
Kite-4-Life
Rare Poster
Posts: 38
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 7:49 pm
Gear: kites
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby Kite-4-Life » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:06 am

Excellent point Montanna, thanks for sharing.


Return to “Safety”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 47 guests