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Terrible News from Perth

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rightguard
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Re: Terrible News from Perth

Postby rightguard » Tue Sep 24, 2013 1:55 am

It does seem like there are two types of people that get hurt. There is the inexperienced that just doesn't know what to do and there is the experienced rider that takes too many chances. I hate to talk about this rider as I don't know him and don't wish harm on anyone but it does seem like he took too many chances. He was riding in marginal weather and riding too close to the beach.

I've come into the beach hot a few times, running up the beach, and always wondered what would happen if I tripped. Well I don't think I will do that anymore... Distance is your friend and remember its the distance you need in a bad situation not the distance you need when all is going well.

Sorry to hear of any bad news in our happy family and sorry for his family.

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downunder
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Re: Terrible News from Perth

Postby downunder » Tue Sep 24, 2013 3:08 am

rightguard wrote:
I've come into the beach hot a few times, running up the beach, and always wondered what would happen if I tripped. Well I don't think I will do that anymore... Distance is your friend and remember its the distance you need in a bad situation not the distance you need when all is going well.

Sorry to hear of any bad news in our happy family and sorry for his family.
There were a few riders on the water with him. You can see him talking with some on the video. I've seen some kites as well further south. However, it was his decision to kite there and not more south. South beach is huge with no obstacles, this one is with rocks, bollards and ONE single tree which was his final resting place. The tree is cut now.

Very true about the distance. As pilots say, air is your friend.

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Re: Terrible News from Perth

Postby Westozzy » Tue Sep 24, 2013 3:41 am

I am not sure, but the details will come out...I have a feeling he was trying to get into shore as the wind gust had came in....maybe not, maybe he was just riding close to shore.

Either / or (for all newbies), both are dangerous practices especially in conditions as they were in perth that day.

I see it all the time, wind gusts crank in and crew head for the beach to get their kite down.

No!

Stay in the water, hold your board in front of you at 90 degrees to the kite and get your kite low as possible and as close to the edge of the window and ride it out. If it is still too much, ditch the bloody thing.

Don't go anywhere near the land and for gods sake don't put it anywhere near 12 oclock.

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downunder
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Re: Terrible News from Perth

Postby downunder » Tue Sep 24, 2013 5:21 am

Westozzy wrote:
If it is still too much, ditch the bloody thing.

And this is what we do not practice enough...I rarely seen anyone doing it in a controlled way, myself included. Not once in a storm or heavy gust.

Something worth learning to do in a split second.

People tend to go for more gadgets (helmets, vests), but this is a core problem.

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Re: Terrible News from Perth

Postby plummet » Tue Sep 24, 2013 6:24 am

It is indeed very terrible. From the reports it seems he was a very safe and competent kiter. So how could this happen? Surely if he feared for his life he would have ditched to safety when he hit the beach.

So he must have thought he could save the situation... tripped, fell, and the rest is history.

I have found myself significantly overpowered once this year. On my little 6 reo. Fully trimmed bar out and still building speed. Staying out at sea wasn't an option as this wind was conditious and conditions where triple head. I screamed into the beach and punched to safety when I was still in the water but clear of the monster breakers. My kite had so much pull while flagged on the safety i couldn't walk down the lines. I had to giggle the kite back into the water so it got swamped by some white wash before i could retrieve it. man that was a silly day.

Whats my point? we will all find ourselves in these positions. I think we can get to complacent as experienced kiters. I guess it is another reality check to be very sure of what you are doing and perhaps have several plans of attack to deal with the situations.

I know that some times i have been in dangerous situations I have stupidly focused on saving the kite... wtf.... stupid. perhaps we get false sence of security with our experience?

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icebird
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Re: Terrible News from Perth

Postby icebird » Tue Sep 24, 2013 7:54 am

Westozzy wrote: I see it all the time, wind gusts crank in and crew head for the beach to get their kite down.

No!

Stay in the water, hold your board in front of you at 90 degrees to the kite and get your kite low as possible and as close to the edge of the window and ride it out. If it is still too much, ditch the bloody thing.

Don't go anywhere near the land and for gods sake don't put it anywhere near 12 oclock.
True, and with a good board you can hold a lot more more power than you can walking on land and getting lofted is no where near as dramatic out in the open.

If you must go to shore, make sure people see you and are ready to land you immediately as you reach shore, and preferably with more than one to assist the landing. Usually kiters on land are very alert in this situation.

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Re: Terrible News from Perth

Postby Bille » Tue Sep 24, 2013 1:30 pm

downunder wrote:
Westozzy wrote:
If it is still too much, ditch the bloody thing.

And this is what we do not practice enough...I rarely seen anyone doing it in a controlled way, myself included. Not once in a storm or heavy gust.

Something worth learning to do in a split second.

People tend to go for more gadgets (helmets, vests), but this is a core problem.
Because i'm a 60 year-old,legless white haired guy, i practice that QR,a LOT.
I also use the helmet & vest because i can't afford to loose any
more body parts. Sometimes it's because i don't trust my legs if the beach is crowded
so i self rescue back to shore, & drop the kite in the water, Way out beyond the swimmers.

No EGO here, no problem with that "ditch the bloody thing" !! And as a result i have
never bin dragged through the dirt on shore ; i know of many kiters who have done that trick !
The "Shore" is NOT my friend, and i'm just as scared of it as i am when i land my rigid-wing
HG after every flight.

Bille

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Re: Terrible News from Perth

Postby shawn13 » Tue Sep 24, 2013 1:40 pm

My condolences goes out to his family, friends and fellow kiters.

Ride safe.

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Re: Terrible News from Perth

Postby RickI » Tue Sep 24, 2013 3:17 pm

Westozzy wrote:
The problem was the two fronts were so close together it was impossible to pick the line of the westerly front, it was like the two air masses were mixing and mashing and it would drop to 12,13 then up and beyond 35 all day. I drove down three times and three times I went back home.

He wasn't a kook guys an experienced kiter. All of us need to take heed. Sad days.
Important points. Experience and skill won't always compensate for negative factors particularly weather extremes. We all choose what we go out in, more importantly what we choose to avoid. I avoid squalls with a passion because in my area (and many others) they can boost lighter winds to violent overpowering levels (40 to 50 kts.+) in seconds, kill it entirely or send it offshore. I also appreciate all the loss and harm these conditions have caused through the years to many kiters. It is easy to look** for such threats, before sessions with all the resources on the Internet and to a lesser degree while you're on the water.

We tend to hang on to try to work things out by nature rather than kill the kite's power early with an approaching threat. This factor alone has resulted in numerous severe accidents worldwide. The short time and changing conditions may be too much for us to manage successfully to avoid harm. The best solution is to avoid squalls entirely based on all the accidents over the years and regularly rehearse what you would do should you screw up and find yourself in a high wind emergency despite your best precautions.

**More ideas about this in the top stickies at viewforum.php?f=131

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Re: Terrible News from Perth

Postby Wannabe Pro » Wed Sep 25, 2013 7:48 am

to a friend that was always there to lend a hand, give advice, cover your back if things go wrong.

i went out on a new surfboard at pelican point, got all screwed up and ended down near the freeway. unbeknown to me marc jumped in his van, drove around to the freeway, up and over the canning hwy exit, parked in the breakdown lane, jumped the fence and walked out to waist deep to asset me...... at that point the wind picked up and i managed to get back up wind to where i started. marc came up to me after i came in, had a chat and said we were watching out for you... it was only later that another friend told me what marc did...

and one of marc's posts about his beloved shinn monk........

I like to go flat out and this board just hold the the edge like a bullet train, I should know as I'm an ex train driver!
Pops outa the water like a NASA rocket! The other day I popped so much I left a flag next to the American's on the MOON!
Go hard or go home!!!!
Marc


sincere thanks to all that helped marc on sunday.....


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