Terrible News from Perth

[downunder]

That's about 20km ride. Yes, huge, huge loss for us Pelican Point riders.

I wanted to try his monk number of times. He was so fast...

Even on the video I've posted above he was riding the same board...

[FredBGG]

My condolences to his family and firends.

However it is important to be realistic about this type of accident. It is not a freak accident. Kiting
in frontal conditions with rain is very dangerous.

Squalls happen all the time. When conditions change so quickly this type of thing can happen. Is it really worth it to be taking this kind of risk.

Another important thig to remember is that when strong wind suddenly becomes strong wind with pounds and pounds of fast moving water witting your kite the results are very unpredictable. A very heavy and wet kite is more lilely to fall into the powerzone. It will also dive with masses of power.

Better to kite another day.

Gusty conditions even without clouds and rain call for going to a big board and a small kite.
Less power needed. It's best to be working a smaller kite than overpowered on a big kite.

Never let too much speed build up in shallow water ESPECIALLY if you are riding straps.
Hard packed sand in and just out of shallow water is as hard as cement. Trip on that without a helmet and you'll be dazzed enough to lose control, even if you are not knocked out.

Also it's important to develop SAFETY RELEASE REFLEX (SRR). I've posed this before.
You need to develop muscle memmory for finding and releasing your safety.

We are all good with the breaks of our car because we have to use them all the time just to simply drive around. The problem is that we almost never need our safety release and when we do we need it really fast.

Here is my thread about Safety Release Reflex... please give it a read...
Many people have told me they are convinced it saved them...

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2350685&hilit=qr+mu ... +from+fred

[downunder]

Hm, search for Bill Tai on the FB. He was enjoying himself more south, like 1km or so.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 054&type=3

The fact is and always will be, some ppl like to ride storms. Nothing wrong with that. We/they are doing it all the time in Perth or anywhere. It's a matter of choice.

The way more dangerous is a yacht race Sydney to Hobart. For sure not for newbies...He wasn't one.

My fellow paragliding pilot died coz he didn't see a power lines. He was a national champion. 15 years experience. A freak accident. Unmarked power lines on a map.

The SRR tip is a top notch tho. Thx.

[RickI]

With regard to "storms" or periods of extended high wind from a regional weather system, for folks with the right experience and gear, I agree. You rig for the prevailing wind speed, go out and have fun accepting that you have a higher risk of being harmed but it goes with the territory.

With regard to squalls (thunderstorms) which can boost winds from 10 kts. to 50 kts.+ in bare seconds, I totally disagree. I don't think any kiter should be out in them, regardless of gear or experience. Dozens of guys have been killed by this and likely hundreds badly injured worldwide over the years. Just the change in wind direction that can come with squalls has killed kiters before. Storms often contain squalls or thunderstorms which should be avoided. Not all squalls are of equal violence and threat to kiters, you never really know in advance how bad one might be. You can ride through a bunch until the one comes along that puts you in the hospital, leaves you with a permanent disability or takes you out. The conditions you ride in are a matter of informed choice, choose well.

The fact is and always will be, some ppl like to ride storms. Nothing wrong with that. We/they are doing it all the time in Perth or anywhere. It's a matter of choice.

[Dave_5280]

Just saw this article and video about the accident -

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa ... onditions/

[FredBGG]

Hm, search for Bill Tai on the FB. He was enjoying himself more south, like 1km or so.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 054&type=3

The fact is and always will be, some ppl like to ride storms. Nothing wrong with that. We/they are doing it all the time in Perth or anywhere. It's a matter of choice.

The way more dangerous is a yacht race Sydney to Hobart. For sure not for newbies...He wasn't one.

My fellow paragliding pilot died coz he didn't see a power lines. He was a national champion. 15 years experience. A freak accident. Unmarked power lines on a map.

The SRR tip is a top notch tho. Thx.

Respectfully I think it is really important to make it clear that this was not a freak accident.
The weather forecast was very clear.



Look at how clearly the wind is indicated before the thunderstorm.

Unfortunately this type of accident has happened many times before.

I think that the underlying problem here is the choices being made that are fogged by the image of this sport and the far to common attitude of considering this type of thing a freak thing that you have to accept to enjoy this sport.

Another really important thing to keep in mind is that in storm conditions gusts can involve drastic direction changes. This means that you can get a combination of sudden wind increase and the wind window changing completely possibly placing your kite right in the "new" powerzone.

[exuma kitesurfing]

my condolences, RIP.
with all due respect, i was not there and don't know the details. advice for all skill levels:

1) do not kite in storms or very gusty winds

2) stay a minimum of 3 line lengths from shore

3) if you get in trouble, let go and immediately active the chicken loop and leash if necessary

4) if you get in big trouble, let the kite go, you can always buy a new one

5) if you get caught in a squall, stay well away from shore and ditch your kite if you have to

6) launch your kite to the water and always use launch and land hand signals

7) do not kite in off-shore winds unless you have someone with a rescue craft at the ready

8: do not tack out further than you can confidently swim back to shore

9) alway have an exit plan

these are basic safety rules that first time beginners should know before their first water lesson. i can't count the amount of times i've had students watch experience kiters come right up to shore and transition and comment 'that's unsafe, right?'.
if you're not adhering to the above, think of your family and friends you may leave behind and be prepared for the worst, ie serious injury or death. if you do, worst case scenario (in most cases) is you lose your kite.
kiteboarding is relatively safe (if you adhere to the above) until shit hits the fan, then it becomes an extreme sport in the blink of an eye.

[dusta]

Respectfully I think it is really important to make it clear that this was not a freak accident.
The weather forecast was very clear.

respectufully you have no idea , seabreeze site is simply a forecasting tool and not always 100% accurate . Marc was kiting in complete control at all times and it was an invisible unseen gust that took everyone on the beach by surprise which knocked him out cold , with which a second invisible gust less than a minute later lofted him up onto the road . FYI that picture you have shown indicates that the 35+ knots are coming through at midnight each night and during the day green . so to say look at the forecast because it is so clear would indicate that during the day it was perfectly safe to go kiting .

Marc was a very close friend of mine and i have refrained from posting on this topic on kiteforum but i feel i need to point out to some keyboard warriors this was a guy who had been kiting for 14 years .

[rightguard]

Sorry Dusta... I think it makes other kiters feel "safe" to talk about what someone did wrong. It's never very sensitive to the friends and family.

The only possible good thing that can come from an accident is to get the rest of us thinking. We often do questionable things and we don't often realize how bad it can go.

Hope you have some wonderful memories of your friendship and keep him in mind when kiting.

[kiteontario]

I'm quite sorry to hear about this tragic accident.

If anything going forward, we can learn from this and hopefully avoid a similar situation happening in the future.

In one post I saw on another forum, it noted he was riding a 9m with gusts over 30knots. Was it close to 30 knots while he was out riding his 9m prior to the accident? Or did it just suddenly creep up to that much wind? I'd be out on a 5m if it was me or not have my kite in the air and wait for it to drop off or pack up and go home.