KITEBOARDERS SAFETY ABC by Adam Czajka /ccat/

[ccat]

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2003 11:34 am Post subject:
KITEBOARDERS SAFETY ABC by Adam Czajka

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KITEBOARDING SAFETY ABC

Avoid: swimmers, bystanders; road/water&air traffic areas; flying kite in the zenith on/near the shore.
Beware of: powerlines!, storms!, squalls!, offshore wind!, sharp and hard objects!, currents!, kiteboarding all alone!
Consider: weather conditions/forecast, physical condition, state of mind, adequate abilities, adequate gear and clothing, local restrictions and local particularities, letting friends know where you are going, launching unhooked.
Deescalate incidents endangering free kiteboarding.
Expect the unexpected


KITE OPERATION & MODIFICATION LOOP

0.Test your kite setups and safety system in underpowered conditions when launching a new, resold or modified kite.
1. Make sure your kite safety system really provides safety to you and others on every launch.
2. Be aware of the weak points in your system and avoid situations provoking malfuntion.
3. Get informed on occasions - you may need to upgrade your safety system.
Go back to stage 0.


created by Adam Czajka /CCAT/
adamczajka333@yahoo.com

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FAQ: Why the wind seems stronger on one tack ???
As a lifelong sailor I have dealt with that effect. Here are all factors that will explain that phenomenon.


1. VECTORS (wind&wave direction difference/wind shear):
Wind and wave/current directions are rarely parallel.
The wind shifts back and forth and it continually changes direction in one direction with height! clockwise on the northern, anticlockwise on the southern hemisphere.

General wave direction is much more stable than the wind direction.
Though close to the shore waves turn towards the line along the same depth of the sea as they "get in touch" with the seaground.
Additionally a current along the beach develops.
And so esp close to the shore on one tack waves/current are coming more from fore, on the other from the side or aft and so one tack feels better, it is apparently faster and easier to handle than the other. this affects performance of all vessels, esp in stable air accompanied by wave/current.
stable air stratification is when air temp. horizontal distribution is not allowing for its vertical displacement. In that case air masses dont mingle well above the ground and there are differences in wind speed and direction in different heights (wind shear).
unstable air produces a steadier pull due to a better mix of air masses.
To figure out which type of air you are dealing with it is best to fly the kite close to the shore for a few minutes before you go for a ride.

Additionally there are body and mind factors described by MadMick and Fo and so additional factors are:
2. BODY&MIND (human factor): humans arent perfectly both-handed and so a feeling of unsettledness on one course/of direction on one tack
3. GEAR (Imperfect SYMETRY): more frequent and sigificant than we tend to recognize, esp when coincidentally synergizing with the factors above on a bad tack and after a disadvantaging shift.


created by Adam Czajka
Posted: 19 Oct 2003 13:03

[ccat]

Q: Why consider launching unhooked when you can only depower when hooked in???

A: A problem occurs when wind or wind gust gets stronger than your kite´s depower range.
Now imagine some hard objects or even people downwind that "somehow materilized" while you were struggling to make it to the water and imagine what can happen if you finally got overpowered...

You can suddenly get lofted or knocked over!!!
Your safety release would be the last resort.
How sure can you be that you can deploy it in emergency ???

by Adam Czajka

[ccat]

Q: How to avoid lofting???
A: Thats an easy one...
Dont fly your kite in the zenith !!!