SLAMMED - I Forgot to unhook

[ricki]

... unhook your kite leash before solo landing.

I first learned this after a horrific accident, it involved a guy solo landing using the "spin the kite" technique. The kite relaunched instead dragged him by the leash and slammed him into an 8 ft. high concrete seawall, up and across the street, slamming into the hood of a car and then getting thrown into a tree, the kiter, not the kite. Since that time a few years back, I've remembered to do this. I even remembered to do it today once but not the second time.

There is a lot more to solo landing and many different techniques. I really don't want to get into all the variations here. Competent assisted landing should be used if available.

The solo kite technique I used worked flawlessly over an hour earlier, with lots of control and some room for error. I've been doing the spin the kite technique since 2000 with reasonable success that improved substantially with flat kites. I also remembered to unhook the leash, which didn't effect the outcome of things that time. The wind was 13 to 18 mph side shore and I had a 12 m flat kite up.

I was coming in to get something and so wanted to land the kite. It didn't work out as planned. As I was working to secure it, the kite relaunched looping dragging me along at speed inland through an empty grass covered dune about a hundred feet in a few seconds. The chicken loop was unhooked and I was being dragged by the leash on my stomach. Once I tried to grab the leash attachment, unsuccessfully due to the ground rushing underneath, the dragging was almost done. I was dragged along head first, not looking ahead but downward hoping my helmet would help with any bad impacts along the way. Fortunately, I didn't hit anything too hard head first. Even though the bar was all the way out the kite stayed powered up perhaps because of a fouled line from something picked up off the ground, too many wraps from the looping, I don't know why.

I laid on the ground for a minute feeling for damage and not sensing any. I stood up looked over where a heroic tree had grabbed my kite, thanks tree! I looked down and wondered why my right ankle looked like a tennis ball and was bleeding. What did I hit? Never will know. I was very grateful not to have hit anything hard headfirst, helmet or no it could have been lights out in a coma or just lights out period. Still very grateful for that. Always wear a helmet and impact vest, always will too. Some helpful bystanders got the kite out of the tree, I pulled the lines back to me. The lady was in medicine and suggested calling the EMTs to avoid stomping around on the ankle which she thought was broken. Lucked out on that too, I hope, just some unknown soft tissue damage and a messed up shoulder. Photos tomorrow once I can get them off my phone.

Dodged another big one and "operator error" one more time. Try to use competent assisted landings and if you opt for solo, make sure you are well practiced (over ten years in my case apparently wasn't enough with the addition of some dumb mistakes) AND UNHOOK YOUR LEASH FIRST BEFORE LANDING!!!

[conchxpress]

Hey Rick, Where was your leash attached? Was it suicide or to a single line. I would be surprised that the kite could generate enough power for the drag if the leash was attached to a single line. Could a looping kite negate the one line depower? What about kites that have the leash attachment point on one of the inside lines vs. the outside line? My Naish has the point on one of the inside lines and always seems to flag appropriately when activated.

Sorry that you messed up your ankle. Glad nothing else was injured. Gotta love the helmets.

Frank

[ricki]

Hey Frank,

This kite isn't setup for reride leash attachment, so the leash was attached just above the chicken loop but below the bar. It should have depowered but didn't, as I said likely due to a tangle. As with so many other accidents, avoidance is the best approach. When you're in the thick of it, things may not work as intended because ...? Lots of reasons.

I can recall cases of old traditional C kites in which excessive looping disabled reride leash depowering. There have also been some cases involving flat kites in which looping disabled the ability to depower simply by pushing the bar out. Yes, really do appreciate helmets, that is perhaps twice I benefited by having one on aside from loads of lesser impacts. I feel sorry for the guys that don't wear them, a percentage of which will find a need someday the hard way.

Thanks, but I feel pretty lucky to have come off so lightly, so no serious regrets (other than the dumb mistakes). At least as long as the soft tissue situation heals quickly, ha!

[BizGuru]

I am not sure if unhooking your leash is the best option for self landing, depending on the kite. I used to ride my Cabrinha kites in the "suicide" (clicked above the chicken loop relying only on the depower of the bar should I hit the release or drop the bar unhooked). However if I thought I was going to need to self land I would make sure it was attached at the proper spot on 1 line. So if the landing went bad the kite would flag out on one line. So if you do not normally use a single line safety system or IDS, you should move it to the point before self landing, I see detaching the lease being slightly safer for the kiter but significantly more dangerous for pedestrians and kite access. With the proper attachment point you should not get dragged. Also note, it seems the kite companies are moving in the right direction with the attachment points, Cabrinha, Slingshot, North all have re-ridable true 100% depower leash attachment points at the chicken loop.

[ricki]

The area I was and usually ride in has few to no bystanders as a rule in the downwind area from the kite in my landings. You are right to consider bystanders and access in these considerations. Where bystanders, roadways, etc. are at risk downwind, avoiding solo landing entirely and using competent assisted landings might be the way to go. Sufficient hold fasts can work in steady enough winds, understanding some kites work better with this than others for solo landing. Some kites will bounce excessively, develop too much pull and can even roll downwind and really load up possibly moving the hold fast or simply breaking something to release the kite.

My experience yesterday suggests that relying upon conventional flat kite depowering by diverting most/all of the line tension to the leading edge WON'T always work. If the lines are wound excessively by spinning or a tangle, this depowering may be disabled. I would prefer to attach my leash to an O'shit attachment at the bar ends or to a reride ring above the trim strap assembly if present routinely.

As it is, with most kites I have owned and after that nasty accident I heard about years back, I like to detach the kite leash before solo landing. After yesterday's entertainment, avoiding solo landings in general seems to be indicated, despite having done tons over in excess of a decade.

[OttoNP]

Glad your ok, hope you recover quickly!

Does your system have a bar stopper? If so, then perhaps that prevented it from fully depowering?

I agree that assisted landing is the best option, but you can never rely on it. Eventually you will have to land a kite by yourself.

I have been moving my leash to single line when wind is on the high side, but in less winds I have been keeping it on the fully depower spot, which I may need to rethink...

[greg meintjes]

I have seen a few solo landing,s go wrong , I never do them due to the road being so close, the safest way to self land is put the kite in the window ,on the water, DISCONNECT leash, unhook holding the chicken loop, reach over grab O shit handle and then let go of chicken loop.

Controlled self landings on the beach when you are grabing the center line and trying to get the kite to fall flat on it,s leading edge are unsafe in the fact that there are too many unforseen scenarios eg. a dog which happens a lot down here runs through your lines causing the kite to flip up and then power up, I am also amazed that people still try and self land when there are other kiters that can help them land.

Greg

[ricki]

Glad your ok, hope you recover quickly!

Does your system have a bar stopper? If so, then perhaps that prevented it from fully depowering?

I agree that assisted landing is the best option, but you can never rely on it. Eventually you will have to land a kite by yourself.

I have been moving my leash to single line when wind is on the high side, but in less winds I have been keeping it on the fully depower spot, which I may need to rethink...

Thanks! Just got a report on the soft tissue stuff, sprained neck, back and both ankles. Still, seems to be healing pretty quickly so fingers crossed on that. If I didn't have a helmet and impact vest on likely would have been worse.

No stopper on this rig. I've had them in the past and have tried to always shove them way up before coming nearshore and long before landing also before jumps. To do otherwise is asking for trouble in my view. I think a tangle, perhaps even a wing tip, disabled the flat kite depowering in my case.

It is unfortunate, that this stuff has become as complicated as it has. We have had a major decrease in impact trauma particularly the fatal variety due to flat kites by my studies. At the same time, things like solo landing, where to attach leashes have become more complex. Competent assisted landings have a lot to recommend them. At the same time,ALL KITERS MUST KNOW HOW TO SOLO LAND IN AN EMERGENCY. Given the characteristics of flat kites, knowing and being practiced in a few approaches makes sense.

[ricki]

I have seen a few solo landing,s go wrong , I never do them due to the road being so close, the safest way to self land is put the kite in the window ,on the water, DISCONNECT leash, unhook holding the chicken loop, reach over grab O shit handle and then let go of chicken loop.

Controlled self landings on the beach when you are grabing the center line and trying to get the kite to fall flat on it,s leading edge are unsafe in the fact that there are too many unforseen scenarios eg. a dog which happens a lot down here runs through your lines causing the kite to flip up and then power up, I am also amazed that people still try and self land when there are other kiters that can help them land.

Greg

Yes, your launch and perhaps Ft. Lauderdale are likely two good examples of launches to avoid solo landings. There is so little room, buffer space between the water and the powerlines and the road. Not all kites have O'Shit features, so you can't always rely upon that. All kiters should be on the lookout to help guys land. The butt you end up saving, by example, may be your own someday.

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album337/Smathers_Launch.sized.jpg
More about this launch and precautions at:
http://fksa.org/showthread.php?t=5813

[ricki]

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/Leaving_IMAGE_109.jpg
Here's a view of leaving the beach I wouldn't wish on anyone. Good care should reduce the odds.

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album347/ankle_IMAGE_111_1.jpg
The swelling was already going down in this shot after icing it for a while and keeping it elevated, good thing.

This dragging outcome was pretty minor. Throw in one hard object along that hundred foot path and it could have been much worse. It is a good thing to work to avoid.

[conchxpress]

Leave it to you to get pictures en route to the hospital. We want hot nurses and hot EMTs next time. Although, I've taken people to the hospital in KW, and I didn't see any. You could start a new thread on kiteforum, "Sexiest Bodily Injury Picture." Or "Guess the Kiteboarder." LOL

Frank

[John-]

jesus Rick did this just happen to you?

I need to show you the sand bag solo land/launch trick, it's really easy and works,,, and if it doesnt it just drags the sand bag down the beach.

[The Kite House]

I self land all the time and to be honest, sometimes i trust it more than the people landing me!

I am a firm beliver do what you know and also at your skill level. I got into this sport to be solo, alone, not waiting on anyone. They are many safe ways to self land and launch.
The best sugestion is to know your equipment, and if you dont ask the person you bought it from what works and how. Then the next test would be to activate your system so you know what to expect. As i am sure rick can tell ya, there is no time to do research when the shit hits the fan.

Self landing is an advanced skill, which canchange on condtions, equipment and area. You can learn how to do it, but dont guess at it, practice in light winds after someone has SHOWN you.

All kite gear is different, you are worse off onsome gear if you unhook for a self landing, and others because because because theyare a cross between a c and a bow. The answer is in what kite you have as they all dont act the same anymore like "c" kites did.

be safe and glad ricks ok

[ricki]

Leave it to you to get pictures en route to the hospital. We want hot nurses and hot EMTs next time. Although, I've taken people to the hospital in KW, and I didn't see any. You could start a new thread on kiteforum, "Sexiest Bodily Injury Picture." Or "Guess the Kiteboarder." LOL

Frank

Too late Frank, they've beat you to it already:

http://www.kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2346098

Actually, cell phone photos of kiting injuries have become pretty common on the net. If they carry a useful message, sounds good to me, otherwise keep them on your phone.

Since you wanted a more appealing nurse photo, I came up with this Frank:

http://www.fksa.org/albums/album22/10_G.sized.jpg

I tried to get it to wear the nurse hat and get up but no go, it ate them, sorry.

[ricki]

jesus Rick did this just happen to you?

I need to show you the sand bag solo land/launch trick, it's really easy and works,,, and if it doesnt it just drags the sand bag down the beach.

Yes, sad but true, screwed up yet again. It has been many years since I've had a bad dragging while kiting. I've used holdfasts too since flat kites have been out. There is a number of ways they can let you down though. Some kites aren't that stable for instance. Another time, again first session with a new kite, I came in late and had to solo land. No worries, I had a proven holdfast nearby and just hooked the chicken loop up to it. Surprise, the retaining pin pulled out unlike all the previous flat kites I had done this with and the kite went flying off downwind. I took about five sprinting steps after it and tore the gastroc in my right leg. Was still tight from skiing. Whoops. Few single magic bullits when it comes to solo landing ALL flat kites. Techniques and response will differ among different kites and conditions to a degree.

For these and lots of other reasons, I have felt for a long time, it is a bad idea to try out a new, unfamiliar kite in strong conditions. Had I made yesterday's mistakes in strong conditions, good chance I would have been messed up big time. We were just talking about this last week. Input on this Marina?

[ricki]

Good points, Paul and I felt the same way about assisted launches and landings with traditional C kites and 99 % were solo. Things became more complicated with flat kites though, at least on land. If you learn a technique that works with a given kite, go for it allowing for the odd error as we were talking about. Trouble can come when you start mixing techniques with new kites. I think I've owned about 8 flat kites of various brands and there are differences among them in solo landing. I still feel ALL kiters need to be comfortable solo landing in an emergency. Sadly, I think there is a fair number that never have bothered to learn. That is like driving a sports car but relying upon the guys in the backseat to be awake and put on the brakes when you need them to.

[The Kite House]

One other point i should have brought up. Mishaps are 45% less likely to happen if you put the kite on the water or over it and kill it. Kite will stick to water, but will be static on the beach and also have no resistance and can then tumble and roll fast and end up who nows where. I will take the problems with landing, as they are fixable, rather than the days with no depower and people gettting draged, hurt and worse on a steady basis.

Again Rick, glad you are ok......where is the sport going when rick starts getting hurt.....?

[ricki]

Again Rick, glad you are ok......where is the sport going when rick starts getting hurt.....?

Thanks! Many of us, including yourself Paul, get banged up on a semi-regular basis. I will confess it seemed to be more frequent years back particularly with traditional C kites but even today it still happens on occasion. The last dragging I had was probably four years ago and the last bad one, eight! It is a motivating factor and basis for learning in the sport. I prefer the less painful, disabling lessons myself, ha! If we retain the lessons or better anticipate and avoid the problems, things work out a lot easier all around.

[ricki]

Here's some more detail on what went wrong. The short version is, it was my first time out with a new kite with different performance aspects. I handled the kite in a way that I was used to but the kite was not! Outcome, Rick gets slammed, hate when that happens.

The Cabrinha Switchblade IDS has a purpose designed depowering function for solo landing and emergencies. Ignoring this function is not a great idea.

It was blowing out of the SE about 12 to 18 mph, I had just landed a 12 m SB IDS on the surface of the beach. I did this by bringing it down to near the ground, reaching forward and pulling in the trim strap assembly. I had just unhooked the chicken loop at this point and had forgotten to detach my kite leash from the harness. For some reason the kite landed more downwind than crosswind this time and very near some sea oats and dunes. (I learned later that tensioning the trim strap assembly on this IDS equipped kite will cause it to fall back in the window, whoops).

As I moved a few feet towards the kite, it started to drift downwind. I grabbed one of the back lines, pulled on it lightly to try to get the kite to stay in position. The kite started to loop, I dropped the back line but it continued to loop. I soon dropped the chicken loop thinking this would kill the power. Instead I was dragged by the kite leash about 100 ft. through the dunes. The kite never depowered despite my being pulled by the leash attached at the ring at the top of the chicken loop. By the time I thought to try to disconnect the leash attachment, which I was being dragged on, the trip of several seconds was about over. I wondered if something had snagged the lines on the ground but it seems I might have wrapped a wing tip with a bridle. I still don't know what caused the depowering function to fail but a wingtip wrap is seeming more likely as one wing tip was dragging on the ground around some sea oats.

I never thought to activate the IDS upon landing, first big mistake and once I unhooked the chicken loop with the leash still attached (REAL big mistake), I effectively disabled the IDS. The likely wing tip wrap disabled normal flat kite depowering. Wisely having left the kite leash attached (NOT) and with the QR beneath me and the dune rushing by, I was committed for the trip.

I was talked into going to the ER, was Xrayed, no breaks, just some messed up soft tissue. That was diagnosed today as two sprained ankles, a sprained neck and a displaced rib. The rib hurts more than the rest currently, ouch. Pretty light bill all things considered. I did this landing technique with no problems an hour and a half earlier. Probably because the wing tip didn't get wrapped. I did remember to detach the leash attachment that time. Not the second time when it really counted however. I had been off the water for about three months which likely contributed to what I did and didn't do.

Moral: New kite system, carefully learn and practice the New Stuff, FIRST! Don't assume old techniques will necessarily work.

I never used the IDS when I came ashore, if I had, none of this would have happened. There would have been no need to detach the kite leash either in this case. A hard won but fairly obvious lesson.

[ricki]

Some of what I was doing and SHOULDN'T HAVE, appear at 35 sec. and 1 minute 3 sec. in the video

http://fksa.org/showthread.php?t=5678

I don't think this illustrated technique in the video is a good idea with IDS equipped kites. The video was shot using last years Switchblade. With this years kites, just fire off the IDS to solo land and all done, sigh.

[Clew In]

Hey Rick,

Sorry to hear about your trouble I hope you are doing better and heal fast.

I self land lots of times and setting the kite free is not an option. I have to use the leash to keep the people on the beach safe. I have always felt comfortable with attaching the leash to one of the front lines(Crossbow 2006). I have pulled the plug several times and it has always flipped on its back and dropped out of the air. On the other hand I have another kite 17m Bow and it does not have front line attachment only OS handles on the steering lines. This set up always scares me. When I have pulled the plug the kite rolls and rolls until it is directly down wind(I always wonder if a line tangles would it take off). When it is light wind it is not much trouble; however, if the wind picks up and I am overpowered with a 17m it makes you think about what you are going to do if the kite does not come down and land correctly.
Also, the 17m kite has an attachment ring below the chicken loop and it is supposed to depower the kite if you pull the QR. I have released the kite in light wind and it seemed to have lots of pull and I would not want to release on that in a bad situation.
I like the idea of IDS and I like the front line attachment point for landing. Have you heard of any mishaps with the leash attached to the front line?

Clew In

[ricki]

Thanks, parts are healing fast!

I think a big part of the problem in my case and risk in general involves using the "spin the kite" solo landing technique on bridled kites. There is a tendency, not a 100% certainty either, of tangling line on a wingtip or elsewhere potentially disabling depowering. If this happens you may well go over land at speed with no effective means of dealing with it without releasing the kite. You may have a poor chance of releasing the kite leash too. If there are people at risk downwind, a viable solution might be to simply NOT use this landing technique with flat kites. If there are no people at risk detaching your leash before landing should reduce that source of hazard to the rider.

As simple a question as where to attach your kite leash is, to a reride ring on a leading edge or trailing (O'shit) line, it is complicated. I tried to get manufacturers to commit to recommendations on this sometime back on the forums. Some responded, most did not. I don't believe the same attachment point will work equally well for all kites. I recall problems in using either leash attachment point in the first couple of years of flat kites. Today, I don't know if this has changed or not or model specific characteristics with each leash location.

A big part of the problem is inconsistent outcomes. Doing solo landing (or launching) one way or the other, won't necessarily ding you every time. It will happen only part of the time, which part? I've been doing spin the kite solo landings for a long time with flat kites and have had wing tip problems only a few times that I recall. This last one was a bad one. Solution? The most consistent one that comes to mind is to not use this landing approach with flat kites. This leaves using a hold fast, also with some problems particularly in strong winds with some kites, bystander interactions, etc. or assisted landings.


anyway ...

Some things that led to the painful, still, outcome weren't as obvious as they might seem. One thing was more obvious than others though, which appears first below:


1. Be practiced and prepared to use the IDS for solo and emergency landings.


2. IDS equipped kites drift BACKWARDS or downwind when held by the front lines or trim strap alone. I have never encountered this in another kite before, four line LEI or flat kite. All other kites have stayed at the side of the wind window. Don't do this with IDS kites, simple.


3. If the IDS equipped kite drifts far enough downwind with the IDS NOT being activated because it is supported by the front lines alone, you may have problems. I did and not far downwind at all. It will not apparently respond to being steered forward by back lines in this situation, again unlike other kites I have done this with.


As said already, I was NOT using Jon Modica's complete technique for landing. I have never had much luck with it as my past kites bounced too much. Bouncing problems are mentioned a lot in posts about this technique along with lots of cautions. I have had good luck, until now bringing the kite down and holding it at the side of the wind window by holding the trim strap (about 50 times). Again, Do NOT do this with IDS kites or for all I care with any other kite either. I am not certain they will reverse launch either off the water by pulling in on the trim strap. Anyone had luck with this on IDS kites?