[toby wilson]

I will start my reply by saying that I am not trying to give newbies in general a hard time. I myself had another QR malfunction issue and have learned my lesson to check both the CL QR and my leash QR before EVERY session going forward to make sure they aren't loose. I lost Amber's Waroo into the mangroves Wednesday morning because I didn't pay enough attention to detail. Luckily the kite was fine, not a scratch on it and I didn't pay too dearly for my mistake. I also fell hard in front of Bryan Leighty but he has enough control to avoid a falling kiter and avoided a potentially bad situation. I will be the first to say that I lucked out there too.

But I have to disagree with you Scott, a kite looping (out of control) 2-3 times and ready to launch and loop again in most ANY wind conditions and while wrapped up in someone else's lines is BAD NEWS and is nothing to downplay. This was the first time that I had seen the guy on the Red Waroo riding so I am not aware of how he was riding prior to that (I was focusing on helping Amber), but we did see the whole thing unfold and the guy on the Red Waroo is the one who (1) rode TO the Turbo Diesel rider to say something and (2) dove his kite into hers. He also dove the kite TOWARD her lines instead of tacking in the opposite direction of where her lines were in the way. Not too safety conscious in my book.

What if someone had been downwind of them when this happened? Would it not be a big deal after a 3rd innocent rider was taken out? Paz - they were out a bit but were on the "inside" still and were being very lax about getting the kites under control while getting drug downwind toward the beach and downwind at the same time. 5 more knots and it would have been a whole other ball game...

If they both had minimal skills but are trying, they should have been trying at a safer launch or doing what we were doing with Amber and walking themselves out to the sandbar and riding there. I also think that newbies should not get close to ANYONE until they are fully comfortable and confident in their kite flying skills.

Bottom line, if they had been alone there would have been consequences to the uncontrolled looping of that Turbo Diesel. Just ask Ebone and Roy who were in the thick of it, that kite had power even in the light wind.