Quote:
Originally Posted by Skyway Scott
I've been dragged by looping kites several times (unfortunately).
It sounds like Bryan may have seen the last one, about a month ago at EB.
I was trying to do megaloops all day (not so successful on most), and one time I pendulum'd under my kite so much the lines went slack momentarily.
I was steering the kite so hard that it allowed one of the rear lines to wrap around the bar. When the line went taut again, I was now attached to a looping kite that couldn't be steered (not so great).
It looped about 5 times (it wasn't ever going to stop because of the diameter of the loops) before I could Q'r out of the CL.
I was getting dragged in pretty fast (thank Goodness I was at least 200 yards out to start). Once I QRd the CL, the kite was dead momentarily. But, it then litt up again. When it did, I pulled the QR on the leash instantly. Matt was right next to me and saw most of it.
It was blowing 25 or so. If I was close to shore, I would have been injured very badly, no doubt about it, because I was basically body surfing until I QR'd due to the power in the kite.
I have had kite lines/bridles get "stuck" on the struts most near the wingtip of a kite after it crashed, Rick, and then start looping.
The worst offender (of the kites I have ridden) was the 2006 Ozone Instinct. It did it at least 3 times to me. I am confident Ozone fixed the problem in 07 and 08's kites. It was a real concern for me on the 06 though.
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What size and type were you using at EB? Once again, quick correct actions saved the day. Five loops in that speed of wind isn't much, your reactions were good. What do you do to prepare for this sort of thing?
It seems most of the memorable cases of this have happened in higher wind. The only time I had it happen was with a 16 m 2006 Waroo in real light wind upon solo launch on the land. It looped fairly slowly and with minimal power, still managed to drag me a bit before I ditched the lot. The wind was so light, around 11 to 12 mph it flew a short distance and sat on the beach.
Please keep the detailed stories coming in.
Thanks!