I am happy to report that I am back to normal after the worst kitemare I have ever had in 5+ years of kiting. I figured out the problem with the kite, as well. My lines were not crossed in the usual manner. What happened is that the left rear bridle got tangled on a scuff guard or something else after I rigged but before I launched. My left rear line was thus effectively 3 to 4 feet shorter than the right rear line. Yeah, that might create some steering problems.

This is a potential hazard with flat kites that can be dealt with by using a little extra caution with the bridle while launching. Caution on my part was in short supply that day, and I got worked as a result. With high or gusty winds, everything changes fast when something goes wrong. The flat kites give and take away. Because they can handle high wind and gusts so well, we will likely be charging more and more high wind and gusty sessions. In doing so, however, we will increase the stakes should something go wrong.

Word on the QR. When I had my problem, I was on the 9m Waroo in 25 to 30. Megapower, especially given that the kite was looping in the middle of the window. After I pulled the chickenloop QR, the kite actually pulled on my SS bungee so hard that it yanked the ring out my Dakine seat harness. Had I not known how to use the QRs on my rig I would have been in deeper shit. It's hard to figure out your gear for the first time when you are busying tunneling into the beach like a mole rat on steroids. I had sand coming out of my ears for days.