#1
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fatality in SPI
http://www.kiteforum.com/viewtopic.p...st=0&sk=t&sd=a
very sad news.. new rider.. if you look at last post it has the most accurate details.. probably riding kite size that was a bit too large.. looks like the one HUGE issue was that he had his leash on backwards.. a lot is unknown .. PLEASE use a leash with a QR and please know how to use it. |
#2
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Quoted from deep in the thread:
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#3
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Damn....
Sad story... I hate hearing about things like this...not sure if it would have helped but kite developers should make kook proof QR's and leashes.. When I first got a kite leash I rode with it backwards for a few weeks....not knowing the difference...You should not be able to connect it that way in the first place.... |
#4
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We will never know what happened.
I can tell you this though, having your kite leash hooked up with the QR on the bar side, and not your side, is a death trap should you release the kite and it is looping. I know this from when leashes did not have QRs and getting worked bad once. Also, watching Bill (tennis Bill) a couple months ago in the same scenario was pretty overwhelming. No one is strong enough to "reel in" the kite on the leash. It's a death trap, for certain when in reasonable wind with a looping kite. It's an easy fix, just make sure it is attached properly. Not to be a nanny, but I think most people underestimate how bad things can get. Most of the time, things are functioning normally and kiting seems more safe than chewing gum. That could not be further from the truth. When lines break or a bridle snaps or gets caught, these kites basically do all they can to whack you (quickly) and most times you won't get a second chance at avoiding serious injury, or worse. Knowing your safety systems is crucial to not eventually getting hurt really badly. Keeping a safe distance so that when things do break you have time to react is crucial. Still, most people won't do either. (Just putting up facts, do with as you wish). |
#5
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i saw that post that Tom put up there and i didnt read it all the way through the first time.. reading about this makes me kinda sick to my stomach..
i just saw the part about the CL wrapped around the bar. i dont know if that gets discussed enough. i am sure that everyone has their stories of coming down from a jump where you pendulum under the kite and hit the water with lots of slack... usually there is no problem .. maybe the kite will fall and you will have to relaunch.. but every now and again you get off kilter enough that the CL goes around one end of the bar and starts to tighten up... typically it will pop off.. occasionally it will pop off with a bit of a pull and take you on a 1 second ride.... i have had it not pop off and rip the bar from my hands and loop and crash.. thankfully it stopped there... I know that Dan B once had the CL from a 15m ckite wrap around the bar with his hand intertwined and it took him on a looping ride directly into the beach at the Skyway. thankfully there was some folk on the beach that reacted and tackled his kite.. i dont think he had any control at all and if the wind conditions had been offshore it could have been bad. i know that Scott had something like this occur a few weeks ago and quickly hit his QR and then had to QR his leash for a complete release of his kite.. its something to think about and just another possible situation that you have to prepare for.. |
#6
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I was wondering, how often have you guys had a kite relaunch from the water or land for that matter with a tangled wingtip resulting in looping? This seems to have factored in some cases.
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FKA, Inc. transcribed by: Rick Iossi |
#7
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I have. A little over a month ago, I was in the gulf. Was very windy, and I was on a 10M Era. Was about to go in to pump up the 8M, but had to get that "one last tack with the 10M." I was eyeing a wave to boost off of, and when I hit it, my body got very contorted in the air, and all I remember saying to myself was, "this is really gonna hurt." I landing sideways in the water, board flew off somewhere, and the kite when down. When preparing to relaunch the kite, I saw a wrapped bridle line. With a few tugs, the kite ran to the relaunch position, and I thought, "wow, that was easy....too easy." Kite launched and looped picking me up a good 15ft. I went ahead and hit the first release at the bar and the kite stopped looping, however, I started getting submarined and quickly released the kite. Instead of taking the time to try and deal with relaunching the kite, I punched out, as I didn't want to go for a kite loop ride, or get pulled underwater and not have enough wits left to release later in the event.
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#8
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Quote:
__________________
FKA, Inc. transcribed by: Rick Iossi |
#9
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Oh boy. My stomach hurts now. I'm such the Mr. Super Safety guy... but it freaks me out thinking about what would be going thru your mind in a kitemere moment. I gotta get away from this computer now... Think I'll go inspect my bridles or something..
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"I LOVE the smell of WIND in the morning... Smells like..... KITING!!" "The biggest drawback of kiteboarding is the adverse effects it has on getting anything else done." |
#10
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scary stuff Linda, I'm glad you reacted quickly and didn't get hurt.
in the old days I just went along for the ride until finally things calm down eventually. these bow kites start looping , they really don't wanna stop
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__________________ ___________________________________ You don't direct ostriches, you herd them |
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