Recent Accidents, Rethinking Things

[Jake]

What many do not account for are the wind gusts. It seems that this El Nino has brought us winds that are more gusty than during a normal season, at least here on the Florida west coast. It pays to spend some time on the beach with a wind meter to determine the appropriate size kite to launch (you also have to not leave that kite at home, but take it with you to the beach). Even then there may be conditions where the wind speed on the beach is less than what it is 25m up where the kite is.

I have been out in winds gusting from 20-30+ knots and while I could ride safely on a 9m kite, it was not really that fun getting yanked if you missed a gust. You have to watch the water for the gusts and this is particularly dangerous during launching and landing (even more so when self launching and landing).

Jumping and performing tricks is even more precarious when the wind is gusty. I have jumped when I though that there was a steady gust and at the top of the jump, I was dropped like a lead balloon. Not too good on the knees and the rest of your body when you take that hard landing.

It is better to be cautious than to risk injury to yourself and others.