Fatality

[rigger]

First one ive heard of in awhile. Best wishes to his family.

http://forums.ikitesurf.com/viewtopic.php?t=12924

[Whitey]

I have been following that to try to learn from it and today I read the post below. It was a bunch of conflicting stuff that did not add up until I read this:

Tim's twin brother posted in another forum:


From Timmy’s brother.

I have read through the previous comments about the accident. Here is what I know.

First I would like to tell you about Timmy. He was devoted to his family, He loved his wife and two sons. He was the center of our crew of sailors. He was an exceptional high wind windsurfer. Timmy was not content to do a forward, he would do three endos before making a turn. Timmy started kiting about three years ago. He attacked it with the same fierce determination as when he sailed, he lived and breathed it. He relentlessly harassed me until finally last summer I started to kite. We traded many smiles as we passed each other going back and forth.

On the day it happened, the boys had been out for a couple of hours on larger kites. They knew a change was coming and were waiting for it. When the front pushed through, Timmy rigged his 6 and just before he hooked in he saw a kiter being dragged across the sound helplessly. He was the first in the water to jump on the guys kite, maybe saving him, who knows. Timmy then launched his kite and for the next 15 minute proceeded to loft some huge airs and kiteloops. The last kiteloop went horribly wrong and Timmy landed exceptionally hard, board/feet/butt first. The impact knocked him unconscious, then he was dragged to the edge of Big Island about 200 yards down wind. People got to him within 10-15 minutes but by that time it was too late, he had drowned.

Some people speculate that the shallow water (3-4 ft) had something to do with it, but I don’t think so. Timmy was discovering his limits as we all do every day.

A previous post said it this way. "Kiting was his medication, his joy in life, something that washed all worries and cares away, maybe even made him feel like a god. Some may not understand why someone would intentionaly fly so high, so fast, and far. Others fully understand"

I understand....

Be careful, our loved ones are waiting for us back home.

[kiteUSF]

That post is powerful stuff. I could not agree more with the quote at the end. I definitely understand the desire to push the limits. With the heavy wind we had a few weeks ago we were definitely pushing ourselves. I guess all we can do is make our best judgments and watch out for our fellow riders on days like that. My thoughts go out to Timmy and his family....Ride on......

[Whitey]

Yes it does make you think. I read that and my mind goes back to two weeks ago (same day your talking about) when I was riding out at 3 rooker on the 7m in 45++ in 1' to 2' of water and it kind of hits you in the gut. We should try to learn a little from these things.