FKA Kiteboarding Forums  

Go Back   FKA Kiteboarding Forums > MAIN FORUM > ** KITER BUZZ **
Connect with Facebook

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-03-2010, 01:36 PM
The Kite House The Kite House is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 175
Default Hobie stuff again?

Just got back from Barbados, thank good for warmth and swell......came through miami, heard someone got sent up 30 feet and ended up in a tree.....not that i find this not possible, but when ya hear it from non kiters in that area you gotta wonder.....any news?
__________________
Aloha Paul Menta
www.thekitehouse.com
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-04-2010, 09:25 AM
Josh Josh is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 19
Default

I heard about this 2nd hand from Patrick. Apparently the guy got lofted a few times on the water, didn't pull the safety, and then continued to get lofted up into a tree. I heard that once he was up in the tree, he actually got pulled again even higher until he finally pulled his safety. From my understanding, he was able to walk away from it.

Patrick, care to comment more on this?
__________________
Josh Noe
Adventure Sports
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-05-2010, 07:32 PM
ricki's Avatar
ricki ricki is offline
Administrator
Site Admin
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Florida
Posts: 8,700
Default

Thanks for the heads up Paul and extra info Josh. Did Todd see it? Still trying to find out more info. Did come across some observations about "business as usual" at Hobie.


Rode there wednesday and yesterday, and a bunch the week before. I saw two kites end up in the seaquarium and lots of people riding too close to shore as usual. The first was during a windy day from the west and it looked like the guy just had to blow to the leash and the kite blew downwind into the seaquarium. Didn't see what led to releasing the kite.

Yesterday I saw a guy end up on the seawall of the seaquarium in shifty/puffy NW winds (5-20 knots) which are sketchy at best at Hobie. He was riding a North, and going back and forth from the catamarans there on the beach to the sandbar, crossing about 200-300 feet upwind of the seaquarium. Super sketchy since there is very little room for error. A big lull came rolling through as they had been doing the entire day, and the kite fell. With little downwind space to work with, his kite was almost immediately on the seawall as he drifted with it trying to relaunch. Following the lull was a fresh 15-20 knot puff that filled the kite and pegged it up on the seaquarium fence. Luckily it didn't blow over. Guy had to unhook and swim to the wall and go for a climb. He eventually got it sorted but it was an easily EASILY avoidable situation. Just setup farther up the beach so you have plenty of downwind space to work with!

Another major issue yesterday was that somebody was giving lessons in the flats (12 meter red Best Bularoo) about 300 feet upwind of the seawall (so again, right by the catamarans). Super puffy NW winds, very little downwind room to work with, and a big 12 meter kite with students that looked like they had never flown a kite before, let alone body dragged. I watched for about 45 minutes as each student hooked in and practiced flying the kite in knee deep water. Saw 3 times a big puff roll through and cause the student to slightly loft and faceplant while getting dragged away quickly from the instructor towards the seawall. Luckily no apparent injuries but seriously bad judgment in my opinion.

If our instructors are teaching like this, it is not surprising that riders then do it later on.

The word in the parking lot in hobie over the past two weeks is that we're gonna get kicked out soon. Would be a major hit, but the poor decisions of some are sealing our fate.
__________________
FKA, Inc.

transcribed by:
Rick Iossi
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-06-2010, 11:14 PM
troubleshooter troubleshooter is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: South Florida
Posts: 183
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by RickI View Post
The word in the parking lot in hobie over the past two weeks is that we're gonna get kicked out soon. Would be a major hit, but the poor decisions of some are sealing our fate.
Lets hope its just Hobie. We need to let it go. Too dangerous. Not for us of course becuase we can handle anything...but for the collateral damage.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:54 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.

Do not advertise outside of [COM] Forums.
Do not show disrespect for others in your postings.
Users can be denied access to this Site without warning.
FKA, Inc., it’s officers and moderators are not responsible
for the content of the postings and any links or pictures posted.

Report Problems by PM to “administrator” or via email to flkitesurfer@hotmail.com

Copyright FKA, Inc. 2004, All Rights Reserved.