Serious Flat Kite Accident

[ricki]

I just heard about another serious flat kite accident with an Instinct. It involved an intermediate kiter out in overpowered conditions with a 12 m kite. Other kiters were reportedly heavily powered on 9 m flat kites. The rider had come into shore, had fully pulled in his trim strap. The kite response to control inputs was reduced by this. The kiter sheeted out, stalling the kite following which he sheeted in. This action initiated a kite loop, pulling the helmeted kiter onshore with some force. He suffered some unspecified minor injury from this.

Kites may reduce response when the trim strap is fully pulled in although not unduly so, unless in marginal winds in my experience. If the response is too mushy, it may mean additional kite tuning is indicated along with line checking to verify that they are still of equal length. Kite lines will stretch out of uniform length as a matter of course, hence checking is always required. It is unknown what the exact cause was in this case. I understand without the helmet his injuries might have been more severe. Be sure to rig the size kite suited for the bottom to middle of actual winds. Avoid flying a kite at the upper limits of its wind range. Can you do it, sure you can but it is more work, less fun and your factor of safety if something goes wrong can be much less.

- So, don't rig too big,
- keep control particularly nearshore,
- test your kite in controlled circumstances in various trims,
- and wear a lid, like this guy did.