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  #1  
Old 12-26-2006, 08:28 PM
mx5alan mx5alan is offline
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Default Blown Out to Sea...

Check out the video linked...

http://one.revver.com/watch/93134/flv

12 Pro Kitesurfers are given more than they bargained for in an epic storm off the coast of Costa Rica

Windows version available on www.Kitewatch.com
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  #2  
Old 12-26-2006, 10:15 PM
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kiwiar2000 kiwiar2000 is offline
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Incredible. Blink your eyes, and BOOM! its blowing not 20 knts but 45 knts sooner that you can say "Holy S***!"
Always keep an eye for nasty clouds like those. ANd especially remind others that you read an article about bad weather that day!!!!!
-Danny
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  #3  
Old 12-26-2006, 10:30 PM
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ricki ricki is offline
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Looks like someone put together a short clip from squall out takes from "Into the Air." More about the feature film at:
http://fksa.org/showthread.php?t=729

Even though this was shot three years ago or more, "totally surprised" doesn't cut it, certainly not for Pro riders. Squalls are obvious and readily detected at least in the Caribbean (this was shot off La Parguera, PR) in a variety of ways.

Allowing yourself to be "surprised" by them is just that, you set yourself up. A rider one island over to the west in Cabarete was blown over 800 ft. horizontally by a similar squall the year before this was filmed. That squall was obvious too. Must be you can't be hurt by being slammed by mega gusts if you're good enough. Mmmm, can't be that, too many dead and injured advanced riders from lesser squall gusts. What is it then?

For a pro to say he was surprised by as basic a weather system as a squall is akin to a professional jet liner pilot on a routine transatlantic flight saying, whoops, we're running out of fuel, gonna have to ditch in the water. Professional pride wouldn't let a pro be snookered by something as basic as this these days. Good thing most of us, that is non-pros know better today, right?
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Old 01-02-2007, 10:16 PM
Polaris Polaris is offline
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I’m a little lost on something. Watching this clip that seems to be an outtake I see people still riding, jumping and not ditching their rigs. As far as the rider that got blown out to sea. What about his safety release? I do have the video “Into the Air” and love it. Good job Paul!

Now I do have to report that I got out of control and dragged across the beach on New Years Eve at Ann’s Beach in Islamorada. I rider launched me (I was too close to shore) and I forgot to hook my leash. I am basically a novice (with lessons) and wanted to get some ride time. Upon launch the kite got out of control I didn’t reach for my safety release or eject. I’ve been playing this over in my mind all weekend. STUPID, STUPID! Luckily I only got some minor scratches and a lot of sand but it could have been worse. So I thought. My kite got caught in the mangrove trees just short of US1. When I tried to get to the kite at least to deflate it I slipped and gashed my leg (almost to the bone) on a broken tree limb. I got 11 stitches.
Anybody saw Final Destination?

The reasons I’m writing this is to report for others and to get this out of my system.
The rider that helped me, recovered and packed my rig “while I was answering 100 questions to 911” was a good guy. I can’t wait to get back in the water but with a different mindset.
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Old 01-20-2007, 07:05 PM
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ricki ricki is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Polaris
I’m a little lost on something. Watching this clip that seems to be an outtake I see people still riding, jumping and not ditching their rigs. As far as the rider that got blown out to sea. What about his safety release? I do have the video “Into the Air” and love it. Good job Paul!

Now I do have to report that I got out of control and dragged across the beach on New Years Eve at Ann’s Beach in Islamorada. I rider launched me (I was too close to shore) and I forgot to hook my leash. I am basically a novice (with lessons) and wanted to get some ride time. Upon launch the kite got out of control I didn’t reach for my safety release or eject. I’ve been playing this over in my mind all weekend. STUPID, STUPID! Luckily I only got some minor scratches and a lot of sand but it could have been worse. So I thought. My kite got caught in the mangrove trees just short of US1. When I tried to get to the kite at least to deflate it I slipped and gashed my leg (almost to the bone) on a broken tree limb. I got 11 stitches.
Anybody saw Final Destination?

The reasons I’m writing this is to report for others and to get this out of my system.
The rider that helped me, recovered and packed my rig “while I was answering 100 questions to 911” was a good guy. I can’t wait to get back in the water but with a different mindset.
Sorry to hear about your injury. I hope your wound is healing rapidly and well. It sounds like a painful experience to say the least. Were you flying a C kite? In reality in most emergencies there is rarely enough time to find, pull and activate your QR. Best approach is to avoid the emergency in the first place. After that practice launching unhooked with the kite trimmed for just enough power to fly stably with an adequate downwind buffer. Practice 'just letting go!" Lots of guys just hang on even though they aren't hooked in. Some other guys always launch C kites with one hand on the QR ready to try to pop it if needed. With flat kites, you probably don't want to launch unhooked but be prepared to sheet out to completely emergency depower the kite upon need. Practice responding to emergencies with whatever you are flying in an appropriate fashion. In an emergency there will likely be insufficient time to sort out a proper reaction without prior practice.
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  #6  
Old 01-21-2007, 08:25 PM
Polaris Polaris is offline
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Thanks Rick.
My wound is healing up great and I should be back in the water in a couple of weeks. Yes, it was a C kite. I never thought about launching unhooked. I do keep the leash on?
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Old 01-21-2007, 08:45 PM
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ricki ricki is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Polaris
Thanks Rick.
My wound is healing up great and I should be back in the water in a couple of weeks. Yes, it was a C kite. I never thought about launching unhooked. I do keep the leash on?
Good news, hope the time passes rapidly.

Absolutely, you keep the kite leash attached when launch a C KITE unhooked. The idea is that in a gust emergency the bar is pulled out of your hands causing the leash depower to be activated immediately. Alternately, you consciously drop the bar before you are slammed by a big gust, again activating the leash depower. You need to trim the kite for its size the wind speed for stable flight while being sufficiently depowered using the trim strap.

i.e. if you pull the trim strap all the way in with lighter winds the kite will fly very poorly. You want to pull in enough trim strap to depower the kite while not sacrificing kite flying stability. It takes some practice to dial this in. If you can't hold on to the bar because of strong winds you are probably rigged too big in the first place.

I did a study in 2002 that concluded that 75% of kiting injury accidents might have been reduced or eliminated if launching/landing unhooked was performed. http://fksa.org/showthread.php?t=454

REMEMBER, launching flat kites unhooked may not be a good idea UNLIKE with C kites.
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Last edited by admin; 01-22-2007 at 03:35 AM.
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