Lessons from the Hardside - NEW KITERS

[ricki]

We all were new to this sport at one time and most made our share of errors. Some mistakes were more significant and painful than others. The goal of this thread is highlight some of the more critical errors to hopefully aid other new riders in avoiding the same course. This thread will eventually be put into the section it was named for.

So for starters ...

Macca posted this on the UK forum. I thought it would be good to repost this here. I really hope this guy heals fully. Trying to learn how to kiteboard by flying a 12 m in those wind conditions onshore (or anywhere else for that matter), is akin to trying to knock cars off the freeway by running into them, on foot.

Originally Posted by macca

Just a wearning to all those learner kiters reading the forums.

A very nasty accident happened at Redcar this afternoon.

A guy, just learning but up a 12m kite, wind was 25-40 mph, off shore.
He was flying it on the beach only.
Tide was high forcing him to just in front of dunes about 5m high.

There was about 6-8 windsurferes out, i was getting hammered on a 5.2, wind was very strong and gusty, not kite weather.

The guy got lofted about 40' up and 50' down wind to waters edge.
He landed extreamly hard, sustaining possible back/pelvic injurys.
Dont know what happened to safety
, to release kite. I came off water to see kite flapping on reride and a few guys round him.

I dont know why he rigged up, but have seen him around a few times, he has been learning for a good few months.

Lesson to be learned, allways use kite in the stated ranges, other wise you could kill your self.

I hope he will make a full recovery, and injurys are not to bad.

Be very carefull if you do not know what you are doing, get lessons!!!!!

From: http://www.kiteboarder.co.uk/kitesur...pic.php?t=9595


From: http://www.stopharlownorth.com

[ricki]

and another one from the UK and same thread there:

Originally Posted by Too Much Wind

We had a very simillar accident in poole about a year ago, not quite as windy but windy enough for guys on 9m's to be fully lit. This chap was giving his girlfriend her first lesson with a 12m! He had hold of her harness and everytime the wind came through she'd be up in the air and he'd be hanging on to her. We were gobsmacked. 3 of us spoke to the guy at length telling him what he was doing was reckless and dangerous and pointed out that the other kitesurfers were on smaller kites, but he turned around told us to go away and that everything was ok. What else we could do?
Unfortunately we were proved right and the girl got lofted when he wasn't holding onto her resulting in her being slammed onto the beach very hard.
He then went into shock and panic and the three of us were left top sort it all, call the ambulence and attend to and comfort his girlfriend.
Fortunatley she wasn't seriously injured but i was fuming with this chap but what can you do when you try your best tp help people out and you're told to mind your own buisness.
Of course if faced with a similar situation i would of course still try to help and offer advice.

[ricki]

1. Know and follow the recommended wind range for your kite. You can find this stuff in your user manual or by googling online in short order. Always seek the best Pro instruction that you can find. Learning on your own can be far more costly and painful.

2. See what are guys are flying of similar experience levels if possible and how they are doing with it. Listen and carefully consider well intended advice.

3. Don't fly a full sized traction kite on land for any longer than it takes to get offshore. That is what smaller trainer kites are for, don't confuse the two.

4. If you are just starting out, winds in the 10 to 15 kt. range may be about right ideally. Much more than that and you may find some trouble that you can live without.

5. DO NOT over extend your abilities, try to be as honest with yourself as you can.

Otherwise ...

you might as well take a running start at those speeding cars on the freeway. It makes as much sense.

[ricki]

Originally Posted by salomon3636

Hey me and my friends are looking to get this trainer for snow and land I was wondering I weigh 125 lbs. and the kite says it holds about 100 lbs so could it pull me up?

and can this kite pull me up about 10 ft off the ground from just running and jumping with a big wind about 15 mph or so????

answers please

No.

The 110 is a very small 1.1 m foil kite. At least not without a big wind in the 50 - 70 mph + (?) catagory.

Also, jumping on land with any kite (in far less wind by the way) is an excellent way for breaking hips, destroying knees, achieving paralysis, brain adjustment through bashing .... etc.. Lots of guys have used this clever approach for retuning their bodies for crappy performance for decades. Think it over.

Want to kiteboard, find a good instructor. Ideas for this process appear in an article at the top of this section.