FKA Kiteboarding Forums  

Go Back   FKA Kiteboarding Forums > General Discussion > Kiting Magazine Articles > Kiteboarder Magazine
Connect with Facebook

 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Prev Previous Post   Next Post Next
  #1  
Old 07-27-2005, 03:23 AM
ricki's Avatar
ricki ricki is offline
Administrator
Site Admin
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Florida
Posts: 8,700
Default ELECTRIC KITE EXPERIENCE

You are flying along and suddenly you feel something painful jolt up your arm. The shock may be intermittent or continuous, annoying or downright painful, you may just hear a discharge whenever you jump and so on. One of the most common causes apparently is IMMINENT lightning, very close to where you are waving around a potential 100 ft. lightning rod on a flat surface. Doesn’t sound real good does it?!

During the recent Velocity Games in Texas, Mother Nature catered a nearby storm that lit up one of the heats. Shannon Best described it as a painful sensation as he flew his kite but he was not going to be the first off the water. It was getting pretty intense however. Once another guy bailed Shannon landed pronto. A nice squall cloud moved through shortly thereafter.

The causes of these static electric discharges could include many factors such as the naturally occurring voltage gradient from the ground up to the sky to something called the Electret Effect that involves semiconductor properties of kite line. Worrying about insulative value of bindings, bars, gloves, booties is generally a waste of time and may have minimal useful effect. Immanent lightning can do wonders for the voltage gradient and give you that special sense of urgency IF you react well and early enough.

Avoiding lightning – Checkout the forecasts, always be aware of the weather around you and moving in, KNOW weather patterns for your riding area. Lightening can strike more than 10 miles from a storm cloud and can develop temperatures of 50,000 F (much hotter than the surface of the sun!), 100,000,000 volts and 30,000 amps. IF you see lightning and hear thunder within 30 seconds you need to land and secure your kite pronto and move to safe shelter. Wait 30 minutes after all lightning, thunder activity has stopped (the 30/30 Rule). The 30/30 Rule triggers when the lightning is within 6 miles. Strikes out to 10 miles have been documented so don’t screw around. Pain in the butt? Maybe but almost 70 people are struck each year in the USA. Why join up?! A large part about kiteboarding safety is developing hazard awareness and avoidance. Here's a heads up, the rest is up to you.

More about static electricity, lightning and kiteboarding at:
http://fksa.org/viewforum.php?f=94
__________________
FKA, Inc.

transcribed by:
Rick Iossi
Reply With Quote
 

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 11:31 AM.


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.