Safety and Cold Water Kiting vrs. Stoke and Hypothermia

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1691 Posts I give out bad advice.

So, I was reading on Iwindsurf.com about the 100 deg. rule and I know that this is something I think about when I go out in high wind and cold water.

On Sunday I was at Rufus and the stock factor was really high. I launched Eric's kite, a 4.5, and watched him go out fully clothed in rubber. If you know Eric he rides a small kite and works it, but he's an advanced, fit rider.

He went out and was not working his kite, signing it, but was fully powered. I knew then that my 6 meter renegade combined with the fact that I didn't have my gloves was going be a factor.

**100 degree rule***

***Stoke before Safety or Visa Versa***

So, the air temp was about 50 deg, rounding up and the water was about 50 rounding up from 44 deg. That's 94 deg. total air temp plus water.

This means that it's possible to go into Hypothermia if your body is not properly covered. Hypothermia is a nasty little animal and comes on within a shorter period of time when your body is exposed to water. Because of the nature of water your body loses heat faster if you are exposed to water rather than air. Google it!!

On this same day, Sunday, I watched a good friend of mine who was kiting a 7 mtr. kite and wearing a Ocean Rodeo dry suit go down. His kite bowtied and he was done done. If he had not been wearing the dry suit his boys may have never dropped, ya know what I mean?

He self rescued and made the swim from the island as we watched.

Be careful and review your safety systems. Check your gear before you go out. Make sure you are prepared for a self rescue in really cold water, because it will happen.

I decided to not go out because:

1. 100 deg rule
2. No gloves
3. 6 meter kite

My reason for posting this is to maybe kick up some conversations, opinions, and colorful discussions on the need to be prepared for cold water kiting.

Cheers,
Ron

hilton · Since 15 Aug 2008 803 Posts Opinionated

Yes, you can suffer from hypothermia in the Gorge, even in August, after prolonged exposure without a proper wetsuit.
With kiteboarding, it is too easy to drop your kite or lose your board, so you must be prepared for a long swim in the cold water.
As the air warms up in the next few weeks, the water will still be very cold, so it is important to "dress for the swim" just in case something goes wrong.

melokitegirl · Since 28 Oct 2008 396 Posts Where the wind blows Obsessed

Good Post. We all get jacked to go out and kite this time of year. The wind is so tempting. I'm glad you posted about the 100 rule. I was told about that by a seasoned windsurfer after I made the mistake of going out 2 springs ago. My kite inverted and fell - not enough wind. I could not get it to relaunch and was doing a self rescue. I was struggling with it. My fingers were numb and I couldn't think straight. I was grabbing the wrong lines. The water was so murkey and I was being pulled in such a way that my harness was under me. I started to panick. I was going to drift into some pillings if I didn't get it together. WHAT I realized was that I was expending energy on the panick and the cold was numbing my brain. I thought to myself...this is how people die. I took a deep breath, calmed down & tried to figure it out. Luckily for me, there was someone on shore watching me. I tried as hard as I could to steer the kite into shore. Finally, I'm about 50 ft out and this person got in the water, clothes and all to grab my kite.

After that. I went over self-rescue again and again so it's like being on auto-pilot with muscle memory.

Be careful out there people.

Youkai · Since 08 Feb 2010 553 Posts Beaverton Addicted

I know no one wants to do it but if all else fails be willing to jettison your kite. You can replace it and if there is any kind of onshore angle at all it will wash up on shore anyway allowing you to recover it. A self rescue in the right gear is good but even the right gear won't keep you warm forever.

undertow · Since 15 Feb 2008 371 Posts BeaversBurg Obsessed

During the spring of 2007 while I was learning I spent about 1.5 hours in 42 degree water self rescuing and swimming with my kite to the sandbar. I stayed warm, 5-4 wetsuit, thick rashgard, boots, golves, helmet So I dont kite in the river untill its at least 42 degrees.

Not saying I'm a polar bear or anything, but this is my 100 degree rule

KP · Since 05 Apr 2011 23 Posts

My bud in NC a couple years back nearly met his maker in 65 degree air, probably 65 degree water and only 15K of wind. We set him loose on a little downwinder in mostly waist deep water or less, but he swam some and 1.5 hours later we kited out to him at the take out and he was not functioning properly, trying endless relaunches in thigh high water with some literal foaming at the mouth. Never let a beginner go it alone.
Worst part of hypothermia and hypoxia is you get dumb so figuring out a proper recovery get's harder and harder.

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1861 Posts XTreme Poster

I always dress assuming I will be in the water for an hour, which is about how long it takes to self rescue 1 mile.

E

kiterbiker · Since 12 Jun 2010 65 Posts

Above all, remember no one, no matter how talented or skilled, is immune to bad luck. The better you are, you will typically have less problems out there, but the ones you do have tend to be in more dangerous situations where help will have a harder time reaching you.

Kruse · Since 21 Oct 2005 63 Posts

Youkai, I dont get it? Why would you jettison your kite? Do you think you stand a better chance of swimming in on your own?
If you put me in the middle of the river I would much rather be connected to an inflatable kite that I can make a sail out of than trying to swim in on my own.

Stagecoach · Since 07 May 2009 88 Posts

Wearing a life jacket when the water's cold increases your chances of swimming home exponentially.

Youkai · Since 08 Feb 2010 553 Posts Beaverton Addicted

caps · Since 23 Dec 2010 347 Posts Obsessed

Youkai · Since 08 Feb 2010 553 Posts Beaverton Addicted

Campbell · Since 07 Sep 2008 409 Posts Camas, WA Obsessed

A 5/4/3 in July sounds like a little slice of hell

Youkai · Since 08 Feb 2010 553 Posts Beaverton Addicted

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2102 Posts PNW Bigfoot

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1691 Posts I give out bad advice.

If you are tired and you are in control of your kite I say keep it with you.

If you are wrapped up in your lines and you are not in control of the kite, start cutting!!

If you have numb fingers and you can't get to your kite, but feel like you may be safer to let er go then do it.

It's a situation with so many variables that to post em all would be a really long book.

What I've seen is that people will not properly activate their safety, or only partially activate their safety.

When this happens some students will attempt to start wrapping the bar up with a hot kite, or partially powered kite. This is not a good scenario and can lead to some unintended riding.

You should cut your kite loose if you know:
a. it won't hurt anyone in water or on shore.
b. you are safer without it.
c. you have no other option.

I've cut my kite loose a couple of times. I've done it intentionally on the coast and unintentionally at rufus and SS. All three times I ended up OK, but was scared to death it would hurt somebody down wind.

If possible stay with your kite. It floats, you don't.