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Monday,I should have helped, sorry

 
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Gorgegezzer

Since 14 Jan 2007
67 Posts

 



PostWed Aug 26, 15 6:49 am    Monday,I should have helped, sorry Reply with quote

I was having a fine afternoon session on my 7m, trading tacks with 4 or 5 other kiters. I noticed a kiter had crashed and then inverted ? his/her kite. I don't think anyone could have been expected to try to flip the kite. So the person self rescued to the sandbar. I should have tried to get the board and drag it to the sandbar, but in the high wind conditons, I didn't think I could do it. The other kiters were doing jumps and back rolls, whereas I just mow the lawn. Why dind't someone help out? I did not see anyone grab the board, it just drifted away. It got a little light, so I had to quit. Sorry to whoever he/she was.
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Matt V

Since 26 Oct 2014
462 Posts
Summer- OR Coast, Winter - My van near good snow
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PostWed Aug 26, 15 8:41 am     Reply with quote

Pretty sad. I think a good rule of thumb is that you should keep an eye from a good distance if you cannot give immediate help without endangering yourself. If the conditions were beyond your skill level to help, then you would have been endangering yourself. So you kind of did the right thing.

But please remember that if you are milling around that downed kiter, then other kiters will think that the distressed kiter has a competent rescue close at hand. And only one kiter can assist at a time. So the other kiters may have ignored the situation if you remained close at hand. I sometimes will follow a rescue just to make sure a board is not lost and the rescue party has to go back for it. I can also keep an eye out for barges and notify anyone on shore or in the shallows that a rescue is coming in. At the sand bar, there are usually beginners and instructors in the shallows that are pretty focused on themselves and not aware of something like a rescue taking place about to come into their area.

If you cannot provide immediate aid, then you can still help by trying to go get someone who can provide that immediate aid in the situation. Try to flag down a kiter to come follow you back to this guy.

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A.K.

Since 01 Jul 2006
190 Posts

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PostWed Aug 26, 15 2:48 pm     Reply with quote

Jumps and backrolls don't necessarily mean one has the skill to pick up a board and kite it in. Usually folks who have this skill see rescuing a board as a little extra challenge and look forward to the opportunity to test their skills while helping someone out at the same time. So I doubt folks who could execute this maneuver would consciously see a drifting board and actually ignore it.

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kiterbiker

Since 12 Jun 2010
65 Posts

 



PostWed Aug 26, 15 10:19 pm     Reply with quote

I always like the challenge of grabbing a board and kiting back to shore with it to help out. If its a strapless or surfboard, and I'm on my twintip, I'll ride the strapless board or surfboard and carry my twin tip since I don't think I can carry something without a handle, or safely maneuver with a big board in hand without risking losing a few teeth to the nose of the board... But out of curiosity, If I'm on my surf, and its a strapless surfboard I'm trying to rescue - anyone have any tips for carrying a strapless or large board?

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niknas

Since 18 Sep 2006
181 Posts
North of OR, South of WA
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PostThu Aug 27, 15 6:08 am     Reply with quote

Quote:
I can carry something without a handle, or safely maneuver with a big board in hand without risking losing a few teeth to the nose of the board... But out of curiosity, If I'm on my surf, and its a strapless surfboard I'm trying to rescue - anyone have any tips for carrying a strapless or large board?


I will hookup my kite leash and drag the surfboard back. Easy if the board has a leash loop on it. Not so easy if the board is strapless and no loop.

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eric

Since 13 Jan 2006
1803 Posts

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PostThu Aug 27, 15 7:48 am     Reply with quote

I've done this a lot. An easy way is to grab the nose or fin and let the other end drag, skip across the water. As you get better at this it's not hard to slide the board forward using your thigh as leverage to hold the board at its center. If you can grab the board while moving, even very slowly it's nice to avoid water starting with one hand. Do pay attention to your bar and chicken loop and where the rescued board is. Best to have board on downwind side of body.

Eric

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voy-tech

Since 08 Apr 2014
372 Posts
Seattle
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PostThu Aug 27, 15 8:08 am     Reply with quote

If it's a twin tip I usually put it on my knees or over the bar (if it's a small one) when starting, more/less like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JnImRpdLwI
I usually save a board or two each season, but I always struggle when the person needs help with kite relaunch (due to light wind or inversion). I had a friend help me out once after my kite got inverted but every time I try to help someone with it I bail out after one try since it always seem like I'm just putting myself in too much danger of tangling both kites together.

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Last edited by voy-tech on Thu Aug 27, 15 8:12 am; edited 1 time in total

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Johnb

Since 02 Aug 2010
494 Posts

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PostThu Aug 27, 15 8:12 am     Reply with quote

I have rescued a few surfboards while riding strapless. I will lay the board across my knees holding it with my front hand while back looping the kite to get started. Since I am usually up wind I will keep looping the kite to get down wind for the drop off. Looping one handed is a bit challenging but doable however you have to reach across to loop in the opposite direction.

This method works good in light wind but I have also done it in strong winds however I usually start toe side then jibe while holding the board if necessary.

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bigjohn

Since 13 Mar 2012
663 Posts

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PostThu Aug 27, 15 2:09 pm     Reply with quote

JohnB wrote:
I have rescued a few surfboards while riding strapless. I will lay the board across my knees holding it with my front hand while back looping the kite to get started. Since I am usually up wind I will keep looping the kite to get down wind for the drop off. Looping one handed is a bit challenging but doable however you have to reach across to loop in the opposite direction.

This method works good in light wind but I have also done it in strong winds however I usually start toe side then jibe while holding the board if necessary.


I agree. Picking up a board is pretty easy if you continuously loop your kite.

While sitting in the water, start with Kite at 12:00, one hand on the outer edge of your bar on the side you want to initiate your loop, other hand holding the board you are retrieving.

Loop the kite 3 times at first, then switch your hand to the other side of the bar and loop it 6 times, then switch back 6 times. Using this technique you are only looping your kite 3 times a single direction so your lines don't get too wrapped up. Be sure to keep your board pointing downwind and lean back towards the tail of your board. When you feel the power of the loop, just sit back on your rear leg and lift up a little on your front leg letting the power of the loop pull you down wind.

I find that using a looping pattern is easier than just looping every once in a while as your body get's used to what's coming up, allowing you to concentrate on other things (like where you are going to drop off the board).


*** If you have never looped your kite in a pattern going down wind, I might practice this technique first without a board ***

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Wally Gator

Since 23 Sep 2012
38 Posts

 



PostFri Aug 28, 15 12:17 pm     Reply with quote

YouTube shows you how to do it board rescue

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