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Popped Kite - Lessons learned

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Northwest Kiteboarding -> Gorge / Portland / Oregon Coast
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bigjohn

Since 13 Mar 2012
663 Posts

Addicted



PostThu Sep 29, 16 9:39 pm    Popped Kite - Lessons learned Reply with quote

Today I was launching a buddy's kite. The main bladder completely blew up in my hands.

While launching the lower steering had slacked and then wedged it's self between two very large rocks down wind of both us.

My solution was a solution I have probably performed over a hundred times. I walked down wind with his kite until I had a straight path from myself - through the wedged rocks - to my buddy.

At this point I tensioned up the kite in an effort to work the wedged line out from the rocks.

As I was downwind from the normal launching position this caused the kite to deform while under pressure from the lines. This kite deformation must have been more than the kite bladder could handle. I was quite surprised that this would cause the kite to pop... But it did!!!

The kite bladder had burst at the seam of the kite completely shreding the seam and material around the bladder and even partially ripping the material on the kite itself.

I like to try to learn from failures... So they are not repeated by myself or others.

In hindsight I think there are a number of things we could have done differently that would have resulted in my buddy having a good session on the water instead of a short drive to airtime.

1) I could have walked toward my buddy to slack the lines. I could have then walked down wind and manually picked the wedged line out of the rocks

2) My buddy could have slacked the lines by walking towards me and then picked the wedged line out of the rocks

3) Both of us could have moved in concert down wind such that when tensioning the lines we were 90 degrees to the wind. This would have allowed us to tension the lines to pull the line out of the wedged rocks.

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Sella

Since 21 Apr 2007
1794 Posts
Doin' The Dalles
FLY'IN HIGH PIE GUY



PostFri Sep 30, 16 4:55 am     Reply with quote

Ha. Mierda happens. Just one of those fluke accidents and to say I run my kites "ping tight" is an understatement. When she blew I think guys up at the Wunderbar heard it. Laughing

Shout out to the 10 guys that instantly offered up their kite so I could get some time on the water Thumb's Up and to Airtime and their drop off locker / trouble ticket process.

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Freeride Kiter

Since 08 Jul 2011
698 Posts
Alaska / PNW / Baja
Instructor



PostFri Sep 30, 16 7:18 am    Not sure if this applies... Reply with quote

We have all had experiences regarding tangled or caught lines while launching kiters. I have a routine that has't failed me yet and keeps myself and the kiter(s) safe as well as the kite in good control. (like the options you mentioned also)

Anytime the launch isn't right and whether the kiter knows it or not I walk towards the kiter to introduce slack lines and then turn the kite on it's back still holding it, letting the wind keep it off the ground. The kiter then knows that something isn't right, the kite is neutral and under control. From there I let the kiter know the issue if they haven't figured it out and we resolve it - Then reset for launch.

Only a few times have kiters been in a hurry or ignorant to an issue and tried to keep launching. At that point I've turned the kite over and put it down the walked to them to explain what was going on.

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"I have often regretted my speech, never my silence" ~Xenocrates

www.freeridekiting.com

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