KITEMARES!

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

I've had a few sketchy moments out there but they don't really compare to what I've heard from some of you so far, especially when it comes to the older gear. Do any of you care to share some of your kitemares? It would help us newcomers from experiencing similar moments of fear.

Bettyboarder · Wed Jul 25, 07 2:24 pm

At SS I came in super lit and tried to slow down but instead sent my kite ...long story short me getting dragged in like 2 inches of water while the kite is doing kiteloop after kiteloop lucky got it together and right before I actually hit land sent the kite back out toward deeper water ..... just ended up covered in mud and a few scratches. Learned a lesson, I always slow down really far from the beach and body drag in

Bettyboarder · Wed Jul 25, 07 2:30 pm

Oh yeah and after this weekend I learned at Stevenson it's better to over shoot the landing then undershoot the landing, kites pop when you land them on the rocks Sad

bleighty · Since 17 Apr 2006 86 Posts St. Petersburg, FL

2006 waroo bar endcap screw broke in a 25+ morning session..
i was leashed to CL and before i could get to the OS handles kite was looping out of control and pulling me towards a huge mess of trees w/ a 6 lane freeway just beyond them..

my thoughts are "f**K the kite.. get out now" i pulled the QR and the leash QR and expected to see the kite smack the trees and that would be that..

NOPE..

kite took flight over the trees towards the highway.. i stood there frozen waiting for the SCREEEECH sound but it didnt come..

I jumped in my car and drove around the tree line and there was my kite in perfect condition .. the bar had caught the very last tree and it was just looping around the grass.

Alex from best gave me a new 2007 bar and lines set.. tho he claims the issue was me not washing my bar off enough w/ fresh water.. i dont know about that..another topic i could go off about..

local things i have seen or heard of...
-guy get dragged through an old rusty boat hull even though its a know hazzard in one of our launch areas.. tore his arm up really bad..

-guy get dragged into a parked car on a very gusty day.. broken shoulder and other injuries.. out for most of season..

-good rider get nearly killed due to BEST 2004 QR not releasing.. dragged him across a road and luckily his kite hit the ground long enough for others to tackle it...his kitefourm.com thread on this has been around for a while.. if you have an 04 Best bar.. ditch the QR.

pdxmonkeyboy · Wed Jul 25, 07 3:08 pm

I drove out to Rooster rock once and I was wearing red board shorts. when I got to the beach i realized I had my GREEN rash instead of my RED one. Dude, I looked like such a doof the whole day. I'm lucky I got out alive!!

tinyE · Since 21 Jan 2006 2004 Posts not really an XTreme Poster

launched in a new spot (nestucca near the beach)... current was RIPPING... kite went down in a wind shadow and hit the water. Before I could relaunch, kite went past me (downriver), and stuck in a tree. The current then grabbed the lines and started sucking me towards the tree. I made it to shore, tied my bar to a tree on shore, and sat on the beach hearing my kite rip.

I "supermanned" it out to my kite, hand over hand on the fallen tree in the river with legs flying behind me in the maddingly fast current. Made it to the kite, but couldn't undo the line knots. Grabbed my knife and cut the lines... supermanned it back to shore with my ripped kite, and yanked on the lines until they came free.

What I got out of it was:
1) kite with a 12" rip in the canopy
2) shortened lines
3) a valuable lesson to always understand the spot you're kiting in BEFORE you get in the water.

ansarha · Since 01 Jul 2006 112 Posts Redmond Oregon Stoked

ok here is a good one....... i have been watching kiting for about a year before i really got hooked. so i got this thought in my head this looks easy i can do this so i got onto e-bay and got me a 2002 airush lift and got a video on how to kiteboard got everything set up right and went to our local lake to give it a try with the harness and a board.... got the kite into the air everything was going great then i watch the kite flutter and i pulled down onto the bar...... (not good) oh by the way i wasnt in the water yet..... i got draged across the rocks and had one hell of a rock rash...... so wife made me give it up for a year then i talked her into lessons and now good to go...
Alex

gabe · Since 16 May 2005 475 Posts Obsessed

i think it was the travisbixlerex creature who started a "heart of darkenss" thread on this topic more than a year ago. much better stories.

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4907 Posts Portland Unstrapped

pdxmonkeyboy · Wed Jul 25, 07 10:02 pm