Safety and Cold Water Kiting vrs. Stoke and Hypothermia

Macaframa · Since 06 Jul 2010 81 Posts California Delta

Youkai,

For a guy that just began kiting I find it hilarious that you feel the need to chime in on topics you clearly dont have much experience with. I understand your inclination to try to help people but you might want to ease up with the righteous know-how talk until you've actually got some more experience. Please excuse my chiding but come on, you can't post that this is your first season in one breath and advise kiters on how to mega-loop in another.

Your kite is replaceable, I get it.

Rock on.

jblum · Since 13 Jul 2008 306 Posts The Gorge Obsessed

Sella · Sun Apr 10, 11 5:10 pm

The one thing about Gorge riding is I've always felt a good sense of the "buddy system" around me. I also try to keep an idea of people riding around me and if they go down I try to be cognizant of how long they are in the water and get ready to do a ride-by and check them out if they seem to be struggling. I've lost count how many times people have done the same for me.

However, you obviously cannot always count on this and if you're riding solo in cold water you need to be ready for all scenarios so I would definitely wait until you have some experience before venturing out because new kiters make more mistakes, exert more energy and burn out quicker. Just my opinion.

Best advice I've read on nwkite is learn to swim like a fish during windless days because you will need it no matter how mad your skills may be.

stringy · Since 23 Jun 2006 1735 Posts vancouver XTreme Poster

up in seattle, we tend to kite in all conditions, even those days when the wind can be light or even shadowed in some areas. This poses a problem for some when other riders drop their kite and cannot relaunch. we risk becoming victims of the same situation if we try to help them out. in these situations, we keep and eye on then and keep a mental note of how long they have been in the water. If I see someone who has been fighting with relaunching and has spent a significant amount of time in the water, I'll find someone with a boat and flag them down. I let them know that the kiter is in distress and that they could help in assisting. I have yet to hear a boater say they will not help. maybe it is part of maritime laws, but all boaters will respond positively if they know someone is in distress.
This doesn't mean that its okay to kite beyond your potential and rely on boaters to save your ass.
kiting in numbers, this is a safer way to go about it. keep an eye on each other.
I do many solo sessions on lake washington, but minimize the risks by dressing warm, wearing a PDF, kiting in lower risk waters while performing lower risk manuevers.
regarding ditching your kite, not sure of a situation where I have even considered this.

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

The minnow · Since 26 Jan 2009 395 Posts argentina Obsessed

My opinion is distorted, and I have my style;

I learned in big surf you will normaly have to let the kite go at least once in a days riding, or suffer a dammaged connopy, do not disconnect lines just run the bar out down wind and the lines easyly untangle;

If I have to choose board or kite I always choose board, my board is big, but the kite is bigger and easier to find then a board,

Worry about your life , the kite is nothing , and swimming is easy if you are prepeared,, my board is more important to me then my kite, and going home with no board is a true kitemare!

Thier are tons of issues here, I kite clean beaches , not many obsticles, so if thiers a lot of stuff on shore , you might have to change ideas,

Last, normaly the problems start because you rigged too big, have poor body drag skills, or the current is just against your recovery, be smart do not kite alone or be the wind dummie,!?
the secret agent,

specialk · Guest

SpaceRacer · Since 04 Nov 2007 434 Posts Obsessed

Glad someone posted this for discussion. Last year I purchased an OR Pyro drysuit and was AMAZED at how warm and comfy it was to float around in 32 degree water completely covered except for my face UNTIL I rolled over and the water hit my face! It felt like poison Evil or Very Mad

, within seconds, my face got numb and began burning. It was then that I realized how careful you have to be. It is one thing to be on shore all covered up looking at blue sky and whitecaps and forget that you truly are kiting on top of poison. IMHO you have to be prepared for the worst case scenario because as we know with kiting, one moment you are like god walking on water, next moment you can be a sitting duck in the middle of the river. That shit is dangerous yo! Haven't really done much winter kiting in the PNW since. If I were going to: 1) Wear the right gear. 2) Test it out before launching and taking off. 3) Stay close to shore (hard to do). 4) Never go alone. Treat winter water kiting like backcountry skiing. It is a team effort. If all else fails, snowkite Rolling Eyes

Paul

Scriffler · Since 03 Jul 2005 581 Posts LYLE Addicted

Loneski · Since 18 Dec 2010 103 Posts Washington Stoked

years back Josh at cleanline called it 40/40/40 syndrome.