Leashes are not good, Don't use them, please don't.

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

I'll be wearing a red helmet and body dragging upwind in my pfd with my marine radio tied into my safety net.
Probably not kiting where there are surfers downwind as they might kick my ass.

LOL

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

just the lack to flotsam coming to Japan

beware of the flotsam come of the U.S.

on a large wave ,

thick cuts,

bedamned

I with take my board with me ,

you can do without if you like

pjc · Since 06 Mar 2005 649 Posts Addicted

well, not to sound like a prick, but I'm not sure launching in the Gorge without body armor is "safe".

and a dude riding in amongst the hard obstacles with both a helmet and a leash might be safer than dude without either

but the safest configuration is helmet on, leash off, no doubt. so Gman is the only "most safe" guy, of the guys I see regularly.

and with re: to liability and rep for the sport - yep, whenever there is some quasi-national news story about some dude in the gorge or FL or rio vista or wherever who got hurt launching in a tight spot i think "yep, now I'm going to have the same conversation with like 6 people about how I only kite on the open beach with no downwind obstacles and that's why stuff like that just doesn't happen to me or my friends".

there is also a shark attack conversation i i have periodically as well, that is actually more akward, as my opinion to death by shark is "winning the cool death lottery"

Sella · Sun Jul 08, 12 11:03 am

wylieflyote · Sun Jul 08, 12 4:23 pm

Sella · Sun Jul 08, 12 8:55 pm

[quote="wylieflyote"]

OG · Since 07 Jun 2011 599 Posts Addicted

i've only seen one person with a leash so far this season. actually talked to the person i saw with the leash today, not really just because of that, but it came up. he knew the dangers, old windsurfer, chooses to anyway. i s'pose this type of thing can't be said enough times, but it seems like the message is out there and is largely in practice by newG's and OG's.

Dont kill homie for changing his mind even though he made a big deal about it a bunch of years ago. think of it as one less 911 rescue requiring lots of other kiters sacrificing session time to help someone that chose their so called convenience over safety and community best practices.

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

It's a choice and it's different for everyone, but I still wear my helmet, my pfd, my knife, my marine radio, my flair gun, my sunscreen, my nose plug, my kite leash, my shark repellent, my booties, and my wet suit, just in case. Shocked

Nak · Since 19 May 2005 4304 Posts Camas Site Lackey **CGKA Member**

tstansbury · Since 06 Jun 2006 649 Posts Rowena and P.C Addicted

their are some situations where I use a lesh.
strapless in the surf without a beach(san carlos)
during relaunching if the kite does not come right back up
self launching and landing onto small beaches.
strapless in surf with swimers on the inside
always with a helmet and never jumping.

kitezilla · Since 22 Jun 2006 453 Posts gorge Obsessed

Here is a post from a thread on Kiteforum, that probably presents the best argument for the use of a short, well designed surf leash, having an automatic tensioned release, along with a safety release, at each end of the leash body, which consists of a non tangling material.

I would not promote the use of any kind of board leash, which is being sold in kite shops, at present, but I would like to see more future attempts at engineering a "safer" leash, to be used where it may be needed by a select group of kiters.

Anyway, something to think about.

tomatkins wrote:
kitezilla wrote:
seanflex wrote:

but when you think about it why bother with a board leash?

You asked the question.....sooooo,

Here is a copy of a bunch of comments posted on other kite forums, most of which I agree with. A lot of ideas are presented here, and hopefully, some of them will be of value in helping you to realize why board leashes are used, and to help those contemplating a decision about …if…when…and where to use a board leash.

Here they are:

“One could make a case for other "health safety" issues, related to body dragging in various waters concerning:

(1) Pollution: I know of one popular kitesurfing location, just downstream of a sewage treatment plant..

(2) Allergens: For example, a lot of kiters get "River Nose" from dragging in the Columbia River in the Gorge...probably related to the various pollens floating on the surface of the water.

(3) Hypersalinity: Shallow 'Bays' or 'Sounds' tend to concentrate the salt in the water, resulting in solutions, that are highly irritable to a kiter's eyes.

(4) Jellyfish or Portuguese Man of War: Your lycra top or wetsuit may protect you from the trailing stinging "nematocysts", but just wait until you get a string of the stuff across your face or into your eyes.

(5) Time of day: Lets leave it off here, and not start talking about what a couple of fast gliding bare feet, look like to a shark, in the fading light of day.

(6) Extremely cold water

(7) Use as a tourniquet: shark bite --lost arm--stop bleeding:

In this article a Surf board leash is used as tourniquet for daughters shark bitten lost arm:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=8 ... 87,1246056

( Cool

It is the LAW:

Here is a typical ordinance (law) from Bogue Inlet Pier, North Carolina:

ec. 5-54. Leashes on surfboards required. No person shall use or operate a surfboard or other similar device in the Atlantic Ocean unless a rope or leash having a minimum length of four (4) feet is physically attached to the surface of the surfboard and the opposite end of the leash or rope is looped so that the leash may be placed around the person's ankle or wrist for control of the surfboard or other similar device while in operation or use in the Atlantic Ocean.(Ord. of 2-10-09, § 2)Sec. 5-55. Penalty. Violation of any of the provisions of this article shall constitute an infraction punishable in accordance with section 1-6.

I don't think that we have seen the last of board leashes. Why? Because it seems that a major trend in kiteboarding is toward wave surfing, and the requisite kite-surf-board, complete with its sharp pointy nose and big knifey looking fin.

Let's face it, real surfers don't want us in their breaks, and when access problems occur, and then the attendant meetings and negotiations start occurring, in an attempt to prohibit the banning of kitesurfers, by the authorities...Do you think that the legitimate surfers are going to support us, when they find out that, even though, they themselves, as surfers are required by local ordinances to wear leashes,...that we kitesurfers feel that we have a God-given right to be exempt from restraining our surfboards, because "they might hurt us".?

(9) Use with strapless boards, whether they be surfboards, skim boards, wake skates or the soon to be popular (IMHO) Alaia. I see a lot of strapless riders putting leashes on their boards, after a couple of sessions in the waves, where they get to kite for about 2 minutes and then spend 20 to 30 minutes looking for their boards.

(10) Use with the up and coming discipline of kiteboard racing, where the rider can not afford the loss of race time body-dragging for a lost board. In the future we may see rules put forth by race committees, who determine that loose race boards are a hazard to other participants, and therefore board leashes may be required…A precedence has been set in the required use of kite leashes, and a case could be made that obligatory board leashes should follow this example.

(11) Use in areas where shallow water over reefs make body dragging for a lost board more hazardous that using properly designed leash.

(12) Use during “ultra-low-wind” sessions, where a lot of boards are lost, during the situation where the lack of the resistance, by not having a board on the feet, prevents the rider from relaunching the kite…as the rider gets slowly dragged further and further downwind, until the board is out of sight and lost.

I am sure that there are more legitimate reasons and convenience reasons to add to this list.

I am in favor of people adding “heat” to any discussion about the ‘trigger subject’ of board leashes. There is a need for shrill warnings whenever the subject comes up and those of you who reflexively state: “no leashes, never, ever, never…period…end of discussion…just look at these pictures!” …are to be commended for civic duty and public service alerts. Keep it up.

I am also in favor of people adding “light” to the discussion, in the form of factual information… with the goal of creating a “safer board leash”.

Kiting, in general, started out as a very dangerous activity, but has become much safer through the efforts equipment designers…maybe the same can done concerning the present “dangerous board leash”.

Here is another reason for the kiteboard manufacturers to develop and sell a "safer board leash":

t-2372162.html&p=714796

Reason (13): ... If a kiter wished to make the case for the "flotation" of the board, substituting as a "flotation device", he would have a tough time doing so... unless he was using a "board leash". Once again, this emphasizes the need for the development of a "safe" board leash...and I would view this lack of interest, by the kiteboard industry, as a failure...

Here is a possible Reason (14) that could be added to the list of situations, where a board leash could be seen as an advantage:

The other day, I was kiting in just horrible conditions with a friend who was using the kind of leash, that has been previously described, which has an automatic release disconnect, triggered by a 70 pound force. He went flying in a 40 MPH gust and his board leash automatically released, as it was designed to do, and his board got loose. A huge lull then prevented him from relaunching his kite and the current took him into a big wind shadow... as his board disappeared down stream. I was able to easily retrieve his board, by just reaching down and grabbing the remains of the one meter leash, and then dragging the board to safety. The wind conditions were horrible with long lulls at about 10 MPH and then giant gusts to about 40MPH... and I would not have dared to try to pick up and carry his board, in the conventional manner... it would have been very dangerous for me.

pjc · Since 06 Mar 2005 649 Posts Addicted

Anyone who's ever lost his board in 50F in the impact zone a quarter mile from the beach, and rotated his neck to see the board 3 feet upwind, knowing you'd need two long body tacks in and amongst bus sized mushburgers to recover it, has likely entertained the idea of using a leash.

But yeah, I don't, when that happens you can just body drag/body surf in, chill on the beach and let your board have a fun adventure back to shore.

But I figure if some people leash it, and wear a helmet, and that gets them riding when they wouldn't, meh, it's not the dumbest thing you'll see involving a traction kite.

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

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blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

[quote="pjc"]Anyone who's ever lost his board in 50F in the impact zone a quarter mile from the beach, and rotated his neck to see the board 3 feet upwind, knowing you'd need two long body tacks in and amongst bus sized mushburgers to recover it, has likely entertained the idea of using a leash.

not have even a kite to show for it

personal flotation device

surfers know it

just big surf ,

I will wear a helmet,needless to say

After a couple of times,

just have to float,
with way was up

no thanks ,
I will have to chose either scarface or breathing

All take breathing again

Sella · Mon Jul 09, 12 10:35 am

Great thread because I'm learning some key perspectives which make total sense because I don't Coast enough. Anti-leash is now Pro-leash! There is a time and place for everything and nothing beats experience.....and a good helmet. Wink

Jonpnw · Mon Jul 09, 12 10:37 am

helmet with a full face cage ?

cosmodog · Since 06 Oct 2005 204 Posts Stoked

Question for peeps who use a leash in the surf - does the leash ever get caught in the kite lines after a going over the falls? I really wanted a leash riding strapless in San Carlos, but the thought of tangled lines spooked me.