WWYD Destruction of an RPM

Wind Slither · Since 04 Mar 2005 2588 Posts The 503 METAL

Great post OC! Thumb's Up

You needed to ditch the board as soon as you realized you weren't going to get it relaunched right away. Problem with a board on your feet is you can't flag your body out and go with the kite when it's getting smacked. Boots no different than straps.

If you can lay your body out superman style, then you can body surf with the kite as the wave is pushing it. You can also body surf the waves that are hitting you. Both cases get you further toward the shore and perserve a chance to relaunch. Sometimes you can hang onto your board under your chest to plane better...but with a surfboard you risk damage from your harness hook.

IMPORTANT: Keep tension in those lines!

When a wave pushes you toward your kite there is the potential for getting tangled up...scary as hell! So steer to the side of the kite and kick your feet to swim away from the kite when necessary.

Ditching the kite can lead to several problems including:
-a strong rip taking it out to sea,
-wrap a line around a crab pot bouy, kite goes nuts, hard to retrieve
-loose lines entangling swimmers and other riders/beach goers,
-kite and loose lines blowing down the beach in high winds
-The rider drowning because he's got no floating thing, catching the onshore wind and pulling him toward the beach much faster than he could swim.

jackZ · Since 13 Apr 2008 355 Posts Devon Alberta ca. Obsessed

A lot of good info . and comment .
Lake kiter , I live on the prairies .
Travelled to wave spots including Maui .
Asked questions about going to the leash , ditching ? I had read a few posts as well on this topic . One main comment that stuck with me and has been mentioned here is getting out of the water with a kite is much easier than swimming ! Keep it in the air is moot info as it happens .
I was at Lanes , I was maybe a mile down wind of the launch @Paia . I went down and so did the kite . A wave was over me and I saw the kite was going to be filled and I was going to be pulled under and hard . I took a deep breath and put my hands on the release in case I was under too long , my bar fully depowered. I came up after the wildest ride I have ever experienced , water had been forced up my nose to the back of my eyes , tried to relaunch the Taco , another wave , another dunking , once more and I got it relaunched . I was sooo happy to see that kite rise up knowing there was nothing but a jagged rock shoreline to swim to for a long way up or down the shore ! It would be very difficult to get out unscathed I'm sure .
I would say the best thing is to use your experience to save the kite ditching as a last resort .
Yes I was fortunate my kite held . I made the choice to go with it until relaunch or destruction .
JackZ

Occupied Columbia · Since 12 Nov 2011 376 Posts Columbia City Obsessed

dangler · Since 26 Feb 2006 1770 Posts WINDY SPOTS XTreme Poster

so what's up with the kite? I get kinda bored this time of year.

DownStream · Since 18 Apr 2007 381 Posts Obsessed

Pete · Since 29 Oct 2007 836 Posts Opinionated

If your kite is going to get hit by a substantial wave, and you stay connected to it, it's most likely going to rip. If you want your kite to survive, you gotta let it go before the wave hits. Otherwise, exactly what happened to you will happen. The force of the water pulling on the kite, with the drag you create being pulled, will rip out the canopy.

Of course, there are many other factors to consider, but if your sole purpose was to save the kite, then you gotta let it go....

sfbomber · Since 27 Jun 2012 113 Posts Stoked

I think your problem was in the first 4 seconds of the video. Your input told the kite to crash. If you don't want your kite to get eaten in waves, don't crash it. What settings are you using on the RPM? Agree with others that you should unhook when your kite will be hit by a wave. [Unless it is a crowded with beach goers]

Occupied Columbia · Since 12 Nov 2011 376 Posts Columbia City Obsessed

1surfer · Wed Nov 14, 12 6:12 pm **So true.**

kiteboard117 · Since 02 Mar 2005 450 Posts PDX McLovin

Damn man! flagging your kite to safety is definitely your best first option in those kind of situations. It could have been a lot worse if that first wave had washed you over your slack lines, although once they were taught there really wasn't any risk in getting pulled into them.

DownStream · Since 18 Apr 2007 381 Posts Obsessed

had to come back for another look....

thanks for a great post! (and better luck next time ... bummer about the kite, i sunk a much loved 7m one time, r.i.p)

dangler · Since 26 Feb 2006 1770 Posts WINDY SPOTS XTreme Poster

I bet I've fixed worse. but maybe not.

pdxmonkeyboy · Thu Nov 15, 12 5:33 pm **Re: munched kites**

STARBOARD!!!!,,, STARBOARD!!!!!

NCKite_Ryder · Since 16 Mar 2011 38 Posts Nor Cal Coast

boots in the surf... 12m is bad enough in big surf... you're lucky you didn't drown bro!

People are free to rock the gear they want but boots in the surf.... you better be throwing handle passes... and by the way you handled that crash I assume you're not. gnarly.

Occupied Columbia · Since 12 Nov 2011 376 Posts Columbia City Obsessed

I don't see what the big deal is about having Boots in surf? If you haven't tried it... I don't know what to say about that. Riding a surfboard must be amazing because of the 50+ days I've Been on the water this year wearing boots out in that big surf was at the top 10% of the fun factor. That includes losing a kite in the process. I've crashed and relaunched in the surf with boots at other times, this time I couldn't catch wind where it landed I don't think the boots had much to do with it.
As far as a "12m in big surf" goes... you ride the kite for the wind range not the wave size unless thats different on surfboard. No handle passes here, a few unhooked jumps but I'm not going pro.
I used a strapped twin tip in the surf before going to boots, not near as much fun for me in straps. I'm willing to give a surfboard a try, but I can't imagine giving up those twelve+ foot kickers.

broadbandito · Since 26 Apr 2005 342 Posts CSO headwaters WheatHead

I think the comments on boots are just about having your feet free to kick, either to manage kite and lines or, more importantly, to keep your head above water so you can breathe. You may wear flotation or have monster lungs, so it might not matter for you. The resistance to the kite pull will make it more likely for something to break.

I have let my kite go twice in surf. Both times were when I was in a river mouth with the wind blowing the opposite the current, and feeling stuck in a "standing wave" like situation where I couldn't hold my breath long enough to get out of the white water. The downside is the loose kite becomes a potential danger on the beach.

Generally the kite is helpful to get you to shore, so it's best to stay with it.

If you can let go of a board and focus on the kite after dropping it, it seems to me that's the highest priority.

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2088 Posts PNW Bigfoot