Seriously, kites have gotten so much better. If that same thing happened on a 2004, that dude would be toast.
Gman
Since 11 Feb 2006
4911 Posts
Portland
Unstrapped
Sat Jan 12, 13 11:05 am
That was awful
Don't think that is Sella tho...
Early april kiteboarding on lake superior gone horribly wrong. I pioneered the sport with no lessons or help, and I had some close calls because of it! You live and you learn, but sometimes you die. Thats life, luckily my times not up! _________________ Go Deep!
Windian
Since 28 Apr 2008
901 Posts
Newport, OR
NEWPORT OG
Sat Jan 12, 13 11:40 am
Kites should get the same respect as loaded guns with the safety off. Nice job keeping your cool while dealing with a bad situation gone worse.
Sella
Since 21 Apr 2007
1794 Posts
Doin' The Dalles
FLY'IN HIGH PIE GUY
Sat Jan 12, 13 12:33 pm
Gman wrote:
That was awful
Don't think that is Sella tho...
Yep, very brutal....and not me fortunately. That guy was 20 feet from a very sad story. The value in the video is for beginners to realize your kite won't always depower after you hit your primary release, as this guy did quickly once he saw his kite begin to power up. Shit happens so fast even if you had the wits about you to reach for your secondary leash release.....could you???? I know for sure my wife can't and Windians comparison to treating it like a loaded gun is very accurate.
Every death spiral I've seen dragging people down the Gorge ends because the kite crashed....or brave souls LITERALLY jumped on the kite to kill it. The people with the skills and cajones to do that are maybe a handful so long story short you're riding that shit out no matter how new your kite is because no safety protects you 100% from carelessness.
This is the same accident that happened to a beginner at Secret Spot last year who got busted to pieces so keep your wits when downwind hard objects are nearby because the quick spin of this guys kite early in the video was a telling sign he was rigged wrong but he got emotional, lost focus, and burned one of his 9 lives. But like he said..."you live and learn". Be safe amigos.
bwd
Since 04 Aug 2007
385 Posts
Obsessed
Sat Jan 12, 13 1:31 pm
I've hugged, tackled or kicked down a few ornery kites, as well as been on the bar of that kind of scenario.
Used to ride 5 lines, knowing even in a wrapped, inverted bar situation I could almost always monkey up to the 5th and kill the kite.
Partly true with a 4 line kite too, if trying to fix an inversion,
newbs need to know you can kill power by grabbing the center line as high as possible,
if only to give a few seconds to get out of the CL and/or release the leash.
Too few are comfortable grabbing leaders, center line etc. due to steering wheel mentality about the bar. Lessons etc.
Loaded gun indeed...
Gman
Since 11 Feb 2006
4911 Posts
Portland
Unstrapped
Sat Jan 12, 13 2:37 pm
Not unusual to get the bar and line completely fubared - attempting to sort it out a 100ft upwind of a rock jetty that's better left to the pros...
Aside from the chicken line being wrapped around the bar (good shot of this 00.37) the inside and outside lines also have multiple twists - if it's not too windy or if a buddy Kiter (with some skills) grabs your kite and u are lucky or well practiced u can sort out all kinds of shit in the water - barring oncoming barges, fishing nets, large scale industrial infrastructure, getting your fingers flayed off in the lines, etc.
Also to consider - u can sail with one or two lines wrapped with some control - but be careful if u are of the type that likes to see how far u can push things - at some point u can fly the kite with all kinds of crazy wraps but if u crash and release to the safety, all the twists can keep the kite from flagging out, sending u like this poor guy _________________ Go Deep!
Weaz
Since 23 May 2012
360 Posts
Beaverton
Obsessed
Sat Jan 12, 13 2:50 pm
I've always slid the bar all the way in and out prior to launch especially when relaunching it has saved me quite a few times from exactly this. I was able to grab one of my front lines to fully depower the kite and detangle the bar quickly. Just getting ahold of the split or swivel gives you a lot more time. _________________ Switch Nitro II (8m, 10m, 12m)
2011 Slingshot Key (10m, 13m)
Campbell
Since 07 Sep 2008
409 Posts
Camas, WA
Obsessed
Sat Jan 12, 13 2:59 pm
Interesting thread. What's the best way to practice these so that when they happen in real life, you're able to deal with them without seriously messing yourself up?
Pepi
Since 16 Jun 2006
1831 Posts
Pure Stoke Sports
Shop Owner
Interesting thread. What's the best way to practice these so that when they happen in real life, you're able to deal with them without seriously messing yourself up?
In that specific case (with the rocks directly downwind), and only if you already knew your center line was wrapped, you could either have :
a) pulled the center line down and around the proper side/end of the bar.
or
b) a learning lesson from this would be to pull your leash release and then the chicken loop release to completely detach yourself from the kite.
I've been in a similar situation before, back in the C-kite days and have had to do option (b) due to downwind obstacles. The kite usually survived, as with no weight or tension it only would fly about 30-40 yrds before it slowed down or pasted itself on something. I'd like to think that this is why I am still alive and unbroken from the early stupid scarey days of kiteboarding.
I won't lie, watching this video made me super sick to my stomach, as I've had my fair share of these incidents from back in the day, and I am seriously grateful/lucky that I never hit any rocks.
F'ng hate for this to happen to anyone around here, as the way liability and lawyers go, this could/would get us a shut down at any number of public launches. _________________ Pure Stoke Sports
Hood River, OR
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hood-River-OR/2nd-Wind-Sports/35891485558?ref=mf www.Purestokesports.com
OG
Since 07 Jun 2011
599 Posts
Addicted
Sun Jan 13, 13 9:36 am
[quote="Pepi"]
Campbell wrote:
I won't lie, watching this video made me super sick to my stomach, as I've had my fair share of these incidents from back in the day, and I am seriously grateful/lucky that I never hit any rocks.
Ya man, i had to look away as i saw that big sidewalk with the 90 degree shaped skull crusher curb on it came into rapidly approaching view.
POV cam rocked the tuff test.
Glad this didn't turn into a safety rant and everyone more or less took inventory of their blessings.
melokitegirl
Since 28 Oct 2008
396 Posts
Where the wind blows
Obsessed
Sun Jan 13, 13 1:55 pm
Serious cred for no potty mouth at the time. I would have been howling like a truck driver & screaming like the girly I am. Glad you are Okay... _________________ Be kind to Kooks
pdxmonkeyboy
Since 16 May 2006
6081 Posts
forever labled as the
retired kiter & motorhead Unicorn Master
Mon Jan 14, 13 1:00 pm
WOW. he stopped just in time. Just for future reference, in a fight between human flesh and rip-rap, rip-rap will win. Always.
It seems to me that this could have very easily been voided by just grabbing as high up on the center lines as possible and hauling them in. The kite would then fly on the front lines only without too much force.
Then your free to unwrap them on the appropriate side of the bar like Pepi said.
I think at times like this its important to listen to a few words from the un-official U.S. kiteboarding safety commissioner, Mr. Kevin Kearney.
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Be safe amigos.