What to do when you get 'clothes lined' by another kite
Ouuuuuuuuch...
So, you're kiting along. Whistling away as you charge along when BAM!!! Right in your peripheral vision you spy a kite. Nose down, bomb diving towards the water like a shot down jet fighter. If you don't do something you're going to... Well you're going to look like this guy. What are your options?
Well... Think quick. Because if you think twice then you're getting cleaned up. Here's some options:
1: Flick your kite up and turn around - Chances are if you've seen their kite they'll be in front of you, and you might have time to turn. At least you'll be going slower if you do hit their kite or lines.
2: Go into a hard downwind carve - crank on your toes and get downwind as fast as you can. The further you go the better the chance is of there being 27m between you and the other ride. If you're less than 27m away, you could get cleaned up.
3: Close your eyes and hope - There's a lot of ocean out there, and you're only small. Maybe the kite will land behind you, or upwind of you. If it was us though, we'd be taking action and moving!
So what if you DO get cleaned up? What's the best thing to do?
You could go into a screaming rage of fury and start swinging. But it's probably not going to help much. Stay calm, and get out of further harms way as quick as you can by clearing yourself of lines, the kite or the other rider. If you need to, get out your hook knife and cut whatever lines you need to get free.
Contrary to popular belief, it may not be the best idea to hit your safety. Two kites on two safety systems tend to have a mind of their own. So assess what's going on first. If all else fails, hit both safetys and swim in!
