The last two session I have been getting
electric shocks when I land a jump and the
Higher I go the bigger the shock when
I land .
I kite with a mate all the time and the
Last two session he has had one shock
Were I'm getting quite a few .
The conditions have been 25 to 30 knots south cloudy low dark
Cloud and fronts with some rain and no lighting around at all. I have noticed
It happens when the fronts get closer to
Were we kite .
Just don't under stand why I would be getting
More shocks than my mate when were kiting at
The same place and time . I do have plates and screws in my foot not sure if that has anything to do with it .
Can anyone explain ???

Static electricity builds up thru your lines when you jump.you get charged up and when you land you earth out thru the water which is at the same potential as ground, same as when you drag you feet on the carpet then zap someone else when you touch them .

stuntnaz said...
The last two session I have been getting
electric shocks when I land a jump and the
Higher I go the bigger the shock when
I land .
I kite with a mate all the time and the
Last two session he has had one shock
Were I'm getting quite a few .
The conditions have been 25 to 30 knots south cloudy low dark
Cloud and fronts with some rain and no lighting around at all. I have noticed
It happens when the fronts get closer to
Were we kite .
Just don't under stand why I would be getting
More shocks than my mate when were kiting at
The same place and time . I do have plates and screws in my foot not sure if that has anything to do with it .
Can anyone explain ???

Sounds like your more positive about life where your mates more negative and down to earth

Sounds like you jump higher than your m8, simples, just jump lower than he does.

Well, as far as i can remember static electricity, it generates on the surface of any object (only surface). It gets "generated" by friction (doesn't matter what's the connection of friction, solid on solid, gas on solid, gas on liquid...). Effect is greater the more surface u have + depending on material characteristic.

How to fix it?

Ground objects have a conductor or semi conductor connected to the ground so any concentrated static is instantly "flushed" to the ground (or anything that is capable of conducting) by more conductive connection than your body.

My only guess is to tie a long polyester line from your bar, it should be long enough to always touch the water so charge "empties" itself true that line, not your body.

Since that is not an option, next thing is to isolate yourself by never touching the ground/water. Since that is even less possible, there is no solution.

Also, humidity actually "cuts off" the number of charged particles, effect is greater in dry environments. (u get shocked more easily on the water but smaller number of particles charge up). Factor is body friction too and body chemistry. Depends from person to person.

Your suit is probably polyester and this will sound silly, but 100% cotton wear wouldn't get any of the charge :D

So, i would really be interested in solution too :D Can't seem to find any solution at the moment other than insulating yourself with some kind of special bodysuit to prevent discharge going true you.

Different kite materials get different "holding charge" characteristics too.

stuntnaz said...
Interesting ! I feel most of the shock in my
Right foot were I have six screws and a plate.
I wonder if a small static line off the board would help , like 100mm or 200mm off one of
The Fin screws would work , the line would hit the water just before the board .

Strange as you'd of thought the bone would of "fused"

Titanium is maybe not so good as cooper, but is far more better than any other "non-metal". Try to wear cotton cloth around that foot, and cover it with regular "surf sock" or whatever u use in that situation.

Static has almost nothing to do with conductivity, doesn't matter, titanium, aluminum, cooper, sand, bird, tree.... Remember as a kid u got air balloon rubbing on your hair and it caused static charge? Well, that rubber is 100000 less conductive than titanium and has tone of static. It gathers on the surface, doesn't go true material. Also that big old fat catod tv-s, when u clean that small layer of dust charged with static, it is layered over glass (screen) and glass is terrible conductor.

It is possible that more charge is layered around part of the leg u got metal inside, so whole charge gets flushed in that area because most of the charge is collecting there on the surface of that "critical" area. Metals attract more static than other materials (very good charge holders).

(u have to discharge it before it comes to your leg if that is the main problem, if u get leg insulated, charge will have to go other way, if no other way, it will discharge sooner or stay away from insulated part and will "wait" till it gets connection somewhere else.)

Try to insulate that part of leg with some static resisting cloth/fabric/tape. Might be a solution.

Static gets discharged on places where is bigger concentration of charged particles, not at the point where friction is lowest (highest conductivity). Don't confuse it with electric current. 2 different things.

Plummet said...
Stop wearing ya missis lacy undies under ya wettie.

Must be the kiwi in me lol !!

There was a tiny bit of thunder and lightning in botany bay on Friday, and a guy on the beach got a shock when doing a small beach jump.

It was funny watching all us kiters book it back into shore when we heard the thunder!

i was practicing grab rail airs and my free arm was the firsts bit to touch the water… was much worse

fingerbone said..
Jump higher...you may go back to the future....

That's if he came from the "future". If so, then why come into our time line unless kites in the future become so stupid and a pain to repair/maintain/use that everyone reminisces the "good ol days" of kiting?

It means there is a potential for lightning. I've seen kiters in Spain getting shocks while the lightning was a few miles away.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2381677/How-know-youre-struck-lightning-Picture-brothers-hair-end-minutes-before.html

Puetz said...
... www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-02/man-survives-lightning-strike-on-darwin-beach/6366796

a few days ago and right where we kite too!

Glad everyone is ok , hope the man recovers well . The lighting must travel through the ground a fare way , reminds me of that soccer game years ago when lighting struck the field and dropped all the players at the same time .
From now on if I get a shock while I'm kiting
I'm just going to get off the water and kite another day !!!

This goes way back to when Kite surfing started.

As a topic that is.

Ahead of a storm that maybe already or is building to an electrical type, the air is being Ionised.
when you travel through the air, detached from the grounding water, you get ionised as well.
the shock is the charge releasing to the surface.

usually the wind ahead of these fronts(storms) is sweet as, so HTFU and enjoy the fun.