For the seconed time in two sessions a tube connecting the leading edge to one of the struts has popped off and my kite has completely deflated except for 3 isolated struts.

First time it happened was at Leighton and I got a heap of help from other kiters, with one resucing my board and another dragging me and my kite in.

Last night it happened when I was at the northern edge of the kiting area at Brighton. As the kite is deflating it gets deformed and is pretty much impossible to control so I just get dragged downwind. This meant I got dragged in the windsurfing area. Believe me, I would rather not have been there, but some of the windsurfers took it as a personal affront and started playing a game of seeing how close and fast they can fly past my head as i was obviously struggling with a dead kite. One particular w@nker did it several times. There were no kiters around to offer any assistance and the windsurfers never looked like they were going to help. Thankfully I'd managed to keep hold of my board and eventually got myself and all gear to shore.

Funnily a mate had the exact same thing happen last night and as he was drifting through the windsurfer section the same d!cks kept runnning between him and his kite probably trying to cut his lines.

What makes windsurfers such an angry bunch?

On a side note, if you have a 2010 Cab Convert, i would highly recommend stripping off the stupid plastic clamps that hold the tubes bettween leading edge and struts, and replace them with zip ties.

dude i totally know what you mean about the unprovoked aggressiveness of some windsurfers, its like they just ride around all day hell angry trying to find somebody to vent at. you probably fell on one of their little "race courses" and they started using you as a check point.

on the note about the convert i find that unsettling, iv been using one as my wave riding kite and have never giving those little clips a thought nor have they given me any bother... might be in cabrihna's whole "intro to kitesurfing" lesson plan that they eventually fail and you are forced to put to use your self rescue skills.

Tell us if the cable ties work :)

Both times it did happen after a kite crash, but not a particularly heavy crash. I probably do overinflate my kite, but still wouldn't expect that to happen.

After the first time, I spoke to Kite Addiction and they said they were sick of those little clamps and now give people zip ties when it happens to them.

I currently have 2 zip ties on my kite now and they work fine. I know the Gaastra kites use zip ties as standard (well that is what one of my mates has anyway).

I'd recommend at least chucking a couple of zip ties in your bag so you can repair you kite and get straight out if it does happen to you.

Baaaaaaaa...