That is absolutely horrendous. Condolences to family and friends.

Hey Harry,

Don'be silly man, that doesn't happen to me, that'll always happen to the other guy. I mean seriously, I'd be like, totally devo'd if I lost my second hand $400 board. It's heaps smarter to save a board and chance my life .... right??? I mean, what are the odds???

And like, body dragging upwind is just so hard, I can't seem to get it and so I need my board leash. I promise I'll only use it for when I'm relaunching.

I can't really afford a helmet or impact vest either, but she'll be right eh, I mean I got this far eh???

It's only the surfboard leashes that are dangerous right????

WAKE UP CALL, DUMP THE BOARD LEASHES PEOPLE. Proof that even retractable leashes can be dangerous. If you think you can control every aspect of this sport, your a chump and you'll pay.

Always sorry to hear about another death in kiting, especially one that could have been prevented.

Good winds,

some people will never learn!! getfunky pull your head out of the sand ya fool!!

(other than for use on my lightwind board for 12-15kts only conditions).
go and read the arrticel cos they were the conditions the guy was ment to be out in when he was KILLED by his board leash!

i did write a big very long reply here pointing out the stupidity of what you have just written but i decided to erase it and just leave it at that cos you should never argue with a fool.

board leashes are dangerous!!!! no ifs no butts anyone that uses a board leash is saying that the value of the board is worth more to them than thier life!

why the hell would you still be riding with a leash after 3 seasons! are you that slow to learn to body drag upwind. wake up, there dangerous.

Sorry Funky, but:

- Damo's standing as a kiter, kite instructor, kite shop shop assistant, good bloke (to everyone regardless of standard) is 10 out of 10;
- don't know you personally, so can't comment, but

you are having a public argument on a kiting forum with the wrong bloke.

Maybe kite retailers should stop selling these things?

getfunky said...

Yeh - lazy of me - fair bump, play on...

As i said i have had no serious problems, but now refrain (and do body drag) other than low wind (read - bloody difficult to get upwind or have your board blow down) conditions.

Stupid argument to use a leash in lightwind. To drag upwind in light or strong winds makes no difference. The technice is the same and even more comfortable in lightwind. Even if you have a strong current running upwind it is no problem to drag back to your board because your kite will give you the bit of upwind advantage against the current.

I have never used a leash and have never lost a board even not in strong current situations. But I have had incidents with an uncontrolled looping kite (as a beginner) where I have been very happy not being attached to a leash/board. There is no board worth it to get injured or killed because of a bloody leash.

Cheers

Granini

When I first got interested in kiteboarding I travelled to Cyprus, Egypt, Dominican and the Phillipenes. Eveywhere the intstuctors and the experienced kiters said `Keep away from board leashers`, even in the U.K. and here in Oz. There must be a reason for it. Come guys and dolls, these people know what they are talking about. They`re not saying it just to creat some kid of conspiracy, take their advice, it might save your life, or at least your teeth next time that board whip lashes towards your face.

Kite leashes aside, Do you reckon he might have been alright if he was wearing a PFD approved impact vest? like a wakeboarding vest?

I personally dont wear them apart from winter where any extra neoprene is appreciated, but they are actually manditory in South Australia and I think NSW too.

I think its a $200 fine if you dont wear a lifejacket kitesurfing, even though in most cases it is more dangerous to wear a lifejacket kiting.

Kitehard said...

getfunky said...

OK OK OK!!!

Yes after 3 almost incident free seasons wearing a helmet and vest and being very very wary of my leash's potential to others, I did have a freaky scene in nuking conditions last season. So YEEESSSSS I have ditched it (other than for use on my lightwind board for 12-15kts only conditions).

I still think leashes have their place in learning curves (possibly less so now that kites are easier to handle and have better windranges etc) for newbies if they are made aware of the potential (to themselves and others) and behave/kit out accordingly.

Kites kill and no-one is suggesting packing away all your kites and refraining from use are they?

Now before all and sundry get personal and abusive, it is my 2c and I maintain that if used correctly the real leashes (and never a static leash) are suitable for a short amount of time.

Everyone on the Leash Lynching Posse also seems to have ignored the fact that the biggest factor in this incident was that the unfortunate chap went out when he shouldn't have (as per the conditions that were described by witnesses). Leash or no leash - he shouldn't have been out at all.. any number of possible hazards could have lead to injury or death.

Hey Get Funky,

I'm not going to harp on, but it's disturbing how closely your comments resembled my initial sarcastic reasons people justify their use of leashes.

I also note you said "3 almost incident free years". And still haven't learned eh?

The guy died in 15 odd knots, gusty? Yes, but how many of us would have gone out in 15 knots sideshore? even if it was gusty? I mean what can possibly go wrong???

Your remarks about keeping leashes are read by loads of silent noobies on this forum reading every little bit of info as they start in the sport. Giving someone reasons to use a leash, even lame reasons, is careless and irresponsible. Oops sorry, I am harping on.

Lose the leash ..... permanently!

Good winds,

OK for the less mature folks out there Darren's (and a couple of more even keeled folks) post is an example of how to disagree with someone and discuss the issue without resorting to kicking sand around and taking your bat and ball home..

Now Darren, I think I have made it clear that I have learned to live without the leash, if you read my posts. As far as incidents I have had far, far worse situations (as we all have no doubt) that were in no way related to leashes. A couple of them were definately newbie errors, most were out of the blue things that happen to just about everyone eventually.

The guy died in 15 odd knots, gusty? Yes, but how many of us would have gone out in 15 knots sideshore? even if it was gusty? I mean what can possibly go wrong???

Don't know why you put that in mate.. it's not mine? I certainly don't think that way, and I am very alert in luffy, on/off conditions, not cruising cause the kts aren't cranking.

Darren - as you well know, I always wear a helmet (leash or not) and vest so I don't fall into the cynical category of.. "yeah don't have the money for a helmet/vest (but have a brand new season's kite etc)". All my gear is cheap-ish, mostly 2nd hand but kept in good safe order. Losing a board to me would most likely mean at least half a season sans board BTW. Still the comments about life vs $$$ are worthy and I grant you that.

The FACT is there are lots of happy and (relative to show boaters and other wacko risk takers around) pretty safe kiters out there, who do use leashes, mindful of the hazards, but who will not stick their heads up due to most of the (passionate but a little blinded) flamers who would rather play the man than the ball in these, ahem... 'discussions'.

LETS NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THIS DEATH MAY TEACH US ALL SOMETHING - If you have 5 seasons under your belt and don't wear a helmet, vest or carry a knife - think about it for gawdsakes!!!




Ok a few points about my own history (if you care to read the facts)

1. I only used the leash 50% of the time in my 3rd season and can body drag fine now. I will only be likely to use the leash maybe 3-4 times a season from here.

2. As I said it was lazy of me not to do this earlier and I would recomend that all users ditch it earlier than I did.

3. I don't ride flat water and I like to go a fair way out and at times I still find the leash to be an asset

4. I wear a vest (with easily accessable knife in the front pocket) and helmet and regardless off your views on leashes think you will find me in the very cautious spectrum - especially for an intermediate.

5. In low wind conditions I am always ready to ditch the bar. I have learnt from experiance (there is that word again) not to underestimate low wind and luffy stuff. In low winds (or anything affected by land etc) I would never be out in a pure-side shore due to this. I avoid pure side-shore full stop really, unless I can quickly get out into clear water.

6. I have no interest in flaming back or really banging on about leashes much further as I said I think they have a place - end of story.



Now a few facts about this poor bloke (again if you care to read the facts)

1. Nobody can catorgorically state that the leash was tangled prior to the incident - the bloke got dragged for a very long way, so the leash may have been a secondary incident after he was already a goner. Were you there? - no - then close ya pie holes. If the bloke had been strangled by the leash and witnessed your comments would be water tight. He probably was more likely to have been knocked out intitially and a goner from there.

2. If the bloke had worn a knife he (again speculation) may have had a chance. Weirdly enough, no-one seems arced up about that lack of safety - curious? Either way having a small chance is better than none.

3. Same goes for a helmet. Helmets are not cool, neither are vests.. do I give a flying one about my image, not at all. Hence the fact that i way up my own choices and am not afraid to offer a contrary opinion.

4. The kite being used in the wrong conditions is what killed this chap, try not to lose sight of that fact as your eyeballs cloud over with blood rushing to them. Actually I am disapointed that few comments at all (even from respected instructors) have focused on this instead of leashes or myself. Again this is curious.. I would have thought (forgetting leashes entirely for a moment) that there was a lot to learn in many regards from this incident.



Just to re-iterate if you have bothered to read and digest this epic before re-loading the flammo 3000..


LETS NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THIS DEATH MAY TEACH US ALL SOMETHING - If you have 5 seasons under your belt and don't wear a helmet, vest or carry a knife - think about it for gawdsakes!!!

Sigh...

I don't agree mate. Noobs are the majority - not only - people who use leashes.

I did (repeatedly) say ditch it earlier rather than later (as I mistakenly did).
Shall I lie prone on the freeway to further prove my erroneous ways? Don't know how many times I can repeat an admitance of mistake mate...

If leashes are the only thing that can be focused on here, then perhaps direct your energies away from this post (and me ta) and lobby your local AKSA body or kitestore to have them removed from sale?

Wouldn't that achieve your aims?



We could go on until the cows turn to dust OR we could start to discuss how we ALL push the envelope in various ways and should not be complacent in doing a self-evaluation regularly.

Truly I think show-pony behaviour is at least as dangerous, but the hero factor seems acceptable in this sport and here to stay... Discuss?

Helmets to be mandatory? Discuss...

Show ponies to be biatch-slapped and made to wear a pink tutu in public? Discuss...

Daggy vest/helmet wearers such as my funky self to be worshipped (at last) and elevated to public office? Myeh...maybe not..

Fair call darren.

I still don't think I was being reckless and certainly didn't say "Stuff everyone else do what you want to Noobs!" Most likely after reading this they will be assuming they will get pack bashed for showing up at the beach with one anyway!

I balanced my views with self criticism and warning about their use.

I just get sick of one-way traffic on such issues and am not afraid to lose popluarity contests for free speach.

Until it is banned it is my right as you say. Reals are in no way as dangerous as the set-ups you learned on (I assume bungy surf leashes?). They are not fool proof or without hazards and I would NEVER suggest that. None of our kiting gear is.

No-one has had the balls to admit the leash was in no way confirmed as the cause of this tragedy, or to really cover the lack of helmet/vest/knife situation either. That is disapointing really. Especially for noobs as you say that may read this.

Anyway I have raised another thread in an attempt to get some positive discussion on other gear/hazards in the sport and how to move forward.

Ta for being level headed enough to discuss Darren.


Once again, my condolensces to the poor guy's fam and friends and I hope we can all be just that little bit safer all round after something like this..