Was doing a downwinder today in really epic conditions when a big ass beast of a cumulonimbus came over and started sending down bolts of lightning. I was still a few kilometres from the edge of the storm cell but thought better of it and just walked the rest

just wondered how close people had got and whether anyone has ever been struck while kiting?

Ye man I've been out at rosebud in a lightning storm and every time I jumped I got a small shock just before I landed. Freaked the hell out of me at first but then I did it a few times and it was pretty fun. It wasn't a strong shock just a small zap.

Are you serious ?? Farking mad I reckon!!
Nothing like giving lightening a short cut to ground zero !! Kite in a storm is a very short rush I reckon !!
My 2cw!!

kemp90 said..

Simonreed said...
Ye man I've been out at rosebud in a lightning storm and every time I jumped I got a small shock just before I landed. Freaked the hell out of me at first but then I did it a few times and it was pretty fun. It wasn't a strong shock just a small zap.

Yeh iv had a similar experience, little zaps, freaked me out. Anyone no why?

Reading about how Benjamin franklin "discovered electricity" by flying a kite in a lightning storm (back in the 18th century) it sounds like he was never actually struck by lightning but rather the storm clouds charged his kite, lines, key and Leyden jar capacitor sufficiently for his lines to repel each other and for him to receive a jolt when he touched the metal key attached to his lines. He thereby concluded that electricity must be involved. Anyone who has tried to repeat the experiment and actually had there kite struck has died.

Most lightning strikes are from a negative discharge of electricity from the cloud to the earth so I suspect when you jump in a thunder storm you and your kite are accumulating electrons and when you land and earth yourself this flow of current results in the zaps you are talking about.......... Sounds exciting and the higher and longer you jump for the more charged you'll get

.....not the best idea kiting in a thunderstorm IMO . These little zaps are not the problem.

It is one thing to be out there when it is building up but when the real storm arrives you don't want to be on the water or the beach with your kite attached. Thunderstorms have their own weather patterns which are typically unpredictable, turbulent and intense. You have the likelihood of violent gusts at a time when you don't expect it and /or getting a real lightening strike passing through you. You have no control.

Geeesus! This forum could cause severe injury or death if taken literally.

Do not kite in a storm numb-skulls!

Would you pump up with this coming ?






30 minutes later

Prawnhead said..

cauncy said..
I licked the end of a battery once

just like the old one about a 9v battery and your girlfriends touche! you know its wrong but you are going to stick your tongue on it anyway!

yuck

dude

So many 'storms' lately - on a dw to city in in a sw with some big bolts discharging Hillarys way. System was moving south east . Pulled in and waited for it pass inland! They reckon lightning can strike upto 16km from the edge of cell..

Did a DW yesterday,lightning everywhere,

wind died and had to walk back up the beach ,lightning everywhere,

Had to ride home,pouring rain and lightning everywhere

Glad to get home and have a hot shower

I'm a strong believer that kitesurfing is full of stupid, half retarded and careless people... There are around 50% I believe..

And natural selection dictates that one day you will be rewarded for your efforts and no doubt we will read about and green thumb your misfortunes.

RPM said..
I'm a strong believer that kitesurfing is full of stupid, half retarded and careless people... There are around 50% I believe..

And natural selection dictates that one day you will be rewarded for your efforts and no doubt we will read about and green thumb your misfortunes.

I believe you may be right and windsurfing is full of fully retarded people.