Hi all. I'm new to surf kiting, but am experienced at other traction kite sports. Will I need a leash for my board once I start using it? I've noticed that some of the kiters on my local bay loose their boards and they get caught in the tidal currents. This causes them some trouble trying to spot the board and retrieve it. If I do need a leash, what length should I get, 6,7,8, or 9 feet? Thanks.

Get a Reel Leash.

They are retractable 10 ft long.

NEVER use a regular surfboard leash !

Dont do the leash thing....repeat....DONT

i used a reel leash and got knocked out, still got the scar on my forehead. A helmet wouldn't have made any difference where i got hit......so be really careful if you do end up getting one. Don't even think of using a surfboard leash unless your super hardcore and was going to jump off a cliff afterwards anyway.

when you've practiced body dragging back to your board, it doesn't take long at all to get to it. sometimes the body drag gives you a bit of time to recover after a killer smash as well.

Another tip: put your name and number on your board. I think just about everyone has a lost board story to tell. I lost mine about 50 metres off the beach after the wind dropped off, kite fell in the water then wind turned offshore and by the time I'd sorted the kite out board had disappeared. Lucky for me a bloke picked it up while 4WD'ing about 80k's up the coast (Moore River) and gave me a ring to come pick it up. A bottle of bourbon as a token of gratitude and everyone was happy.

Definitely give the leash a miss regardless of the risk of getting separated from your board. I bought my first kite from a guy who got his leg sliced open by board while wearing a 2 metre surfboard style leash. Ouch!!

Welcome bigboard.

What a surprize, someone posts for some info and what happens, everyone else uses it as a comic relief.

I also wondered at first about leashes, why does everyone insist on retreiving their board by body dragging. Well I understand now and would strongly suggets as everyone did to me, learn to body drag before venturing to water out of your depth. But saying that if you have big tides and other conditions that make losing your board highly likely, then get a reel leash and helmet or a go joe as stated.

Here's a thread I started a few months ago
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=27582&SearchTerms=go,joe

GL

its not about sledging, its about common sense. Do you walk around with a loaded gun, weyhey!, in your pocket and hope the safety works?

chances are one day it won't and "snap" there goes your spine or "oh bugger where did my achilles tendon go?"

You will need to learn how to body drag anyway so whats the hurry? too many newbies heading out underprepared and in the wrong conditions.

rant over.

not hooked into the harness?????

LEASH = CRACKED SKULL Ive seen it soo many times. Not that long ago a guy we were out with got 10 stiches. Just learn to body drag upwind its way easy.

If you got a "bigboard" it will be easier to find!!!haha sorry

But in all seriousness, go the go jo or similar to start and definitely put your name, address and phone number on the boardwould also pay to write reward if found. Coughing up a bottle or carton is better than $500-$1000 for replacement board

do wat i do and alot of my mates including spacemonkey.

Get a nice bait casting fishing reel with an adjustable brake on it. and mount it to the side of your harness with a wichard quick release shackle (incase of an emergency).

I prefer to use Spectra line. My reel is able to hold 100 yards of 20lb monofilament line. 20lb spectra has a diameter similar to that of 8lb monofilament, so that same reel will be able to hold more than twice the amount of line of the same strength rating. So i use a 20lb Spectra line and get over 200yards of line which i have found is more then adequate for kite surfing applications.

When riding along i set the brake tension up so no line feeds out. Sometimes if u crash some line will get out, all you need to do is wind a bit in. So the tension is perfectly set at the minimum tension needed.

When you crash the board will get taken away and the reel will spin out, as much as it wants. No chance of the board sling shotting at you!!!!!

Now here comes the ingenious part. To get your board back you just start winding it in with the reel! This is where a nice gear ratioed reel comes in handy to make it easier to do. I prefers at least 10:1 but my buddy Spacemonkey goes with a 6:1 (He is very strong) .

Sometimes your board can end up 50m away, but its no trouble just winding it in and i find it is quite a good workout for my arm muscles. You might get a little tired if your board ends up a fair distance away, so its a good idea to bring some refreshment with you incase you get thirsty from all that reeling, definitely a cammel back is advised or atleast a couple box juices or a Gatorade velcroed to your arm, my friend Spacemonkey enjoys a chocolate milk when he is out.

I was in a situation where my friend lost his board downwind of me in an offshore breeze, it was not windy enough to ride my board upwind if i had gotten out to it. So I quickly attached the real leash to a pole pm the beach, rode downwind to the board, go it, then started winding myself in with the reel. I have no doubt the board would it have been lost if it wasn't for my trusty bait casting fishing reel. THANKS FISHING REEL!!!


I believe all kiters should ride with a fishing reel because they are invaluable in an emergency. You would be stupid not to have one. I am writing to aksa asking that riders must wear a fishing reel if they are to become aksa members.

Buy a 4kg bucket of protein powder, your guns will thnk you for it. Then you can get mega buff and be extreme at the same time.

Ok I will let you in on a secret, I have been experimenting with my new board made out of stainless steel. I went to the wreckers and scavanged a cheap old car battery 10$ max. I then attached some wires around a metal rod and attached them to the battery, hey presto electro magnet. I also made a switch in the wires so i could turn my electromagnet on and off. Ok I put this in a shopping bag and did it up real tight to make sure no water got in. I put some glad wrap around the pole and some alliminum foil around the very end.

Ok so now I been tieing this to my back with octopus straps so now when I fall off my board I just flick the switch and like magic the board is retrieved. I been working on some board off tricks with this device but so far havent got the coordintion right.

Off the record that is, keep it down low.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Blaster

If you got a "bigboard" it will be easier to find!!!haha sorry

But in all seriousness, go the go jo or similar to start and definitely put your name, address and phone number on the boardwould also pay to write reward if found. Coughing up a bottle or carton is better than $500-$1000 for replacement board

---

Thanks all, I appreciate the answers here, but wonder do boards really cost that much? If so, now I know why a guy and his son who frequent the bay (pictured in my avatar) have been making their own. Whatever, I'm still all wrapped up with windsurfing there. Some day I'll pick up a big LEI Bow to start the body dragging.