NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE KITING

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General Gear Reviews Newbies The Hookup Foiling Lost & Found WA NSW QLD SA VIC TAS

puppetonastring

3619 posts

puppetonastring

WA, 3619 posts

12 Jun 2007 1:23am

quote:
Originally posted by havox

hey nick thanks for the advice ... that makes sense i will try that next time...

Try making that "I'll try that EVERY time"

quote:
Originally posted by havox
im glad im not dead

Im glad ur not too. Lets try and keep it that way hey !
A bit less hectic, a bit more thoughtful and a lot more respect for what you are doing.
A short life but a good one is crap - longevity gives you more time on water.

mrbonk

NSW

483 posts

mrbonk

NSW, 483 posts

12 Jun 2007 7:47am

The 'being dragged underwater' thing sucks. I had a gear failure on my 2003 Slingshot Fuel where the leader for the front lines broke, just as I landed a jump. I got hauled over the front of the board and went in head-first.

After a few seconds of plowing along under water, I realised I wasn't slowing down, so I pulled the safety. It didn't release cleanly, so was jammed and still attached to me.

So there I was, under water, almost out of breath and with no idea of what had gone wrong with my gear at that point. I tried in vain to manually remove the CL from the harness, but there was just too much pressure on it. My lungs were burning and I do remember thinking "Fkng great.....I'm going to drown

".

As luck would have it, the kite crashed and I popped up just in time to take a breath. It took off again almost immediately and I realised then that the front lines weren't attached anymore. It was flying just above the surface of the water, so was pulling me along with a wall of water flowing over my head again.

I tried to steer it down onto the water again, but it wasn't working and I was running out of breath again. The kite crashed on its own again, so I got another breath but didn't have time to get the CL out of the harness before it took off again. This process repeated itself several times until I finally managed to get it to crash properly and stay down long enough to get out of the CL.

Some people watching from a house across the road realised I was in trouble and had already come down to the beach to see if they could help. By the time I managed to drag myself in to the beach, I was so fkd I could barely stand up. The people from across the road had caught my kite *and* their son was swimming out to salvage my board for me! They reckon I covered around 400m from when I crashed to when I finally managed to let the kite go. I reckon most of that was under water

BoDiddly

VIC

622 posts

BoDiddly

VIC, 622 posts

12 Jun 2007 3:16pm

Hell! Some pretty full on stories here, definately a good wake-up, time for a new knife I think, happy I just bought a new squid lid and will do a check of my lines, bar, QR and all that before I go out, should be second nature to check this stuff, but hey, when you wanna get out as fast as you can nothing seems to stop you eh.

meerkat

644 posts

meerkat

WA, 644 posts

12 Jun 2007 4:15pm

hairest moments are without a doubt the first session after a winter break or long stretch of no wind.

ALways in a rush to get in the water and do stupid things when setting the kite up.

Should really do a regular equipment check. My worst experience is suprise surprise very similar. Non-working safety on the chicken loop, kite in the waves and getting dragged under water.

gruezi

3464 posts

gruezi

WA, 3464 posts

12 Jun 2007 7:43pm

Hey Eco, found the perfect hook knife at SOS Fremantle....it is made by Dakine. Kife is in little pouch that you can put on your harness belt right next to where it attaches to the bar. Beats getting out the sewing machine. Hopefully this knife will not fall out as it has velcro to hold the kinf in the pouch...best I've ever seen. At $10 I am buying some for presents.

I Googled it and could not find it on the net.

waveslave

4263 posts

waveslave

WA, 4263 posts

12 Jun 2007 8:40pm

quote:
Originally posted by gruezi
At $10 I am buying some for presents.

Hi gruezi,

What's the little knife for again ?
Is it to sever the kite-leash ?
Is it to cut the umbilical cord that connects you to the mother of all kite-looping frenzies ?

I've witnessed these psycho body-drags.
A freaked-out foetus in a wetsuit getting dragged by the guts along the rough shoreline,
tied to a stupid rope that's attached to a crazyly, powered-up, placenta of a kite.
lol.
Not a pretty picture, is it ?

But can you perform the surgery, the quick snip, snip....abort,,,abort.

havox

148 posts

havox

WA, 148 posts

12 Jun 2007 10:25pm

quote:
Originally posted by hi fliya

photos of the hot italian exchange students please!!

here u go ... damn the are hot

havox

148 posts

havox

WA, 148 posts

12 Jun 2007 10:30pm

im suprised to see so many people have had similar experiences to me. It so makes me shudder to read them and remember the burning lungs freaking out because i cant get any air in feeling... so i think i will also take up a much less dangerous sport ... like hanggliding. im sure i can do that safetly ... right?

Mr float

NSW

3452 posts

Mr float

NSW, 3452 posts

13 Jun 2007 12:40am

quote:
Originally posted by waveslave

quote:
Originally posted by gruezi
At $10 I am buying some for presents.

Hi gruezi,

What's the little knife for again ?
Is it to sever the kite-leash ?
Is it to cut the umbilical cord that connects you to the mother of all kite-looping frenzies ?

I've witnessed these psycho body-drags.
A freaked-out foetus in a wetsuit getting dragged by the guts along the rough shoreline,
tied to a stupid rope that's attached to a crazyly, powered-up, placenta of a kite.
lol.
Not a pretty picture, is it ?

But can you perform the surgery, the quick snip, snip....abort,,,abort.

What? on what ?Surely not on your beloved infallible blow ups???

Of course,,,,now I get it ,,,, this is the relaunch problem you were talking about in another thread .they just keep on realunching and relaunching as you are heading towards certain doom .Now I understand .Silly me

justin_hannan

QLD

142 posts

justin_hannan

QLD, 142 posts

13 Jun 2007 1:21pm

Sounds like something that would happen to me. I have the worst luck I sware. And I do heaps of stupid ****

The Yeti

18 posts

The Yeti

WA, 18 posts

13 Jun 2007 12:06pm

No problems..got the kite back on it's way to Melville. I drove one kilometer downwind and swam towards it. Interesting swim anyway. It wasn't your fault at all. I started kiting this summer and didn't realize that winds can switch so rapidly. Good lesson for me too. Cheers

---------------
...and the guy who came out to help me because the wind switched from NE to NW had his kite on the beach and by the time we got back was rolling through the water towards melville. I am so sorry mate that my bad day rubbed off on you and if you read this can u let me know if you got your kite back?

havox

148 posts

havox

WA, 148 posts

13 Jun 2007 3:23pm

mate im glad to hear you got it back. thanks again for your help. see you out there again.

silviu

VIC

663 posts

silviu

VIC, 663 posts

14 Jun 2007 3:08pm

After all, ther is one rule: the kite inverted, cannot relaunch, roll the lines on the bar, get the air out of the kite, fold the kite put it on top of thr board and swim back.
there is no other way! Or else....

Saffer

VIC

4501 posts

Saffer

VIC, 4501 posts

14 Jun 2007 3:23pm

quote:
Originally posted by havox

quote:
Originally posted by hi fliya

photos of the hot italian exchange students please!!

here u go ... damn the are hot

Argh, I'd rather take my chances with a deathlooping kite, no helmet, 12x400lb lines and no line cutter

havox

148 posts

havox

WA, 148 posts

14 Jun 2007 4:03pm

quote:
Originally posted by Saffer

quote:
Originally posted by havox

quote:
Originally posted by hi fliya

photos of the hot italian exchange students please!!

here u go ... damn the are hot

cmon man ... they hot!! pee on you to find the hole :)

Argh, I'd rather take my chances with a deathlooping kite, no helmet, 12x400lb lines and no line cutter

Sped

8 posts

Sped

WA, 8 posts

14 Jun 2007 5:38pm

This forum must be an excellent motivator for people thinking to start kiting! But necessary nonetheless

quote:
Originally posted by gruezi

Hey Eco, found the perfect hook knife at SOS Fremantle....it is made by Dakine. Kife is in little pouch that you can put on your harness belt right next to where it attaches to the bar. Beats getting out the sewing machine. Hopefully this knife will not fall out as it has velcro to hold the kinf in the pouch...best I've ever seen. At $10 I am buying some for presents.

I Googled it and could not find it on the net.

Yeah i got one of those hook knives when i started, have the webbing on my harness looped through the belt tab on the back, never had to use it yet, but its right next to my spreader bar if i ever need to, at $10 its good insurance.

sock

92 posts

sock

92 posts

14 Jun 2007 6:36pm

quote:
Originally posted by silviu

After all, ther is one rule: the kite inverted, cannot relaunch, roll the lines on the bar, get the air out of the kite, fold the kite put it on top of thr board and swim back.
there is no other way! Or else....

swim realy fast towards it

nuker

QLD

48 posts

nuker

QLD, 48 posts

14 Jun 2007 10:04pm

I would underline silviu's comment about "roll the lines on the bar.." In a far less dramatic downing of my kite in light winds, I swam in once I got to the kite without winding the lines in. STUPID. By the time I realised the tangle was occuring around my ankles there was such a tangle it couldn't be fixed while in the water. Luckily I did get to shallow enough water to hobble ashore and then spend 15 mins getting the lines off my ankles. Never again.

silviu

VIC

663 posts

silviu

VIC, 663 posts

14 Jun 2007 11:12pm

quote:
Originally posted by waveslave

quote:
Originally posted by gruezi
At $10 I am buying some for presents.

Hi gruezi,

What's the little knife for again ?
Is it to sever the kite-leash ?
Is it to cut the umbilical cord that connects you to the mother of all kite-looping frenzies ?

I've witnessed these psycho body-drags.
A freaked-out foetus in a wetsuit getting dragged by the guts along the rough shoreline,
tied to a stupid rope that's attached to a crazyly, powered-up, placenta of a kite.
lol.
Not a pretty picture, is it ?

But can you perform the surgery, the quick snip, snip....abort,,,abort.

Slave,

I am wondering: is it anything good enough for you? Is there anything positive in your thinking?
Aren't you tired and sick of being the "negative side" in everything is discussed here in the forum?
Don't you realise that most of the people don't even bother to reply your sracstic, full of venom comments?
I really feel sory for you. And you know why? Becouse you cannot be happy, you cannot feel the joy of life with your negative attitude. You should be a very angry man

waveslave

4263 posts

waveslave

WA, 4263 posts

15 Jun 2007 10:36am

quote:
Originally posted by silviu

After all, ther is one rule: the kite inverted, cannot relaunch, roll the lines on the bar, get the air out of the kite, fold the kite put it on top of thr board and swim back.
there is no other way! Or else....

lol.
The Silviu self-rescue method....
Fully deflate the kite and pile the whole, soggy, waterlogged mess onto the twinny...
and start swimming.
Have you ever tried it ?
It's a bit like pissing into the wind.

When you were 6kms offshore Silviu and stuck in the water,
I'm glad you were rescued by the Clubbies in their boat.
I'm glad you didn't have to resort to the Silviu method....
because those inflated bladders on your kite might have been the difference between life and death.
Living and dying.
Floating and sinking.
Inflato-ing and doona-ing.
lol.

silviu

VIC

663 posts

silviu

VIC, 663 posts

15 Jun 2007 1:12pm

quote:
Originally posted by waveslave

quote:
Originally posted by silviu

After all, ther is one rule: the kite inverted, cannot relaunch, roll the lines on the bar, get the air out of the kite, fold the kite put it on top of thr board and swim back.
there is no other way! Or else....

lol.
The Silviu self-rescue method....
Fully deflate the kite and pile the whole, soggy, waterlogged mess onto the twinny...
and start swimming.
Have you ever tried it ?
It's a bit like pissing into the wind.

When you were 6kms offshore Silviu and stuck in the water,
I'm glad you were rescued by the Clubbies in their boat.
I'm glad you didn't have to resort to the Silviu method....
because those inflated bladders on your kite might have been the difference between life and death.
Living and dying.
Floating and sinking.
Inflato-ing and doona-ing.
lol.

Just to your knowledge Slave:
I've donne it in sevelral occasions, when the wind dropped and I had to swimm 2 - 3 km back to shore.
If you don't know to swimm, do not try it.
I am talking from my own experience, not someone elses stories!
And yes, this is self rescue techniques, if you like it or not.
You have to be preparred for everithing or else...
And by the way, I alwys have my PFD and mobile phone with me

Slave, I have one more question to you, even though you are not answering the real questions:
Do you kitesurf, no joking, are you a kitesurfer?

echostorm

QLD

1245 posts

echostorm

QLD, 1245 posts

15 Jun 2007 1:30pm

hush now kiddies... shhh quiet, this song is for everybody with hemorrhoids this evening.

havox

148 posts

havox

WA, 148 posts

15 Jun 2007 1:06pm

i have to admit... as much as it sucks swimming a couple of km with a deflated kite and it might take a couple of hours ... sometimes there is no alternative is there? in hindsight its proberly what i should have done that day

waveslave

4263 posts

waveslave

WA, 4263 posts

15 Jun 2007 7:58pm

quote:
Originally posted by silviu
And by the way, I alwys have my PFD and mobile phone with me
Slave, I have one more question to you, even though you are not answering the real questions:
Do you kitesurf, no joking, are you a kitesurfer?

Well,
I don't kite with cellphone, man.
lol.
Or a PFD, whatever that fkn is ?
We aren't on the same page, dude.
This crazy kiting-gig is a mishmash of about 3 different kite-scenes.
I'm just a ****-for-brains wavekiter.
I know nothing about kite-cruisen.

havox

148 posts

havox

WA, 148 posts

16 Jun 2007 1:41pm

dude how the smeg do u take a phone and what is a pdf??

silviu

VIC

663 posts

silviu

VIC, 663 posts

16 Jun 2007 6:51pm

quote:
Originally posted by havox

dude how the smeg do u take a phone and what is a pdf??

1. To take the mobile with you you can buy from the yacht shop a dedicated water-proof pack (about 30 - 60 bucks depending om brand abd shop!!), or you can get from Safeway/Woolworths, freezer bags with "zip" (use two of those, one within each other for safety). The sound is a bit "muffled" but still allows you to communicate.
2. PFD - Personal Floating Device, or in simple words: life jacket, compulsory in Victoria if you go out more than 200 m (I think)from the shore line. Within 200 m, it is considered that the wetsuit and the harness provide enough buoiancy.
There are some extra benefits: mine is a slim line, Mumba type III and provides impact protection, whilst in winter, it is an extra layer to keep the upper body warm.

It is a personal choice, like the helmet.

poor relative

9106 posts

poor relative

WA, 9106 posts

16 Jun 2007 4:56pm

quote:
To take the mobile with you you can buy from the yacht shop a dedicated water-proof pack

Why would you take a mobile kiting?
I find that disturbing

joespencer

QLD

167 posts

joespencer

QLD, 167 posts

16 Jun 2007 7:14pm

What happens if someone calls you?

Do you stop and answer the phone or just keep going...?

I like using the integrated harness impact protector for the same reasons you use the pfd- keeps you warm in chilly old Qld, and the floatation makes fckups a little easier to manage.

i think it is a good idea to have a mobile on you for the distances offshore you are going- better to have one and not need it, than need it and not have it.

I think those little yacht-ie phone bags even have warranty against mobile phone damage from water.

gruezi

3464 posts

gruezi

WA, 3464 posts

16 Jun 2007 6:55pm

Imagine phoning someone inside a great white....or anyother beast for that matter.

Silviu where are you?

cwamit

1194 posts

cwamit

WA, 1194 posts

16 Jun 2007 8:29pm

quote:
Originally posted by gruezi

Imagine phoning someone inside a great white....or anyother beast for that matter.

Silviu where are you?

as much as i tried to imagine it... i just couldnt get the visual.

good to hear it all ended ok for you havox - but if we ever kite on the same beach do us a fav and kite 100 meters downwind of me. cheers

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