Very interesting topic, I'll state right up front I'm a windsurfer and very wary of stray kites, I'm more interested in my own safety than the expense of a lost kite.
But I'd have a go at towing you out to the kite if it looked possible, in light winds, that would be tricky.
So if you were on a sailboard, what's the best way to rescue a kite, ride the board on top of it from the side??? I wouldn't feel comfortable downwind of it, or upwind where those thin lines are.
deflate it??? and tie up??
There's been a few kites blown out to sea here, even when the wind is side-side-on, the kites go out to sea!!! (going price is $100 to get somebody's boat) and as far as I know they didn't have any damage. Is it possible that the realease cord sets up a bias, dragging more on one side than the other???? If so is it possible to mount it on the other side????


decrepit

There is a very interesting article in Kiteboarder Magazine Volume 5 Issue 2 on page 68 about that sort of thing....(it wouldn't suprise me if the guy that didn't help you fitted that stereo type)

Its just bs that that guy didn't try and help.....like wtf?
I dont know the location or the full story but even if he dragged you half way, at least thats something......That would have been a lot less that 400 meters if he had of helped you right away (That would take like 10 minutes of his time if that?) From there you could have swam and self rescued no problems, especially with the wind blowing diagonally onshore.

There is always more than one way to skin a cat.....
& definately more than one way to rescue a kite.

I don't think you would really care that much if a rescuer damaged my kite trying to get it back to me. After all the kite would have been lost without their help. But Elmo's way is probably the easiest for a windsurfer.

Hey Hurrah,I've been rescued as well when my cl broke about 300m offshore(cheers Shan).I've also towed people to shore,retrieved boards etc. no different to most.If this guy could jump,then he could of rescued you or at least given a tow.I reckon what comes around goes around,this guy will probably need help some time or another & hopefully will get a change of attitude when he he's on the flipside.If I see some one in trouble I'll try & help like heaps of crew have done 4 me,does'nt take that long & actually feels good to be able to help.
cheers Andrew

I think the guy made the right choice by not helping to get your kite back? Did you specifically ask him to drag you out?? or was that just an after thought when you were thinking what a dick he was?
Trying to secure and bring in another kite is very hard and dangerous with a small kite in good winds, let alone big kites in marginal winds.
Kiters should look out for other kiters and help out when human life is in danger but for a crappy kite floating off nobody should think ( or be pressured into thinking) that they must put themselves at risk to retreive somebody elses property, especially when you made a judgement error by swimming in 50m without.

Ben.

ps. Were you thinking about sharkies?? Be honest.

guys,

No Ben wasn't the kind gentleman

I asked for help but wasn't specific about dragging.
Maybe I should be more specific.

Better to be a hero than a zero.

Unless I knew the guy who lost the kite, I wouldnt try to rescue it, look after the kiter,but its his resposebillity to look after the kite.
You can get into a real mess trying drag a kite into shore, its not worth the risk. tough bicys mate, this has nothing to do with beeing un Australian, save it on shore or from a boat, which can be hard enough but stay away from a drifting kite.

Ray

Ok well if your hooked in you only need one hand on the bar to control your kite to be able get up on your board, it is not hard to fly with one hand it just takes a little technique.

But why do it the hard way?

You can lay down on your board like your body dragging just lean on the edge of the board. So if your going with your left hand in front you would steer the kite with your left hand while laying on the board & leaning to give it a bit of an edge (using your left elbow) & just take it slow, you be surprised how much speed you can get. This leaves your right hand free to hold onto either the LE of the stray kite or one of the stray kites lines. Why make it hard on yourself trying to hold onto a stray kite & stand up on your board at the same time, unless you know you can do it.

As an example I would approach the stray kite bar from upwind on an angle. If its a Slingshot you would grab the OH **** handle at the bar and only hold onto this. (So your only holding onto one line from the stray kite) the kite lines go uneven and the power is taken out of the stray kite and you can start to drag it. With that one line in your right hand you can hook it over your right shoulder and hold the line under you right hand which can now be placed on the bar. So your laying on your board using your left elbow & weight to lean & give an edge & now you've got 2 hands on the bar to steer your own kite. There is no chance of the stray kite taking off as the lines are all uneven and if anything does go wrong at this stage the single line is on the downwind side of your body and you can just let it go and start again. As i said just take it slow so there isn't much pressure from dragging the stray kite through the water & you eventually get to shore.

Laying on your board is a great deal easier than trying to stand up & get planning especially with another kite & lines dragging in the water behind you.

Other option is for two people on one kite to drag out to the stray kite and one of those people perform a self rescue while the other stays nearby with his kite for safety. Or one guy could pack up the stray kite completely & then you both body drag off one kite back to shore.

I hope i explained that right & it makes sense this time

Thanks all for your comments.

RayQ,
The unAustralian part is the not helping part.(Dragging me out!)
Rescuing the kite by himself would be difficult at best as Psylor mentioned.

All I ask is help to get me there Period.
I myself could not recuse the kite by myself but I would drag the second person out with me and stay to keep him company as well as for his/her safety.

Lets leave this issue behind us and wish for good winds for all.

I was lucky enough to have my kite rescued yesterday at Mullaloo (see other post).
The kite carried downwind about 200m very quickly and into another take-off zone. The kite was holding shape and lifting off the water now and then. I may be a newbie but to me this looked a pretty dodgy prospect. To be honest I wouldn't have blamed anyone for not trying to help and would have been disapointed (not to mention broke) but not angry.
I was just lucky the bloke who helped new what he was doing (approaching my kite several times from upwind for a start) and was prepeared to risk himself for someone else.
Cheers,

Getfunky

Waveslave,

I did attempt to chase the bar and kite but was working against the odds. The leash line and bar caused a bias on the kite and it was NOT coming to shore. Also I don't know about you but if someone has a good head start on you (50 metres) I couldn't chase it down. I'm an average swimmer and can probably do a K at a normal pace but to chase a kite that has caught the wind, not a chance. Thorpedo I'm not.

All is well that ends well and we keep on kiting.
if you're interested in what the international kiters have to say about this then go to kiteforum.com