Tried a demo kite on the beach the other day. I attached the chicken loop while my trusty launcher steadied the kite. While I checked out the safety I noticed that the 5th line dongle thingy was wrapped around the bar and centre lines making bar movement limited. I put up my hand in a stop fashion and yelled "WAIT!" really loud to my launch asssitant who promptly threw the kite into the air. The kite flew overhead and crashed to the opposite side of the window where it was smothered by another kiter "Phew!".

Lesson learnt - Choose your kite buddy carefully.

Accidents happen, be careful with every launch.

Thanks for your advise. Just re-reading some of the previous comments. I don't know anyone who launches unhooked. Maybe this was common in the olden days but my bow kite doesn't stear very well unhooked. (You should see my unhooked jumps! Not pretty)

Unhooking only powers up the kite even with full depower. Does anyone launch unhooked in late 2006?

Well there you go,
It seems it's always the angry ones that make the claim "it's simple"; that like to call folks retards etc...

Simple or simplistic?

that's the real question here.

I'm on record as saying things are not so simple; that plenty of expert folks have died, that simpletons truly do abound, that anyone can be caught out...that it just might be more a matter of luck than talent.

The industry is up a creek on this issue, their silence says much.

When they do speak in the future, I hope they'd remember that life is serious and to expound in a simpleton's angry voice, that it's simple ! then rant in their accusatory, blame assigning, put down style of patter in an effort to destroy the thread, is ultimately making lite of our dead.

Respect is thing we need most of...

Good luck out there, and Merry Christmas
ottis

quote:

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Originally posted by kiterr

wtf are u arguing about, its a simple ****ing matter of, have a lesson so you have even a clue of what your doing. Don't launch the kite unless the lines are correct, from either flyer or launcher perspective. Only fly the kite under good condition, not retarded frontal or stormy ones. Know how much wind goes with which kite of yours, (i.e don't take your 16 out in 30 knots), have some sort of safety where you can release the kite and don't do any stupid **** near the shore, or fly on onshore wind!!!!!!!!!!

so simple...

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Well,

I'd not recommend you hold your breath.

Anyway, so far every improvement in gear has been followed by an increase in bravado spurred on by the flood of catch phrases:

100 percent, total control, never lose an edge, unconceivable range, one kite quivers,,and bla bla bla ...etc.etc. etc.

The bottom line is not easy to deal with.

It looks easy, it is easy, it's not really even extreme most of the time...

But, It can go so wrong so fast, and so hard, that...

Like I say, Anyone who would exploit the word safety in an effort to promote a monetary interest is only doing themselves a favor.

Hey,,

I love kiting...

but I do not try to get others into it.

That would not be right, we got too many unresolved issues

That's how I see it.

Good luck out there

ottis

one thing is that you should walk out unhooked and a method of flagging the kite at the ready, once you can see your lines are running to the kite fine then clip your leash to your suicide method (4bows) or 5th what ever but thats when your sure the lines are fine and if you cant make it out from sight you need to work out some glasses for the water or get your own beach some were deserted. they hook in and take up the slack but thats just me

*i say suicide because thats what it is really

The one topic that stirs argument lives to fight another day. Please wind come back so we can all get off our fkn computers. our and to all those people whining harden the kn up.