how long should i make my board leash?
i hear the shorter the better but how short?
i will be ditching it as soon as i can stay up on the board for longer than 50metres haha
just for a couple of weeks wanna save the hassle of finding my board when its just out of reach

make your leash so short that it does not reach your board - then it cant hurt you !

i used a leash for a short while when learning,and got hit in the head.My mate used a leash for a while when learning and got 8 stiches in the head!even if you shorten it will be dangerous and a pain in the ass.F#*~ it off and master body draggin up wind.
Thats my opinion.
Karl

KILL ALL BOARD LEASHES!!!

haha geez.. this thread is the first one where everyone has the same opinion about something !!! what a classic!!

Shut it down hosko, better to lose your board than your neck just for "saving the hassle of finding ur board when it's just out of reach" :)

Cheers
Deano

hmmmmmmm
i was using one with my instructor which is why i wanted to use one just for a few weeks...
maybe i shouldnt i dunno i read the other thread on this debate.

on another topic, if its southerly this arvo which is looking very probable at this stage where is a good place to go? because i'm normally at mullaloo and thats too turbulent in a southerly as i experienced the other week.
I was thinking maybe melville ? and its not going to be strong so could be decent to learn around there? (i'm still at the getting up on board stage)

Now that everyone has so unanimously agreed, i'm going to stir the pot.

As with all things, it is a balance of risk. If the consequences of losing your board are much worse than the consequences of being hit by your board, there's a good argument for using a leash.

The chances of losing your board is more or less constant in all situations - probably a bit more if you're in waves. The risk of injury from using a kiteleash is moreor less equal in all situations. However the consequences of losing your board are not equal.

If I were going to kite from Cottesloe to Rottnest unsupported (I've never done this, I am just trying to think of an obvious example), I would definitely use a leash. Losing your board 10k from shore makes for a long body drag, and potentially even a night time landing!

In inshore waters, leashes are a bad idea. However, I do own a leash, and use it in the very rare circumstances where I figure that losing the board is particularly nasty. The difficult part is really making that judgement. Learners should never put themselves anywhere except inshore waters, so they should not use leashes.

Having said that, I learnt using a leash, and I was self taught in a country where I was the only kiter, so I had no-one to tell me how dangerous it was. I guess I was lucky. Now I'm not lucky, I'm cautious.

oh i just realised what you actually asked... the one i used was 2m

hahaha after the 12th post i finally get an answer to my original question! thanks nonikkers! i dunno what i'll do about this one. i never planned on using it for more than a few weeks and planned on using a gath helmet while using the leash. i'll try this arvo without one and see how i go. wind is looking pretty average though.