Yesterday I had my first bad kiteing experience, fortunately it left me with no injuries, but my shiny new kite has 3 or 4 tears in the canopy of varying sizes.

I am pretty new to the sport, but have become relatively confident with controlling the kite. I had launched and was just preparing myself to get going when the wind dropped and my kite luffed and fell into the water. At this stage haveeing just launched i was very close to the beach. I began going through the water relauch procedure.I was trying to move my kite to the river side of the window, but the current kept pushing my kite towards the beach, to the point where the kite was sitting just on the edge of the sand.

In hind site this is where my lack of experiece and eagerness to get out on the water,prevailed over comman sense and cuased the accident. With the wind being a SW I ran over to the the river side of the kite and tryed to lauch with my kite on the Road side. This began to work but at that point a gust hit and i got pulled further towards the road, end result my kite getting stuck in a tree. I pulled the QR and didnt injure myself in anyway, but my kite had wrapped itself around a branch, with the back line caught in another.

I would like to thank the guy, i didnt get his name, that ran down the beach and helped with some difficulty to get the kite out of the tree. I didnt get to thank him as i had to retreive my board. But he was a great help and it was much appreciated.

Now whats to learn from this accident, espeically for newbies to teh sport. Firstly it was my fault and it could have been avoided.At the point where the current had pushed my kite onto the beach i should have pulled the QR, just sorted out my lines and just relauned again. I know its a hassle but it would have saved my kite and my wallet. You should always lauch your kite from the water side so if you lose control you will be dragged into the water rather than onto land. Up to now i havent been doing this, as i dont like asking people to walk into the river but it is the safest way. Dont be too eager to get out there,make sure you edge on the side of caution in every situation, and take your time. And finally do not go out in wind your not comfortable in, especiallly in gusty conditions, before i launched yesterday, i thought twice about going out as the wind was quite gusty, but you live and learn.

Anyway thanks again to the guy thank helped me prize my kite out of the tree. And can my kite be repaired and how much will it cost? its got one large rip in the canopy about 30 cm long and few smaller ones. its an airush 10m.

Yep it's good to see that you're on the right track with what you've got out of this incident.

if there is any doubt, it's always better imo to release to safety and live to kite another day... what's a few tangled lines compared to a broken neck.

keep on kiting tho mate... that sort of experience will pay off in the long run and will probably save you a more severe injury

Cheers
Deano

don't worry about it I've crashed my kite into trees hundereds of times with no rips at all

Read this post with eyes wide open as i am green as kelp and want to lessen my chances of learning the hard way .
So if lucky bay is a bad place for newbies capt where is a good place..

STUART

thanks capt

STUART

My experience learning was that I didn't go in the ocean until I could confidently water relaunch in deep water. I think a newbie, well me at least, would find it a pretty daunting situation being a few hundred metres offshore and not being able to relaunch.

I learnt in the river where, despite the other dangers, I could hold my ground by standing up while learning water launches and just walk in when it all went to &^$%#.

But I was well aware of the river hazards and mitigated these by launching and landing with assistance from more experienced kiters, practiced using my quick release, wore a helmet and had a good level of fear to keep me from being reckless.

It was good to hear that DRW used his quick release before it was too late, a trashed kite is meaningless compared to you own safety.

yeah, let's send the new guys down the kn beach where they can drop there kn kites on other beach kn users

kn beauty!!!

Yeah sorry to create confusion Cody, every place has its good and bad points and it depends a lot on where your up to in your kiting progress. Also I haven't kited all spots around Perth myself so can't comment on all of them. But I learned at both Peli Point and the estuary at mandurah, after having several professional lessons. Peli was gusty and crowded but I felt comfortable knowing I could quick release and walk back in and water re launches were easy to learn being able to run round to the side of the kite.

Now I ride at Lucky bay, Leighton, Scarborough and Pinaroo. Of all spots I'd give Scarbs a miss for a while though the waves can really clean you up and in summer there's loads of people around who always seem to set up camp a metre from your kite just as your about to launch.

Despite the obvious dangers I still reckon Lucky Bay is as good a place as any to learn if you are cautious, it has a long body drag run and is stand up depth all the way along and a few hundred metres out. Just be careful with the launch and the shallow water, stay at least 30m from shore and dont' go out if its howling or overly gusty. I really like Ians idea of walking out with your kite on the water and water launching 100m out.

One really big help I had at the beginning was I spent a few weekends kiting with my brother, having a buddy to help out and share the learning is a huge help. I still kite with my mates most times and we keep on eye out for each other.

Safety is your primary concern, if in doubt don't go out and IMHO all newbies should wear a helmet. Of the last 4 fatalities I've heard about in the last year 3 were from head injuries and they were all very experienced kiters hit by gusts off the ocean. Don't let this put you off kiting its wicked fun, just be careful and take it slowly.

Hey kn pig,

I am a not a kn aggressive man, I am a kn aggressive bear

Oh yea

I prefer Swine

a pig could be a fat human something swines find offensive



The Pig of Steel

if you are getting sucked over the beach in a gust shouldnt you try to ride it out before releasing the kite on the unsuspecting public? ie for instance at brighton where the kite would possibly go through scarborough beach?
just something for discussion!>!>?!?!?

WOA Miken strong words and big assumptions lets have a look at the

situation

Open beaches (as you call them) have no obsticles nothing to hit =

no injury

but remember kids (and those with no common sense) open beaches with lots of people on them are a big no no,

IMO the river has no buffer zone - just rocks roads trees and houses

surrounding it

Do you know of one person or ever herd of someone at lucky bay that walks more than the length of their kite lines so the person launching can do so from the beach without getting their feet wet?? -heres were the problem is and also with persons coming in to close to shore, not when they have body dragged 50 or so meters further out to where they can stand safely

I bet at least %50 of kiters started/learnt on the ocean



The Pig of Steel

I agree with you Mike, the river is one of the safest places to learn once you are away from the shore, you can stand if you crash your kite, its a good spot to learn how to water launch your kite, there are always people around who will help you out if you get in strife and your bloody car wont get broken into!

The dangers that the open ocean poses to a beginner are enourmous, crowds, tides, waves, currents and undertow...There is not always anyone else close by to help. What happens to them if they can only tack one way and they end up stranded 500m out with their kite in the water...BIG PROBLEMS, at least in the river they can walk back to sure!

Kiters need to be able to handle their kite in flat water conditions before they should try the ocean.

Kiters and newcomers should not be put off by comments that the river is unsafe, I learned on the river and is my first port of call when I want to learn new moves.

Together with the assistance of WAKSA and local river users we can find a solution to manage the area to reduce unsafe practices.

See you down there.

Long time no kn posting White Boy -kn welcome back!

I think it all comes down to where you are most comfortable.

Personally the river as a kiting location terrifies me because of all the obstacles along the waters edge and in the water (boat markers). I have kited there less than 8 times in the last 4 years.

I am an ocean person and feel safer kiting with heaps of space and water I can see through! When I was learning at the beach I did the swim in on a few occasions. My theory is if im drifting too far out and cant get my kite back up (wind dropping off at sunset was the usual mistake of jugement) then wrap up your gear and half float half swim in.

Before you kite alone you should have learn't how to relaunch in your kite lessons and have learn't how to wrap up your gear in the water so you can swim in if something goes wrong. If you havent, go get another lesson no matter where you are going to kite!

However, I really disagree that Scarbs (popular parts) is the place to learn if you are body dragging and trying to get on your board. The waves can be tricky and there is a current. Also there are lots of people on the beach and in the water. Once you are well and truely cruising and can deep water relaunch that would be the time to give the waves a go. There are other flatter beaches to go to.

I learnt at the beach Pinnaroo Pt. It has about 5kms of beach that is always empty downwind. Also it is a bay so you tend to wash in if you can't relaunch. The waves are rarely bigger than chest high and they break right on the shore.

The best thing to do if you are learning at the beach is to kite with someone else so there is someone there to help if its needed.

Its interesting to hear about different experiences from those who have learnt at the different spots .
All i can do is take my time , be safe .
Its just a matter of me assessing the winds and different spots to make sure i dont bite off more than i can chew ..a fault i have !
I can see how both river beginners and ocean beginners have valid points.

STUART