LostinLondon
I am eager to learn from your vastly superior comprehension of English as to what word you would have used to describe someone involved in an accident. I also hope that by your last comment you are not suggesting the guy deserved it, please tell me this is not so.

knots
you are appsolutely rite there is more power in denser air, but I think you will find the formula for a lifting surface is Lift = areaX coefficient of lift x1/2 the density x velocity squared. Looked like you were quoting half the formula of relativity

Yes definately a lesson to be learnt here for everyone

I have seen this happen sooooo manyyyy timessss !!!

When launching for someone - (this is where the Fark up occurs !)

1. Make sure you pull the 'bottom' of the kite lines into tension, too many people just let it go assuming the lines will be correct

2. ***Do not release the kite !!!!**** unless all the lines, as you can see for yourself are in correct position regardless of thumbs up !!!!

3. If you are " UNSURE " of the line setup - do not launch anyones kite - unless you ask the kiter how they should be, this will make him double check, all will be good - safer kiteing !

Its a two way thing 'launching' think about what could happen....

speedy recovery for the kiter

waveslave said...
I'm not talking about a leggie.... ^^^
(Did I mention anything about leggies?)
No...
I'm talking about fken death-leashes.
Those stupid things have been the direct cause of many fatalities.

What are you calling a "death-leash"

Steve - your a funny man!

Mr Saves the Whales , I appreciate your comments and they are very valid. This is not the first kite I have launched tho - having been kiting for over 5 years. I always check the lines when launching someones kite and always make sure that the kite is powered and the lines are straight and not crossed.
I actually held off launching this guys kite even after he gave me the thumbs up. I did not see any crossed lines. If the bar was on backwards I am not going to notice this from my end.
I ran through my lines 3 times before I launched my kite that afternoon. I have also stopped people launching their kites because lines were crossed. Common sense should prevail here.
As I said before, never take anything for grated in this sport. It can kill you.

Strongbow said...

MasterUWA said...

hey guys i learned to kite this time last year in Gero and there is a huge difference between here and Gero. In Gero you have huge beaches, at least two kite line lengths at the major ones and the water is empty. there is rarely anyone out swimming even in summer and so its no where near as dangerous.

To all you selfish idiots out there that think you are only going to hurt yourself, YOU ARE WRONG!. All it takes is one person walking their dog and a gust of wind. WOOSH your kite turns unexpectedly and BAM. Hitd the person.

Your kite is a hard object (because you have inflated it more than usual to stop it from packing up in the air) traveling at high speed. it is going to hurt. and the lines will be even worse. the amount of force behind them will be huge and they are very thin so they will easily cut the skin. To everyone that is going out during winter. Be careful and stay away from the actual beach!

^^^^^^
Some good points

"Kite is a hard object" ???
Yeh right !!!

You have obviously never been hit by a powered up kite mate.... I have been hit on the back of my head and shoulder from a kiter loosing it up wind of me during a handlepass (had my back to it and didnt even see it coming) if it had actually got me square on the head I would have been K.Od for sure.

Made me a lot more aware that for sure.

Chris.

Idiot

Thanks for your feedback.

I know how a safety leash system works (thankyou for your safety instructions) and have used it in anger in some situations. However, it take can more than a few seconds for you to pull the safety and sometimes you have to pull it a couple of times, before it actually works. This time lost -could be the difference between life and death. The guy on Saturday was trying to pull his safety but hit a post before he could do it. Luckily - not with his head first!
My method I use only when there is no other people on the beach and the launch area is small. Usually only in winter when the wind is more on-shore. Yes, a stray kite is not a good thing, which is why I don't use this method very often.But could be the difference between life and death.
I am not saying that everyone should be doing it -but it is just an option to consider, depending on the circumstances - common sense again.
As for Leighton, it was just an example. As I have seen this at Scarbourgh and other beaches. I appreciate the education you guys are giving to kiters there. This is a good thing and should be more of it. Leighton is also a very multi-user beach with lots of people walking up and down and right through the middle of where everyone is kiting. So if the same thing which happened on Saturday, occurs at Leighton (for example) in the middle of summer, this guy would have cleaned up all the above mentioned beach users before he would be able to release his safety. Also, being a SW in summer, this would have taken him more down the beach than across it, so making it more likely to hit another beach user. Again, I am sure, we have all seen something like this happen before.
My point is, when things go wrong kiting, they go wrong quickly. No matter, where, when how. So there is no perfect situation, or ideal technique. Yes, we all have to make sure that our sport is kept safe as possible, and reducing the risk of injury to ourselves and others. What happened on Saturday could have happened anywhere. As for kiting at "phone box" whist sounding like a complete hypocrite, I have never launched there in summer, and only during winter on some occasions. This spot can handle only one kiter at a time for launching, so I agree that it probably should not be used at all. Which in effect would make kiting at the "Dutchies" section of beach near impossible during winter. Which is a bummer.
Thanks for the maths lesson also. Glad you know how to convert feet to meters.

getfunky said...


I also don't really understand the criticism of the guy who launched him? It is the kiter's responsibility full stop. Also there are that many differant rigs and set ups out there how can the launcher make sense of it from that posi??

Totally agree. While it's essential that the launcher halt the launch if something looks dodgy, ensuring the rig is sound before giving the thumbs up is solely the kiters responsibility.

I really don't get it . We're so blessed with wind in WA for most of the year. What's wrong with taking 3 month off? It's the SWEETEST thing when the first seabreezes come up in October. Meanwhile there's surfing, cycling etc - These winter sessions regularly throw up nasty surprises, they're *always*way too short due to the variable/frontal conditions, so you're left feeling dissatisfied afterwards and end up with sandy longjohns and a mouldy kite.

Winter kiting's overrated.

WA Surf said...

The 'origami' effect on the '09 Rebels.

I sell North and there was definitely a problem with some batches ...

Wow
That was impressive, there are not so many dealers who let you know about the technical faults that easy.
Thanks for your honesty.

Cheers
Idiot (Alex)