Dude

you already new... and had time to pull the quick release !!!! But you didnt, so serves you right for gettin slapped back to reality

1st indicator was no control at 12'
2nd at 1/4 down

How many times does it take before common sense prevails ???

Been there been slapped too lesson learnt now me thinks

We had a situation at Kurnell a few years back when a massive southerly came in out of a clear sky. The wind went from 15 knots nor-east to a brief flicker nor-west, then 30 knots south in a few minutes. It was predicted but it came early. Some people ditched their gear and swam in. Others, more experience, sat in the water with their kites at 12 o'clock and waited for the front to settle. Once the initial gusts had subsided they gingerly sailed in to shore. One brave girl, body dragged about 8 km across Botany Bay to the far shore of Brighton after loosing her board.

Hope these few options answer your question.

Typically I avoid huge gusty days for tha reason, but have been out this winter in a few times in desperation.

Obviously the quick release is the go, although if you are being ripped off the water at 12, you shouldn't be out. Prevention is the best solution. Like last Sunday, went out, put kite down after 10 minutes - been kiting for 12 years, could have handled it, but I was getting slightly ripped off the water, hence safety first.

But let's say you got out and get caught out (it happens), of course the main release is the answer, but you are right, sometimes the split second decidion makes it difficult, especially like last sat when a 4m swell was rolling in.

To avoid being ripped off (doesn't work all the time), really control your speed in heavy conditions, especially as you rise over a wave. Lean back and hang off your harness (like abseiling with a carabina), yet keep the rail dug in. Your ass is also a great anchor. If you are using your arms in a poo stance (as the modern depowering kites foster), you are toast before you start. Learn to edge properly, use your whole body weight to anchor.

Okay let's sat this doesn't work and you get thrown, the key is too accept your fate, relax and take whatever is coming to you - in a calm fashion. When crew panick here they over steer, like driving on a gravel track, and the nightmare exaberbates. The kite will eventually hit the ground, the water, dig into the water and the momentum will be lost - then bloody well release. Let the show unfold and accept you are a complete dumb ass for being out there in the first place.

1. Don't go out in the first place.
2. Control speed, hang off the kite, don't use your arms.
3. Use your body and ass to anchor.
4. If taken, relax and concentrate on keeping your orientation.
5. Have a laugh and a beer or two afterwards

Crew will probably offer more technical advice than me...

radman4 said...

If your in a situ with horrendous gusts worst thing you can do is park the kite at 12 youll get hammered,edge out as hard as you can and bring the kite as low as poss so the tip is on or just above the water at the edge of the window,and sit it out with your board out in front so you can plough into it,if it gets worse then you can punch out,usually it only lasts for a short time,been there many times and this works best for me.

^^ +1

First thing I would advise is to keep a watch on the horizon. Gusts don't normally just hit from no-where, you can normally see dark clouds on the horizon. If you see them and think it could be a nasty front line, come in early and get the kite down.
If you have left it too late DON'T come in (EDIT - unless you know there is someone there to land you), you are better to stay out on the water and ride it out as has been described above. Sit in the water, dig your heels against the board and keep the kite low, it is amazing what you can hold against.

If you get lofted, landing on water is softer than on land.

great advice! more of these threads needed. was hit by a 30-35 knot gust on a 9m a few months ago. was getting lofted at 12. panicked didnt know what to do (first time ever kited in gusts) fully released, saw my kite heading towards the road at leighton and sprinted after it up the hill to find it looping in front of peak hour traffic. awesome times

good tips.... got the "dont fookn do 12 oclock" message. actually the only other time i tried it in a monster gust, i found myself 30 feet up lofting towards the treeline, so yup, got this message. will work on droppi9ng kite to waterline and using ass-anchor

Agree with radman4 . Push as much water as possible with your edge dug in hard and go as slow as possible. Keep your kite low and if you have to turn back move the kite very slowly across the window. Dont loose your board or you will get ragdolled. Once I had to do this for 20 mins,using an 11m averaging 20-25 knts a 37 knot gust hit.That 20 mins before it eased seemed like an eternity.At 37 knts I felt safer to do this rather than pull the safety.

Agreed, the answer is keep kiting but dig deep to the balance point of moving forward or sinking. While you are moving slowly you are not only maintaining your kites shape and minimising its chance to jellyfish, but you are releasing energy applied on you and the kite. Too much speed and you will loose traction. To slow and you have no edge to apply your body weight to.

Yeh good points radman, get ya ass in the water, board in front and kite just above water. Also the point of not coming in, did this years ago on foils in 2001 and both of us got lifted into the dunes at pinnas, luckily the 'safety' - if you call it that, snapped, my mates kite got ripped to shreds, mine landed next to my car in the carpark, ready to pack up - he was dark.

learnt something here - tend to avoid gusty days, but have kited all through winter and this would have come in handy, cheers. Could have done with that last sunday...ouch!

getfunky, that's just rubbing sand in the wound... was thinking more about how messed up my shoulder was. Her guy was a doofus, waht a wasted opportunity

My gust control starts on the pc before the session.

I check the forecast on a couple of different web sites.
check the live wind readings. compare it to the forecast and make an educated guess at the conditions.

check the rain radar. If any big squalls are coming through on the rain radar i time my session in between them.

At the beach I select the kite that hopefully going to handle the biggest gust for the day and ride that. My little storm kite will keep me upwind 20ish knots and i'll be able to hold 40knot+ sqaulls on it in a pinch.

If any squalls come through with black and angry clouds I land while sqaull is still a couple of km away.

If i get hit by a big gust while riding i'll edge hard as F@#K to slow down then trim the kite. I can't remember the last time i had to park the kite while on the water.

On a sillier note. If i do find my self hit by a massive gust while hooning fast and overpowered I usually send it for a jump. I know this is not good advice, but none the less its what I do. I'll send it, but not load and pop hard so I don't go too high (even then its still pretty high!!!) I'll let the bar out, hold the kite past the zenith for longer and re-direct late so i come in for a soft slow touch down. Its a super fun way to control over speed and enjoy gusts. Obviously you don't want to be doing those antics close to shore or other riders or if your not confident jumping.

My 2C:

I reckon distance is your friend when it's gusty and onshore, it pays to kite a bit further out than normal, that way if it turns really nasty you have plenty of space (and time to react) between you and the beach or next hard object.

Next thing is to have good quick release and be quick on the draw to use it. You can always buy another kite.

send it and boost hanging out for these kinda gusts

i once held onto a tree that was in the middle of a lake it worked very well.

^^^^^Na he didnt,
He borrowed waveslaves rig.