Any tips out there of what best thing to do with your kite whilst your copping a wave on the head in impact zone after falling off your board usually when on the way out the back! Hang on to bar ,point kite to shore happen few times to me nothing to heavy yet but I wanna be prepared for worst

Keep the kite flying, forget everything else, even if it means working the kite across the wind window fairly hard while you're upside down, underwater and getting pushed downwind under your kite.

If the kite drops in the break and gets rolled that's when it gets really dangerous. A flying kite will also pull you to the surface quickly and is a handy way to get you clear of the next set. Your board will get washed in (eventually).

I actually point the kite out to sea, otherwise the wave can push you under your kite and the lines will get slack (and the kite will fall)

Chris6791 said..
Keep the kite flying, forget everything else, even if it means working the kite across the wind window fairly hard while you're upside down, underwater and getting pushed downwind under your kite.

If the kite drops in the break and gets rolled that's when it gets really dangerous. A flying kite will also pull you to the surface quickly and is a handy way to get you clear of the next set. Your board will get washed in (eventually).

X2. Work that kite like a mad thing.

I took an 18m kite out on light wind day with big surf and was caught in this exact situation. Was the most terrififying session Ive had. 18m is a lot of sail area to have a wave power into!! I second the advice of above, I had to power out through the wave and try and come back in between waves to stop my kite from dropping. It was a 2 steps forward 1 step back balancing act. I got straight out and went to a near by pond for some flat water afterwards!

samokta said..
I would like to add the dangers of using the wave to body surf back into the beach. I was in a situation where I had come off the board and the board was washing into the beach. I had the kite low (cross on-shore) and was heading into the beach to get my board. Focusing on getting to the board quickly i didn't notice a wave approaching me from the rear. Wave picked me up and threw me forward into my lines, lines went slack and kite dropped. I remember being surrounded by slack lines and having the bar somewhere around my feet. Everything tensioned up eventually and I came out of it unscathed and untangled but a lesson was learnt that day. Deal with waves head on and head for the kite once the wave has passed.

Your error was not going as fast as you can! When heading back to shore you don't slowly body drag trying to stay upwind. You power up the kite and haul arse. loop it if need be.

Heres where you'll get lots of different answers, I'd try to relaunch until it's no longer possible, even if it means a super hot launch straight up through the guts of the wind window. If the kite gets dumped be prepared to pull the quick release to unload the excess tension of the weight of a kite full of water but if you aren't already getting tangled in the lines try and keep a little bit of tension in them so you don't get tangled up and just go with it until you and the kite are pushed clear of the whitewater/waves. If it's not too horrendous you might get pushed clear or onto the beach and have the opportunity to reset, relaunch and ride away licking your wounds with no injuries or damage to the kite.

Worst case scenario, its the first wave of a decent set, its 25+ knots, you're already over-powered, you're getting tangled in lines and you and the kite getting smashed, I'd be trying my hardest to get as far away from the gear as possible. Dump both quick releases and walk on water if you have to.

Phoney said..
So what happens if your kite does drop and there's a set of whitewater rolling in towards it, pull safety? pull safety and let the leash go and let it roll back to the beach and hope the wind doesnt blow it away?

Yeah, theres no one right and wrong answer. It depends on the conditions and far out you are. Rule of thumb. Over head high and shore break not too far from the beach, Ditch the lot if you can't relaunch.

If your a way out and ditching the lot might be more dangerous than getting dragged in. Maybe the drag is worth it. BUT. You can be dragged under water. Believe me when head high plus and your dragged under water its freaken difficult to reach the safety and pull it!...