Safety systems are specifically designed to help you get out of trouble, such as in the scenario you describe.

The behavior of your kite post-release will mostly depend on the configuration of your safety system (single front line, dual front line, 5th line). It's all about getting familiar with your own safety system. Your Evo could be on a single front line if on a 2015 bar, or dual front lines (2014 or older), or even 5th line if you added it (safer).

This means when you get a new kite, release the safety system a few times in different wind conditions and learn it's behavior and learn to self-retrieve your kite...Of course only a minority of kiters will do that and that's the main issue of the sport, too few kiters are competent in getting out of trouble quickly, safely and without anyone's help. What also doesn't help is only a minority of schools will have their students self-retrieve their kites after releasing the safety system...Or they only teach wrapping the lines, which would be an absolute mission and waste of time in high winds...

I'm not saying it's easy to self-retrieve a kite in 30-40 knots but if you can't do it and you hesitate to active your chicken loop Quick Release it could potentially end very badly for you. Personally over the winter time in Perth I'd release the safety system many times as I get overpowered as you describe and there is often no one on the beach to catch my kite. I've never struggled to retrieve a kite after releasing the safety system, even in 40-50 knots fronts.

Here's a video that may help you understand this a bit better:



Go ahead and practice, it may save your life one day!

Christian

Some idea's for you.

If you are fully depowered and can no longer hold and edge. Stick the wing tip in the water. It will kill some of the kite power.

Getting close to land? don't f u c k around. punch to safety will still in the shallows. That way waves can roll over the kite and kill the power. If there is no one around and there is still a lot of power in the kite on the safety in the water. punch out completely.

An 11m in 38 knots is death material if you dick around on the beach and get lofted.



Prevention is always better too. Fronts are visible for a while. Land well in advance of the front. Not that the high winds can hit 5mins or so before the front gets to you.
If you can't land in time head further out to sea. Stick the wing tip in the water. board in front of you acting as a wedge. You can hold some silly winds like that. Ride it out and kite back in once the front goes.

Yeah I was out when that front hit Sunday. Wasn't a particularly obvious front, but it could be seen coming. Kite Republic are running a free safety session this Sunday, info on wind patterns, frontal weather, safety systems, safe launching etc etc. Looks to be very informative.