QLD
6 posts
Just after some advise.
Today i had a gnarly crash, i was riding my '09 Waroo 11m at Wello Pt. I'm fairly new to kiting and had fallen off and my kite was in the water. A gust of wind came along and the kite went straight up and started looping right in the power zone, dragging me along for the ride. Every time i gat smashed, i'd get to my feet just as it looped again and tea-bagged me through the rocks. I got smashed pretty hard, and was gonna pull my safety but didn't. Here's my question.
I had my leash attached to the centre ring on the chicken loop. I didn't punch out because i figured the kite would keep looping, and dragging me along but the bar would be out of reach (because of the leash length). Once back on the beach i was talking to a dude (the guy that ran out and grabbed my kite, saving me from getting carved across more rocks) and he said to try attaching the leash to one of the side lines. This would make the kite pull to the edge of the window and stay there.
Just after some advise as to where i should attach my leash so WHEN i have to punch out next i dont get a repeat of today.
Also, thanks to the blokes who helped me out today. Obviously saw that i'm faily fresh to the sport and instead of watching the kook get smashed, they gave a hand. I probably shouldn't have been out in that wind, and learnt my lesson, but also got some good advise from them.
VIC
270 posts
I did start kiteboarding on 09 Waroo 11m and had a good deal of close calls on this kite, some I did describe here before to warn others not to make my mistakes.
For the starter if you are not totaly confident do not attach to the centre ring, if you activate QR or unhook in this setup you can shed only 80% of power, more advance riders use it cos they can regain control of the kite at any time.
You can get the same depower with the bar fully out but above set up let you bypass the stopper.
Later on if you still have this kite and use the centre ring remember to use it only when you are safe on the water on launch and landing move it.
The Waroo is prone to deathlooping for that reason NEVER attach the leash to the rear lines in case of incidental unhooking or QR activation there is big chance you will experience that pleasure.
Rear attachment points are ONLY for emergency, for ex. if you cant untwist the front lines.
At this point use only one of the front lines- namely the webbing of OSR, later use it for landing and launching.
QR of 09 bar is unreliable make sure it works every single time you launch.
Hope it will help you to ride Waroo a bit more safely, by the way make sure you dont use the kite above upper limit or even very close( including gusts).
Cheers
NSW
1360 posts
Hi diggity.
From what I can gather from your description. I think that while the kite was is in the water one of your back lines or rear bridle tangled
When the kite relaunched did you eventually let the bar go and did it still loop with power or did you hang onto the bar?
I think that maybe you did the right thing by not punching out to the suicide leash as the bar is just further away and the kite still miss behaving
I think the best safety option on most flat bow kites is to have a sliding front line. like the rear one but on a front line. the kite behaves allot better on a front line and usually drifts down unpowered
If you had of clipped to the rear sliding safety that the tangle was on and released the kite most likely would have turner harder and faster making things worse. On the other side of the bar maybe 50% chance of the kite depowering
The problem with a centre line safety is it is difficult to spin the bar after a trick without some management. Airush hook spinner is the solution
NSW
1716 posts
Also, if you have a crazy looping kite attached to you, firstly throw the quick release at the chicken loop then throw the release at the harness to disengage the lot and live to tell the tale.
WA
995 posts
Yeah, fug it. If you're getting hammered, cut loose.
I'm not familiar with your kite but it sounds like you were using suicide mode, is this correct?
