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Took a guy to hospital today.

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Created by Plummet > 9 months ago, 20 Jan 2013
Plummet
4862 posts
20 Jan 2013 2:25PM
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Did my good deed for the week.

Now today was SW wind and that direct cross shore which means super gusty launch area as the wind is coming over the buildings upwind.

Wind was 16-25 knots and this guy was on a 11m rev. I launched him and everything looked good. So I started packing up my gear.

I see he has the kite at the zenith.. thought to myself at the time thats abit odd in this gusty turbulent wind.

A lull hits his kite drops into the powerzone then slam another gust and this guy gets catapolted foward. A few loops and a bit of dragging later he manages to pull the safety.

He slammed hard on his should and was in a alot of pain. So we cleaned him up and i took him to hospital.

So whats the morrel of the story for the newbies?

Keep the kite low until you hit the water!. particularily in gusty turbulent wind.

puppetonastring
WA, 3619 posts
20 Jan 2013 5:35PM
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If you keep your kite low in these conditions you may not 'hit the water'

sir ROWDY
WA, 5378 posts
20 Jan 2013 7:31PM
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Biggest mistake is thinking you can't get thrown with the kite low... when it happens it's not pretty.

Moral of the story is: know your limits and learn to judge the wind and graphs!

Triggerhappy
WA, 174 posts
21 Jan 2013 12:59AM
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The Moral is a good one. Gusty or turbulent winds never keep the kite above you. If it lifts you, you loose control and if the kite drops, expect the worst. So keep the kite at 45 degrees pointing out to sea and apply pressure to the bar for control.

theDoctor
NSW, 5786 posts
21 Jan 2013 6:53AM
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I'm always applying pressure to my bar for control...

Plummet
4862 posts
21 Jan 2013 6:32AM
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sir ROWDY said...
Biggest mistake is thinking you can't get thrown with the kite low... when it happens it's not pretty.

Moral of the story is: know your limits and learn to judge the wind and graphs!


Sure. but far easier to control that at the zenith. i'm sure there would be far less injuries or deaths if more people held there kites at the edge while on the beach....

Of course I don't practice what I preach as i willingly go landboarding on the beach and boost jumps.... but that's in clean winds not in super gusty stuff.

salt
VIC, 617 posts
21 Jan 2013 9:51AM
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Triggerhappy said...
The Moral is a good one. Gusty or turbulent winds never keep the kite above you. If it lifts you, you loose control and if the kite drops, expect the worst. So keep the kite at 45 degrees pointing out to sea and apply pressure to the bar for control.


^ what he said, is what instructors say.

SUPSurferQLD
QLD, 340 posts
21 Jan 2013 8:53AM
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Keep kite low and ensure this sticker is somewhere on your board/car/



yew!!

stabber
NSW, 1114 posts
21 Jan 2013 6:53PM
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theDoctor said...







I'm always applying pressure to my bar for control...



I apply pressure on others to control my bar....I'd rather not touch it myself.

sir ROWDY
WA, 5378 posts
21 Jan 2013 4:02PM
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How about "never fly your kite over land"... When did that little golden rule go out the window haha. The old videos used to tell you this all the time ;) .

Plummet
4862 posts
21 Jan 2013 5:28PM
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breakzmaker said...
Keep kite low and ensure this sticker is somewhere on your board/car/



yew!!


oh yeah! thats it.



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