Good points Chris.
When I said ditch the kite I meant whilst you are still close enough to swim ashore (assuming you can swim) and before hypothermia kicks in. If you are a weak swimmer then you should stay with your kite but then again you should not be kiting at an offshore location in the first place.
And yes you should inform water police or sea rescue or someone that you have released your kite as soon as possible to avoid the possibility of sea rescue groups spending the night for you.
As a former volunteer Sea Rescue Skipper i can tell you there is nothing worse than spending half the night on a wild goose chase.
Rescue groups do an awesome job and they take their job very seriously, if there is the possibility that some one is floating around on the ocean they will generally stay out for as long as it takes to find that person.
It is also a good idea to write your phone number on your kite (mine is on all of mine) for a couple of reasons,
So if I lose your kite for any reason someone that finds it might return it to you.
To save S & R groups from wasting time searching for you if they or someone locates a kite drifting on the ocean.
Hello,
A few years back, a forum user suggested to put the Water Police phone number in your mobile, so that you can easily find it in case of emergency.
9442 8600 for Perth.
Fred
As long as stupid professional kiters are teaching and giving lessons on beach 3 with no boat it will attract stupid beginners that don't even know how to relaunch a kite or do a self rescue to that beach.
Back in the day, the rule was if you cant ride from beach 1 to beach 3. ( a 800m-1km tack upwind) and then an upwind tack across beach 2 to beach 3 you had no business being there. Anyone who launches this Dumkoph is letting us all down, NAME AND SHAME I want piccys.
WOODY TOOL!
Whats the difference between a spanner and a tool? I dont know either but this guy is a Fkn tool.....
Please guys be proactive, dont launch 'em or if their down past the dredging station let em drift to coogee. We are priveliged to be able to kitesurf where we want, but "with great power comes great responsibility" Spiderman!
**** happen sometimes, good on kayaker for the rescue. With commentary like here though, no wonder if they were a euro/overseas visitor they are cautious about even talking to locals for help after reading **** like this, it just makes things worse.
Get a sign for woodies, NOT IN LAW but advice by kiters for kiters. We got them here and they work and don't cost a huge amount.
Hey - I'm new to kites - but been windsurfing 19years.
this has me confused - how do you get blown out to sea on a SWer?
If you did nothing you'd eventually end up on the beach wouldn't you? OK you'd have a long walk back south, But.......?
I guess if kite deflated you've got a problem. but there's talk of this guy trying to re-launch. So was he trying to launch on port tack and simply sailing out further all the time? Please respond as I've always assumed that if the wind dropped I could just haul the kite in and let the wind get me back (self rescue).
This talk of dumping kites and swimming home has me worried.
Just thought about it - was he on the north side of woodies? (I sail Leighton).
-Beginner on the north side??? Oh, now that would be a problem.
