Page 1 of 2

Ambulance at Alameda beach today

Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 8:03 pm
by sanjose_kiter
I heard some kiter got dragged over the fence at Alameda beach today. Ambulance and fire crew were there .
Hope the kiter is OK

Re: Ambulance at Alameda beach today

Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 9:10 pm
by windhorny
I heard direct from Adam that this was entirely the launchers fault. Be careful who you let launch you in gusty conditions. I saw the pictures of this guys leg and it was really deep. He is lucky he didn't break anything. Be careful out there!

Re: Ambulance at Alameda beach today

Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 10:26 pm
by nick_80044
windhorny wrote:I heard direct from Adam that this was entirely the launchers fault. Be careful who you let launch you in gusty conditions. I saw the pictures of this guys leg and it was really deep. He is lucky he didn't break anything. Be careful out there!
That's really a shame. Any idea what specifically was done by the launcher to cause this?

Re: Ambulance at Alameda beach today

Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2013 10:57 pm
by le noun
Probably let the kite go before getting the thumb up.
I've seen this kind of behavior before... :roll:

Re: Ambulance at Alameda beach today

Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 8:30 am
by kitewing
That happened to me at 3rd last season.... launcher was a relatively new kiter and claimed she was comfortable with launching me. Before my lines were taught and before I gave any signal, my kite was tossed and drifted and somersaulted downwind. Had the leading edge not burst on the rocks, it would've been me on the rocks rather than the kite.

Hope this kiter is OK...

Re: Ambulance at Alameda beach today

Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 9:03 am
by reyrivera
I only saw a part of the action. I was too far to give any kind of assist. The rider was pulled into the fence, lower kite lines clipped the fence lines got tangled. Somebody tried to free the line(s), kite got freed.

Rider had a chance to punch out, instead, he did a superman style two hand vulcan death grip on the bar. I think he was trying to save the kite.

Hope he's okay.

Re: Ambulance at Alameda beach today

Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 10:11 am
by etxxz
damn... this last week was a disaster!

I had to call the CG on a inverted & deflating kite at Crissy at 7.30pm!!!! it was a GREY/BLACK rpm (?) of all camo colors, didn't self rescue and i was the only other kite out. Was descending back to the beach and saw it by mere luck. Took his board and by the time i got to the beach he'd drifted so far out i couldn't see him anymore.


careful out there people. i know you're eager to get in your first session of the season, but at what cost *bg&

Re: Ambulance at Alameda beach today

Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 10:50 am
by yojimbo
superman style two hand vulcan death grip on the bar
This is something that is not stressed enough when you get into kiting. This is the natural reaction as we attempt to assert control over the bar in this sort of situation. Several years into this and I still find myself fighting this reaction. I like the term "punch out", it's so clear and illustrative of what you need to do.

Re: Ambulance at Alameda beach today

Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 11:59 am
by marinkiter
reyrivera wrote: Rider had a chance to punch out, instead, he did a superman style two hand vulcan death grip on the bar. I think he was trying to save the kite.
.
But even if they punched out they would still be conected by the kite-leash right, the kite would just be fully depowered...?

Re: Ambulance at Alameda beach today

Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 12:39 pm
by friggin old guy
Hppe the guy's ok.....regardless of whether it was a fubar on the part of the launcher or equipment or whatever.

I think everybody will experience a bad launch now and again.....wind will lull right when the guy lets go, flying lines/steering lines out of sync......it ultimately is up to the pilot to be in charge of everything, including a bad launch.

Main thing that's already been alluded to in prior posting......if your kite drifts downwind of you and it looks like you're going to have a hot launch, let that bar out as far as you can....if it feels like it's going to pull you off your feet, let go of the bar completely. Most of today's kites have so much depower built into them that if you let go of the bar, you should be ok even without punching out.

Of course if you have a wrap on something, you could be really screwed so be ready to punch out if you need to.

If the spot will allow, always try to keep in mind the possibility of a bad launch and make sure that there are no obstructions downwind within the scope of the kite. Try not to panic when the kite goes downwind (DON'T CLENCH AND PULL THE BAR IN). Let it go, relax, keep the bar out......eventually you'll get enough tension on the lines that the kite will stabilize....if somebody can get to the kite, good.......otherwise you can steer the kite (slow is good) toward the edge of the window and you won't get too ganged if you keep the bar out.

The automatic reaction is to try to exert more control by pulling the bar in, which is the absolute worst thing you can do. Bar in with the kite downwind like that, you're gone. Bar out, usually no big deal.