BayAreaKiteboarding.com

Hi Guys,

I have been to Coyote for years now, and sometimes my kite got yanked by the turbulences of
Airplanes jet engines on their way to land at SFO, always a surprise but no real worry.

Yesterday as I was on my 10m, kite high during a Jibe, suddenly I hear Jet engines and my kite yanked like never before. Before I realize it I was pulled up 30ft in the air, the kite flipped on its back, and I fall straight on my back from that height.

Hopefully I had a good impact vest (I broke a rib kiting last year so I learned), but Wow
that was pretty scary.

Getting back to the beach Jay told me a similar yanking story: he got hurt with his foil, and Rob who saw the scene and is also an UA pilot explained us it was a Boeing 737 which is famous for its wake and turbulences. Unfortunately for us a lot of these are landing at SFO.

So be aware of the Danger zone for these at Coyote, close to the big Orange buoy up North of the Cliffs... Another reason to consider wearing a vest.

Take Care,
Greg

Yup... Happened to me a few years ago at coyote too. I just stay away from the channel there now and stay close to the beach. No problem since. Mine tore my kite from LE to TE. Yank the bar so hard out of my hands I thought all lines had broke and that I was gonna swim back to shore. But somehow, all my lines were fine.
Scary especially since I was alone that day...

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11406&hilit=+vortex#p79504

There you go...

Happened to me several years ago. I got yanked off my edge and hit the water hard. The front line of my kite was no longer attached (ripped at the pigtail attachment point on kite). I had a very long swim in with a twintip. Two different wind surfers dragged my a$$ back to shore. I was wearing an impact vest, but not a coast guard approved one. There is a good chance I would have drowned without the aid of the windsurfers.
What I have since learned is keep the kite low on approach of airplanes, ideally change tack and get away from their approach. Wear a warm wetsuit. Bring a floaty board if you venture out farther than you can swim. Wear a coast guard approved pfd. Stay hydrated (else you get leg cramps).

irvinside wrote:Hi Guys,

I have been to Coyote for years now, and sometimes my kite got yanked by the turbulences of
Airplanes jet engines on their way to land at SFO, always a surprise but no real worry.

Yesterday as I was on my 10m, kite high during a Jibe, suddenly I hear Jet engines and my kite yanked like never before. Before I realize it I was pulled up 30ft in the air, the kite flipped on its back, and I fall straight on my back from that height.

Hopefully I had a good impact vest (I broke a rib kiting last year so I learned), but Wow
that was pretty scary.

Getting back to the beach Jay told me a similar yanking story: he got hurt with his foil, and Rob who saw the scene and is also an UA pilot explained us it was a Boeing 737 which is famous for its wake and turbulences. Unfortunately for us a lot of these are landing at SFO.

So be aware of the Danger zone for these at Coyote, close to the big Orange buoy up North of the Cliffs... Another reason to consider wearing a vest.

Take Care,
Greg

Exact same thing happened to me couple of years ago and I avoid the runway. Coyote has plenty of space to kite without being downwind of the runway. If I have to cross the down wind of runway, I tried to do it near the marina and I'm always looking at when the plane lands. I also look for those double twisters.

Sounds like we need to call Red Bull to get a mega loop contest going here. Wondering how easy it would be to time this and get huge air.

pipedragon wrote:Sounds like we need to call Red Bull to get a mega loop contest going here. Wondering how easy it would be to time this and get huge air.

That's the spirit!