Be careful out there...

[jstjohn3]

Wind gusts likely surprised Peekskill kiteboarder, instructor says

By BRIAN J. HOWARD
THE JOURNAL NEWS
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(Original publication: January 25, 2006)
By BRIAN J. HOWARD
THE JOURNAL NEWS

Despite his extensive experience, Stoil Popow had no business kiteboarding in the frigid Long Island Sound over the weekend, say those who know the sport best.

Popow was reported missing around 5 p.m. Saturday. His body was pulled from the Sound by the Coast Guard shortly before noon Sunday.

The Peekskill man probably didn't start out far from the beach, said Phil Burke, a certified kiteboarding instructor from Bethel, Conn., who kiteboarded with Popow several times in the past six years. But shifting winds and violent gusts likely caught him by surprise and left him unable to recover or swim to shore, Burke said. He was found roughly 7.5 miles south-southeast of Stratford Point, Conn.

"There are very few things you can do (in that situation)," Burke said. "The countermeasure is don't put yourself in that position."

The (Bridgeport) Connecticut, Post reported yesterday that Popow, 48, was a professional skier in his native Bulgaria and that he and his wife, Veneta, married and immigrated to the United States 15 years ago and had two young children. He was reportedly a software engineer with a doctorate in artificial intelligence.

Messages left yesterday at the couple's home were not returned.

Veneta Popow is seeking financial help to return her husband's body to Bulgaria for burial, Burke said. Popow's fellow kiteboarders met with Veneta Popow on Monday to discuss organizing a fundraising effort, Burke said.

Stoil Popow kiteboarded up to three times a week, often driving great distances to do so. He also surfed off Croton Point Park, a popular spot with local boarders.

That he chose to kiteboard on a windy, mid-January day in 39-degree waters doesn't surprise Jason Gardner, 36, of Kingston, who took up the sport five years ago.

"We've had such a warm spell," said Gardner, who recently kiteboarded off the Puerto Rican island of Vieques. "The thing is, the sport's so highly addictive that I think I would consider it myself if I had water support."

His girlfriend uses a personal watercraft nearby whenever he kiteboards on the Hudson River, Gardner said. He said he always wears a life vest because "things can go from great to bad in a few seconds."

Popow was not wearing a life vest, and the Coast Guard said water had gotten inside his dry suit.

Depending on age, weight and physical condition, a person can survive for about a half-hour in such frigid waters, New Rochelle Harbor Master Salvator Gugliara said. Weather isn't the only factor making winter a poor time for water sports like kiteboarding.

"The problem is there's no one around to monitor you," he said, noting there are few boats on the water to offer assistance in winter.

In kiteboarding, a large kite propels the surfer by wind power. It is among the fastest-growing water sports, said Chris Moore, co-founder of the Professional Air Sports Association.

The Kitty Hawk, N.C.-based organization has certified increasing numbers of instructors each year since its founding in 1997.

Moore recommends novices practice on land first with a training kite. All kiteboarders should study wind conditions to avoid offshore winds, which likely pulled Popow so far from shore, Moore said.

And they should wear a life vest designed for floatation as well as impact, Moore said, because the kite can lift a boarder several feet into the air.

Burke advises new boarders to take a lesson first. He focuses his mostly on safety.

"Because, like anything, there's so many things that can go wrong," he said.

Already booming in popularity, kiteboarding can be as safe as any other water sport with proper precautions, enthusiasts say. These sites offer detailed information on gear, training, locations and safety tips


International Kiteboarding Organization: www.ikorg.com

Professional Air Sports Association: www.pasakiteboarding.org

Kite Wise Kitesurfing Instruction ó www.kitewise .com

[jjm]

KiteForum: Missing kitesurfer in Connecticut!?

(Has some first person details on the rescue attempt)

[dewey]

I don't like the way the article is written. From what I read by first hand accounts he was near shore when the wind came up and changed direction. They think that he didn't want to loose his kite, so he tried to whined his lines in off shore winds. That's what took him out to sea. He was not kiting alone. He just would not release his kite and got dragged out.
That's why I think a vest is important. You never know whats going to happen out there. And a kite is not that important. If it's between you and your kite loose the kite.