Oceanus EEL - anyone got injured?

[mighty]

What's your negative experience with it? Has it pinged back at you ever? Did you get hurt? How's that 270lbs breaking clip?

I liked using it when I was first getting started. "Learn to body drag" blah blah blah - when I could only go downwind with only so much water to go downwind with, I much preferred spending the limited time with the board than constantly body dragging to the board. Never got hurt, never really had it ping back at me. I stopped using it as soon as I could - but until then, it was a great way to maximize time learning with the board.

[irvinside]

I always go in water with this type of leash attached to my harness. But most of the time it is retracted and I only connect it on specific cases on water:
- self rescue
- someone else rescue
- low wind / tide / strong current

I found in time such a leash can save the day in a few emergency/sensitive scenarios.

greg

[Red_Element_Andy]

+1 for no-leash.

When learning out in the Alameda chop I did lose a $150 used board, but there could be worse losses at the beginning stages (first summer).

The Go-Joe's seem like a pretty cool invention, and their medium-to-low cool factor should encourage rapid body-drag proficiency. :)

A good alternate that I did when coaching my brother was to tie a pool noodle around the handle of the board, which similarly flips the board over, and helps the wind push the board back to you.

[biba]

Thanks all for the insights.

Yes, I had a GoJoe and I sold it. I realized I wasn't using it at all I mean i was able to easily body drag once it occurred to me that I was keeping the kite too low (at 9 instead of 10-11) and didn't get powered up to actually drag through the water properly and get upwind.

Don't get me wrong, I have no issue body dragging, I'm quite good, the issue is, seeing the damn board when it sits upside down and there's 5-7ft waves at 3rd. Not to mention you're body dragging with your back at the board, not having any visual cue of how far you went before changing tacks. This is not near shore stuff, that is easy.

So I found myself hanging at 12 when I change tacks trying to spot where*tf is that board now... sometimes while looking upwind for it, I get lucky to spot it in fact downwind lol and I realize I body dragged enough hahaha.

Second, the high(er) seas will make you drink a good share of sea water enough to give you an enema for the day :D since the waves will crash from behind you while you get dragged upwind through them. I **ing dread that part, it ruins your stamina for the day.

Letting go of the bar as you crash advice is definitely solid, i didn't realize the kite shoots up, I thought I always saw it crashing in from the forward momentum it had, but I see where that works, since it's sheeted out, it will fill up with air and go up. Gotta do it more conscious.

Worst scenario i had, attacked a heels to toes carve, too fast, kite was not in sync with my change of directions and i didn't lean inside properly so the kite yanked me backwards off the board, kite crashed. So then re-launch your kite say in somehow lighter winds, will drag you down wind (as I kick back with my feet to oppose that), putting some nice distance to your board. Add the waves to the scenario and you get a faint glimpse of your board in between 2 waves some 30-40 ft upwind. THAT part sucks royal!

[Jerwin]

If you use a leash, wear a helmet. The helmet can't protect you in all situations, but it adds a measure of safety.
I ride in tidal currents that make it difficult to know where my board might drift if I become separated from it, so I usually use a leash (and a helmet). I've lost 2 boards in 5 years when not using a leash.
I don't doubt there is increased risk in using the leash, but I've never been injured by my board when using one. For me, it works ---and saves a lot of time dragging and searching.

[halibut]

I keep those little leash loops on my surfboards for this reason... but I just use my kite leash in that scenario. Don't want to clutter up my harness with unnecessary stuff.

I've been wondering about this. I gather you remove the kite leash from your harness and attach it to the board during a self rescue. Now you've got your board attached to the kite. Two questions:
1) Doesn't this put you at risk of losing your kite in the event of an accidental re-power while you are getting the leash onto your board?
2) Does the board drag interfere with wrapping your lines?

Also, what happens if you dump your kite, can't re-launch and your board is upwind. I assume you deal with the kite and hopefully find the board later.

Thanks!

[seashell]

For #1, the steps in http://kitesurfing-handbook.peterskiteb ... elf-rescue seem to make sense. Briefly, you want to eject and wind a bit of the center lines onto the bar to prevent a re-power, and only then do you attach the board.

[demo243]

I keep those little leash loops on my surfboards for this reason... but I just use my kite leash in that scenario. Don't want to clutter up my harness with unnecessary stuff.

I've been wondering about this. I gather you remove the kite leash from your harness and attach it to the board during a self rescue. Now you've got your board attached to the kite. Two questions:
1) Doesn't this put you at risk of losing your kite in the event of an accidental re-power while you are getting the leash onto your board?
2) Does the board drag interfere with wrapping your lines?

Also, what happens if you dump your kite, can't re-launch and your board is upwind. I assume you deal with the kite and hopefully find the board later.

Thanks!

For #1, the steps in http://kitesurfing-handbook.peterskiteb ... elf-rescue seem to make sense. Briefly, you want to eject and wind a bit of the center lines onto the bar to prevent a re-power, and only then do you attach the board.

Seashell has the right idea here- you start wrapping your stuff up then swap the kite leash over... but yes since it is a "double" use item you cant have both leashed at the same time... This is why people have them on their harness so they have two leashes to use. I dont like the extra clutter. I also think its easier to wind everything up without the kite leash attached anyway. But to each there own. I usually dont even end up leashing my board to me in a rescue situation since I am usually in the waves and at that point short both kite and board.... but in a loss of wind situation or something similar I will sit on the board (surfboard) as I wind up and then lay my kite on top of it and then lay on top of both. But again... I mostly kite waves so yea,... usually at that point I have released my kite completely and I will eaither try and swim to my board if its still around or just start body surfing in since the board is usually gone too.

If you end up with your kite down and the board upwind of you... your in a tough spot and hopefully someone will be nice enough to bring your board back to you... chances are in this situation you crashed pretty hard and will probably be thankfully you didn't have your board attached to you on a leash.

[kitecrazy]

Say NO to board leashes.

[Tunces]

+1 for no-leash.

When learning out in the Alameda chop I did lose a $150 used board, but there could be worse losses at the beginning stages (first summer).

The Go-Joe's seem like a pretty cool invention, and their medium-to-low cool factor should encourage rapid body-drag proficiency. :)

A good alternate that I did when coaching my brother was to tie a pool noodle around the handle of the board, which similarly flips the board over, and helps the wind push the board back to you.

I love this. The Go-Joe is uncool, but the pool noodle's a real chick magnet. LOL!!!