Tragedy at Ocean Beach

[kitenaked]

Whether a kite knife was the answer or not, I would want to know it was there.

Glad you are ok. Let's hope our friend in the hospital gets better.

Respect to those in the surf in that wind!

[super_monkey]

My deepest thoughts for Scott and his family.
A very similar accident (luckier outcome) happened to me in HMB Tursday PM.

I want to share this and hope it will prevent more injuries.

Kite line wrapped around my right ankle, and I can tell you that I did have a knife but could have never been able to use it. Here is what happened.

Went out kiting with two buddies. 25-30kt winds and big swell, 4pm.
Rigged my 7m, we launch each other and head out in the surf. I had a hard time to pass the break, waves kept crashing in front of me. I finally catch up with my friends and we ride a couple tacks not far from each other. I am just downwind of them. Seconds later, trying to go over a large wave, I fall and get thrown out by the wave. Kite lines get slack and I fall in one line, the kite crashes and prepares to relaunch. We're about 150 yards form shore. At the same time I feel one line wrapped around my ankle. I pull the quick release, a quarter second later, the same wave that kicked me out hits my kite and my entire body gets pulled underwater. pulled by my ankle. I spend about 20 seconds underwater, pulled by the ankle.
Enough time to think about the knife in my harness pocket. Enough time to realize it would be impossible to reach my foot with such a pull. Just impossible.

Terrible feeling, hopeless, brutal and out of reach.

After the third wave, I am completely out of breath, the kite line let go. Miracle. Grabbed the bar and used the shredded kite and waves to pull me back to shore.

My two buddies did not have time to see what happened, they just saw the kite down but what was happening at the same time was underwater and happened fast. 2 minutes maximum.

We have been riding together for years and this is the first serious accident. All the other times we kited in surf, there was no tangle. Just a kite down. Not this time.

I can ensure all of you that even with a kite knife, it was impossible for me to reach the line attached to my foot with the waves pulling the kite and so much tension in the kite line, out of reach.

Picture of my ankle that was still double size yesterday.

There is a great danger with kite lines. If they wrap around your body and your kite gets pulled in the waves, it is almost impossible to do anything.

What kind of safety to avoid such accident? I did have a knife on me, buddies around, 8 years kiting in the bay area.
Any input please let me know.

I wish Scott was as lucky as I was Thursday.
All of my thoughts Scott.

That is incredible and very lucky. My best wishes to Scott.

Did you have access to any of the lines? I know there is no time to think about this while it is happening but do you think that trying to hack off other lines could have helped?

[Bulldog]

This accident could have just as easily happened if all he had connected to him was his kite leash.

Other visitors to this forum have stated this before, but they're not chiming in right now:
If you're going to kite in the ocean, you need to be a strong swimmer and be able to hold your breath under water for a good long while.

If you drop your kite in the water, let it go (release the Chicken Loop) before the next wave hits. On the average day, you only have 7-12 seconds to relaunch your kite. Count to 5 and if your kite is still in the water, let it go. You are better off swimming without your kite than getting pulled underwater, even it means getting rescued by the CG. Your kite be better off too, it will wash up on the beach in a few minutes.

Unhook your leash from the kite once you get into the water; otherwise you will have to pull two releases when things go bad. Most kiters attach their leashes to the back of their harness; if your kite gets pulled by a wave you will be pulled backwards underwater and never be able to pulled the release on the leash, even if you release your Chicken loop.

Kiting in the ocean is the ultimate form of expression of our sport, but it is also potentially the most dangerous. Have respect for the ocean and the wind and always exercise humility in their presence.

[mfremont]

I second Paul's advice.

You really have very little time to successfully relaunch a kite in the waves, and getting pulled under with the leash attached your harness can be scary. You never know when you're going to be pulled under and when you'll get your next breath. I've been in that situation once and don't care to repeat it.

Swimming in can be exhausting. Did that on a day when I dropped my kite and couldn't get it up before a breaking wave with a 8 ft+ face was about to hit it. Based on the prior experience I released the bar and leash before going for a ride. The swim in from the break couldn't have been much more than 1/4 mile, but as I was getting pulled back by each wave it had me thinking, "Oh, I can see how people get into trouble in the surf!" That's where staying calm and being a strong swimmer comes into play. My next thought was, "Some extra buoyancy would be nice." I was relieved but also surprised just how exhausted I was when I finally hit the beach.

Kiting in the ocean is the ultimate form of expression of our sport, but it is also potentially the most dangerous. Have respect for the ocean and the wind and always exercise humility in their presence.

Amen, brother.

[Blackbird]

Second Paul's advice, with the exception of detaching your safety when on the water. Your safety can keep a misfired safety on the main kite from becoming a long swim. I think the more important lesson would be to mentally, and physically practice the safety release process and get it down. And ultimately, we are all in need of just a bit of luck when shit really hits the fan. Skill and training go a long way, but jmayot's story is proof that anything can happen to any of us. Risk mitigation is the only way to increase your odds.

[Greg]

:eusa-pray:
God-speed Scott

[kailuakiter]

.
Enough time to think about the knife in my harness pocket. Enough time to realize it would be impossible to reach my foot with such a pull. Just impossible.

Terrible feeling, hopeless, brutal and out of reach.

After the third wave, I am completely out of breath, the kite line let go. Miracle. Grabbed the bar and used the shredded kite and waves to pull me back to shore.

I can ensure all of you that even with a kite knife, it was impossible for me to reach the line attached to my foot with the waves pulling the kite and so much tension in the kite line, out of reach.

There is a great danger with kite lines. If they wrap around your body and your kite gets pulled in the waves, it is almost impossible to do anything.

I've been thinking the same thing as I read the posting about knives. I had the same thing happen, but without a line wrapping around me. All that happened it that my kite went down, my chicken slipped out, and all of a sudden I was getting submarined backwards underwater and I couldn't move an inch. I had a knife, but until the power stopped, there was nothing I could do. I had dropped my kite where two breaks came together and I think maybe 4 waves broke in succession keeping me down, I don't know why I was down so long, but at any rate, it was a long time. What saved me was luck and the fact that I had changed my leash from a suicide to an outer line right before that wave, and finally when I was about to pass out, the line broke, letting me up.

I still think knives are a good idea. But don't count on the knife getting you out of a quick crisis moment. Try to keep those kites nice and dry, out of the water. Not always possible but if you can pull that off it's the best protection.

Glad you are ok jmayot.

[jono]

jmayot:

Did you have a flotation vest on? Just wondering if that would have helped?

I'm starting to understand why some wind surfers just don't like the kites -- it's mostly based on the lines...

[maxsteamer]

7-12 seconds

Thank You Bulldog!!! That is some great advice fo sho.. I remember looking over my shoulder and that took up a second or two ?? this was a cross over from windsurfing in the waves where you either get your mast under or over the wave..or you had a three peice mast that was now a giant sword. I still would rather deal with the mast then those lines fo sho..

I think the solution is to have a different type of kite for kitesurfing?? Maybe a quick release at the kite simular to the seatbelt pendulum device on one end of the kite this would flag the kite without having to release it into the wave and endangering someone else. I have givin' this a lot of thought and I think I'm on to something here. The only problem is I have only dropped my kite in the waves maybe three times so I need some feed back on the idea.

Hey Scott were workin on a fix.. so get better so you can help us..

[funmilton]

Great information Bulldog. I gave been waitIng for some of our advanced waveriders to give us there safety advice. Thank you.