3rd Ave kite accident today

knyfe · Post by **knyfe** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 9:01 pm

We had another kite accident at 3rd Ave today. The unlucky fellow kiter came in way too much down wind on the upper launch. He was nearly in as got pulled towards the rocks and there was just no room for an error in his case. As he tried to get the kite outwards he did it way to fast and got lifted 5-7 meters into the stony-grassy area right after the rocks. His kite looped the rest and luckily hit the water on the first pass. That was his luck as he was unconscious for a moment. He required an ambulance afterwards as he fell face forward but could already speak as they arrived.

I was behind him (but upwind) as I also wanted to get in.

In cases like this never try to control the situation by steering the kite. Always release your kite immediately if you still can. This is the best way as even a bow kite will pull you if you loop it. I see so many kites going through the launch area during the launch. Dont hold on to it RELEASE. This is good for you AND your fellow kiters.

3rd is a wonderful kite spot but the launch (upper and lower) is a challenge due to the rocky and slippery area. Always ask for assistance if you are not sure what you are doing as everyone helps out.

Lets thank the kiters who helped him right after his crash and prevented that the kite starts again.

Quick recovery my friend, Georg

jono · Post by **jono** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 9:41 pm

knyfe:

Thanks for the report, hope all is healed up soon.

However, not real clear on what happened. His kite was down in the water and he was trying to relaunch but steered it too fast? You said, "As he tried to get the kite outwards he did it way to fast..." "Kite outwards" -- does that mean he was trying to water relaunch?

adamrod · Post by **adamrod** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 10:20 pm

not being there but from the report, it seems like the kite was in the air, he was getting close to the rocks, brought the kite away from the rocks, got lofted over the rocks?

any word on who he was? if he's ok?

knyfe · Post by **knyfe** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:01 am

adamrod wrote:not being there but from the report, it seems like the kite was in the air, he was getting close to the rocks, brought the kite away from the rocks, got lofted over the rocks?

any word on who he was? if he's ok?

Yes, thats it. Kite in air, lifted over the big boulders and hit the small rocky area behind. If you are familiar with the upper launch it is clear where he crashed.

I think we should not put names up here. G

athorsness · Post by **athorsness** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:14 pm

Hi everyoneÖ that was me who went flying into the rocks face first. Ö THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who helped to get me out of harms way. And thanks for the account Georg. I have been asking everyone what happenedÖ.gotta learn from my mistakesÖand please everyone learn from mine. You really donít want to go through what I have been going throughÖ I ended up in the hospital with a busted nose. It took 7 stitches to put the piece of my nose back on. I will go in later this week for more nose surgery.. I have a mass of broken bones they need to reorganize. Right now I look and feel pretty messed up although the pain killers are helping.

I wish I could tell you what I was thinking, but I really donít remember anything at all. I canít even remember going in the water that day (Sunday the 12th). According to Georgís account I probably did launch myself trying to turn around way to close to those rocksÖ

Again many thanks to everyone who helped out. And many apologies to those whose day I messed upÖ.

Adam

hawaiimind · Post by **hawaiimind** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:59 pm

Adam, thanks for checking in and letting everyone know you are okay. I'm sure everyone out there wishes you a speedy recover and that you get out on the water soon. We all learn from our mistakes, and thanks to this forum, we can all learn from others. I think it is a testimate to the community aspect of our sport (which not all sports have) that we can come to a site like this to collaborate, share, learn, and educate each other, making it safer for us all, and safer for the community of non-kiters around us. Not many sports do that. Again, great to see you responding, don't stop kiting, good luck in your "reconstruction" (ask for the Owen Wilson nose when you see your surgeon) and we'll see you out the water soon.

knyfe · Post by **knyfe** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:02 pm

good that U are already back on the PC Adam!

I only posted it to raise the awareness and that one should actively practice using his/her quick release. Even if U are using bows!

G

athorsness · Post by **athorsness** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:06 pm

Yes G, I totally agree, and very much appreciate your post. Reading you account has made me think about running through a kite release with the kite in the air. I was flying a new-to-me kite, which I had not released before. I was using it while my turbo 2 was getting repaired. My T2 had blown a seam in the air a few weeks back. I think I got a kite from a bad batchÖ

By the way, I am still missing my pump and a yellow/orange Turbo2 backpack. I plan to check the storage locker where my kite was, but if anyone knows where these things are it would be cool to get them back.

Adam

reyrivera · Post by **reyrivera** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:24 pm

Dang, Adam! Take care of yourself. Me, Max, Mark and Witt are going to miss you on our regular launch spot in Alameda.

Get well soon!

Rey

michael · Post by **michael** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 11:00 am

"...gotta learn from my mistakesÖand please everyone learn from mine." - I really wish we could know what the mistakes were. I can't figure out much from this post, except the advice about activating safety "in situations like this".

Can we at least get an idea what kind of kite it was? Not to imply anything, it sounds to me a typical "Beginner with a C-kite at 3rd Ave" scenario. I was more lucky, and learned from this mistake.

Get well, man!

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3rd Ave kite accident today

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