Sunday March 11

[Dutchkiteboarder]

I am kinda hoping that the wind will move to Sunday and get a session at Wolf. Doesn't look good now but hey who knows whats gonna happen. Hopefully see some of you sundaY!

[Northerner]

Classic summer day here today. Almost 70 on the beach as the wind started around 1 when the SW bent S and ramped up. Wind was light near shore at first but filled in throughout the afternoon. A small dead spot was present from time to time between the warm near shore wind and the cooler outside wind line. Most guys on 11-12- 14's. After 3 the wind cranked up to the mid-high 20's, for some very lit riding as no one switched to smaller kites. Deflowered my new 12 meter RPM today, great to experience the kite for the first time in range of wind we got today. Flew just like I was hoping, looped great and rock solid in sky. Going to a be great kite to hit unhooked to banjo on.

Local rider on a 14 had a Q release break today on the outside with the wind climbing above 25. Everyone out on the water sprang in to action. I grabbed his board, rode towards him and checked up. He looked a bit uneasy and explained that his release snapped. I told him to self rescue and I would drop his board off and check back. A few minutes later I saw his kite detached from him and two other riders right next to him. (He decided to detach the kite as it stated to relaunch and loop dragging him under the water and flushing him repeatedly) One of the two riders by him then started to drag him in. The other was just riding near by as back up. I rode to the kite, which was laying on the water in such a that it was blowing out to sea. I didn't try to grab the kite to save it as that beast of a 14 in such winds would have been dangerous to try to handle. So I just pulled the wing tips until the kite was re positioned and pushing itself towards shore. We had to reset the kite a few times and keep water on one part of the canopy so it would drift in. It did come in at the very end of the beach. Nothing was lost and no one was hurt because everyone helped out and played a role in solving the situation. Air was warm, but the water was still below 40, so helping out was very important. Beers where then drank to celebrate the rescue and it being such a great day.

Let summer begin!!

[FSP]

Glad ur all safe.

Surprised his leash line (if leashed off to an inside flying line) would have looped that hard to power drag him to the point of disconnecting? Have not had that trouble in high winds offshore but sure wouldnt expect it to be so relentless?

The inside flying line leash system that all kites use is actually a false sense of security then because if overpowered and you QR to fly off that one line, you might not be able to guide the kite towards shore and as in the case above can loop pretty heavy not to mention snap the leash pretty easily under that kind of power. Also does not seem to feasible to swim up your leash line with all the excess line to deal with (if you even can) to try and reset the QR or get your bar back to guide the kite towards shore either? Was doing that this weekend and realized there was a lot of line around me in getting back to the bar though i was in shallow water making it way less of a deal.

hmmmm... not always a fan of downwinders but they truly allow you to play if safer, along the shoreline on the cold and wavy ones to just cut it all loose and get in should it be on your own.

[billg]

I have a question regarding the rescue of a detached kite. How do you aproach the kite without getting tangled in the lines?
Lines and bar should be upwind of the kite, as the kite is dragging the bar. I rescued one at LSP several years ago, but I was windsurfing and dropped my sail, swam to the kites edge, then swam like hell to keep from getting tangled. Waves carried me, my rig and kite to shore. Do you come in downwind and let the kite come to you?