Helicopter pickup at Sherman Island

KirkTalon · Post by **KirkTalon** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 12:58 am

Thanks Jono, in turn I meant no disrespect for the Sherman crew as this is my local spot ( I live 37 minutes away). My frustration is that we have trained over 40 people in the bay but not in the Sacramento area, I would just like to have us be able to take care of each other as our sport is conducive to s%^%$ happening from time to time.

Hey Czech like I said I will make the offer but it will be as things are winding down, I am leaving for Brazil for the whole month of August , but I will definitely offer the class again, hell I can offer my house and we can have a bbq after .

Kirk

Sonny · Post by **Sonny** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 7:48 am

I was little unclear how the accident happened, he came in to land the kite and got lofted? It just seems odd, generally people get lofted during launch not landing.

Blackbird · Post by **Blackbird** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:54 am

Condolences to the person. Nice to see all the updated safety reminders. Hope to hear a positive update in the near future...
Speculation... always lots.
I like Jono's words. Practice the safety release. Don't second guess detaching from your kite if anything obnormal starts to happen. A kite is cheap compared to the years of joy ahead...

Fredstem · Post by **Fredstem** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:10 am

I saw everything as I was lined up behind the guy to come in.

I was personally on my 9 and very lit (29 average at that time). I came in just after I saw the guy approaching the shore but realized quickly that he was taking too much time…

First he was trying to depower his kite several times but had a lot of problem with his trim loop.(I do believe that he was already fully depower but still completely overpowered with his 12). His board was still attached to his board leash and he was trying to get his board which was kind of stuck.

He was too downwind of the little cove so he had to walk back (high tide) to make it but was unable to do so. The scene lasted a bit and I was personally very concerned as I saw my wife and daughter making the mistake to move downwind of the guy (in the water) to give him more space and see if she could help him. I was seeing bad thing happening because the kiter looked as a beginner/intermediate to me and I don’t think that’s the right place for such level, even more with a 12m in such gusty winds…

Then the guy tried once again to pull his board towards him (he was still in the water) with one hand on the bar. The kite started to steer strongly to the right. When he suddenly realized that, he pulled strongly left and then he took off big time!!!

He passed just next to my wife and then the board went at rocket speed 1 foot above my daughter’s head. I have to admit that I was very scared seeing this… Then the guy flew high in the air gliding for 50 feet. I saw him landing hard legs first and then bouncing 2 times.

The guy made the mistake to be on a 12m with such strong winds being probably at a beginner/intermediate level. But the problem was his board leash!!! If he had removed the leash before coming in, he would have certainly made it ok. Because all the time he was stuck in the cove was just because of the board still attached to him...

I wish the guy all the best for his recovery but still strongly believe that Sherman is not for beginners…
Fred

windhorny · Post by **windhorny** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:26 am

OK, new proposed rule: NO board leashes-anywhere,period. Following the first body dragging lesson should be a bodg dragging UPWIND lesson. If you see someone with the deathline, threaten them,warn them, cut it off, show them this post, tell them to go to alameda and learn to body drag. There is no reason someone cant learn to put an arm out and swim under the kite's power, it's absurd! Come to think of it, people at alameda should really not be wearing them at all either. Since there is so much beach, beginners constantly come in with the board still dragging behind them, as they figure out what to do with their kite the board is sinking in the sand like an anchor just waiting for them to try and move. And of course this is normally accompanied by a nice family of beach goers within feet of this regular occurance.

Sherman should not be the place to figure this out! Let these unfortunate accidents be a lesson to us all.

If you need board assistance, buy a Go Joe! this way EVERYONE can see you are learning, like having a student driver sticker on your kite. And we will all stay way the hell out of your way.

EvanOR · Post by **EvanOR** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:34 am

Yeah, I still cringe when I see people with a board leash......I was teaching lessons in 2001 and even back then I would not allow my students to use them. And this was years before the Go Joe was available and you had no choice but to learn to get upwind to your board.

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:41 am

I took two riders out the Kitopia last time I was at Shermin, both were beginners, both had leashes...
The FIRST thing I did was take away the leashes!!! They then moved into the water to learn cross/up wind body dragging... By days end both riders were successfully dragging UP wind and both go some nice (RIDING) board time.
Bravo, fella's!!!
Greg

glenn · Post by **glenn** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:51 am

Fred, that must have been scary seeing your family in harm's way. Thankfully your daughter did not get hurt and hopefully the kiter will be ok and make a full recovery.

Safety is the most important topic we discuss on the forum, so naturally everyone has valuable input.

A huge element of kiting safety is being able to say "Fuck my paycheck" essentially, in a split second. That kite is worth a couple paychecks, so what?? Same deal with the board leash - beginners and other kiters are worried about the expense of a lost board. True, boards are pricy - but how about a split in the back of your head? I garentee any injured kiter, in hindsight, would gladey pay the $500, $800 or more to be back on the water without an injury or worse.

Not trying to preach to the choir - but looking at this situation simply in dollars and sense makes it very clear that kites and boards are not worth as much as we think.

Sonny · Post by **Sonny** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:03 am

I have told numerous people to buy the go-joe instead of a leash. I think go-joe was one of better invention. I was lucky enough that I never got hurt using a leash when I learned. I probably would not have lost my board if I had a go-joe instead of a leash (my leash broke and I could not see the board to body drag back to the board). I'm not affiliated with Ocean Rodeo or Go-joe.

alexp415 · Post by **alexp415** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:03 am

After arriving at Sherman yesterday and hearing about this incident, I decided to ditch my board leash once and for all. I ended up having a blast doing a downwinder and had no problem dragging back to my board - very liberating. Thanks to the Sherman crew for "scaring me straight."

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Helicopter pickup at Sherman Island

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