Helicopter pickup at Sherman Island

kitecrazy · Post by **kitecrazy** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:10 pm

Does anyone have the official IKO stance on board leashes?
There have been a few kiters recently launching at the Baja launch who depend on their leashes. To this day most of us discourage their use and we will continue to oppose them.

I've thought of going so far as refusing to help some launch their kite if they intend to use a board leash but that probably will only complicate the issue. The result could be either a self launch or the kiter will find someone else who is less aware to launch them.

While we are talking this, I myself have rescued boards and have seen countless other kiters do the same. Kudos to those who do this! People need to be made aware that this is possible and most will be happy to try to help. The awareness of this may help discourage the use of the death-leashes.

This may be another opportunity to bring up a concept probably first mentioned by Ollie, Yuri or(and) Greg. If you see a kiter who is more or less an accident waiting to happen, gang up on them in a civilized fashion and discourage their dangerous activity. Offer them the help they need without puting them in danger. Obviously this was not a practical method to help Saturday's victim, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (or a pounding on the rocks).

feixaq · Post by **feixaq** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:34 pm

I believe IKO recently decided to drop board leashes from their curriculum -- http://www.kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php? ... oard+leash ... however, that's pretty different from banning board leashes outright.

Perhaps shops should voluntarily not sell board leashes as well, to make it harder for beginners to obtain them? (I know you can always get one on the internet, but the fewer distribution points the better.)

jjm · Post by **jjm** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:05 pm

I think making reel leashes more difficult to acquire is only part of the solution. The key lies in education, probably with the burden on the shops.

What would happen if reel leashes become contraband and are difficult to acquire from your local kite ship? What if people still see the need for a leash (whether being educated on the possible repercussions, or totally unaware), and start rigging their own with dog leashes, zip ties, carribeaners, or worse yet, picking up a surf leash at a local surf shop?

davewsail · Post by **davewsail** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:48 pm

Sorry, late to the thread... So was the victim a student at the time of the incident?

feixaq · Post by **feixaq** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 5:21 pm

jjm - good point, and i think it has to be a concerted effort from everybody -- shops shouldn't stock it and should tell beginners why they don't, instructors shouldn't condone the use of it, fellow kiters should strongly discourage it, etc.

however, if in spite of all this, someone wants to jury-rig a dog leash, then that person is a candidate for the darwin awards; you can't offload the individual's responsibility onto society.

p.s. i think the victim was not a student at the time of the incident.

friggin old guy · Post by **friggin old guy** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:03 pm

I remember being in a similar situation as the victim a few years ago....

When I started kiting, I used to like to ride up with Nat and do the downwinder thing......I didn't mind killing myself, but I preferred having wide open spaces so I wouldn't cream anybody else in the process. One day I went out on my old 15m 4-line C Diesel (no depower), was great at the beginning, even a little underpowered. But by the time I got down to the marker, it was gusting over 30 and I was getting trashed. Everybody else had already made it in. Got lofted, lost my board (never used a leash) and just decided it was time to forget about the board and get in. Dragged over to the beach and figured there was no way I was going to be able to keep from getting lofted on the beach, so I put the kite down near the tules, pulled the safety and self-rescued.

I've done a lot of stuff that some people think is crazy, but nothing scares me as much as the power of the kite when it gets out of hand. It is good to have these reminders now and then to keep us from getting cocky or thinking it can't happen to you. I'm hoping that the guy will be ok and will be able to look at it a positive attitude, ie man am I lucky I didn't get killed. But then again, I'm not the one that had a bone poking out of my upper leg.......

And I plan on sticking my nose into every beginner's business and tell them they're NUTS to wear a leash......people are cool and will almost always be on the lookout for to put a board back where it belongs.....

KirkTalon · Post by **KirkTalon** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:11 pm

I agree with everybody. And Rey I don't even like the idea of the leash to help somebody it is just one more thing to get tangled, caught on something or otherwised jacket....I think it is really reasonable to say that Sherman is not a beginning place and by majority decree leashes are no longer allowed.

There is the Go Joe...

Kirk

reyrivera · Post by **reyrivera** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:22 pm

Yeah, I've thought about that Kirk. When I'm trying to help somebody in the water, I wanna keep a safe distance between me and the person. I experienced a minor incident awhile back in Waikiki while trying to help a newbie surfer who just lost his board. He hung on to me with a kung fu grip as I paddled and reached him. I had to kick out of the board and ended up swimming and dragging him and my board back to safety.

I do carry a kelp knife just as a last resort if I tangle with the reel leash. At least at that point the kiter being towed is closer to shore.

jono · Post by **jono** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:59 pm

Just wanted to point out that swinging the kite one way and over correcting back the other is similar to what is usually called "pilot induced oscillation" by hang gliders, pilots, etc. It's fairly common in those fields and they teach you to beware and prevent it. Wanted to point out there is a name for this problem.

Regarding messing with the board leash, I see near accidents all the time on the beach when someone is doing something unrelated to flying the kite -- picking up a board, putting something down, etc. Many locals know they can ask someone to grab a board for them instead of hunting for it, reaching for it, etc. and people usually help no problem. I think this really cuts down on the risk.

So, if you see someone about to go out, kite in the air, just stop with that "UH???!" look on their face (uh, where's my board?), be a good boy/girl/cub scout and jump up and say "you want me to get that for you?" They will often tell you the board, stare at the kite while you grab it and it's just another form of prevention.

I saw a guy at Alameda launch his kite one handed with board leash HOLDING THE BOARD IN THE OTHER HAND and told him to STOP THAT ASAP. You need two hands on the bar when you launch and you need to not worry about the board until the kite is up and stable.

I think this is a good discussion, it's hard to get the little tips everyone has about this kind of stuff in one place and I figure a lot of newbies might read this and get some good ideas -- I got a PM from someone thanking me for the tips already so this is obviously useful.

mbzporvida · Post by **mbzporvida** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 7:42 pm

If you have to use a leash, hook the leash to your board and clip the other end to you.That way you don't have to reach down to un-clip as I see so many people do.

JUST GET RID OF THE LEASH!

BayAreaKiteboarding.com

Helicopter pickup at Sherman Island

Who is online