Know Your Safety Procedure

[reyrivera]

3 rescues in 2 days is way too many. Don't be the guy who shuts down kiting in Alameda. I'm posting this so people can learn from others. Additional helpful pointers are encouraged.

If you are going to reply and post something stupid, please don't, it will just make you, well.., look stupid.

April 24
Incident 1:

I was having a good day, kiting away from the beach close to the markers downwind from everybody. I come back in to take a break, I see a kite upwind of me. I'm one kite length away, so, I lowered my kite and started veering downwind a little bit more since I don't know him.

The guy saw me, but for some reason, he made a sudden move, switched position to tack downwind on my direction, and managed to loop his kite inside my lines. I was surprised and had no time to react.

I found out he is a total newbie, so told him not to eject, and I managed to steer us back to the beach, untangle our gear without damaging anything. Gave him a few pointers and lessons on safety, hopefully learned his lesson.

• Know your right of way. Hold your ground and clearly indicate to the other rider your intentions.
  Don't panic. Quickly assess your situation and don't make it worse.

Incident 2:
I went back out once I got my gear all sorted out, again away from everybody, near the boat marker. I see a kite down in the water, guy was self-rescuing, using his kite as a sail. I stuck around hovered around him. His leading edge popped. I assessed the situation: He has no PFD, he was shivering while dragging a watered down kite, barely using his twintip as flotation. I spent my last remaining time in the water and assisted/dragged him back to the beach.

• Don't kite further than you can swim. How do you do this? On a clear day, try to go out with just your surfboard or twintip and swim as your ability can take you, and then come back to shore. This will give you an idea on your swimming ability. Alternatively, you can take laps at your local public pool.

April 25

Incident 3:

Beginner was trying to self land using the tethered technique. Yuri pointed him out to me, and said it was a disaster waiting to happen. I ran after him, but it was too late. He managed to loop the kite back the other way onto the streets, wrapped to a lamp post in a spiral, nearly clipping a passing car.

With the help of a local windsurfer guy, we managed to get his kite down, only damaging his lines and bridles. Three firetrucks and an ambulance showed up, and we explained to them everything was okay.

• Newbies: I can't reiterate this enough, please ask for help if you don't know how to land your kite. There were at least two guys that could have landed you safely 20 yards away.
  
  If you need to land but don't know how, put your kite in the water, eject and pull your safety line. It is cheaper to repair a broken kite, untangle lines compared to paying medical bills.

Rey

[Tony Soprano]

No hindsight here. No need to panic.

Know your self rescue procedures and wear a Personal flotation device.

Oh shit two lines broke on one side of the kite. the kite is freaking out flying off the one side. What to do. roll in one line and taco position self rescue to the beach.

[JimmyJack]

The place scares me. I'd almost rather dangle my legs at Ana Nuevo.

[NorCalNomad]

Glad I didn't go yesterday, but I didn't see either incident on Sunday. There was a new chick who managed to drag herself down/ almost across the shack launching area...

[le noun]

I avoided the weekend crowd on Sunday like the plague.
Had a kick ass session from 1:30 to 3:30 on Monday before the crowd showed up. I just can not do Alameda on weekends. It's such a zoo. I admire people like Charlie, tim, rebecca or jane, etc... to keep the place organized on those days.

[le noun]

The place scares me. I'd almost rather dangle my legs at Ana Nuevo.

almost... but not quite...

[NorCalNomad]

Safer than Trestles right now

Pro tip for Alameda, gtfo off the beach as soon as possible and stay away from the scrum. Guaranteed a good session that way.

[dontfeedthenerd]

Glad I didn't go yesterday, but I didn't see either incident on Sunday. There was a new chick who managed to drag herself down/ almost across the shack launching area...

Yea was there for that one.. That was interesting.

That was right after another kiter roofed their kite on the shack.

[NorCalNomad]

That was right after another kiter roofed their kite on the shack.

awh man I missed that

[friggin old guy]

I was standing right next to the gal that put her kite on the shack.

I was walking my kite down to the rigging area when she launched. I waited for her to clear, but she decided to stop and chat with somebody right in front of me with her kite at zenith. Just the stopping and dawdling was kind of irritating, but the straight up kite thing.....yep, sure enough, kite luffed and she panicked and ejected right away.

I tried to mention to her that if a kite starts to luff you can always run to put tension back in the line, but I think she was too embarrassed or traumatized to take it in.

But if anybody that is fairly new to the game is reading this, for god's sake don't park your kite at 12, especially on a gusty day. You'll either get lofted or it will hindenburg. Keep it off slightly at 1 or 11, that way you can use your feet to brace against a gust, or if it's starting to hindenburg it'll be easier to run the other way to get tension back in the line so you can regain control.

Or better yet, get off dry land and clear the launch area as quickly as you can. Safer and more considerate to boot.

I also had somebody else fly their kite across my lines when I stopped to help a downed kiter. Definitely have to be on your game at Alameda. Somebody will getcha if you're not looking.