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Old 01-02-2014, 01:41 PM
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ricki ricki is offline
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Default Boat Traveling At 20 Knots Strikes Kiter

I just saw this on http://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/K...Rocks/?page=1:

It is a remarkable story of good fortune in the face of very bad luck at some levels. His doctor credited his helmet as saving his life. Who expects to be struck by a boat, much less from behind and while on plane? Accidents will happen, gear up accordingly. It is great good fortune he missed the propellers and survived the impact at all.


Quote:
pilotpete said..
On behalf of Pete and myself; ..need to say a big 'THANK YOU' to the kiting community in and around Quinns Rocks, WA. Pete had a serious accident yesterday when he was hit from behind by the 40 foot Sea Rescue Boat travelling at around 20kts. I am happy to say that following a night in hospital he is now at home albeit battered and bruised. He suffered a blow to the head so has to be monitored but really was moments away from a very different outcome as he was dragged underneath the boat. We've had so many offers of help and best wishes sent for his recovery for which we are very grateful and I'm sure many of you will not be surprised to hear the Doctor said his helmet saved his life. Safe kiting in 2014 everyone. Sue.

Quinns Rocks, Western Australia just above Perth off the southwest coast.


Quote:
pilotpete said..

At approximately 15:23 on the 30/12/2013 I was kite surf training with a mate off Quinns Rocks WA 6030. We were both using 19m Ozone Edges on standard 27m lines.
I was heading toward the shore upwind on a SE heading at 30kmh.
I was looking in the direction of the heading for waves and obstructions when I was hit from above and behind with a huge force, at first I thought it was a shark but as the aluminium hull passed over me I realized it was a boat.
I was dragged under the water towards the rear of the boat and then I was suddenly pulled forward and up the side of the bow hitting the anchor located on the front of the boat where my kite lines had got caught and passed over the anchor (the kite had powered up as it was dragged by the boat and had pulled me forward and away from the propellers. This saved me from the possibility of horrific life threatening injuries). At this stage the boat stopped and now seemed to lurch up and down with the bow hitting me several more times around the head. I managed to kick off the side of the hull away from the boat, the first thing I noticed was the sheer size of the 40ft boat above me and in big letters the word ???RESCUE??? - how ironic!
I was eventually pulled onto the Rescue boat but was unable to do much as I was suffering with concussion. Whitford Sea Rescue called for an ambulance and took me into Mindarie Marina, but I do have to question where they were looking when they ran me down?
The Ambulance crew were great and managed my condition to the Joondalup Campus. Staff and doctors at the campus did more prodding and testing than I can recount. After a number of CT scans and X-ray???s they removed the neck collar to my great relief.
All up I have a good number of bruises a suspected broken bone in my foot and concussion. The doctor said that without the helmet I could have been dead.
The Rescue crew did cut my brand new kite lines
The conditions were fine and clear 11-14kts SW and 440m off shore.



Gath Gedi Helmet


Quote:
pilotpete said..

OK let me make my intentions clear here so as to keep the thread constructive.
First the crew of DG188 looked after me professionally after the impact occurred; they called for an ambulance and got me into Mindarie Marina safely.
I have nothing but praise for the Whitford Sea Rescue Services.
I only want this incident to be investigated so that we can all learn from it so as to prevent it happening again.
As has been stated above the investigation is now with the Department of Transport and I have filled out the Marine Incident Report and will be emailing it off today.
I am confident that this will clear up the uncertainty of how this accident occurred and we must all wait to see its findings before making rash judgements based on speculation.
We need to have a constructive approach to make our sport as safe as it can reasonably be.
I use a Garth Gedi helmet which I have never found to obscure my vision in any way.
Normally it is rare to find many other craft passing us while racing/training at speed and I knew that only one other kite was out with me and he was upwind in my field of view on a parallel track and we were both tacking hard upwind, wind was light 11-14kts SW, both on 19m Edges.
At speed your attention to what???s in front of your course is paramount as things happen quickly.
I can safely say a close encounter with a 40ft vessel is not ever going to be a good day out! and I clearly would have taken evasive action had I known its proximity to me.
Picture below shows the GPS speed graph at impact my speed was 30kmh tacking hard up wind, during the impact you can see the sling shot effect to 118kmh for a brief moment then down to zero, after that the readings are as the rescue boat takes me into Mindari.



http://www.seabreeze.com.au/img/phot...ng/7965217.jpg
The kiter's GPS record before and during the impact.


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