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#1
06-20-2012, 09:22 AM
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If I read the report right he launched off Clearwater and as I recall it is blowing from East for three days.
Straight offshore wind for that spot (+ crazy gusts 'cause of the buildings)... this guy is a bright exapmple of Darwin's theory of natural selection. .. or maybe it was an attempt of a downwinder to Mexico?
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smartextreme.com 
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#2
06-20-2012, 09:54 AM
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Wow, I was asking for discussion of things that will cause you to lose your kite, I didn't realize conditions were offshore there. Dead offshore winds particularly with buildings, dunes, trees, etc. shoreside have a HIGH probability of resulting in a lost kite, board too and sometimes even a kiter to go with. These are BAD conditions to launch into. Don't be deceived by the nice calm water, apparent good wind conditions because it is a false impression.
The wind is too gusty to support good kiting conditions. The wind drops to near nothing your kite stalls hits the water and pulls you offshore. Then it boosts and you get yarded before the next drop. You may get it up while continuing to drift offshore, you may relaunch, do a few tacks trying to work to shoreward until it lulls and stalls again. Repeat, repeat and repeat again with you going further offshore. I stupidly proved this to myself in offshore winds about ten years ago resulting in a 2 mile+ swim inland towing my gear behind me. Don't screw with offshore wind conditions in short. There are still other conditions that can cause you to lose kite, board or both particularly on the west coast and other areas with frequent cuts and bays. What are some of them? Quote:
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FKA, Inc. transcribed by: Rick Iossi Last edited by ricki; 06-20-2012 at 02:54 PM.
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#3
06-20-2012, 11:13 AM
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put your name and tel # on your board and kite
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#4
06-20-2012, 04:29 PM
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Quote:
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#5
06-20-2012, 09:17 PM
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There are some cases where folks will go in offshore winds but usually with a chase boat or with a long distance of shallow water as you experienced in Hatteras. The wind shadow effect off the land can severely disturb the quality of wind for miles offshore. I was about 2 1/2 miles off Boca beach in strong west winds and it was still way too gusty to kite for much distance at all. The harsh awaking comes when you try to kite back to shore and the stalling and yarding become worse the closer you get to land! You usually have to tear down and tow the lot in. Using the kite as a sail on the water usually doesn't work with dead offshore wind, you go close to parallel to shore instead of in. Sometimes I have had to reduce the leading edge pressure just to drop the wind drag on the kite to permit me to tow it shoreward.
The time we kited from Ft.Lauderdale to Bimini, we didn't start to come out of land effect on the side offshore wind until we were over five miles from shore. I haven't noticed much land effect on wind at Stiltsville in west winds which is seven miles from shore. Avoid offshore winds, go for side to side onshore winds.
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FKA, Inc. transcribed by: Rick Iossi Last edited by ricki; 06-20-2012 at 10:04 PM.
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#6
06-21-2012, 03:44 PM
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The proper method for getting back to shore in offshore winds, or to go upwind to retrieve your board is this:
 *Never deflate your kite unless absolutely necessary. Happy Kiting! www.kiteboardingtampabay.com
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#7
06-21-2012, 04:08 PM
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That approach won't work too well in particularly strong offshore winds. I have been out in conditions in which I couldn't make it to shore with that much windage. I had to partially deflate the leading edge to reduce the exposed area and tow from a wing tip to keep the sail area down. If you have a ways to swim against a stiff wind you want as little project area as you can manage. Side stroking in the water pulling by a wind tip and towing your board has worked best for me in this instance. If you really want to, you can orally reinflate the leading edge somewhat. You can do it to where you can even relaunch and ride the kite if you have to. It is best to wear an impact vest for flotation anyway particularly for towing stuff in or even rigging the kite as a sail to drag you in.
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FKA, Inc. transcribed by: Rick Iossi Last edited by ricki; 06-21-2012 at 09:57 PM.
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#8
06-21-2012, 04:59 PM
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 More info here: http://kiteboardingtampabay.com/kite...lf-rescue.html Happy Kiting! www.kiteboardingtampabay.com
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