FKA Kiteboarding Forums  

Go Back   FKA Kiteboarding Forums > St. Petersburg/Tampa Bay Forum > Let's Ride!
Connect with Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/rick.iossi
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-03-2010, 08:02 AM
Whitey Whitey is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 263
Default Close Call

This happened yesterday evening. Four of us were riding late in the afternoon on the other side of the pass at Honeymoon. Waves were very big winds in the high 20's. Felt like the temperature was also. During my session riding a strapless surfboard I had several wrecks, in one I lost my prescription goggles. I came in (the sun was going down quick) to end my day. There was a lone kiter who I did not know, rigging on the beach. As my blind ass tried to land my kite to him I missed him several times. Once he landed my kite I explained to him that I could not see him without my glasses. He ask for a launch and I sent him on his way, with less than an hour of daylight left.

I tore down my kit and took it to my car, put on my clear glasses, came back down to the beach to land my buddies. I did my usual kite count to check on everyone, and came up one short, the kite I had just launched was not in the air. I scanned the area and could not see it anywhere. I went over to a bench to get some elevation and saw the kiter in the water with his deflated kite waving his arms franticly.

First reaction was to paddle out on my surfboard to assist, quickly realizing that I would not be able to make it out and back, I considered re-rigging to go out to him. As I watched him getting sucked out of the pass at an alarming rate I decided it would be better to keep an eye on him while trying to get the attention of my three buddies on the other side of the pass playing in the wave and jumping to the moon. Finally I got Doug's attention with my arms crossed over my head. Being an accomplished waterman, Doug recognized this signal and made a bee line to me. Steve saw this happening and came in also.

We could no longer see the man in the water, I showed Doug the line I had last seen him on and off they went into the dusk. They found him on the other-side of the pass in the pounding surf on the outside sand bar. Doug returned with his board and Steve towed him and his deflated kite in, getting him back to shore around 6:00 PM.

Upon return he said he crashed his kite it instantly deflated and he was getting sucked out to sea despite strong onshore winds and large surf coming onshore . He said his first thought was "Shit there is only one guy on the beach and he can't see.

I post this to help serve as a reminder not to kite alone. He should have left his kite and swam towards shore in this situation. Once safely on shore you can get someone to go out and try to recover your gear. His deflated kite was acting as a sea anchor allowing the strong outgoing tide to over power the wind and surf pulling him out to sea. He did not have his struts pinched off so he lost all the air in the kite, take the time to always isolate the struts on your kite. Be aware of your surroundings, take the time to check on folks on the water.

Great job of getting him back alive Steve and Doug, the event has a happy ending because of your advanced riding skills and instant willingness to help a fellow kiter. Without your help this could have been a very very sad event.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-03-2010, 09:30 AM
Water Monkey Water Monkey is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 119
Default Nice one!

Glad everyone made out OK in the end. That is a sketchy pass to get in trouble in, especially a day like yesterday. Your life is always worth more than some fabric and lines!
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-03-2010, 09:58 AM
robertovillate robertovillate is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: St. Pete, Hatteras, MI
Posts: 191
Thumbs up

Nice job keeping your eyes out and heads on for other kiters (or anyone) in distress on the water.

It's a good thing the story ended up happily. Although things can happen to even the most experienced waterman, it sounds like there are some important lessons to be learned from this particular incident.
__________________
Roberto Villate
4 Winds 7 Seas
PASA Level III Instructor
rvillate@msn.com
http://www.kitesurfatlas.com/schools/4winds7seas
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-03-2010, 06:18 PM
Unimog Bob Unimog Bob is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Parrish
Posts: 771
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by robertovillate View Post
....it sounds like there are some important lessons to be learned from this particular incident.
Yeah, several very basic ones.

It very easily could have turned out very poorly and that was a frustrating read.

Anyway, great work guys.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-22-2010, 12:49 PM
uchuche uchuche is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 37
Default

Interesting, but it's easier to see the kite from the air than a swimmer.

"Always stay with the boat"

Swimming for it especially against a strong current is a bad idea. Looks like these kiters found this guy because was still with his kite (which is where they went first). If he was already swimming for it, and you didn't see him waiving his arms, where would you have looked for him when you saw his kite?

The kite floats, it's big and easy to see from the air, it can be raised out of the water to be seen by boat, and it can be used as a sail.

Stay with the kite.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-22-2010, 01:40 PM
inferno's Avatar
inferno inferno is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: depends on where I land
Posts: 1,675
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by uchuche View Post
Interesting, but it's easier to see the kite from the air than a swimmer.

"Always stay with the boat"

Swimming for it especially against a strong current is a bad idea. Looks like these kiters found this guy because was still with his kite (which is where they went first). If he was already swimming for it, and you didn't see him waiving his arms, where would you have looked for him when you saw his kite?

The kite floats, it's big and easy to see from the air, it can be raised out of the water to be seen by boat, and it can be used as a sail.

Stay with the kite.
good points... very tough call to make, situation dependent i assume..
im personally not a strong swimmer (i sink like a rock), 9 out of 10 times, im staying with the kite.... mine arent one pump, so they will always float....
__________________
handle passes are easy...
at least i think they were.. been so long i cant remember
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-22-2010, 01:40 PM
kent kent is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 430
Default

Whitey,

Good point about pinching the struts. I used to do this for all DW events, even more so on the very long ones. I have since disregarded this, but your point is very good regarding the flotation that they provide. I'll be back to pinching again.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-22-2010, 06:00 PM
Tony Tony is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 143
Default

Nice job guys! Craig is always looking out for the safety of others. He has helped me out as well. I think a lot of guys would benefit from a PFD especially in those kind of conditions. They make some pretty slim ones that keep your mobility. Granted - some guys are great waterman but in deep water, heavy winds, and swell - gets challenging if you have to swim in from afar-

Tony
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 03-22-2010, 07:04 PM
Whitey Whitey is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 263
Default

In this case the kite did not have any left in it and is was sinking. He actually tied it around his waist so he would not loose it. If your kite has any air in it absolulty stay with it. Once it is sinking out it's time to swim. Another thing to keep in mind is that if you are off shore and in this situation you can pull off the rubber tube and inflate the struts with your mouth and pinch them off and create floatation for your self with the good struts.

Kent I read an article written by the kite designer at Ozone and he insists that keeping the struts independent from the leading edge has performance benefits by not letting the air pressure transfer from the struts on the side of the kite under turning pressure to the main bladder. Which is why he refused to put a single point inflation system on their high end kite the Edge. I don't know if it's for real, but I can't think of a down side to pinching them off, other than the 30 seconds of time it takes.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 03-22-2010, 08:08 PM
uchuche uchuche is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 37
Default

Also, the board floats, you can blow air into the dump valve just to keep it boyant, you can go under and blow an air pocket under the canopy. As Whitey mentioned you could pull a bladder. You can blow air into your wetsuit. In military school we were taught to remove our long pants, tie the legs closed and blow air into them to stay afloat... same idea with the kite. Get air in it just about anywhere and trap the bubble.

I know of more than one person who left the boat, and swam for it, and almost drown in the process. The coast guard and police never saw them.. just kept flying by while the guy was getting too tired to swim any longer.

Had it happen myself once... went down at dusk and swam for it. The police boat almost ran me over 4 times even though I was waving my arms, they didn't even see me. I actually grabbed the swim ladder BEFORE they ever saw me. They went straight to the kite and I was not there. Will never leave the kite again.

There is a STRONG urge to swim for it. I highly recommend not doing that unless you know you are near a sand bar, and can make it there, etc.

Regardless good job guys for helping a fellow kiter.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:39 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.

Do not advertise outside of [COM] Forums.
Do not show disrespect for others in your postings.
Users can be denied access to this Site without warning.
FKA, Inc., it’s officers and moderators are not responsible
for the content of the postings and any links or pictures posted.

Report Problems by PM to “administrator” or via email to flkitesurfer@hotmail.com

Copyright FKA, Inc. 2004, All Rights Reserved.