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Old 08-03-2006, 02:51 PM
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ricki ricki is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2004
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Default *** Hurricane Riding, the Real Deal ***

I keep reading about quite a bit of hurricane riding anticipation. I hope that people that consider going out in these tropical systems appreciate what they are risking and what conditions to look for and avoid.

Squalls associated with tropical systems can routinely vomit gusts in the 40 to 50 to 60 kt.+ range in seconds. Guess what the average reported windspeed has been in kiteboarding fatalities, 28 kts., ranging from 12 kts. to over 50 kts.

Experience will win out? Not necessarily, 65% of these riders had 2 to 4 plus years experience. The reality is the experienced guys are the ones MOST at risk, by far (almost FOUR times more likely to lose it than newbies). Question , why do you think this is the case? Your answers could be important not only to yourself but to others, well experienced riders.

This weather isn't always that obvious to the naked eye either, it can all look gray. Even if it is obvious, you have to notice it before it arrives which hasn't always happened.

Color radar can help but it isn't perfect and unless you have someone shoreside who can reliably communicate with you and is closely monitoring it (i.e. laptop with an aircard, a very good idea) things can change.

Flat kites are great in managing gusty weather within operating specs usually, as long as nothing goes wrong. What if it inverts because you are sheeting out too much at the upper wind range or something breaks? Your major depowering and control ability can vanish in seconds leaving your overpowered and perhaps being dragged out of control. This has happened. Flat kites are a great advance but they aren't magic.

Typical C kites in tropical systems carry even greater risks as the ability to depower is always limited whether things work properly or not. There are other articles on this site with ideas on weather planning for sufficiently experienced riders at this time of year, some links appear below. Finding a large enough, clear hole with stable weather is key in this. Often there WON'T be such conditions in many areas experiencing higher winds with tropical systems. The squalls are simply too numerous. This is a fact and fairly common.

http://fksa.org/viewtopic.php?t=808

It comes down to individual education, evaluation and choice in picking riding weather. Still, it is important to truly understand what you are getting into. Sometimes blowing it off to ride in more stable conditions is the way to go. I believe there was a guy in Okinawa who would back me up on this, if he could. A feederband squall from a distant typhoon jerked him off the water and lofted him 50 m horizontally into a concrete wall. The result wasn't pretty and he didn't make it. Rest in peace, I hope others learn from your experience.
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