Bad conditions

[Tom183]

It's time we stopped kidding ourselves about nuking winds - too many have died, and the accident record Rick Iossi has collected clearly shows that the risks are huge and no amount of skill/experience can overcome them. The recent death in Seattle is but one among several recent examples.

When are we going to wake up and start discussing this honestly and openly?

[BigR]

Dude, you are like a bad nightmare that keeps comming back, night after night......


Chinese water torture of endless tape looping........ WE ALL KNOW that increasing winds increase your chances of a kite accident of some sort or another.

now give it a rest and write it on the blackboard 500,000 times



My sincere condolences go out to the friends and family of anyone who has lost a loved one doing what they enjoyed so much in this sport

[kitedayzed]

[Skyway Scott]

It's pathetic you started another thread and mentioned Seattle, Tom.

Everyone knows kiting is more dangerous in higher winds. Do you honestly think there is even one kiter who is unaware of this?
Are you on a crusade to teach that which is already known?

The other thing that is clear - some of us take slightly higher risks than others in some facets of life.

Does anyone on here ride a motorcycle (especially without a helmet)?
Well, you are at more risk than me in my Tundra. But, I am not going to give you a friggin' speech about it, especially 2 days after your best bro died in an accident. That's just poor taste.


Lastly, why are some so amped to get vid and pics of a kite at Mavericks? That shit could kill someone, after all.
Well, we all know it's pretty dangerous and only a few should try it.
But, I don't hear too many saying it shouldn't be done. So, why are we saying (at least a couple are) that no one should ride in 40 to 50?

One thing is for sure, no one is forcing others to ride in conditions that they don't want to, as some sort of hazing ceremony or something.
So Tom, relax. We aren't going to force you to ride in anything you don't want to. Just have comfort in knowing that you can hop off whenever you want.

[zero]

you're a total embarrassment tom. what's your average kite size? some 20m foil in maine? have you ever even been in high winds? you're like some ancient grandmother who sits inside all day watching cnn and all the horrible crimes that supposedly occur out there, and tells everyone it's too dangerous outside. if i die doing something i love, taking the calculated risks we all take in every part of life, and you pull this sh-t, i swear i will rise from hell and rip your fat head off.

[kitedayzed]

stay sitting in front of the TV granny if you come back in here with this silly talk there will be a fight, for sure! then somebody will end up hurt and will not be from high wind related activities leave the accident analysis to Ricki...

[tungsten222]

Original message expired.

[kiteingcolin]

on the big days i notice that most of us wait until someone else go's out,

that never happens in normal conditions as it then becomes a race to get out first

the "test monkey" is watched with great interest to see if he can handle the gusts and conditions, from this and a check with the others on the forcast for the day, and their viws on the conditions we decide on which kite to use,
i pick my best bar with the best lines, and tool up with all the saftey gear

i then hook into one of the o £hit handles untill i hit the water, jumps are kept small to start with to test the conditions and to give my more adventurous side time to come from behind the pillow and get stuck in

after my first yeeharrrrrrr im off on a mission to feel the buzz, and in strong winds the buzz is available to anyone who wants a bit

we do also have a system for the very silly winds where only one of us goes out at a time and the others act as saftey crew, ready to grab the kite as soon a you lower it from the waters edge, not alowing the sailor to come ashore on the hard sand, two guys nesr the kite on launch to check the lines,

our sport is lame when you look at free climbing,
them guys who climb rock walls without ropes or saftey, just chalk,
dont we all do it for the buzz?
i think my motorbike riding at times is a greater risk to my well being, and if i want to get an equal level of buzz from that then i am in geater danger than when kitesurfing in silly strong winds

thats my twopennys worth on the subject

if i end up meeting my maker one day doing one of the sports i love, please dont say "i would have been ok if only i had the sence to stay at home in front of a cosy fire"
my gran did that and missed out on feeling alive and kicking, its my choice,
i will do what i want with my one life, and hope to skid along the floor to heaven one day with me shouting yeeeharrr what a life what a buzz that was,

[Toby]

please show respect, both ways.

Sure, the stronger the wind the higher the risk. We all have to define a limit of wind we want to go out in. My smallest kite is a 12, so there is my limit, since I never liked stronger winds, since I don't like small kites.

And if I see strong gusts forecasted, I stay home as well.

But I must admit, I choose the conditions when I want to go out, since I can work at any time, so I can choose when I want to ride. But others cannot do this, so I understand that they want to ride, whatever conditions.

Know your limits, but I always say to myself: why risk ruining hundreds of more, much nicer sessions to come, for one gusty, shitty day with nukin winds?

Greets
Toby

[Wibbler]

Tom, you ride flysurfers: no wonder you're worried about being out overpowered, those things can be a frightening liability in heavy weather... I'm just suggesting your experience may be very different to many others.