Ankle leash on a surfboard?

[Beardytello]

What do you do?

I don't have a leash on my TT and I understand why I don't, plus 99% of the time I can bodydrag back to it.

But I bought a cheap surfboard to mess about on the other day, it came with an ankle leash (As surfboards do) and the first thing I did was take it off (same principle as my TT)

But is there a situation where you would keep it on? I noticed the board was keen to f*** off back to the beach whenever I lost it which was frustrating

If you were wave riding would you keep it on? Or would you never have a leash with a kite in the sky?

[or6]

You did the right thing by taking it off. Though there are some spots where a leash might be needed, because losing a board might put you into trouble, those conditions are the exception to the rule. No leash.

Besides, if you can body drag back to a TT, why wouldn't you to your surfboard?

[Beardytello]

You did the right thing by taking it off. Though there are some spots where a leash might be needed, because losing a board might put you into trouble, those conditions are the exception to the rule. No leash.

Besides, if you can body drag back to a TT, why wouldn't you to your surfboard?

Yeah, this was exactly my thought, I just wondered really.

[BWD]

Normally no leash needed kiting.
You might use a leash if you are riding around rocks/reef that will destroy your board if it gets away from you, or if you think you might not make it back to shore without the board if you have to ditch your kite. In surf, board can get carried far away from you though.
Always a compromise, because leash comes with some extra risks of injury.
Sometimes worth it when you already have extra risks built in to the session.
You have to figure out which risk (board loss, leash related injury, time spent chasing board, etc.) is bigger and choose.
For learning and mild conditions, best choice normally is NO leash.

[Matteo V]

The "Eel-The Reel Leash" was the only moderately safe leash for kiteboarding. It's Achilles heel is that it has no safety release.

If you use any type of leash for your board:

1. Wear a helmet! You will get knocked in the head with the board, and that could be sped up by the leash. Again, the Eel leash helped to prevent this, but was not 100%.

2. Get a face mask for your helmet as you have a better chance of getting whacked in the face with the board as it stays so close to you. This is different from surfing in that you have the kite pulling in different directions than how the closeout is generally pushing. It also has some additional unpredictability in a close out as it will snap back to you or come up from below to wack you in the face.

3. Make sure you can release the leash in an emergency. The Eel did not have a safety release for when you surfboard inevitably shoots up out of the water through the middle of your lines. This can cause temporary loss of kite control even if you can manage to disconnect something like a ankle cuff on a standard surf leash.

4. Don't use a leash. Nearly all experienced wave kiters look at this as a kook move, not because it is uncool, but because of the dangers listed above. And most of those who are anti leash just cannot find any advantage to having them.

Sure, you may have to body drag further, or go all the way in to pick your board up on the beach, but that will become a pretty rare occurrence once you gain some experience.

If you kite anywhere where shore line or break conditions would prevent you from body dragging away from rocks, pilings, or something to become impaled upon, you are putting your life in danger and a leash is not going to effectively minimize any of the risk you have already chosen to undertake. Kind of like wearing a bullet proof vest when you intend to shoot yourself in the head.

[FLandOBX]

A surfer, with a surfboard leash, can usually dive underwater for "protection" from the board (and wave) when he or she bails out. It's still a risk to have a leash, but convenience outweighs the risk for most surfers.

A kite will often keep you on the surface of the water or send you airborne when you crash. So your risk of getting hit with the board is greater. A kiter also can power back to a lost board, so the convenience of a leash is lessened with a kite.

Bottom line, IMHO, a kiter should never use a leash on any kind of board (twin-tip, directional, etc.), but surfers (a hard-nosed bunch) will continue to use them.

[gmb13]

What about other peoples safety in the waves?! If you loose your board in a wave it could hit someone else. You do not want to be responsible for that. Anyone who goes into proper waves without a leash, especially when other water users are around is risking other people health.

Try paddling to a lineup without a leash at a popular surf break. Best case they just educate you and tell you to go back to shore and get a leash. Worse case, you mouth off when they explain this to you, and they give you a beating.

So if you are really wave riding, use a leash. And a Helmet if you are worried about it hitting you.

--
Gunnar

[Starsky]

What about other peoples safety in the waves?! If you loose your board in a wave it could hit someone else. You do not want to be responsible for that. Anyone who goes into proper waves without a leash, especially when other water users are around is risking other people health.

Try paddling to a lineup without a leash at a popular surf break. Best case they just educate you and tell you to go back to shore and get a leash. Worse case, you mouth off when they explain this to you, and they give you a beating.

So if you are really wave riding, use a leash. And a Helmet if you are worried about it hitting you.

--
Gunnar

Swimmers are no reason to wear a leash. They are a reason not to kite in their vicinity. Have seen you foil in closer proximity to people in your videos that I would recommend, and quite obviously you feel confident enough not to pose them any risk. As to kiters in waves. For the overwhelming majority of situations you should not use a surf leash. For the tiny minority of situations where its a good call, you should be experienced and competent enough to know when to make that call. As far as advice on a forum goes. Don't use a leash, and stay well away from other water users.

[Matteo V]

Gunnar,

You either are joking, or have not thought this one through. Loosing a surfboard into a break, and having it hit another person in the water is nothing compared to losing control of your kite because your board went through your lines above your control bar and now your leash is wrapped around a steering line causing it to loop uncontrollably.

I mean seriously, would you rather get hit by a tiny kitesurfboard, or get "Clothes lined" by kite lines under tension? One bruises you, the other starts you chumming for sharks.

Loose the leash, or at least talk to the kiters you look up to at your beach and have them give you their 2 cents.

[jonysan]

A friend of mine, and also the best "strapless" kiter I know, uses a leash, and wears a helmet, when riding on Big days, a quarter of a mile offshore in big breaking waves is not a good place to have your board tumble away from you.
And in competition, losing your board , and having to body drag inshore to retrieve it, cost time and points.

But, in most situations, lose the leash, it's a liability .