Fatality in France

[WindJunkieFL]

The problem here is: 40 knots. That's insane. Feel sorry for the guys family.

Totally agree. If it's too windy to use my 8m (north of 30-35mph), it's too windy for me to kite (TT rider). I feel bad for the guy though, most of us have kited in high wind gnarly conditions a time or two, that's rolling the dice I don't care how talented or experienced you are

[knotwindy]

Can we please stop telling people we don’t know how much wind they can ride in safely. If you don’t know them or their local, you have no idea what they are capable of, so stop pretending you do. Thank you.

[Matteo V]

Can we please stop telling people we don’t know how much wind they can ride in safely. If you don’t know them or their local, you have no idea what they are capable of, so stop pretending you do. Thank you.

Two things:

1. If you really mean "don't tell people you know better than them when you are unaware of many of the critical variables in that specific situation", then I agree with you with one exception (following point)

2. If you can point out a known safety variable in that specific situation, such as:
a. a beginner going out for their first ever session, and it is blowing 30knots -even steady wind
b. a beginner going out in 10-35knot winds that other experienced kiters are giving up on because of the turbulence/gustiness/direction shifts
c. the use of a snap shackle safety in gusty or above 25knot winds (my opinion is that they should be never used, though they are only certain death in higher winds or waves)

Then you can reasonably state that this is something that should not be done, even if you are half way around the world from this spot/incident.

[JakeFarley]

Launching in 50kt winds? I don't know if I could stand up in those winds let alone hold up a kite for someone launching. Years ago I had an experienced kiter launch me in 25-30 kts. While I was walking upwind to get into position, the wind gusted and he let go. As I was downwind a bit the kite rolled over twice and fortunately into a launch position at the edge of the wind window. Dodged a bullet that day.

[Flyboy]

Can we please stop telling people we don’t know how much wind they can ride in safely. If you don’t know them or their local, you have no idea what they are capable of, so stop pretending you do. Thank you.

Exactly! I'm perfectly capable of riding in 80 kt winds with my 12m. What gives anyone the right - on a pubic kite forum - to pretend they know otherwise?

[iriejohn]

But many times it is hard to see a thumb up or down!
Hand on head, being the international signal for landing the kite is clearer.

When coming in hand on head means I want to land.

When launching thumb up means ready to launch.

When launching thumb down means do not launch.

[knotwindy]

We don’t use the thumb down. Too easy to mistake it for a thumbs up at 30 meters. We just use hand across throat and walk towards the kite and unhook. To each their own. Just make sure the person holding the kite and the pilot agree on a signal.

[knotwindy]

Can we please stop telling people we don’t know how much wind they can ride in safely. If you don’t know them or their local, you have no idea what they are capable of, so stop pretending you do. Thank you.

Exactly! I'm perfectly capable of riding in 80 kt winds with my 12m. What gives anyone the right - on a pubic kite forum - to pretend they know otherwise?

Darwin.!?!

[Matteo V]

.....I'm perfectly capable of riding in 80 kt winds with my 12m. What gives anyone the right - on a pubic kite forum - to pretend they know otherwise?

I definitely acknowledged that as sarcasm, as any experienced kiter would. And good you said 80knots so that some inexperienced kiters would just never encounter that particular wind speed and, think it is doable.

The issue that may fly over some other kiters head with this is, at some point or narrow range, the physics of the base equation no longer works out. So if you change it to state "12m kite in 50knots", even an experienced 100kg rider in steady winds is out of control and unable to kite. Can you be in control with a 4m kite at 100kg at that wind speed? Yes, you can - so long as you have the experience (another variable) to handle it.

[Toby]

But many times it is hard to see a thumb up or down!
Hand on head, being the international signal for landing the kite is clearer.

When coming in hand on head means I want to land.

When launching thumb up means ready to launch.

When launching thumb down means do not launch.

Now tell me: what do you do when not launching?