dyyylan wrote:Yes, all of those things. I tow them behind me on a 2nd board attached with a board leash (I know, I'm going to get flak for using a board leash). You can never be too safe. Attached to this sled is also a kayak, just in case the wind dies and I am 20 miles out, I need to be able to paddle back to shore. I have also equipped it with a 10 horsepower outboard motor if I am too fatigued to paddle. I am always pushing my limits though so I almost always have to use the motor. Also on the boat I make sure to bring an EMT to monitor my health during the session. If any of my vitals drop below a certain mount, he is able to pull himself to my rescue board, get the necessary supplies, then pull himself to me. It is quite expensive, so I make sure to bring a portable grill and food for him to cook while we are riding, so that I get my money's worth. He is a terrible cook but as I do not always need assistance while kiting, he has plenty of opportunities to improve and the food is getting better. I am thinking that in a few months, it will be good enough that we can set up a rest tent, so in between tacks we can stay on the beach and provide food for other beachgoers. If all goes well, I can make enough money doing this that I can also hire a full time cook so that I can spend more time kiting. With all of this additional required equipment to be safe, it is difficult for me to fully enjoy a session.
If you are going to do long down winder in an unknown and unpopulated area then taking some safety gear and an emergency locator is not a bad idea. I have a very small survival back pack I use and pack with some essentials like water, power bars, cell phone, flash light and a beacon locator when I do long down winders. It weighs about 3 lbs and I never even know it is there.SpaceRacer wrote:Hi, just curious. Do any of you kite with the following or anything similar: compact swim fins, EPIRB, marine radio, flares, smoke signal, horn, strobe, signal mirror, marine whistle, dye packs, etc.? If so, under which conditions and have you ever successfully used it/them?