Leash Alternative - Go Joe?

[Dave_5280]

Has anyone used this alternative to a leash?


http://www.oceanrodeo.com/kiting/gojoe.php

[mobettah]

Has anyone used this alternative to a leash?


http://www.oceanrodeo.com/kiting/gojoe.php

A few folks in Ontario use them. They seem to work okay. Most folks just learn to body drag upwind back to their board. This is an important skill to have as a kiteboarder.

[FredBGG]

I have seen the Go Joe working and it is very effective.
It makes the board "sail" back downwind to you.
It also it makes the board far more visable and thus easier to get back.

It is FAR SAFER than any leash.

I would say that the only downsides are:

If you are having kite problems the board might be blown too far downwind of you.

Second the Go Joe may be combersome in the surf.

Overall I'd say it's a damn good idea.

Best off all learn how to body drag upwind.
It takes some skill, but once you get it it is the best solution.
Very important if the wind were to go off shore and not be quite enough to ride upwind on your board.

Cheers

Fred

[srrc]

Dave,really, you don't need a leash or other device.
It will feel like you've forgotten to put your underwear on when you first go out without, but very quickly you will adapt.

Reasons to be cheerful?
Firstly, you won't lose the board so much 'cos you learn to fall in ways that keep the board on.
Secondly, the pleasure of not having that device cluttering up your feet .
Thirdly, bodydragging is easy, do it!

[Juwanna Kite]

I lost my board in the surfline at South Padre Island. In lightish wind conditions, I just couldn't drag effectively through the surfline to look for the damn thing. Fortunately someone spotted it on the beach and returned it to me. I bought a Go-Joe to specifically deal with the situation where the board get's lost in the surfline as it makes the board a hell of a lot more visible.

A couple of years back, I had my kite go down in the surfline. I had a surf leash that I used ONLY to attach to the board when down in the water and fooling with the kite. I attached it but unfortunately and unbeknownst to me, the leash unattached itself from the board. A friend found the board and said he would take it into shore for me so I paid no more attention to it. When I got in, another friend said my original friend couldn't get it all the way in because the wind was getting too light inside so he left it in the surf. I searched for a couple of hours for the board and never found it. If it had had a Go-Joe, I would have found it.

The only drawback to the Go-Joe on my twin tip is that it does rub up against one leg on one tack. And I can't mount it on my directional as it would interfere with the foot swap.

So while you should be able to drag back to the board most of the time, there are times when a Go-Joe is really useful. I especially recommend it for twin-tips in the surf.

Juwanna Kite-

[Kirok]

Twin tips in surf:
Nothing can beat a GoJo. You can see where the board is end of story.

Agreed all should be able to body drag upwind. Having a GoJoe does mean you spend less time dragging upwind to get your board = more time kitesurfing.

Kirk

[mobettah]

Twin tips in surf:
Nothing can beat a GoJo. You can see where the board is end of story.

Agreed all should be able to body drag upwind. Having a GoJoe does mean you spend less time dragging upwind to get your board = more time kitesurfing.

Kirk

Curious to know. Will the Go Joe flip an upside down board right side up?

[kiteingcolin]

i think there a great idea and they do work,
reason i dont use one?
they look so silly,

how do i overcome the feeling that they look so bad

looking cool i dont care about,
but looking like a silly pratt with thick rimmed glasses and a raincoat on??
do you know what i mean? the others would take the pisss all year!
i cant get my head around the problem

wish i could as they realy do work

[tukyank]

Lets be clear here - The Go Joe is NOT meant to eliminate the need to body drag upwind. It is meant to make your board more visible when it gets separated from the rider. It just so happens that its design causes it to blow down wind faster than a board on its own, which can eliminate some of the upwind body dragging.

As someone who has lost 2 boards to crazy currents after major kite problems (meaning I was unable to get back to my board immediately due to kite issues) - I think its a great idea.......it just doesn't look very cool (IMO).

[solo flight]

Over here everybody checks when a kite is down if assistance is needed.

Seems like a cool help(Go Joe) when learning.