Why not help other fellows when they are in trouble?

[Habi]

Is ridiculous ! so many times I've seen this !! Today one guy lost his board out in the reef , he was kiting 1/4 mile out with 3 more guys, he dropped in a wave and crashed his kite , while he was trying to relaunch his kite, his board was drifting slowly away . The other kiters did nothing ,he was yelling at them, riding close to him they did not responded .... to make the story short .... there are so many ways to help a fellow outhere , imagine yourself in any situation that you might need help !!!

What ever you do in life today, it will be rewarded in the future.... no matter what !!

[tungsten222]

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[Kobrin]

In Belgium and Holland people help each other, and when I was in Brazil the people were also very helpfull on and off the water.

Kiters should take care!

[panchito]

Sad , but I guess it´s about mentality .

It happened to me few years ago ; crashed the kite , LE blown , managed to wrap the lines and 50 ( or more ) other kiters were passing by and NOBODY even considered to ask if I was ok ... till a windsurfer managed to pull me out ( on the mean time 3 others WS´s did ask me if I was ok )

It was in Valdevaqueros , Spain .

I always stop if I see a fellow kiters with problems and try to help.

Sad , very sad


Saludos


Franz

[Peter_Frank]

It sounds like some very "unfriendly" kiters that did not help, true

Would just add some other views that MIGHT contribute to the picture that "noone helps" :

1. In waves, it might be impossible to get a lost board "retrieved" - as there can be big waves where you are, and not possible - or close to a reef, so not safe.
(I dont know in the specific case - but it is often the case...)

2. In the early days, some tried helping others relaunching their kite, when down.
That is a thing of the past - as you will most often NOT be able to help at all, and the risk for getting yourself or both kiters in danger by tangling or getting tangled in the kitelines, is huge !
So thats why most kiters would (and should) just pass by, instead of trying to help. But a word like "are you okay" or similar would be good

3. Difficult/impossible for many, to recover a board, as this takes some practice - and with kites today having no stopper most of them - it can be REALLY difficult to kite with another board in your hands (especially a big waveboard can be impossible).
In the early days we used stopper balls, and had small TT boards, so easy to recover a board. Not that easy anymore without stoppers and having big boards.

4. A typical problem seen (too) often:
Newbee going out to the lee of the rest, so he/she does not disturb.
Having difficulties holding ground, and getting longer and longer downwind.
When so far away, that difficult to see - the kite goes down...
Is the kiter in trouble ? You dont know...
Who should ride a mile downwind to check ? Maybe for no reason ? You can not expect the whole pack to ride downwind in such a situation

I've seen it many times - and I always tell students or other newbees, to kite UPWIND from the spot, if possible !
Because they might drift into the "field" if they mess up - but hey, then they will get help every time

And we as experienced has to bear away anyway, and can easily look around upwind before doing tricks and jumps , so thats no problem (unless you are an ego idiot of course - but I dont hope there are many of these out there)

And IF they have to go out to leeward, then my advice always is: STOP as many times as you possibly can, and walk upwind on the shore !

For two reasons - one is the safety aspect, as mentioned in 4, which is very important.
The other is the pure benefit gaining by having to think a bit over what you are doing out there, while you walk back, and to relax and recover muscles... (beginners use ALL the muscles, both those needed, but also every other muscle is tight, to almost no avail, so very important).
You get the same amount of time on the water this way, just more safe, and more power, and closer to the others if you want to be social in between, or having your kite taken down.
There are only benefits this way - the difficult part is to KNOW to stop and walk upwind, while you are having a blast out there


So no, I dont think kitesurfers are "unfriendly" really, but in some situations it might look this way

Just another view on things....

Kindly, Peter Frank

[loeuftok]

Peter Frank
I have a lot of respect for you, since your post are always spot on and ust facts, real kiteboarding facts...

however, on this subject I have to say that I do not agree with your comments about walking up wind.
I teach my students to quick release, self rescue and walk back up wind carrying their kite under their arm.

I do that for the same reason, to give them a rest, since it is much easier to walk upwind with the kite under your arm than flying it, than it is also much less dangerous, and also much faster.
the time saved walking back is longer than the time needed to re-rig the kite.
Altogether all positive as they will never be scared of quick releasing.

Otherwise, for the rest of your comments I fully agree with you.

I would add that I have recovered quite a few boards already, most of the time the rider would be happy and offer me a beer at the end of the session, but sometimes it ended up in the bastard not even saying thank you... Well I don't do it for a thank you or a beer, but any of them are always welcome, and the lack of them leaves a sad feeling...

This is also something I try to teach to my students, we need to help each other, not only for launching and landing, but whenever we see a fellow kiter being in a shitty position.
I tell them also that they should not put themselves in danger to help someone else, as 2 casualties would be worst then 1...

[jakemoore]

I have helped people lots of times by pushing an upwind board downwind or spotting a downwind board so the kiter could find it and recovering non-leashed lost kites (should never happen). However, in waves to go to a person may be unsafe, especially if a person is a little freaked out but not really in trouble. Sometimes staying close, on guard and available if real trouble comes is the best way to go and that is what I try to do if somebody is down in the waves. Kiters should be independently prepared for the inevitable non-relaunching kite or lost board and start swimming in before exhaustion sets in. Sucks to lose a board but someday its going to happen. Just let it go. I agree, help other kiters, but what these guys were doing, staying close and on guard, seems like an appropriate amount of help for the situation.

Jake

[switch313]

its the unwritten rule of the sea, you have to help others in distress even if you have to go way out of your way. im the first to pick on bad style, kooks doing stupid stuff and know it alls'- bit of a bastard really haha. but i still end up rescuing peoples boards all the time! i do it because i can its not difficult for me and i dont have a quick release so theres no danger of it being knocked open so its all good.
i would apprecate it if people wouldnt moan about doing my tricks close to the shore when they cant keep their board on there feet however...................

[Windrider]

People here help each other, but there is always the understanding that, "I will help you if I can do so safely."

I certainly spot other people's boards. If they are body dragging, then I point out their board and keep an eye on them until they reach it. I will try to help by towing it back to them if I can safely do so. No guaranties.

But.... if they are down in the water with their kite not under control, I am going to stay away from them. I am not going to come close enough to risk entanglement. If they want a ride to shore by grabbing the strap on the back of my harness, they have to be willing to dump their kite as a life saving measure. The ocean currents, wind and swell at Kailua will all take you to a sandy shore. You are not at risk in making your own way to shore. It just takes a while... maybe 30 minutes. If your kite has any flotation, then you should not be in danger of drowning.

If you had failure in the kite, and you have gotten it more or less rolled up with lines around your bar (inflated struts are okay), etc. I will try to drag you to shore, but I may only get you half way there before I run out of steam.

Most of us don't practice rescuing others or their equipment enough to do so with complete confidence. It's always a gamble. You sure don't want to end up with a panicked person hanging on to you or with any kind of entanglement. If they are drowning, I would come close to them and push them my board, while I body drag away. If they can get get the board and regain self-control, then I will offer to tow them to shore. I think everyone should wear an impact vest just for the additional flotation. My impact vest has nothing to do with protecting me from impact. It has everything to do with providing me enough flotation that I can be at rest in the water and still float with no effort. It is also comfortable enough not to get in the way when kiting.

Do your best to cover your own ass, before you start asking others for help.

[Toby]

it is already a shame that this topic needs to be posted!

EVERYONE should look out and help immediately, no matter what.

As you say: what goes around, comes around.

Please look after others!