WTF

[jats2k9]

I drifted downwind while winding up my lines for selfrescue in a spot with no downwind place to get out of the water, yet no kiter went by to check on me, they even didnt pick up my board. After I had been struggling in the water for like 20min,to my luck, a boat passed by and offered help.
There is a kite school in this spot, they even have kayaks for rent which could have been used to help me or to help others in this situation since there have been several accidents in this place. For those of you who may know, Im talking about Matteson Hammock park in Miami.

[norcom]

Most of my sessions windsurfing and kitesurfing end up being by myself. I carry a PLB (personal locator beacon) with me when I windsurf, it's in the Dakine bag on my harness. I now use the ACR ResQLink PLB. It's a one time fee for the device and you register with the NOAA. I used to have the SPOT Connect with a yearly fee, but that's a complete piece of $#1+. Get a real PLB. When you feel like your life's in danger, at least you'll have a button to press in hope for a rescue.

[Bille]

.... Hardly made it back, only made it back my realizing that laying on back and paddling that way is efficient ...

...

Are you going to get a SPOT locator emergency beacon or similar
and a back-up inflatable PDF, (there like $70) and also some drinking
water, if things go Real Bad and your stuck out there for a while ?

The guys that use the inflatable PDF's at Mohave, say they hardly notice it's there
because it's so Flat & small when not-inflated, and they have a co2 bottle
to fill them or it can be done manually.

Thanks for the Reality check here ; because of your Thread, i plan
to be Way more self-sufficient from now on, (and i kite in a Lake) !!

Bille

[hightimes]

Never assume that people are gonne help you.
If you had died it would have been your own mistake.
Nobody to blame but yourself.
When you go out to sea be prepared to swim or have some kind of device to warn the authorities.
Most people dont even know how to help you when shit happens.
Most kiters are land lubbers that cant even swim 10 yards.
Ive also had to swim a couple of miles upwind and had to say goodbye to my kite.
It's part of the game.
Glad youre alive though.

[Laughingman]

Never assume that people are gonne help you.
If you had died it would have been your own mistake.
Nobody to blame but yourself.
When you go out to sea be prepared to swim or have some kind of device to warn the authorities.
Most people dont even know how to help you when shit happens.
Most kiters are land lubbers that cant even swim 10 yards.
Ive also had to swim a couple of miles upwind and had to say goodbye to my kite.
It's part of the game.
Glad youre alive though.

True dont go out and do dumb things and expect someone will save you. But if you are in an unfortunate situation and you are waving your hands signaling distress there is no excuse for those who see you to either offer assistance or call for the authorities to rescue them.
It is simply irresponsible for these riders to not have helped or called for help.

[alexeyga]

And how about always carrying with you something as simple as one of these toxic-red man overboard/life distress flares?




Seems like something a lot more visually-noticeable than all that high-tech mumbo-jumbo like personal location beacons and stuff?

Dodged a similar bullet recently - so it made me wonder...

[William Munney]

And how about always carrying with you something as simple as one of these toxic-red man overboard/life distress flares?




Seems like something a lot more visually-noticeable than all that high-tech mumbo-jumbo like personal location beacons and stuff?

Dodged a similar bullet recently - so it made me wonder...

A personal locator beacon alerts authorities and guides them to you even if you're miles away from the nearest person- so it's not really comparable to a flare. A flare could be useful, though.

[CaptainArgh]

thanks for sharing the story.
glad you made it back safe.
yeah, if they saw you struggling for that long, someone should have come out.

I agree you have to plan on taking care of yourself if you don't have a buddy with you, BUT, there is an expectation that we'll all help each other if you see someone down for a long time.

[knotwindy]

True dont go out and do dumb things and expect someone will save you. But if you are in an unfortunate situation and you are waving your hands signaling distress there is no excuse for those who see you to either offer assistance or call for the authorities to rescue them.
It is simply irresponsible for these riders to not have helped or called for help.[/quote]

yea, just yesterday somebody went way way way outside and dropped their kite. we all watched from the beach and it looked like there was a problem so i put on a harness, put a kite up and started to head out and then the wind just died. nothing. so i limped back in looping the whole time. no boat around, no phone. so we just watched for a while. when they finally swam in they were upset no one tried to help. WTF? what were YOU doing that far out? it's not like the wind or water was better 2 miles outside. so, it is not really my responsibility to save your dumb ass from yourself. but i will still try if it does not put anyone else in danger.

[Jantrit]

I have been seriously considering one of these: http://www.nautiluslifeline.com/

marine radio with GPS coordinates. It is not satellite but should be able to get someones attention where all my kite spots are in line of sight to other water traffic.