Toby wrote: ↑Sun Apr 21, 2019 2:05 pm
you should always ride in the way that you don't need a QR. That is the safest way possible.
Once you need to activate a QR, you made a mistake.
Back then we didn't have a QR...and we had to anticipate a lot to not get injured. This starts from keeping distance on land and water, checking forecasts and the actual sky etc.
You rely on your QR, you ask for trouble.
First off Toby, do you kite with a "QR"?
Personally, I have witnessed 6+ instances of a QR saving people from injury. And I say people, becasue in 2 of the cases, the kiter activating the QR stopped short of taking out people on the beach. In 1 of those 2 instances, it was a 115kg kiter being dragged towards a 55kg woman with 2 children. It happened as he was coming in from a long duration lull, and just got to shore when the wind suddenly picked up. That lull followed by a gust, was in none of the weather forecasts available. Nor was there any previous indication that the day would produce such an event. Another 3 times, rv's on the beach were saved from a person shaped stamp. I have also seen a few instances of failure to reload (incompetent kiter, faulty release - happened to me, or out of control conditions/bridal wrap) where a quicker reload would have saved injury or loss of kite/damage to kite due to safety leash failing on overload and breaking. Sadly, the majority of times in those 6+ instances, other kiters had to scream "RELEASE! RELEASE! RELEASE!" before the out of control kiter actually activated the release.
Though I have never activated my safety in a similar situation (where it would prevent injury to others or property), I have activated it, accidentally and on purpose, and had to reload it to get back. In the instances where I was using brand new defective QR's and I could not stay reloaded, I had some damage to the kite when it washed up on shore.
The best take away, for any aspiring kiter to pro reading this post is that every single kiter should have a reliable QR, and should definitely know how to quickly reassemble it to get back underway fast.
Second, do you make mistakes? I do. So do the pros. Sometimes the wind just changes. This happens even at ideal locations for kiteboarding. And while you definitely try to minimize your mistakes, you can not be 100% that you will never make a mistake or conditions won't change.
Now I hate to bring up a cliche but back in the day, we had no seatbelts. Now we do, and even have airbags. Does that mean we can ram our vehicles into anything. NO! It is simply a safety for and ACCIDENT! And actually I have had 2 "accidents" in 25 years of driving. Both of them were deer strikes at highway speeds. No time to react in either. It was just an accident with dead dear and 2 bashed up vehicles. Thankfully, I had some safeties to protect me. And downsy will love this one as he keeps trying to troll me with saying I use body armor, (helmet and booties, lifejacket in freshwater only - how is that body armor?), but luckily I was wearing gold safety glasses when I hit the second deer. That "body armor for the eyes" as downsy would say, saved my eyes from the glass from the windshield and I did not even have to go to the hospital.
Another take away, for any aspiring kiter to pro from this post is that every single kiter should avoid conditions that necessitate the usage of a safety, along with avoiding any situation where using the safety would injure others. Just like when driving, don't think you can crash and rely on your safeties to save you. Drive smart, kite smart, wear a reliable seatbelt when in a vehicle, and know how to use proven safeties in kiting.