Kiting the same beach for a week, each day the wind direction is different then the last, but yet soooo many kiters try to launch in the same positions as they did the last day they were out.
Is it that hard to figure out what direction the wind is coming from?
Same for me. I always spend a few minutes evaluating the wind direction and strength before deciding what to use. So often I see people going to the kite and pump straight out of the car without even the slightest glance at the sea or any wind indicators.
this is a classic....I know this from Cumbuco and Cabarete, where winds blow normally only from one direction.
Amazing how unaware some people are towards the basic rules of the sport.
And that's why most accidents happen...ignorance towards the dangers.
Is it that hard to figure out what direction the wind is coming from?
It's extremely difficult.....not !!
I kite the same beach nearly all the time
First thing I do after getting out of the car is go down on the beach and toss some dry sand in the air a couple times
That will tell me the angle in relation to the coastline so I can decide where I will pump my kite and position myself to launch
Other considerations are the beachgoers of course for that location
Wind angle is important to learn and it's limitations
My beach works from angle 340 to angle 190
So far this month 160-020-070-140-160-160-340-070-150-150
The biggest kooks always seem to be middle aged men. They are overconfident, think they can muscle the kite, don't ask questions, don't take advise, refuse help when offered and when something goes wrong, it wasn't their fault. And they leave their gear in everyone’s way.
Not to say of course all middle aged men are kooks, but the worst kooks are men that age.
I had many good male students 40ish but the older and richer they were the worse it was. Women were much easier to deal with and young guys learned the quickest.
That said, i am now 47 and trying not to go full kook.
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Seawolf (Thu Feb 20, 2020 9:37 am) • cor (Thu Feb 20, 2020 11:26 am)
A kitesurfing guy lost his life at my local beach last year after getting into difficulties launching and because he was on land at the time the kitesurfing community said that he was involved in a landbased activity. I fear for my local beach being closed off to buggy riders because whenever anything happens, you lot rally together to tell the press it had nothing to do with your sport.
Some years ago, a woman kitesurfer lost control of her kite upon launching, and a 3-year-old kid who was caught up in her lines was lofted into the air. As a result, the council decided to permanently ban buggy riding. The kitesurfing community no doubt had a part to play in that too. Whenever I see you, kooks at play, I know my time is almost up.
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