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The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Forum with lots of safety info - a must for newbees
Baptiste_FR
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Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby Baptiste_FR » Wed Jan 22, 2020 11:56 am

Herman wrote:
Wed Jan 22, 2020 10:54 am

Not sure what you are advocating! The video does not show the roll to wing tip of a self launch! Are you just talking about assisted launches? If not, I think you need to be comfortable flying kites unhooked one hand on the chicken loop and if you are at that stage you are capable of making your own judgement imho.

Get well soon Bragnouff!
You can use this method either way (assisted launch or self launching). Rolling the kite to the wing tip can be done with the chicken loop in one hand. If something goes wrong, you just open your hand and the kite flags.
I really do think that using this procedure make the launch safer.

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Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby Herman » Wed Jan 22, 2020 12:52 pm

I agree it can be done for self launch and if you have the technique and suitable kite you can roll the kite on its tip with the center line, move to the correct position, hook in and tug the top rear leader and have the kite safely launched without ever touching the bar. But that takes practice and it's the way I endeavour to do it, if I am not doing my usual tethered launch.

However, one of the risks to cope with, is an immediate take off after roll up to tip and I see many do this as a matter of course. They even enjoy the resultant skud. Many would find a launch just holding the chicken loop to be an uncomfortable situation and I personally would not like to see riders letting go of kites because it is a struggle for them to get hooked in. Also if you are holding the qr using a long sheeting throw the kite is likely to over fly the window and land with the possibility of a tumble into the power zone, which would not happen if you were hooked in with bar easily available, and so it is not all risk reduction!

I think I understand where you are coming from and I am pretty sure riders who are happy unhooked will be doing this anyway but I doubt that many who ride hooked will see the necessity for change in approach if they launch hooked. I think it is a case of what works for you!!

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Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby Baptiste_FR » Wed Jan 22, 2020 2:54 pm

I think we are saying the same thing, but not understanding each other?

The main advantage of not hooking before having the kite standing still and with line tension : if a problem occur, you open your hand and the kite drops. In this case it's like activating the quick release and being only connected to the kite via the safety line. Therefore, the kite won't develop any power.

One of the issue I have with hooking before launching is, when a bad situation happen, riders always think they can solve/save the situation using the bar. And it is usually not true (launching is the main source of deadly accident in this sport). Not hooking before launching eliminate this type of situation.

I reckon for self launching (without using an anchor point, which is always possible on sandy beaches), rolling the kite while holding the chicken loop in one hand necessitates a little bit of technique.

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Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby tomato » Wed Jan 22, 2020 3:38 pm

I am mostly launch tethered- I see all lines are ok, kite is right position- what can go wrong? Maybe too much or too little input by steering with one hand only if holding qr.

I would partially agree if launching by rolling kite on the tip, then you never know if lines gets snagged.

But tethered or assisted- hooked in, no need to overthink. Or whatever works for you.

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Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby Herman » Wed Jan 22, 2020 5:57 pm

Baptiste_FR

We are pretty much saying the same thing, but I don't think one way is better than the other for all people and all circumstances. Not sure of you view in this respect. Either way it is never a bad thing to review safety technique and it does not necessarily matter if conclusions differ. Most important is be prepared and have a mind set that works for you.

One thing I would add, imho, is that in the self launch it is better to rotate the kite on its leading edge with the centre lines, whether you are hooked in or not, as you are less likely to get a tip/bridle tangle.

Also, in general, it is not a bad idea to develope the ability to hardly touch the bar when launching in order to eliminate any need to drag or skud. ( I realize you already know this stuff Baptiste_FR just commenting for relative newbies looking in. )

Regards Herman.

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Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby Baptiste_FR » Wed Jan 22, 2020 6:56 pm

Herman,

I am just presenting a method that I think is safer in most circumstances and explaining why I think it's better. Of course, it's not my intention to force anyone to do anything they don't want to.

The main point is, if you are caught by surprise, just by letting the chicken loop go and you're safe. Is there a situation where this method can create more problem than it solve ? Maybe, but I've used it many times and on very different spot/conditions and I can't still find any big issue (but it doesn't mean there is not).

I completely agree with you on : "it is never a bad thing to review safety technique and it does not necessarily matter if conclusions differ. Most important is be prepared and have a mind set that works for you".
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edt
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Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby edt » Wed Jan 22, 2020 7:38 pm

Every launch has risks. I've seen someone launch unhooked got lofted still holding the control bar grip failed fell 10 feet could have been worse. It takes about the same time to release your grip as to use the QR the problem is most people panic when the shit goes down so they don't do either it's death grip until they hit something.

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Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby alexglebov » Tue Feb 04, 2020 9:05 pm

Baptiste_FR wrote:
Wed Jan 22, 2020 6:56 pm
Herman,

I am just presenting a method that I think is safer in most circumstances and explaining why I think it's better. Of course, it's not my intention to force anyone to do anything they don't want to.

The main point is, if you are caught by surprise, just by letting the chicken loop go and you're safe. Is there a situation where this method can create more problem than it solve ? Maybe, but I've used it many times and on very different spot/conditions and I can't still find any big issue (but it doesn't mean there is not).

I completely agree with you on : "it is never a bad thing to review safety technique and it does not necessarily matter if conclusions differ. Most important is be prepared and have a mind set that works for you".
I saw this method last year, he has another video when he self-launch unhooked and I started doing this myself. I really like it.
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Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby christophermiles48 » Mon Feb 17, 2020 11:11 am

check out Kite-surfing Tips & Advice. https://bekskitesurfing.co.uk/category/ ... ps-advice/. you will find everything tips of kite surfing.

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Re: The Safety Topic: please post your experience and advice!

Postby prop_joe » Tue Apr 07, 2020 3:10 am

edt wrote:
Wed Jan 22, 2020 7:38 pm
Every launch has risks. I've seen someone launch unhooked got lofted still holding the control bar grip failed fell 10 feet could have been worse. It takes about the same time to release your grip as to use the QR the problem is most people panic when the shit goes down so they don't do either it's death grip until they hit something.
I find this hard to believe but hilarious if true :lol:. Hanging on to a powered kite takes strength and concious effort... unless you're ready it'll just get ripped out your hands before you even know what's going on.


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