What is more dangerous, racing motorcycles or kitesurfing?

[TheJoe]

Fatalities number are related to conditions and choices at that time.

If they all crashed into the water, they would probably all survive. They would be no alive PPG pilots if they all crashed into the rock. But many crashed on top of the trees, including myself.

So I survived. No kiter was eaten by the shark yet.

I tell people it's as safe as you make it.

As for the shark there was one guy in Florida a few years ago that died from a shark(S) attack.
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/article/2 ... /812037923

[slowboat]

I think kiting is becoming much less deadly with the increasing popularity of foiling. Many might disagree, but don't confuse injuries with death. You might get more injuries foiling but I submit that the risk of dying is less. It comes down to kite power that is used and when foiling, you simply deal with significantly less kite power. When you read about kite related deaths, consider what the outcome would have been if the rider was using a much, much smaller kite. The rider might still have been lofted but maybe not slammed into something hard. Or there might still have been a death spiral, but not violent enough to drown someone. Smaller kite=less deaths.

[downunder]

Hardly a comparison.

No foiler goes out on 35+ knots. The exceptions are just that.

No foiler does mega loops. And the list goes on...

People who got bitten by the shark would be beaten anyway if surfed in that area.

Smaller kites=more deaths simply coz we go on higher wind.

Smaller kite loops like crazy, if not controlled its a death zone. My buddy died with 7m on 30-35kn.

Hardly anyone died mowing a lawn on 15kn. Many deaths were health related, would die anyway, dunno, driving a car.

[UKSurf]

I would say kitesurfing is safe in lighter winds force 4 and under (similar risk to cycling), moderately dangerous in force 5 to low 6 (scuba diving levels of risk) and in 25 knots plus is in the same danger league as paragliding and hangliding (from my limited experience of these sports). King of the air type events are extremely dangerous encouraging riders to take very high risks and probably similar to extreme motor sports, as seen with the nearly fatal accident of lewis crathern

[Beardytello]

I've thought a lot recently about "risk" and taking risks.

Having had a few close-ish calls kiting and more recently buying another motorbike.

The risk question raises itself noticeably I think when you have children.

My question to myself has always been...

Do I owe it to them to wrap myself in cotton wool so I can have the best possible chance of staying around to raise them? The caveat to this is I guarantee I'd be miserable.

Or

Should I be my authentic self, take the risks I'm willing to accept (risk vs reward) and be a happier person...does happier person = better dad?

I don't have any answers, all I know is I've chosen option b, I have good life insurance, I minimise the risks as much as possible, I tell everyone I love them every morning and I have a big beaming smile for my family when I take my helmet off walking through the door.

As with all things this is just my opinion, and opinions are like arse holes!

[BernieTomic1]

My buddy died with 7m on 30-35kn.

I am sorry to read that.
Would you mind telling more about the circumstances?
Death loop?

[SWO_kite]

I think racing motorcycles is arguably safer than street riding. Controlled environment vs unpredictable human error.

That said, I both kiteboard and ride a motorcycle. I place restrictions on myself for both activities - but more so on the motorcycle. As an example, on the motorcycle I never drink and ride I try to avoid riding at night at ALL COSTS and wear all the gear all the time (no matter how hot it is outside). For the kite, when riding alone, I keep jumping and risky maneuvering to a minimum.

All things considered, I definitely feel safer out in the water with my kite any day of the week. Less rules, more space and far fewer morons ready to kill me at any turn.

[grigorib]

I’m my observation, accidents are way less serious in kitesurfing compared to skis or bike riding. Of course you can get a heart attack on water, of course you can freeze to death in near-freezing water temps - but cleaning almost nonexistent data on accidents from such extremes is near impossible and statistics on junk data are meaningless.

[downunder]

My buddy died with 7m on 30-35kn.

I am sorry to read that.
Would you mind telling more about the circumstances?
Death loop?

About the conditions on that beach on 30-40kn you can read here:

https://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kit ... nd-of-wind

And this is the beach:

https://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kit ... l/Coldshot

Seabreeze does no keep older posts than 5 years and I'll PDF this as a remind. Anyways, you guys need to understand that one person tried to hold his body while the 7m kite was looping. Mark already lost conciseness due to head butted the sand when tripped on landing.

He could not hold, and Mark died dragged 50-70m through that beach breaking every single bone on his chest and neck. That is a 7m kite!
It was absolute nightmare for everyone involved and people needed counseling.

I do not ride any more on 30-40kn. Some people do though.

D.

[longwhitecloud]

Jazuz, why was his kite still looping?

I did a while on super short lines in 35+ .. it is an option that seems to have been forgotten... short enough so the kite cannot easily loop if at all. I think 6 8 and 10m lines.. I can't fully remember.. I think I tried them All.. it was great for wave riding and when it absolutely nuked a bit more chilled?! :-0

I am sure there is $hit that can still go wrong tho..

I have ridden for years in rediculous wind but at spots with huge beaches free of anything and dunes behind. We once had 2 kiters tangled together kitelooping, that huge buffer zone saved their asses.

It takes a bit of getting use to but far from the comments " that will never work" it does.