Kiteboard leashes (not suicide leashes)

OK, genuine question here...

Why don't kiteboarders use leashes on their boards?

I understand that the experienced kiters like to do big jumps and take their boards off mid-air, but is there a safety reason that the beginners aren't attached to their boards?

The reason I ask is that I was discussing this with a bunch of other windsurfers the other day, and there was lots of speculation but no facts. Both a mate and I occasionally rescue boards whilst out of St. K (obviously after checking there isn't a kite nearby!) and bring 'em into the beach to reunite them with their owners.

Not that I mind doing this at all (I've had gear brought back to me by kind-hearted souls - what goes around comes around) but kiteboards (floating around on their own) aren't exactly the most visible thing when out on the water and there is discussion about the damage it could inflict if you hit one whilst traveling flat out on a windsurfer.... the consensus is that it wouldn't be a lot of fun and could be very painful / expensive.

I've learnt to be careful if there's a kiter in the water doing the upwind-angle-swimmy-thing because it probably means there's a board somewhere around, but sometimes they just pop out of nowhere and the kiter in question is already on the beach.

Anyway, genuine question - I've had a search and can't find it on the forum - in order to end the speculation on the beach by the "poleys".

Cheers,

Ian

It took me 3 trips to the hospital and countless stitches in my melon to work that one out also.

Sorry what was the question?

you crash,board digs into water wi0th alot of tension on your leash,pops out of the water and has no where to go but str8 at you!!!
not good at all

you dont need to be doin big tricks,all it needs is to fall off board dig in and kite to power up,very easy to happen hence why most ppl dont use them,i never thought of our boards being dangerous floating in the water but hey,there you go..
yes ppl do use wakeboard stlye bindings but not reccommened for learners....


thanks for saving our boards

Ouch. Recent photo as well. Anyone else got a worse one?

Beginning to get the picture.

Yup, a lone board is a bit of a hazard to windsurfers. If you hit debris / the bottom / a kiteboard with your fin, the board stops but the sail and rider carry on into an enforced catapult (because the sailor is hooked into the harness lines). If you're unlucky it can be serious for equipment and the sailor. I don't know of anyone who's hit a kiteboard yet, but I had to ollie one last summer.

If you lose a board, particularly at St. K where everyone's so close together, don't hesitate to tell the windsurfers - you stand a better chance of getting it back (unless you're Sci, of course ) and you might save someone from an accident.

Cheers...

this is what happends when you wear a leash he was useing a surfboard on his twin tip

Um, Wow

And that's an under stament the guy missing half his calf, Wow

maybe you should stop driving your car too .I have seen some outrageous antics on the road and you can't really give other drivers that 'wide berth" scary stuff

FlickySpinny said...

OK, I've got the picture. Nasty....

Most poleys are pretty cool with kites, but at the same time very wary of kites, mainly because we don't understand them.

In all honestly, they scare the living sh1t out of me and I give you guys a wide berth both on the beach and on the water.

This is mainly because I've over the years (I'm only 29 but been windsurfing since I was 15, and I've seen the development of kiting along the way) I've seen a couple of guys lose control of kites and seen 'em impact into the beach and I just don't want to be anywhere near when that happens! I know it's a rare occurance, etc, etc (although I don't know what causes it) - I'd just rather be a long, long way away when a learner loses control thanks!

Poley's aren't generally a bunch of haters (in fact, especially down here in Melbourne, you'll have to work very hard to find a more laidback bunch I reckon), but there's a bit of a sense of rivalry.

This partly comes from the fact that you guys can play in less wind than we can, and when it's blowing 14 knots we're watching you having fun whilst we're sat on the beach getting sunburnt.

However, it mainly comes from a windsurfer's most hated conversation, not for any real on-the-water rivalry...

(You guys will have a laugh at this...)

[Punter]: "So... you're a windsurfer?"

[Windsurfer]: "Yup" (pleased someone's taking an interest)

[Punter]: "Have you ever tried kitesurfing?"

It's cool the first dozen times, but by the time you've had that EXACT conversation at least once a month for five years it's enough to drive anyone to murder

So that (for me at least) is the only real rivalry - kitesurfing is a lot more high-profile / cool, and most poleys are pretty accepting of kites (albeit mainly in a "I'm staying the fk away from that" kind of a way).

Anyway, back to the point (there is one) - I spent a long time as a snowboarder and hating skiers because they did things that I thought stupid or unpredictable... then a mate took me sking, and I began to understand their stupid and unpredictable movement down a hill (and also understanding why skiers don't like snowboarders)

So I'd rather understand everyone and be cool with the fact that people do things in different ways, in the hope that when I fk up on the water (and seeing as I dive, sail, surf, windsurf, wakeboard, etc, it surely is only a matter of time) someone will come and fish me out rather than laughing at me.

Laters...

When i first learned to kiteboard I practiced over and over body dragging until retrieving my board up wind was second nature. Problem is people get too excited to get up on the board before learning the basics first. And it doesn`t take long! Personaly I don`t think there`s any excuse to use a board leash. It`s like, you don`t see much, bigginers self launching and landing with the intstructors supervising them. (I guess they don`t want their kites scratched etc.) Then they go out on their own and get dragged half way accross the beach because they haven`t been shown enough, or properly.
Getting up on the board is the easy part, it will come eventually. Taking time to learn the basics, priceless.

Should make ths thread (R) rated!