Nothing wrong with the method, just the execution.
I'd pick this method in 30+ before self launching, although I would move my kite to the side and hold the other kite until he was cool.
Kiter 2 should hand the kite to kiter 1 who has his kite resting at 3 'clock.
Kiter 2 walks slowly upwind to do gentle launch. As soon as kite can sit at the edge by itself kiter 1 should get the hell out of there.
This was balls up from the beginning
Imagine if kite 1 started looping while bar was entangled in kiter 2's lines. Poor kite pilot 2.
All smiles now but this can go so wrong and it's usually the pedestrians who get hit.
It's like watching funniest home videos when someone goes around the roundabout the wrong way. Good for a laugh but really really stupid.
^^^ Two unattended sailboards and one guy walking up the beach, all immediately down wind of that stupid f#@ker.
Face slap time!!
How many times do you see this before you call the ambo's?
Its actions like these that is bound to get kiting banned or seriously overpoliced by maritime or councils etc. It will only take one member of the public to get wiped out and make some noise in the media etc and it'll be on.
If you see someone doing something stupid, pull them up or tell them to p/ss off.
Thanks Marcus for posting that video. I recognise the victims
Should post it in the newbies forum with a note saying what not to do!!
Best way to learn is seeing it go pear shaped!!
The 2nd one was worse IMO!
Fuggin hell - the tool that let the kite go just didn't give a flying fek what was gonna happen!!
Maybe the he was a poley - not baggin poleys - just he appeared to have no idea, or care, that the kite was gonna scream down into the power zone - right next to beach punter!
If the guy lettin the kite go was a poley with no idea then the kiter impatient to launch was at fault IMO.
I have learnt the hard way it is better to self launch than let some random casual fool throw your kite in air (whilst you are still fixing your loop in etc).
Yes - I have had 'alleged' kiters do this to me over the years! How's about waiting for a kn thumbs up - or even to be looking up at the kite!! Not kn Happy!![}:)]
If it's a random (generalising here.. but based on experiance) - with a Euro accent make it clear you will give a thumbs up when you are ready to launch
BTW - I did enjoy the voice over on the 2nd vid from the Muppet's Chef.
Reckon the muppet in that vid needs a good tenderising!
back in the good old days before Quick Releases natural selection would have taken care of these two muppets........ giving them a flogging deterring them from ever pumping up a kite again. Keeping our beaches free from stupidity.
Unfortunately with the advent of safety features people like this learn nothing and will probably do the same things again.
I think that first vid is a set up.
That guy had too much control over camera and kite to pull that move, and think it would be a good idea to launch like that. Surely he wanted a video people would watch?????????????????
Ezy guys, twas I who launched oldmates kite (don't worry we are still friends) But if you look more closely at the video you'll notice I was flicking off the sand in readyness to launch the kite when I lost grip and it all went wrong. My original intention was to flick off the sand then stand to the side with my kite well clear then after thumbs up let go of the kite safely.
It just goes to show no mater how safe you think you are sometimes things go wrong, its a good lesson for us all. I agree with everyone, I hate it when some people offer to launch your kite and do it all wrong so I'm a little red faced about this vid but I though it helpfull to post here so we can all learn from my mistake. As you can see it turned out well...this time...and we laughed about it later over a few beers but with kiting you can never get complacent, the moment you do accidents happen and people get hurt.
Thanks for your comments and stay safe.
Cheers Marcus.
Good on ye for posting it Marcus. Looks like nothing really happened anyway. What happened to the sound? I think if you added some cartoon sound effects it could be much better.
The sound is muffled because its a GoPro in a water proof housing. Yeah a few Funnest Home Video sounds would be funny :)
I was going to ask if anyone knew what they were saying, the tone and laughter suggested they were going to do exactly what happened.
pretty sure the first one he didnt mean to let go of the kite, looks like it slipped from his hand... I think they handled it well enough...
Well spotted BennyB12 as you noticed I was flicking off the sand in readyness to launch the kite when I lost grip and it all went wrong. My original intention was to flick off the sand then stand to the side with my kite well clear then after thumbs up let go of the kite safely.
It just goes to show no mater how safe you think you are sometimes things go wrong, its a good lesson for us all.