Self-rescue experiment: methods comparison

Hi all,

with all the debates going on about self-rescuing techniques mainly wrapping lines vs not wrapping lines to get to the kite, I thought I'd give both methods a go today in strong wind conditions and deep choppy water. Spot was Pinnaroo Point in Perth, WA. Wind was cross-shore (Southerly) and gusting from 23 to 27 knots during both rescues. Kite used was Ozone Catalyst 2012, 10m. Both rescues began from the same exact location (yellow marker) 200m off-shore and were filmed and tracked by a GPS watch. (will post video later). Both Self-rescues were done with a board.

First method tried was the one involving wrapping the lines around the bar, exactly as per IKO standard. Once safety was activated and kite depowered, I easily and quickly got to the bar (which slid out to the stopper ball) and started wrapping the leash line around the bar and secured it with two half hitch knots (so far so good). Then began the difficult task of trying to wrap all lines around the bar ends. I honestly gave it my best shot but found it very hard to find the lines and gather them together to wrap them neatly around the bar as I was getting pulled by the kite. Even if it was in a flagging position the whole time it tended to lift a bit off the waves and some wind was catching underneath at times. I persisted to get it done right, but despite my best efforts couldn't do it very neatly. This caused a few bad tangles which later took a while to undo. Getting to the kite by wrapping the lines was a strenuous effort and I wasn't feeling very safe doing so, especially as it took 4 minutes until I got to it.



The tangles were so bad that I had to grab a different bar and went back out out for my second self-rescue attempt, this time without wrapping the lines around the bar.
From the same exact location as the first time, pulled the release, kite depowered, and started climbing the safety line with the board floating in front of me. kept climbing the safety line passed the bar, paying a minimum of attention to the lines (trying to move up aside of them) and avoiding to swim or kick my feet. Got to the kite in a total of 45 seconds with the board in hand. Yes there were a few lines around my body while I was holding the kite and sailing back in. Once back to the shore it took exactly 90 seconds to take the lines off my body, pull the bar downwind and be completely untangled and ready to go again.




In my 4 years of kiting experience these would be my 5th and 6th rescues. I only did two of them in strong winds before, both without wrapping the lines with similar success as the one today. The other rescues I've done were in light winds where I decided to wrap the lines around the bar (as I was shown during my lesson 5-6 years ago). Wrapping the lines was easy then (15 knots or less). In other words it's the first time I attempt wrapping lines around the bar in such strong winds.

Now, some of you may say I need practice wrapping the lines around the bar or maybe I should try a different method for wrapping them. You're probably right even thought I'm really wondering how many of you out there have done this easily with success in similar conditions as the ones I had today, without tangles and just a clean wrap of lines? Also, after my experience today I'm not sure if I even want to try wrapping my lines in strong winds again.

My worry is that the method of wrapping the lines is the main method instructors teach worldwide without teaching any other alternative method. With my experience today I can really understand why instructors won't allow the students to practice this method in strong winds and deep waters for the simple reason that their chance of success is very low. Honestly, would you let a student try this self-rescue method when you have a hard time demonstrating it properly yourself ? Probably not.

A demo on the beach or a practice in light winds is very different from the reality out there in strong winds. I'm starting to think teaching this method of wrapping the lines around the bar is a bit hypocritical, when the instructors knows the student won't be able to do it easily and therefore doesn't even give the student a chance to practice it in a real scenario in strong winds.

I know many are still convinced wrapping the lines around the bar is the universal method to use in any situation. I will happily accept that I'm wrong and/or that I don't have enough experience when a bunch of experienced kiters out there tell me they never had any difficulties wrapping lines around the bar in strong winds and choppy water.

Not disagreeing with what you have done in flat water in cross on. But it is a totally different set of circumstances if the wind has swung offshore, (you may have to pack down), and negotiate a decent surf break. Those loose lines could kill you.

If you have to pack down due to wind swinging off shore, you should get to your kite first and get the air out of the bladder asap. Then I would roll the lines in after the kite is no longer pulling you out to sea. After the lines are rolled in, and kite all bundled up with struts to keep it floating, swim or paddle in.
I have found through the self rescues that get to the kite first and dealing with the bar later to be the best result with least tangles. If there is a reef involved, and lines get hung up, the next option would be complete release, which if there is plenty of waves around is your best option anyway. (at least the safest generally speaking).
Both options have their merits. Know them both, practice them both, and be safe.

Did you keep the lines on the downwind side of you when climbing your way to the kite? Would imagine that keeping lines downwind would reduce the chance of line tangle.

It's an interesting topic, and this will vary between bar setups depending on flag out length.
The danger of not wrapping all your lines is that you might become tangled in them, and once that happens can go very pear shaped.

The couple of times I've had to do it I've pulled in a bunch of front line then able to wrap all remaining lines ok.

Also this will depend on kites, I ride fuels which have handles so once I've wound up all the lines safely I can grab corners of kite & use as a sail

My vote would be for people at least trying to wrap lines because even if you think you can hold onto a front line & pull the kite towards you it can be ripped out of your hands

Interesting thread cbulota - good on ya for forfeiting a couple of hours of what sounds like good conditions in the interest of research.

I have always struggled with wrapping lines in strong winds.

From your description sounds like there might be a hybrid option where you wrap the leash line and secure with with half hitches to decrease the chances of the kite powering up, then follow the safety line to kite without wrapping all the lines.

A couple of other points that might be helpful:

- when wrapping lines in stronger winds it is often easier to wrap them around the bar like a ball of string/toilet roll rather than end to end. There will prob be some \ tangling but I was surprised at how much quicker that method is when fighting chop and pull from kite

- in v strong winds some hybrids fly upside down on the flagging line, and get higher and pull harder as the lines get shorter (my 2010 Rally was particularly prone to this). Trying to go up the safety can lead to rope burn from the line (esp if it is a cold winters day and your fingers aren't as nimble as normal). In that case the 'ball of string' method can help as you can wind lines onto the bar by twisting the bar rather than pulling on the lines.

- if I am not wrapping lines, I familiarise myself where my linecutter is before starting up the safety line. I have never had to cut myself free (one close call when tumbled in waves albeit before I started a self-rescue), but hope I would commit to cutting before it got too late.

CBULOTA - Xcellent and thank you.
1) for taking the time
2) for quality of review.

Me thinks I will go back to wearing sailing gloves. I made a habit of this when going to a shallow water lake with water launch/landing it made handling the lines in higher gusty winds easier during landing (=self-recovery) - always walked / pulled up lines to kite then drop the lines off the kite & then wind up lines.

My experience through 1m to 1+ m surf after a line wrap in v.light winds - I did not want to damage the kite - I successfully held onto 1 recovery handle on the kite (SS Rev) and body surfed on the back of my board - in much bigger conditions I would have dropped the kite outside the break.

A shame a number of harnesses are produced w/out knife pouches - my first 2 had both pouch and knife.

Cheers
AP

Thats what worries me with this method, with all the people advising about the risk with lines tangling around the body. Even if the non-wrapping method is a bit quicker, I don't want to compromise safety.
Cbulota, I've read on other threads that you've advised to keep tension on one of the centre lines, not to kick and to pull yourself towards the kite. Doing so, does this eliminate any risk with the lines tangling around the legs or any other part of the body. It can obviously lead to disaster if the kite decides to power up whilst a line is wrapped around your leg....

It is quite easy to wrap lines if the safety hasn't been release. Simply wrap a flagging line for a few metres then continue with the other three lines. Self rescues don't always call for the release of safety and many people go to suicide after launching anyway.

Get topic!

A couple things i picked up from self rescues.

1. Once i reach the kite, clip you safety to you board. Makes for one less thing to worry about.

2. Far easier to wind up lines once you have reached the kite. Also safer to wind up the lines to prevent them getting caught in shallow reef, sea weed, or even you... getting wrapped in lines going those wave impact zone can be dangerous, there have been a few posts of guys getting wrapped and near drowning.

3. With my kite inflated to 8psi no chance of bringing the wingtips together... instead I grab the shore side wing tip and then about 2 meter of line from the other wing tip, essentially turning the upside down kite into a sail... then body surfing your board as you would do with a upwind body drag, you can gain a fair bit of speed sailing your kite across the to the surface of the water and also get very near to a broad reach in your direction.

Hey Andy - whats your technique to wind up your lines once you reach the kite such that I find I need two hands to do the line winding stuff ? I assume that its still fully inflated so lying on it or maybe? an elbow hooked over the leading edge ?
I'd have to admit that in 3 years on I have only tried to self rescue once and as mentioned its always at the most impossible time - I like the comment about winding the lines like fishing line rather than end to end which I find almost impossible even with 3 or more metres of depower line wound on first.

I have a question of clarification - "release the safety " and "release both safetys" Is the first comment meaning that the kite release is pulled so that you are now in full depower mode ( ie still attached by the safety leash?) and in the second instance - is this where the kite has been released and the safety leash is also let go (ie you are no longer attached to the kite beyond your grip on a kite line?)

Unfortunately instructors will only be able to teach the method that is the safest. And this is the wrap technique. If you told a student to swim over the lines and they got tangled and died im sure someone could sue

Thanks for all your support everyone. It's great to see my post is not being trashed on for once.

Just to answer a few questions and clarify a few things, when choosing the method of not wrapping the lines around the bar:

-No need to disconnect the leash line. This would be dangerous especially at the early stages (before starting to go up the safety line). I guess there is no harm done if you disconnect the leash line once you get to the kite since you now have the kite in your hands and not likely to let go of it. Perhaps disconnecting the leash line when you get to the kite would minimize tangles..or tangle more? Don't know. Honestly I don't see much point in disconnecting the leash line.

-I don't know how many times I need to say it: don't swim and don't kick your feet...this will greatly minimize tangles. So please stop talking about swimming towards the kite and swimming in your lines, I would never recommend this to anyone.

-Any kite will automatically flag out if only one centre line is under tension and all other lines are slack. Works great and quick for kites using a single line safety system (like the Ozone kites) or a fifth line. With kites using both centre lines for safety it might be necessary to get to passed the bar then only pull one centre line to get the kite to flag out completely.

-When pulling on one centre lines all the other lines automatically go slack (unless all your lines are tangled together already, in a death looping scenario for example, this usually happens when the kiter didn't activate his safety early enough when tangles started ) this is what keeps the kite safe from powering back up or relaunching or death looping, etc., so as long as you don't let go your grip on the centre line, there is no chance whatsoever that the kite repowers up. Pulling yourself up the centre line is much easier than pulling the kite to you, plus you get a lot less tangles in doing so. There is not a whole lot of tension on the safety line so no need to panic or wear gloves. Just keep pulling yourself up and avoid stopping or pulling against the kite.

-Also note in the video that most tangles are avoided by not pulling yourself up over all the lines. When releasing the safety system, the kite usually goes a bit left or a bit right. Pull yourself up on the opposite side of where the kite fell. So if the kite and lines are mostly on your right (as in the second video) then pull yourself up on the left, you then avoid tangling in all the other lines.

-Bear in mind that if this method of not wrapping the lines was dangerous and we had many dramas with it in our school by teaching it, we probably wouldn't be teaching it anymore. I don't know since when exactly our school started to teach this method, but there must be at least over a 1000 students who successfully achieved this self-rescue method in any wind condition (yes we still have all students go out there and do it in 25 knots). Since I started teaching this method and working at this school (3 years ago) there has been ZERO incidents reported from using this method. The worst we've seen is bad tangles mostly from doing the complete opposite of what we prescribe (swimming, kicking, pulling the kite towards you (instead of pulling yourself to the kite), keeping the bar and lines in front and over you). Still with the very worst tangles, all students made it back to the shore safely and without needing external help.

-As for the pack down self-rescue (off-shore winds, no wind, deflated leading edge) I've shot a video showing the method described by Dafish and will post the tutorial on this soon.

-As far a wrapping lines around the bar I guess it could be a great idea if there was reef around or if you had to go through the surf. I don't have a lot of experience in the surf but I hear most guys kiting in heavy surf choose to release the whole kite when it goes pear shape. The kite will wash up back on shore and thus avoid pulling the kiter underneath the water (kite getting dragged by the waves) and damaging the kite in the process.

-So in conclusion get out there and practice both methods and see for yourself. There will be times when wrapping lines around the bar is easy and a preferable option...although I'm convinced for most times and especially for beginners and novice kiters not wrapping lines is a better, safer and quicker method in the majority of scenarios.

-Practice, practice, practice and educate people around you in the process is how we'll make this sport safer for everyone.

Fantastic contribution mate, well done. Funny enough I have never had to do a self rescue in 13 seasons until a couple of weeks back!! Very light on a 11m edge and skim board. As soon as the kite dropped I knew there was no chance of launching it in 8 knots!!

I did the wind up method (hadn't seen your post) and I can tell you even in 8 knots those bloody edges keep on a pulling!!

Plus the skim board was as buoyant as a dead fish with a lead sinker in its gut.

Now there was no instructor course and whatsit when I learnt hence this part was learnt purely by reading the net. But I was still as sketchy as on how to do it with minimal fuss.

Also when grabbing the race bridals the edge again pulls so hard my fingers nearly died. I like it how in the first one you. Wrapped the bridal around your footstraps for a while, looks a promising technique.

I also had to lay the skim on the actual kite, kept sinking sort of and falling behind me.

The wing tip is also a fair way away on the this high aspect kite, was a pain in the ass getting it on its back again!

Hey what about doing that safety wrap with half hitch, then pulling yourself up the middle line the safety runs to?

Ta for that...again great contribution.