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Who ever said a self rescue was easy?

 
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honda1

Since 11 Sep 2013
183 Posts

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PostMon Jul 02, 18 7:13 pm    Who ever said a self rescue was easy? Reply with quote

Due to work circumstances I wasn’t to make my 2 hr drive to hood for a session but was determined to still get one in. I live on the Columbia but the wind is always finicky. Today it was blowing maybe an average of 16-18 with gusts to 25 and lulls where you’re kite would fall out of the sky. My second time out I had a lull and for a bit could not relaunch the kite. Moving at a nice pace due to the current I eventually decided to self rescue. About that time it of course started gusting. I wrapped my flagging line around the bar and then proceeded to wrap the other lines. That proved to be amazingly difficult with the gusts as my 15m Fly would powerup. My question is should it have been that difficult or was I not doing something correctly? I did get to the kite, layed on the leading edge and powered up one wingtip. Pretty textbook except wrapping those lines were very hard. I love on the self rescue videos. A real self rescue never seems to go nearly as smoothly. At least I did get some riding in after all.

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Dern

Since 11 Jul 2010
544 Posts
Vancouver, WA
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PostMon Jul 02, 18 8:57 pm     Reply with quote

Quote:
A real self rescue never seems to go nearly as smoothly.


I think this is the case most of the time. Gusty winds are especially annoying during self rescues. In these cases I have found it best to just pull a long run of the depower line through the bar and wrap it and tie it off (if you can, depends on the situation!) to keep the kite relatively depowered. Then I just leave the bar behind and hand-over-hand my way to the kite on one of the lines, whichever is keeping the kite depowered (typically a front line). This is pretty much the full-commit type of self rescue because you risk getting your legs wound in some of the loose lines and I wouldn't want to let go of the line.

Alternatives in crap-wind/high-wind would be to just wind 1 line around the bar over and over until the other lines are super slack to keep the kite powered on only one line, then wrap up the rest of the lines or enough such that you can get to your kite without wrapping yourself in lines.

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eric

Since 13 Jan 2006
1803 Posts

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PostMon Jul 02, 18 9:12 pm     Reply with quote

^^^ +1

Self-rescue videos are typically in no wind, and at times chest deep water. Reality is much different. I often wrap two leading edge lengths worth of depower line around the bar, tie it off, then carefully hand over hand on the depower line to the kite. I then let the bar drag behind as I use the kite to get me to shore.

I also carry two knives: one in my harness, and the other on a lanyard around my neck

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west

Since 09 Oct 2008
136 Posts
Lake Michigan
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PostTue Jul 03, 18 4:24 am     Reply with quote

Leaving the bar behind in the water is like throwing the dice on the table....1.) As mentioned you risk getting tangled in the lines, which could be tragic. 2.). The bar and or lines can get caught on the bottom, a rock or submerged log. 3.) Loose lines present a danger to a Kiter, boater or coast guard attempting to render aid.

Practice, practice, practice self-rescue. Being confident, properly dressed for the swim and remaining calm are all key to an efficient and safe self-rescue.

Happy Kiting!!

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Matt V

Since 26 Oct 2014
462 Posts
Summer- OR Coast, Winter - My van near good snow
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PostTue Jul 03, 18 5:12 am     Reply with quote

I quit kicking with my legs after I found it was the cause of the lines wrapping around my legs during a self rescue.

Since employing that policy, I have not been wrapped up.

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voy-tech

Since 08 Apr 2014
372 Posts
Seattle
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PostTue Jul 03, 18 7:15 am     Reply with quote

One strategy like others suggested is to simply pull yourself to the kite by the depower line as fast as possible (and without kicking!!) then once you're at the kite you can pull the bar in and wrap the lines before starting the sail to shore process.
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bigjohn

Since 13 Mar 2012
663 Posts

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PostTue Jul 03, 18 11:55 am     Reply with quote

If your concern was that you had too much pressure from the kite while wrapping your lines you should think about making your profile in the water more fluid.

The key point to understand is that if you are a wedge then you are absorbing all the force of the kite. However, if you are sliding across the top of the water then the kite has much less pull (just like going down wind).

If you have your board, use it to your advantage (probably doesn't apply to foils). Lay on the tail of your board and develop a nice angle such that you skim the water as you are pulling in your lines. ***edit - Also, I find it's best to have my elbows on the front edge of my board. This allows me to balance on them as I am working on the bar. I keep the bar ahead of my board in the water. ***

Also, I'm a firm believer of the slow and safe method. Wrap the bar up slowly and neatly so that you don't get wrapped up in any of the lines. The only trick is to make sure only have tension on 1 line the whole time.

Another good trick is that you can take breaks if you tie a 1/2 hitch on your bar with your lines. Gives you a chance to stop, relax and reassess your situation.

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sfbomber

Since 27 Jun 2012
112 Posts

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PostTue Jul 03, 18 12:20 pm     Reply with quote

I usually flag out the kite so it is depowered, then wrap the "depowered" line up until the the kite is flaged out. I usually do this wrap by figure eighting behind the bar (using the bar windings) and follow with a couple half hitches. Then I start wrapping all of the lines using a figure eight on the front of the bar also using the bar windings. If the kite is pulling hard (though properly flagged), I usually point the bar and use that to get enough slack to wind around the other end of the bar and so on. If it is pulling really hard, some times I use my spreader bar for leverage to take the load off of my fingertips. If the depower line isn't properly flagging the kite, I would wind that line alone some more until the kite is properly flagged.
Whatever technique you use, the most important thing is:
1) wind all of the lines up. If you fail to wind up all the lines you risk getting tangled in your lines. (I witnessed this personally, the guy was in sorry shape when I showed up in my street clothes to help out). Best to stay upwind of your lines as you are winding. If you feel yourself getting tangled (deal with that right away). Use a knife if you need to, but with proper technique you shouldn't have to use it. Tangles around legs can lead to drownings, especially without a pfd.
2) stay attached to your kite (unless there is a clear and present danger, i.e. offshore, etc) . Don't undo your leash. It is a good idea to carry a spare leash that you can use to tether yourself to your board so you have both hands free. Best to try to keep your board upwind of you.

Make it a habit to self rescue at least once every season.

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bigjohn

Since 13 Mar 2012
663 Posts

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PostTue Jul 03, 18 12:36 pm     Reply with quote

SFBomber reminded me of one more tip.

If you are still struggling to wrap your lines due to kite pressure you can generate slack by pulling your body up to the bar. This can be accomplished by holding the bar in one hand and pulling all 4 lines with the other hand down to your waist/thighs (or as far as you can).This should temporarily generate enough slack for you to get a wrap around the bar.

Just keep repeating this process.

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bigjohn

Since 13 Mar 2012
663 Posts

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PostTue Jul 03, 18 12:43 pm     Reply with quote

One more tip - then back to work!!!

If you have extensive kite pressure it is possibly because you do not completely have your kite flagged out.

If this is the case just add a couple of extra wraps with your flagging line around the bar and then return to wrapping all 4 lines together.

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daveS

Since 23 Jul 2007
101 Posts

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PostWed Jul 04, 18 1:33 pm     Reply with quote

I think it is worth saying that if you don't know the basics of self rescue you shouldn't leave the beach. I have to say I was kind of in awe as I watched a guy swimming his kite back to the event site from near the White Salmon bridge making no attempt to use his fully functional kite as a sail to get him in. This was a relatively light wind situation. I stopped and gve some pointers but eventually moved on as he wasn't really in distress and was slowly making his way in.

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SpaceRacer

Since 04 Nov 2007
434 Posts

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PostThu Jul 05, 18 11:01 am     Reply with quote

Or you can buy a 5-line North kite. Oh wait...no you can’t. Sorry...

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