Kitemare yesterday

Rookie199 · Since 11 Aug 2022 14 Posts Oregon

I had a flipped kite. I was pretty sure the kite flipped. I worked trying to get lines straight. (almost impossible when flipped I know but I was also trying to get the bar it untwisted and unstuck) In the process I pushed the bar though the rope and it got stuck and I couldn't figure out how to unstuck it. after trying for a while to unstuck that I had control over the kite somewhat most of the time. I had some slack at a few times but could not get the line out of the stuck. I even looked underwater with my eyes open. Repeatably.

A long while later it came to the point where I was going to lose control the kite was twisting and I was almost out of ability to control the kite. I decided to self rescue and go for shore. I didn't waste time trying to save my bar. I didn't want the hassle of working the bar to save it and having extra lines around. I was way downwind by the a way bit before the low rocks by the locks,

I had a drysuit which worked out well. As long as I was floating on something and my arms out of the water. I was warm enough. But if I lost the kite and had nothing to float on I would be in serious trouble. I need more upper body insulation. My legs were ok with a 2mm wetsuit under the bottom half.

Thoughts and preventable things to do.

1. recognize river flow. I didn't realize the strong current.
2. My physical ability was probably a 30 minute - 1 hour session I should have not gone so far out in the water with this in mind and turned back earlier when I realized I was going downwind way too much.
4. I didn't realize going upwind would be a toll and difficult. I got tired but not extreme tired. I fell because I was working hard to go upwind and board got a edge and I went face down into the water.
5. I was working against the flow (use the wind not working against it. finding the easier way to go upwind whatever that is it can change day to day)
6. The wind direction is not away the same so doing something one day may not work on today.
7. Never let the kite go down!
8. high currents are danger because when a kite goes down more chance for something to flip and go wrong.

For self Rescue, I need to learn to use the kite as a sail while on the water. I failed and could only use it minimally to move to shore. I couldn't get it to work correctly it kept flipping around and would not catch a "c" to the shore.

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2088 Posts PNW Bigfoot

shred_da_gorge · Sat Apr 20, 24 12:25 pm

Sasquatch nailed it. I would add that you need to immediately and always make sure that flag line can do its job, when deciding to try and clear the conditions while in the water. I have been in similar circumstance a line wrapped and the kite steered 'backward' while I body-dragged in with my surfboard tethered to a spare long leash. The critical risk to weigh was if the kite can actually depower on a release - if it can't, flag it with one of the front lines by hand and start self-rescue immediately. (As a beginner, you should lean towards that anyway, but un/fortunately we've all gained our decision matrix by getting ourselves into these situations to begin with.

Also, ALWAYS watch the kite for a hot launch, as the current can very quickly 'dial' it back into a dangerous window if you focus too closely on fixing the bar end of things.

Singlemalt · Since 21 Jun 2015 474 Posts White Salmon Obsessed

If the kite has done the death spiral, hitting the release may not flag the kite.

You aren’t going to get a nice neat bar wrap, you just gotta go up the lines and get hold of the center lines. Go to the kite, up the center lines and get hold of some bridle lines.
Once you have the kite, gather up the lines, best you can. Wrap the whole mess up.

Now get the bridles so the kite drags you the way you want to go.

Yesterday at Stevenson, I had a front line snap. The flag line. And the kite looped a number of turns. And I didn’t have my extra leash to leash the foil, so I had my hands full.

Thanks to Monty of Windance for taking my foil in to shore. With both hands free, it was much easier to swim up the lines, grab the bridles and motor back to the launch.
Luck was on my side and I was on the right side of the river.

So, check the gear. Extra leash for securing the board. Maybe retire that 2015 bar and lines. Dress for the swim.

Easterlies and spring currents mean it’s better to take some extra power. There is always Bobs beach to exit out if you are losing the battle to stay up wind. Stay close to the WA side until you are sure you are good to stay upwind.

I just threw that bar in the trash.

shred_da_gorge · Sat Apr 20, 24 8:32 pm

Glad to hear you're both OK!

Rookie199 · Since 11 Aug 2022 14 Posts Oregon

Re:Sasquatch Yes I was riding out from Stevenson. I saw Singlemalt as he was coming in and I was just Launching, probably. I saw somebody self rescuing as I was getting ready to go out.

I noticed a few things about the lines as they were stuck, First I didn't have the death spiral happening.

After I did the release and it would not go out all the way lucky I had control of the kite and was able to grab and loosen up or not really loosen somehow I got maybe some slack I suppose and pulled in and flagged the kite. And keeping the lines off me and away.

Re:Shred_da_gorge yes I had the kite go into a launch a few times, I see what you mean. And checking to be sure the kite can depower good advice.

Some more things to work on for me

1. don't go out all the way in the water right away. Be sure I'm all good for that.
2. Still be ready for a swim in the conditions.
3. I really need to learn how to self rescue with the birdie lines. Practice on dry land technique. Research and learn it. Then try it on water.
4. Practice with a mock up on land how to handle some kite line issues. What I would do next if I had a flipped kite.
5. Learn more about how the kite flys with lines twisted up. Backwards? Just not flyable?

Thanks for your feedback all of you. Yes I am glad I made it out. I was OK but that was not a good situation. Thanks to the kite to float on.

shred_da_gorge · Sun Apr 21, 24 8:34 am

If one of the wingtips inverts you can still fly the kite, but the lines will be wrapped and it will fly lob-sided. You'll feel the friction as the lines rub (which isn't good for them), but you can maintain control enough to body-drag in. I've kited in from the Golden Gate in that situation but body dragging instead is much safer. (These days kites are less prone to this by design... unlike the 2006 Rebel I learned on 🙄).

If the line wraps the bar end, that's where things can get very dangerous quickly, often with the death-spiral as a result. That's also where your focus can be taken off the kite window - I almost lost my left ring finger in a hot launch this way. (My wife met me in the ER and immediately told the doc it was just a cheap trick to get out of wearing her ring 😆; doc had just come in from kitefoiling and we were talking about gear - only in HR she said!).

Thanks for sharing your experience and strategy. 👍

Reaper356 · Since 10 Dec 2006 781 Posts Salem / LC Oregon Opinionated

Thanks for sharing. I'm glad it worked out!

Remember to always carry some kind of backup hook knife.i have a blunt serated dive hook knife in my board shorts. I practice pulling it every now and again.
I hog-tied both legs under the kite trying to self rescue once because of loose lines. I was a poor college student so I didn't want to cut anything... hindsight - it's just the waters way of telling you to replace your lines!

Stay safe out there!

Nak · Sun Apr 21, 24 11:03 pm

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2088 Posts PNW Bigfoot

Singlemalt · Since 21 Jun 2015 474 Posts White Salmon Obsessed

I was so lucky. A few minutes earlier I was up by the red buoy. I was just thinking about heading in and taking a mellow downwind line towards the launch. Brought the kite around on to a port tack, eased on the power and, snap.

The line broke up by the pigtail. It was the front line and the flag line on this bar. I didn’t release the chicken loop because the kite looped a bunch of times right off the bat and I just wanted to get up the lines to the kite. Just luck again, if I’d released it would have been gone. But that’s all post game reporting.

Not having my extra leash was stupid. Trying to hold onto the foil and deal with getting up the lines was impossible. Once Monty took my board I was up to the kite and dragging in to the launch in no time. As self rescues go, this one was quick and easy. Usually, I’m all the way over on the other side. One drag back to the WA side took over an hour, in March, and the water was in the low 40’s. I’ve never been so happy about a drysuit.

My usual drill is to grab the foil, get it leashed, and then see if I can sort the kite out or if it’s a wrap. The Triton mono foil floats the board on its side, so it doesn’t take off downwind like most foils, and it doesn’t go up wind either. But it does go slowly downwind.

I should have just let go of the foil and gone to the kite. I wasn’t far from the launch, and somebody would have grabbed the board. I was dragging downwind faster than the board. But it’s hard to let go of your foil…

Thanks again to Monty of Windance! Huge help! And thanks to everybody else at Stevenson who have made it a great place to ride.

That bar was cooked, and I should have retired it long ago. In the photo there’s a bit of another LF bar, same year, with very little use on it. Check out the difference in the line colors. If your lines are faded, that’s UV degradation. I was pushing my luck.

Funny thing, as I was rigging up I was wondering how long I’ve been using this harness and spreader bar, and if I should toss it for one of my new swap meet finds. I think it’s time.

Dress for the swim! The 5/4 with hat, gloves, and booties was fine for the weather and the fairly short swim, maybe 10-15 minutes of self rescue. But a long swim and I would have been getting cold. And consider some floatation. I had a Ride Engine floatation vest on, and that really helped with staying warm and staying afloat without constant swimming.

OG · Since 07 Jun 2011 583 Posts Addicted

that is a lot of broken lines for this early in the season. glad you all are ok

Rookie199 · Since 11 Aug 2022 14 Posts Oregon

Hello, sorry slow response. I got distracted with work.

Singlemalt so you got back in at Bob's beach well then if so I didn't see you and saw somebody else. Coming back in Stevenson that day.

Thanks for your story and yeah Dress for the swim is a good idea. I had a good vest on and that helped keep me warm. I was warm the whole time. I knew the whole time I had to have something to help me get back to shore. I could not swim myself out of my location.

And Yes happy I decided on the drysuit for that. Next time will need to do better tho.

That's a option I didn't consider very much. Looking back yeah that would have been a good choice just to get out at Bob's beach.

Good feedback here thanks!

shred_da_gorge · Fri Apr 26, 24 12:08 pm

I got mild hypothermia on a long swim in (with a dislocated finger) from the bridge to the sandbar on an August day with a water temp in low 70's and air temp in the 90's... board shorts were fine otherwise (except at one point they actually fell down to my ankles while I was riding - that was the session from hell it turns out, but pretty funny in retrospect).

JackAubrey · Since 18 Sep 2021 6 Posts Kook

It's not just the ride/swim. Last summer on a hot day I had a front (non-flag) line knot slip off, causing the kite to safely flag out. Go for self-rescue, no problem. At one point my board got away and one of the schools out on a ski kindly brought it back. I managed to keep it with me after that. There was not much wind and I started about midway upwind of Wells Is, so I made gradual progress and landed at the Hook. I walked back to the Event Site - barefooted. Huge mistake and tore my feet up. In retrospect I probably should have just hitched a short ride with someone, but it wasn't that far and I was seething a bit over my experience.

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2088 Posts PNW Bigfoot