3 Years kiting, never had to use my safety 'till yesterday…

9m overpowered big boost session, overcooked the landing, got slack in the lines, went to down loop, outside line wrapped behind bar…death loop.
Basically picked up instantly, looped and spat out.

First instinct was to unjam outside line, but was now being picked up for my second 'loop smashing' and couldn't get it (remember overpowered). Started pulling my way up front lines. Kite sat in water, thought I had it…kite slowly rolls back on its side, then up…and pow! nice big loop, as I had pulled some front line! Followed by 3rd and 4th loop.

Now getting very close to marina rock wall, grab down and pull chicken loop safety, but since I'm leashed suicide it don't make much difference, except I'm now being pulled with the same power backwards as I'm attached to my harness using the handle pass line across the back. Plus as a bonus, the slack I pulled in slipped through my hands when reaching for the safety and is now wrapped round my leg.

Bloody hard to reach behind to grab the release on the leash when being pulled, looped and lofted backwards towards jaggered rocks.

Thankfully, Ping! F-One leash breaks. Lines come away from my ankle after 'ring barking' it!

Now double emotion time. I'm alive but watching my kite slide over jaggered rocks, bar jams, loops super hard into the rocks, raps around a shelter, then lands on top of rocks.

Summing up
Adrenalin wears off, pain becomes apparent. Very glad no one was on the rock wall. Glad I was no longer attached. Amazed my kite has only one 20 cent sized tear (kudos x1000 to CORE, the Kevlar patches seem to take most of the bashing).

So, started re-thinking about using the handle pass system on the harness vs a fixed point. Though have got my arm jammed behind while trying to pass using a fixed leash attachment point in the past.

Anyone else got experience on this one??

Yeah good points Bennie, wind started off average, so was unhooking. Then it came in, so just went for boosts. But will rethink changing my leash point when it picks up in the future.

Also, I have a Liquid Force Luxury harness 08/09 with that side release, but it lets go all by itself pretty much 2 out of 3 times :(

JJB,
So you mean attach directly to the chicken loop? so if you pull the QR, the Chicken loop opens so you release everything?

I used to attach to the chicken loop itself, but it gets in the way hooking back in. On this occasion I was attached suicide above the chicken loop.

Alternative option would be to have attached the leash so the release was at the top, ie climb up the leash then pull.

Tried using safety/ sui - ie through mini 5th then on to loop. Still gets in the way.

Design Idea - A chicken loop that you can attach suicide to in a fixed position at the top, but then will let go when you pull the QR? Can't be hard...

There are harnesses which have a quick release on the front for the handlepass line.

You can also fit a new handlepass line with a release at one end, although it is a velcro release and not as good as some of the ones built into the harness.

There's an advert for not having a release you cant reach.

tightlines said...

Has anyone seen waveslave.

Line wraps around bar >>> CHECK

Deathlooping commences >>> CHECK

Heading for rock wall >>> CHECK

Pull quick release >>> CHECK

Nothing happens >>> CHECK

Deathloops arc up more >>> CHECK

Can't reach stupid secondary release >>> CHECK

Deathleash snaps >>> CHECK

Perfect.
The system works fine.
lol.

I have an Ocean Rodeo harness with a very neat and efficient release on the handlepass line. Something like that would be best.

This could maybe be the simplest answer by using this knot on the D-Rings at both sides of your harness. When you need to get free, you find the loose end of the rope and pull it then let go.

I am guessing this could work, but it would be easy enough to try it out under load and see if it does.

Cheers Bennie. I have tried this is safety / sui method in the past, but find it still gets in the way when hooking back in (especially when baring off downwind to get slack in the lines).

Was thinking i'll use this method but will use a crap cable tie or light fishing line to keep it attached to the top. Have to be strong enough to hold a depowered kite suicide, but break when the **** hits the fan, ie being dragged?

Maybe just need to refine my technique when hooking back in, quick yank first to ensure the safety 5th is back at the top...

Maybe deathleashes need to be designed so that with a certain amount of force applied they do break. As Wisha has pointed out that thankfully it did break.If a kite is flagged to the safety leash and there is nothing to stop it working correctly there should not be that much force on the leash.With a deathlooping kite it can produce considerable forces on the leash and if you couldnt release the leash that would be a time where you wished you never had one.
^^ Its just an idea
bene313 great idea, will change to that system

Wisha just choose your strongest side i.e. if you are left or right handed and attach a longer pass leash might just need a extra 10 CM if you are fussy and attach to it to the d-ring on that side with a handlepass leash between the d-rings and if one of the d-ring breaks you still have the handle pass leash attached on the other side and you will will not lose your kite. I find this is much better and although does not look as "cool" as havng it swing on the handle pass leash I know that when it all goes wrong on my right about 10 cm's up is the eject button ;)

Wisha said...

Addikt,
Take it your talking about the harness attachment? (got any photos?)

Sorry for the bad pic but so all you really doing is instead of running ring on handle pass leash thing you put it on the d-ring on the side you favor.......