Spacemonkey! said...

....................People only will take their own kids out and I'm sure most parents would correctly assess the risks. Not saying it is for everyone but I have no problem with an experienced rider doing it.

Definitely not for everyone. Like mentioned before, all it takes is for one "freak" gust of wind or something to happen, a kid drowns, then our sport is in the papers again, but for all the wrong reasons.

Each to their own, but this is just too dangerous and makes me cringe just looking at the photos.

And it has also at least been implied in the first post of this thread that other kids are getting rides like this too. So therefore it is not just a matter of people doing this with their own children.

KK, My children and I watch kitesurfing DVD's and I take them to the beach to watch other kitesurfers do their thing. Both my children show an interest in the sport and think that it is "cool" that their mum is a kitesurfer. However there is NO WAY IN HELL that I would do this, let alone encourage this.

Brien said...

I think the people having the massive knee jerk reactions here are probably not confident kiters. If you can barely ride a push bike solo you wouldn't go and double someone would you? Stay in the shallows and away from crowds and I reckon most water confident kids would have a blast.

100% agree.

mytchook said...

Spacemonkey! said...

....................People only will take their own kids out and I'm sure most parents would correctly assess the risks. Not saying it is for everyone but I have no problem with an experienced rider doing it.

Definitely not for everyone. Like mentioned before, all it takes is for one "freak" gust of wind or something to happen, a kid drowns, then our sport is in the papers again, but for all the wrong reasons.

Each to their own, but this is just too dangerous and makes me cringe just looking at the photos.

And it has also at least been implied in the first post of this thread that other kids are getting rides like this too. So therefore it is not just a matter of people doing this with their own children.

KK, My children and I watch kitesurfing DVD's and I take them to the beach to watch other kitesurfers do their thing. Both my children show an interest in the sport and think that it is "cool" that their mum is a kitesurfer. However there is NO WAY IN HELL that I would do this, let alone encourage this.

I was watchin this DVD and this guy jumped over the side of a skyscraper and grabbbed a sign or somethin on the way down and guys were shooting at him and stuff and the sign nearly broke lose and then he jumped and landed in a pile of feathers..............And came out shootin himself... He was OK

And he never even had a full wrap of cotton wool?? Go figure

Reminds me of Steve Irwin and Baby bob.

firiebob said...

Spacemonkey! said...

Are you going to tell the story or shall we just take your word for it that one minute he was fine- the next he was entangled in line. My bet is the he broke his line, swam to his kite by holdings one line, tried to swim in without doing up the lines and got tangled even though there was no power in the kite.

Sorry I honestly can't remember how or why and agree it's the only time I've seen it happen

I've seen it happen once to a guy I was kiting with, almost exactly the way Mr. Monkey describes it. The difference is he didn't have line breakage, he just kooked out.

Lay off the "windsurfers can't comment cos they don't undertand kiting" ... there are plenty of kiters giving this reckless idiot a thumbs down.

Probably the same ones who are bitching that their names where displayed online, destroying their anonymity.

this is probably less dangerous than giving his kids bikes/skateboards/roller skates etc but you don't see everyone bitching about that now

If i had kids id be keen for them to come for a quick ride. Im sure he doesnt do anything stupid with them. Just in and out. A lifejacket wouldnt hurt, but looks like shes having fun to me. Unlike her friends watching Sesame Street or some show.

ruffryder61 said...

h20fly said...

DUDE this is awsome.. my gf is just about to pop ours out.. now i was trying to convince her that lil jax can just sit in one of those baby harnesses and it would be totally safe because i would attach floaties to his arms... needles to say i dont think i will be able to take our child to the beach till he is about 4 :)

but seriously i got to show her this great idea! just curoius but how do u upwind body drag with her on the back? does she get a mouth full of water or still keep her head oout of water?

cheers bruf!

i reckon your kids have to be able to swim and be comfi with in the water.
I dont think the body dragging is very good since you get more spray and you dont want you kids to swallow water.. they prolly spit it back out in your neck..


let us know how you guys go..

hehe i was only kidding i dont think a new born is a good idea definatly agree jax will probably have to be able to swim first. :)

:) can your girl get out of the harness if she needs to? like a harness quick release :) and can u body drag back to your board with out her swallowing water and spitting it on your neck :)

Mark _australia said...
Mate this has nothing whatsoever to do with what water sport I undertake, or my knowledge of kiting. OK that was just one example of a possible problem, maybe it never happens I'll take your word for it.
How about the windsurfers who bang their head, pass out and drown (2 in WA in last 10 yrs), the expert kayaker who is trapped and drowns, the list goes on. There is a great number of times that a minor thing happens and it becoems a bit of a drama. aA helluva lot of people here who wind/kitesurf at a hi level for a few years have a story of almost dying or a bl00dy long swim back with a bad injury.
Could that guy swim back with a toddler on his back with one torn shoulder ligament? Or a destroyed knee? Or even just 200m in a 20kn breeze and a bit of chop with no kite and no board when a bit tired?
I doubt it.

Lay off the "windsurfers can't comment cos they don't undertand kiting" ... there are plenty of kiters giving this reckless idiot a thumbs down.

Well it seems you keep bringing up examples of dangers that simply do not apply, I'm guessing the windsurfers who drowned weren't exactly riding along, probably in big waves or doing loops. I'm guessing the expert kayaker who becomes trapped and drowns wasn't paddling on the swan river. Your not going to tear your shoulder just riding around your going to tear it going for handlepasses, doing tricks, likewise with the knee. In anycase the power of the kite should be able to drag both back to shore with minimal effort, the kids head should stay above water because the back pack is quite high.

If gear broke (and I doubt people are taking their kids 2km off shore), you would hope the parent is a strong enough swimmer to swim to the kite which would then act like an inflatable raft to keep him and his kid afloat whilst he swims in.

Your taking the extreme elements of the sport and saying thats why it is dangerous when riding back and forwards in relatively flat water is about 100 times safer. Sure there is potential for danger but that potential exists in pretty much everything.

OK, why does the public think they have a right to tell someone not to do these things?

When I was 3, a family friend designed the first tandem parasailing harness, which is now comercially available. I was strapped into the harness, then clipped to the adult rider under a parachute! People said the same thing about this. How could you? What an idiot, ect, until they realised it was just as safe as any oother watersport, then they started selling it. It is the parents right to do what they want, and I for one am hellishly gratefull to have been the test pilot. I could swim, as should any kid near water.



Maybe we should ban waterskiing to (risk of impact injuries, drownings) ? How about kids learning to sail (god, not only impact injuries, but rope tangles after capsizing, how did i survive) ? Swimming at the beach (spinal injuries, rips, etc)?

The world is full of wowsers and do gooders. If you think its dangerous, then dont do it. He's not making you do it, just showing people that might have been trying to work out there own way to do exactly this, which it sounds like others have tried.

PS, just a bit of info, it takes around 2 seconds to release one of those harnesses. Was a simple clip release on the one I owned

C'mon guys. Looks about as dangerous as taking the little ones for a walk along the wharf.

Sorry I had to compare it to that, but you have to evaluate the consequences vs the risk and expect the unexpected. I understand there is low risk, but you perhaps have to understand the enormously, ridiculously, life wreckingly high consequences. Is it worth it?

Coose said...

To everyone apposing this guys decision to take his kids kiting with him have no right to complain on how the sport is in danger if this guy takes his kids kiting, most the time people here are very negative.

I have found over a period of time on these forums most the people here just come to biatch about everything and anything, stick on you gath helmets and seat harnesses get out on the water and then come back and complain about how crappy bows are or 5th line systems, this is the thing that pisses me off about some users on these forums (not all) SO NEGATIVE, if you dont have something good to say dont say it at all.

somebody please lock this thread, so that the over weight guys flying there 12 and 14 meter kites can go some where else.

for god sake the sport is about one word FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN!!

sometimes i think some people are in it for the crappy politics that come along with it!

maybe these who appose this guys decision to take his kids kiting with him should take up cycling or some other sport if u take this so personally and think its the end of the world its simple PICK ANOTHER SPORT YOU KOOKS!

Very positive dude.

waveslave said...

ruffryder61 said...

This is pure show pony sh1t. ^^^
"Look at me...Look at my cute kid".
lol.

If you are still undecided about whether this method of 'kiting' is unsafe, ^^^
please consider this one fact......
The kid can not unbuckle herself from the straight-jacket.
In the event of a mishap, she will remain trapped underwater until someone unlocks her from the cage.
Daddy has a release (red knob above CL) on his kite....
but the little girl can't release (by herself) from her cocoon.
That's a design fault that needs attention.
Rethink the straight-jacket entrapment.

waveslave said...

waveslave said...

ruffryder61 said...

This is pure show pony sh1t. ^^^
"Look at me...Look at my cute kid".
lol.

If you are still undecided about whether this method of 'kiting' is unsafe, ^^^
please consider this one fact......
The kid can not unbuckle herself from the straight-jacket.
In the event of a mishap, she will remain trapped underwater until someone unlocks her from the cage.
Daddy has a release (red knob above CL) on his kite....
but the little girl can't release (by herself) from her cocoon.
That's a design fault that needs attention.
Rethink the straight-jacket entrapment.

You sure? If its a child carrier (which it sure looks like), 90% of these have a release clip right where her hands would be. This is because they are designed to be able to put a baby in, hold the baby and do up the buckles without risking dropping them. The whole thing will peel back if this is released. Left even a little loose, the child would almost float out.

Not everything is dangerous because you dont understand it

yep it looks cool and a great photo

i gave my feral newphews a double last summer 12 and 13 years old - one at a time

not only did they choke the crap out of me when i did it, the kite itself became under a massive strain ,i'm 90kg they're about 50 kg each. i could actually see it straining under the load. no problem that day.tacked back and forth 2 or 3 times each.

guess what next time i rode the kite the leading edge blew out when a guy caught it on the beach, $80 later fixed it up.
next time i pumped it the leading blew up on the beach. both time at the very spot where one of the lines were connected. the kite fixer upper guy gave the sad news my kite was well and truly rooted for good.

so i gave it to mate who needed a bladder, and eventually i bought it from him once he got his next kite.

equipment failure and kites go hand in hand and if on the water can end in disaster