I remember my first kite in the early 2000's had a chicken loop but it didn't move, it was just hooked onto the bar. And like you said JonesySail above you certainly learnt how much power the kite can generate, you couldn't depower it at all. There was no quick release, so getting dragged along the water at 100 miles an hour was interesting when you just couldn't get your harness unhooked from the loop. Honestly don't know how we all survived the first kites made. I haven't had a go on the latest kites but they do sound a lot more user friendly and safer, but doesn't mean your invincable on them I suppose. It all relies on mother nature and what she's going to throw at you all of a sudden. I don't class kites as a total water sport I think it's half aviation as well and with air you can't see whats coming.
Think they should make all new learners spend some serious non chicken loop time and give a couple death loop scenarios just so they understand what they actually have in their hands .....!
Probably bit politically incorrect...but I don't think many new kiters understand the awesome power a kite creates, it is a great sport that compliments windsurfing on lighter to medium days.
Select to expand quoteMrCranky said..
I thought kites can be trimmed (have their surface area shrunk), so they have a bigger wind range then windsurfing sails?
They can be trimmed but it only changes the angle they sit at, have a look at www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Lofting/ and scroll down to Steve from Kitepower's post for a decent explanation.
Select to expand quotewindsufering said..
Please I need some advice from some one who can kite. Is it unnatural to pull the QR system ?
If some one finds this post offensive I will delete it.
I pray all the best for the American
The Quick Release is quick but there are a few instinctive reactions that need to be belted out through repetition and replaced with new instinctive reactions before pulling the QR is instinctive and effective.
For those that don't kite pulling the bar in and out changes the angle of attack of the kite, in short and very crude terms pull in it powers up, let it out and the power drops off. So when something goes pear-shaped the common sense response is to let the bar out (but not let go). Unfortunately one of many inbuilt instinctive response to an immediate danger is to retract in and protect yourself, think of someone punching you in the gut, they may withdraw and bring their arms in to protect their abdomen. Same thing can happen to a Kiter if something goes wrong, they retract inwards and pull the bar in which is exactly the wrong thing to do. It takes time on water and experience to overcome his instinctive reaction.
Another is one is, "yeah I got this, I can fix it", the second it takes to realise that the kite is looping out of control or whatever is time you needed to pull the QR but in that second you may well have been launched and be beyond any hope of recovering it.
Pretty much every kite has two QR, the first actually keeps you attached to the kite but flags it out to only one or two lines, instead of the four or five. Normally this will be enough to kill the power and keep the kite from blowing away. If things go further pear-shaped the second QR allows you to totally disconnect from that last flagging line or two.
There is an inherent problem with the primary quick release though. If the kite has already done a few loops the four or five lines are now starting to bind up and turn into a single rope, effectively making it impossible for that flagging line to take the load by itself. Which is probably why there is a secondary QR.
Another problem with the QR is each manufacturer has their own 'safest and best' system, and even they change every two years or so. Me, I have six different bar and line sets from three different manufacturers and in there are 4 different primary QR mechanisms. Some require you to push the release away, some want you to pull it, one requires the mechanism to be rotated, some are above the chicken loop, some are part of the chicken loop. Pulling the QR needs to be instinctive, you shouldn't have to pause and think what bar and line set you are using then remember what needs to be done.
Both recent serious kite incidents highlight that you only have barely a second to appreciate the situation unfolding and react to it. Inexperience, or too much experience, instinctive reactions and equipment are all fighting to take up that one second.
I hate to think how the guys in the early days of the sport survived it, no trim options, no quick releases and kites that flew like absolute pigs.
Firstly how tragic
From a learning and behavioural theory point of view, there are some issues I would like to point out.
FRom reading all posts here and on Kite-Forum, it appears that there are a few circumstances when things happen so quickly, that no safety measure can avert.
There are 2 important points arise from this.
Firstly is prevention. There are some scenarios and circumstances, where no safety mechanism can save you, so never Kite in stiuations where a failure of safety will lead to tragic consequences. Is there enough awareness, are there cirumstances where people minimize the dangers to themselves, and are our best modelling inappropriate behaviours?? One of the most powerful learning principals is that of modelling. If experinced Kiters sail in strong onshore conditions, near powerlines, then this models and motivates the inexperienced kiters, "that this Is what I want to do". Unfortunately, Human nature and actual observations tell us people are not going to apply this principle and further tragedies will occur. EG learn from the The 1 2 3 rule as in Workplace safety. 1 Spot the Hazard. 2 Assess the Risk. 3, Make the Changes. Kiting needs to develop a similar slogan. If the most experienced Kiters Modelled this, then Maybe a few lives acn be saved. While workplace accidents still occur, there are statistically less accidents now, bec learning and behavioural priniples have been applied.
SEcondly "Safety Devices" leads to a false sense of security to believe that safety devices can save you in those circumstances where things happen too quickly. The Kiting Industry needs to get better with its marketing and advertising on what safety features can actually achieve, even if its to do with emphasising the limitations of human beings to deploy these safety measures in time. Eg. " WARNING: No human being can deploy this measure in certain circumstances" These so called "Safety Devices" can lead to a false sense of psychological security when in fact there are circumstances where no such safety actually exists. The industry needs to employ Behavioural Scientists, to help them sort this stuff out.
However, Look at Motorbikes, they have excellent breaks, suspension, tyres etc, But that doesnt stop some people riding really fast on dangerous roads and having accidents. Nothing can ever prevent this sort of thing, NOTHING!!!!
One aspect of medical science looks at preventable deaths, certainly some kiting accidents are preventable deaths. Research looks at the variables, and certainly, learning theory and beahvioural principles can inform us here.
