Kitesurfing Point Lonsdale - 55 knot gusts lead to epic self rescue

Session 391. A salutary lesson on wind and weather.

There was a strong northerly in the morning followed by a westerly change in the afternoon. Stuart and I, on our traditional annual family weekend with some kitesurfing, checked out Ocean Grove then decided on heading out at Point Lonsdale.

We launched near the surf club in around 30 knots. I set my Union 8 on the low knot (more depower) then headed out into the good sized surf.

Point Lonsdale is and interesting place with views to the Point Lonsdale lighthouse and across the infamous rip to Point Nepean.

I was well powered but not overpowered and caught some good size waves. In the distance some dark clouds were coming. So far so good.

Out to sea about to turn around (gybe) then all hell broke loose. A very strong gust hoiked me along at great speed then into the air. I crashed and lost my board. I body dragged to get back to it as it was close but the wind was too strong and dragged me away.

Then suddenly it got MUCH stronger - up to 55 knots - which was far too much to handle.

I wasn't going to get my board and I was about 300 m off the beach with Rip not far away so I started body dragging to shore. The wind was so strong it was yanking me along very fast, too fast for comfort.

As I approached the shore I was wary of some rock reefs I knew were there. I saw some white water but continued over it, with some rocks visible to my left. If I hit anything body dragging at 15+ km/h I was worried about a serious injury, but I made it to the beach.

I deployed my safety and secured my kite then stashed it just off the beach away from the roaring wind.

I walked back to tell Stuart I was OK- he was happy to see me alive, and had similar problems with the gust but was much closer to shore.

I spend a while looking for my board but I think the westerly would have blown it out into the rip and possibly across to Point Nepean. It could end up on Peninsula surf beaches (or rocks) or get carried into the Bay by the rip.

Very sorry to lose my trusty Nugget, but very happy to retain my life.

I live to kite another day. Stay safe folks.

Nice wave

Wind getting stronger

Self rescue, rapidmont!

GPS Log
You can see when the 55 knots hit - lost my board, tried to retrieve it body dragging upwind, then bailed and body dragged to shore.

Kitesurfing again at Hampton with a self rescue

Session 331.  Back on the water the day after we returned from Europe, I missed kitesurfing!  The wind was light, around 15 knots, so I took out the Flite 14.5. Once again it did not disappoint.

I did several backrolls, most combined with a backloop, and landed a couple elegantly.  Getting enough rotation is tricky and handling the pull of the loop is too.

I was very happy to be on the water soaking up some sun to help me re-adjust to Eastern Standard Time (sunshine stimulates melatonin production which can help with jetlag)

I was doing some downwind slalom turns as Stuart approached. On my last turn our kite nearly tangled so  I dropped mine on the water. Unfortunately a bridle looped over a wing tip so I could not relaunch it.  I released the safety to try and get it to untangle, but this only resulted in my lines getting tangled close to the bar.

Another kiter flipped the snagged bridle over as I reset the bar, but the tangle meant I couldn't really fly the kite. I eventually got it launched and was able to control it with only one line and body drag back to shore at Middle Brighton.

Close to the shore I turned the kite around and attempted to land it but it kept flying. I released the safety and still it kept flying and pulling me horizontal to the shore, so I released it completely.

I swam in and grabbed the kite as it blew into the shore.  The other kiter towed by board in which was much appreaciated. I wasn't looking forward to searching for it.

All's well that ends well!

Kitesurfing very light wind Andersons Inlet

Session 329.   No wind in the morning so we headed for the Inverloch surf beach where a good swell was rolling in.  I inflated both SUPs - the Starboard 8' and the Naish Nalu 11'.  The Nalu is much easier to paddle but it doesn't turn so well on a wave. Catching waves is tricky - getting the balance forward then back is difficult.

After lunch, there was very light wind in the afternoon so I thought I would try the Flite 14.5 and the Sector 60.  Getting started was tricky but once going the apparent wind was good so I could cruise.  I kited down past the jetty, wondering if I could make it back.

I spotted a beach that I could land at, then turned around.  Surprisingly, I was able to stay upwind but when I reached the pier the wind dropped right out.  I did a self rescue, winding in the lines and swimming to the narrow beach with the current slowly taking me out.

I made it to shore and was greeted by Stuart and Mike who had driven down to pick me up.  Great valet service!

I estimate the wind was around 8 knots while it lasted, so this is now my best light wind combo.  The Sector 60 is easy to handle with the Flite.

I pumped the kite up again back at the Angling Club beach to dry it out and wait for better wind - which came in for the next session.

GPS Log

Kitsurfing self rescues at Hampton when the wind dropped out

Session 224. This was a really short session. I got down to Hampton after work to find a good sea breeze blowing and several kites out.

However, when I got my gear down to the beach the dropped out.  One kiter was a long way out, another coming in dropped his kite a few hundred meters off the rock groynes.  He soon floated in to the groyne and retrieved his kite, but the other kiter was much further out.

I watched him with a windsurfer from the beach.  We were wondering why he was staying in the same position.  Then the wind picked up but now it was coming from the east and so was offshore.

The kiter still in the water looked like he was in some bother, so I pumped up my kite and headed out.  The wind was OK but gusty.  As I rounded the groyne I saw him coming into the beach so I headed in and landed my kite.

I walked up to say hello and met Shaun, an experienced kiter. The wind had caught him off guard.  He was stationary for a while in the water because he swam back upwind to retrieve his board.  Then he wound in his lines (self rescue) and deflated his kite.  But he didn't leave one strut inflated and he didn't reseal the bladder so it a lot of water entered that bladder and the kite nearly sank.

He was concerned about the easterly blowing him offshore hence the self rescue.  

Everyone was safe and no damage was done.  All is well that ends well!

My tricep muscles and the elbow in the left arm are still sore - too much kiting! So it was OK to have a short session - I need the rest.

 

A broken pulley at Brighton in a good northerly

Session 106, 22 October 2010 

Kite: Switchblade 14

Wind: 20 knots, N

Location: Brighton

Time 2:30 to 3pm (but not much kiting!)

After attending to some chores and carefully watching the wind, I headed down to Brighton in the early afternoon as the northerly looked like it would stick around.

There were several kiters on the water. I rigged up, mounted the kite cam, self launched then took off for a great run.  Good wind and not too gusty, and warm and sunny too.   I flew the kite low to get some shots of other kiters and looking north to Brighton.

I headed back to shore, executed a turn, then "pop" a pulley on the left bridle broke.  I thought it was my left wingtip (power) line broke, but later inspection revealed that one of the pulleys failed.  The kite looped before I got it onto the water.  I was still over 200m off the beach and the wind was blowing me along and even out; I was not keen on the prospect of drifting across the bay to Mount Martha.

I release the IDS and started winding in the lines around the bar.  It was hard work as there was still a lot of line tension.  Another kiter stopped to offer assistance and took my board to the shore.  Thanks dude!

As I got to the kite a friendly boat showed up.  Peter on the boat offered me a tow to shore which I gratefully accepted.

I had some difficultly turning the kite upside down, so I grabbed the leading edge on the water with my right arm and the tow rope with my left.  They then towed my slowly towards the beach, watching out for the reefs.  It was hard work hanging onto the kite which generated a bit of resistance going along the water.  It would have been better upside down I think.

Even with the lines wound up I was still getting a bit tangled in them and the bridle as I swam, so when they left my I immediately extricated myself from the small tangle.  The wind had a bit of west in it so I had no difficulty reaching the shore, which was a relief.

Pulley failure
The pulleys on earlier Switchblades tend to fail after a couple of years.  Contact your Cabrinha dealer to get free replacements if yours are the older ones.  The newer pulleys have a larger diameter spindle shaft and two ring sliders replace the pulleys for the outer lines.

From left: Failed pulley, old pulley, new pulley, slider for rear lines

Lessons learned:

• Check my gear for any weak points
• Possibly replace the pulleys and or some lines
• Keep the line knife handy and practice retrieving it from harness
• Practice self rescue
• Use a surfboard in northerlies - at least you can paddle it to shore and tow the kite in

Getting ready

Having a ball, looking back to Brighton

The run back in.

Kite down, not limp left hand tip

Kite wallowing

WARNING: Use at your own risk!

Kiters at Brighton, You Yangs on the horizon

Kites on the beach

Ripping it up

Self rescue

Hi, my name is Stuart Webb - I've shared some great adventures with Peter over the last year or so, and thought I'd share some tips that have helped me out.

I've been kiting for about 6 years and last week I had a bit of a disaster. One of the pulleys on my Switchblade (IDS 10m) broke on one of the leading edge lines. The wind was about 25 knots and the kite just kept on picking up and spinning around. It took me some time to figure out which line had been broken, by which time the lines had become very tangled and I was unsure as to the best way to handle the situation.

After a forum discussion, the consensus for self rescue procedure is

Self Rescue Procedure

1. Depower
   Get as much depower as possible. This will typically involve taking all the tension out of the back two brake lines. If you have a switchblade, use the absolute depower.
2. Regain your bar
   Depowering typically involves letting go of your bar or activating a depower mechanism. You must swim up to the bar to regain it.
3. Tidy up loose lines
   To be sure that tension remains out of the back brake lines, wind in the middle leading edge lines onto the bar.
4. Secure your board (Optional)
   Remove the board from your feet and secure it to your body to leave you free in the water. You can use your safety leash by detaching it, threading it through your board and reattaching. Or carry another leash. This step could be done prior to step 1 depending upon personal preference.
5. Regain your kite
   Wind in all remaining lines onto your bar, exactly as if you are packing up at the end of a session. This will take you up to the kite.
6. Ride the kite into shore

Self Rescue Procedure (Switchblade)

In my instance, I have a 2009 Cabrinha Switchblade IDS. The pulley broke. Apparently these pulleys have known issues - so my advice is to replace all your pulleys with the warranty Cabrinha pulley replacement. Apparently for some extra cash you can replace these pulleys with an Aluminium slider (which comes as standard with the 2010 model) - reducing the chance of failure and wear on the lines.

Safe riding,

Stuart

Back in Port Douglas waiting for some wind

I am in Port Douglas again for some warm water kitesurfing. However, the weather is abnormal for this time year (climate change effects?) as there is very little wind and quite a bit of rain at times.

I was up at Cooktown for 2 days last weekend and the wind was howling in at Quarantine Bay. It was blowing consistently at about 25-30 knots day and night.

Back at Port Douglas, no wind though! I did some revision on the beach with Brett who detailed a means of self rescue by:

• Pulling in one rear line at least a kitespan (about 4 metres)
• Winding a few turns of line around the bar to lock it off
• Then wind the rest of the lines together along the bar (as per normal) until you get to the kite
• Hang on to the kite
• Make a sail by grabbing both ends of the kite and bringing them together

The wind picked up at 12 noon today and I scooted down to the beach only to see the wind stop. It only blew for 1 hour which was rather frustrating.

I found a small cut through the sail fabric which needs a repair though. I stuck on a patch and am now sorting out a more permanent fix.

Hopefully I can do an outer reef kiting trip. This is where the above "rescue technique" is essential for getting back into the boat without lines becoming too twisted.