OK I know this topic has been done to death, but....
After watching and assisting a guy who got dragged across the beach at Aspendale yesterday (purple Cabrinha crossbow), I was contemplating what the hell he had done that his safety had not worked properly. It came to me in the small hours of the morning after replaying the incident in my mind. His IDS. Line was not connected to the chicken loop and he had his safety connected as a suicide leash!! If you are reading this get someone to show you how to set it correctly!!
He also had his leash connected to the back of his harness and did not know how to release it if he managed to reach it. The leash was a slingshot which had the opposite release action to the kite, I.e. pull rather than push.
my point.... Know your safety system and test it out, if you are buying a second hand kite get the seller to show you when you buy it, trust nothing until you have tried it out in a safe environment.
The guy yesterday knew he had the IDS safety line but did not know how or where it connected or where the safety leash connected to.
... good point, I agree.
Going a step further and test it every few sessions too. Had a guy here recently having to punch out and the safety line snapped, he then got another bar and the next one snapped too. They looked fine before hand but under load can sh!t themselves. Your better off testing when your ready to deal with it rather than it tests you when sh!ts going down! Might as well! A stitch in time saves nine!
cheers for now,
Robbie 
not just second hand stuff,
a word of advice to the owners of newer north model kites, i flagged out my 2011 north fuse that i brought brand new a month or so earlier and the safety leash hook just bent back on its self completely with very little force upon the kite. it hadnt let go of the kite but it was just pure luck i noticed before i set out that as a result of being bent it didnt close around the circlet on my safety line.
north are replacing it under warranty and the shop i got it from where super helpful but now i check everything twice over before i head out and after a hard fall.
smithy;
where you riding the red cab?
I was watching the same guy struggle in the waves and thought to my self if i should go and see if he needs any help, as he sure could have done with some.
Been a noob my self i thought it would have being best to mind my own business.
Wish i had stoped and had a chat to him.
Is he ok?
In regards to testing you safety system, i could not agree more.
The other day i inverted my kite and had no option but to release my safety line which it then became stuck in the bar and offered no release.
If you are the guy in the purple cab, send me a PM as i will be more then happy to get down to the beach with you and hopefully assist if possible.
No I was on a white switchblade, I had just landed my kite and talking to a mate when the purple kite launched about 50 metres away, the kite went into a death spiral dragging the guy, he released his safety but because it was setup wrong the kite just dragged him fully powered by his leash. His non-kiting helper grabbed him while I grabbed the fully powered kite as it headed into undergrowth.
Spoke to him about his leash and looked to see if his IDS line was running freely. Unfortunately I didn't twig until later what he had done.
I can see all the kites out from where I live, if he comes back I will be sure to set him straight on how his safety is up supposed to work. If it was you and you are reading this come and have a chat on the beach...
