In a recent (inadvertent) release of my chicken loop, my bar went flying up the safety line towards my kite. Luckily I was near the beach. I used my harness hook for a bit of leverage on the line when I got onshore.
However, thinking about it now, I don't see how I could have safely reeled in the kite if I was in deep water because the standard self rescue involves using your bar as the 'fishing rod' to gain leverage on the line which is under tension of the jumping kite and the bar also winds up the lines safely to avoid it going round your legs, etc.
Any suggestions please?
It seems to me the self rescue method works best on 5 line kites, where there is a stopper on the 5th to prevent the bar drifting all the way back up to the kite. On 4 line kites, unless you put a stopper on the line, the bar keeps drifting up toards the kite.
In deep water you basically have to swim hard towards the bar, once you get to the bar put a few turns of the flagging line on the bar before reeling in all 4 lines together. This ensures the flagging line is the only line under tension, therefore your kite stays depowered on the water surface.
You'll probably still need a beer once you get back to shore to sort out your lines and catching a limb in a line every now and then is still likely.
Hi Fooosh, this is a message I posted some time ago. hope this helps:
We used to teach any self-rescue by wrapping the safety line around the bar, then wrapping all lines to get to the kite, exactly as shown in this video. For a basic self-rescue (i.e. using the kite as a sail to get back to the shore) there is no need to wrap any lines at all. Simply pulling the kite towards you using the safety line is a much quicker and safer method. The problem with wrapping the lines around the bar is that 1) it takes a lot of time 2) can be quite difficult in heavy winds and choppy water and 3) If you don't wrap the lines properly (i.e.) forget to wrap one or more lines), the kite could take off and start pulling you (seen that happen a few times). Yes, there can be some tangled lines when choosing not to wrap them, but that's not a major issue and can be avoided by letting the lines slide beside you instead of in front of you when you pull the kite to you.
So basically the only two self-rescue techniques I would recommend are as followed:
1) BASIC SELF RESCUE: Releasing the quick release (Q.R.), pulling the safety line to get to the kite (only once the kite is fully depowered i.e. flagged out). Flipping the kite over (if needed) from the wing tip (as shown in the video). Using the steering line and the corresponding centre line to create a sail. You can also use the self-rescue handles as shown in the video, but I find the lines work better, especially in cross shore winds. If you have lost your board, you can try swimming upwind to it as soon as you have pulled out of the quick release, then once you get to the kite put the board upside down in the kite (to avoid ripping your canopy with the fins!) and self-rescue with your sail.
The BASIC self-rescue should be the only method to use, unless, in very rare scenarios there is 1) No more wind to create a sail AND you are far away from the shore, 2) wind shifted OFF-SHORE or 3) Leading Edge has deflated!
If you are in any of those scenarios, you really should consider doing a FULL PACK DOWN.
2) FULL PACK DOWN: The full pack down begins exactly as shown in the video, but instead of creating a sail, DEFLATE the leading edge (being careful not to let any water in!) and closing the deflate valve (also to avoid getting water in the bladder). Hopefully you didn't forget to close all the clips on the tubes connecting from the leading edge to the struts (on any one-pump system kite), otherwise, the whole kite will deflate...
Once you got most of the air out of the leading edge, place the wrapped lines and bar in the middle of the kite and fold the kite in half (wing tip over wing tip) then roll it as best and as tight as you can. You can now eject your leash and use this line to tie a knot around your rolled kite. Don't be afraid to wrap it tight, because this will be your floatation device for a while. You can simply tie your board to one of the lines hanging in the water, that way you can swim freely with both hands and feet. If a boat come to rescue you it is much easier for them to pick you up with the kite packed down, as a boat rescue with unwrapped lines and inflated kite can be hard to do for anyone who is unexperienced with that.
My advice is to practise both these self-rescue scenarios on the beach first, then in deep water. When there is no wind, why not practise the pack down in deep water, if you ever have to do it for real one day, you'll be thankful you practised it first!
If all this sounds like Chinese, then take a lesson!
Christian
So cbulota, you don't bother wrapping any lines at all, and you've been telling other people to do this as well? Becoming tangled in lines, then having your kite power up because you haven't disarmed it by taking up a leading edge's length of line (and locking it off) is the last thing you could possibly want, or wish upon anybody; especially if they don't carry a kite knife. As many have become unstuck in this scenario, and haven't lived to tell their tale.
To answer Foosh's question, if you can't wind the lines on the bar using the fishing rod method, near enough is good enough. Wind the lines around the bar instead of the length of the bar. This will require considerable less effort, but will come at the expense of leaving u lines looking pretty gnarly. Remember to lock of the lines every once in a while with a half hitch, especially the flagging line and not to miss any lines. If there is too much tension to even perform a basic half hitch as you get within arms reach of the kite, your leash will suffice (as it isn't under load) in preventing the lines from unravelling.
Yes iRideWainman I don't bother wrapping any lines at all, but no I haven't been telling people to do so I've been instructing them to do so, about 200 + students to be precise... no problems whatsoever. Unless you call a 30 second to 2-3 minutes line untangling on the beach a problem... You'll never have problems self-rescuing if you pull the safety line from the leash to the kite without wrapping the lines or even securing the leash line around the bar, if you simply focus on the main goal, which is to get the kite IN YOUR HANDS, which seriously takes about 20 seconds or less with the prescribed technique.
I've seen a lot of failed self-rescues from people simply trying to wrap their lines around the bar, massive tangles, kite relaunching, out of control, having to dump the kite, etc.
Methods of self-rescue are evolving and so should everyone else. the main contradiction with most kite schools nowadays is that they still teach the basic self-rescue by wrapping the lines on the bar (Old school method), but only on the beach. And then, the student NEVER tries in the water....because the instructors can't be bothered trying to teach them in the water and wasting valuable lesson time.
All our students do the self-rescue the way I've described it. We Never had a problem and best of all, every single student that goes through our school had actually done a self-rescue in deep water, quickly and efficiently, without wrapping the lines around the bar.
You don't want to take my advice, fine, more cases of beer for me and my staff when we come to rescue you with the rescue boat....I'm actually having one right now...from a rescue to a kiter who didn't know how to self-rescue...
oh yeah I forgot...our more experienced students (after a few self-rescues) come back to the beach after a long self-rescue with ZERO line tangles... Nada...ready to go.. Unbelievable isn't it...
Prob work Ok in flat water. I would not think it was a good idea to try and make it through surf with loose lines around you in the water. If you need to self rescue outside the surf line and make it back to the beach I think winding the lines is a better way to go.
You gota teach both ways I reckon. I usually teach just getting to the leading edge first and make them do it at the end of every lesson in the water and then add the winding the lines method later. From my experience just getting to the leading edge is fine and the quicker you can get to the kite the less tangles. Times when you need to wind your lines would probably be if you have to come in through the surf from out the back or if there is lots of weed in the water(learnt this myself). Weed will catch on your lines and you start heading further downwind(never mind the mess when you get to the beach) plus I think you get a better angle across the wind if your lines are wound up. One myth I have found is your bar will jag on the bottom. I have self rescued across fairly flat limestone reef in waist deep water a few times without any problem just don't stop.I will have to time myself next time but I reckon I could get to the kite in pretty close to 30 sec with 25m lines mind you I won't be in a rush to see
I actually just put a few wraps around the bar with one line shortened (safety) and secure. Pull to the kite on the safety line/shortened line - and really in most conditions this is very quick, put my leash around one of the foot straps of the board, and release it and then sail in. The board follows behind, keeping the lines a bit organised. Heavy surf I wouldn't, but works well in most else. I like this way because quick, safe with one line always shortened and line tangles a little less when get to shore.
We perform the IKO prescribed method (in the water) with our students, and we aren't interested in saving ourselves time on the beach untangling lines - we prefer the student gets shown the correct method to rescue one's self. Until other methods are approved by kiteboarding governing bodies such as the IKO, BKSA etc. we will continue to use what we believe is the 'correct' method.
Fair enough, IKO schools should respect and teach IKO standards. Big props to your school (no sarcasm here) if your students can actually self-rescue by winding the lines on the bar in deep water in their very first lesson. IMOH, students should be instructed to self-rescue in deep water the very first time they enter the water with a kite in their hands (not after body dragging exercises as instructed per current IKO standards).
I'd like to see videos of a few "average" real students performing a self-rescue in deep water by winding the lines on the bar in deep-water in 20 to 25 knots winds, in their very first lesson... If most students could do that quickly and efficiently then we wouldn't need to update, change or adapt our teaching methods. IKO is a worldwide organization and just like any organization of that magnitude, is slow moving and slow to adapt...
As far as I'm aware of, kiteboarding schools operating in the St-Kilda area do the self-rescue procedures in shallow water, which is more of a "simulation" or a "practice" rather than a real self-rescue in deep water situations. As mentioned in the current IKO standard for a Level 2 Kiteboarder Intermediate, student should:
"Self-rescue in deep water situations" (Page 63).
this leads me to believe the standard is not actually respected ?
