Power Kite Forum - I think I'm already traumatized!

I think I'm already traumatized!

StarSpun - 11-2-2010 at 11:45 AM

Hey everyone....

So I've been out with my Hydra 350 trainer quite a few times, have really gotten the hang of it! I can steer it, and sometimes I don't have to look up to know where it is. I can even relaunch it out of the water over and over again:-)

BTW, here was my little 'intro' when I decided not to lurk on the forum anymore, just for some background info:

http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=12373

Ok, so this may be a bit long....

I had a bad experience yesterday that's left me quite traumatized and frightened to ever take the kite up again. This makes me so incredibly sad!

My husband Bryan and I are staying at Long Key in the Florida Keys with our RV. It's a rather 'thin' island, beautiful....and we're on the south side with sandbars that go waaaay out. We thought it would be a PERFECT place to get in more practice with the trainer before we get lessons upon arriving in Cocoa Beach in March.

For the first couple of days, we were out with the trainer. We'd take it a distance out so no one was in any danger of being hit by it....but we're pretty good with the control now. Two days ago, Bryan was tired and had to eat and I continued to fly it, for about two hours (yes, I felt the pain the next day!). I was being dragged through the water, having a great time! People in their RVs were all watching and telling me I was looking good when I came in, ha ha!

So the day after (yesterday) was a little windier than the previous day. I was wondering if I should go out or not. I bought one of those wind thingies off Amazon.com and it was reading 5-10mph, with the odd gust of 13mph. I knew it was windier on the Gulf side (the other side of the island) but really didn't think about how much....I just knew that when the kite went up it would likely be a bit more....but I decided to go and if I was overpowered I could just let go of the bar and come in....

Ok, we're having a bit of a cold spell in the keys, it was about 65 out so being the wuss I am, I got out my new wetsuit....full body, real thick. Got the kite up, and was near dragged across the sandbar! 'Whoa' I thought, as I got it up to neutral. I thought if I got in the water more, it would create more traction like the other day, so that's what I did. I put the kite into the power zone, and what happened next was so fast, I can barely remember clearly!

I remember being pulled, VERY hard, jerked violently. I tend to have very quick reactions so I decided then I was in WAY over my head and I let go of the bar. I remember seeing the bar WHOOSH out in front of me. I had the band around my wrist and figured that would stop it, but it didn't go so well. Instead, it near dislocated my arm, jerked me so bad I think I got a mild whiplash, and then the thing ripped right off my wrist. That's when it went into slow motion....my kite was disappearing out to sea, bar and safety in tow!

I checked out my wrist and hand, no apparent damage, and my arm thank goodness was not dislocated or anything. But now, the wind decided to turn from a side wind to an out to sea/side wind....great! The Hydra kept blowing, even on the water. That's when I realized I couldn't get to it fast enough. I couldn't even find the bar, it had sunk! The new wet suit....WAY too heavy. I couldn't run, I couldn't swim to get it, heck I couldn't get the thing off me. My heart was pounding, I was doubled over in exhaustion, and my beautiful kite was sea bound! Bryan was feeling under the weather and a bit feverish while bundled up sitting in a lawn chair but when he realized what happened, he had to brave the cold to come to the rescue.

By now, I was cursing, quite loudly. I'm sure the entire audience on the beach heard me. I was angry, sad, and completely disappointed in myself. We managed to get that kite in, unharmed....and I was pretty much unharmed but only from the outside. I decided to take a trip to the other side of the island (which is across the street) and saw what had happened. The wind from the gulf must have been 30-40mph!!!! We were protected over on the other side, but up higher, it was probably THAT windy.

I'm one of those people who gets frightened and traumatized easily. I was never like this until I developed panic/anxiety disorder a few years ago. It's been a battle but I've gotten through it. I do believe I had a slight panic attack (the first in over a year) when this happened, and now when I look at that Hydra, I feel sick, and scared to death.

This makes me so sad, Bryan thinks I will get over it and kite again, but at this point I am just devastated. I thought this was something I would love and I feel like my judgement the other day really screwed me. I am the one who is usually overly cautious and won't take it out if there is anything over 10mph! 5mph is my limit.....! Bryan is the dangerous one who says he'd love to take it out in that much, he is scared of nothing. But over cautious me get burned somehow. I feel lucky to come out of that not injured....but now....I just don't ever want to do it again.

Am I overreacting?!

I mean, I don't mind bruises and cuts, and stuff, but the power I felt when that kite took off....it jolted me. This coming from someone who feels a bit nervous when it pulls a bit in 5mph wind. I eventually want to do little jumps with it, I eventually want to ride a board, both on land and water. Will the kite jolt and pull me this much?!?!

My biggest dream since childhood was to fly, to feel the take off....and when I watch videos of people doing this, I get this feeling I can't really explain. As I mentioned in my intro post, I used to have dreams of flying, by holding on and moving invisible lines. This was when I was super young too....it's so strange....

All my days in the school playgrounds were spent running and jumping, trying to fly. I'd jump off ledges with an umbrella in the wind, hoping it would happen eventually!

I REALLY want to do this.

If this sport isn't for me, I'm going to be devastated. I thought I was really on to something....

Has anyone had this fear? Has an experience ever made you scared to fly again? Or am I just being a wuss of a girly girl?! :no:

Or did I just make a bad judgement call that will serve as a reminder for the rest of my flying days?

If you made it this far through my novel, thanks for reading....

macboy - 11-2-2010 at 11:57 AM

Wow. I know the feeling. My first superman was with a "trainer" 3m kite. And I was on hard ground! I was spooked for a while but "got back on that horse". It's good experience....sometimes we might get complacent and forget how much respect the wind demands. Just count your blessings that it happened on a smaller kite.

Oh, and I've seen kites yanked right out of people's hands with such force that no leash (kite killer) could stop it. I've been witness to at least a half dozen wrist leashes. Not to say don't use them.....maybe take comfort that if it really hits the fan it's one last weak link before your shoulder.

It's gonna happen again - but you'll be more prepared because of this. I got lofted with my Phantom a few weeks ago - unexpected but I was able to manage it since I knew how it would go down. Two winters ago though? I got YARDED by my Access - scared the pi$$ outta me right proper. I packed it up and took out my 4.7 which proceeded to do THE SAME THING to me. I was shaking pretty good but got the Rage back up, out to the window's edge, collected my thoughts and very carefully started to work the kite again.

No wusses here. Just friendly reminders from mother nature.

coreykite - 11-2-2010 at 11:58 AM

Hey Sailor,
Wow. What a story. Glad you're OK.
Actually, it's not all that unusual.
The lesson is eventually learned by all - It's not the kite that powers you - It's the wind.

Your last line really sums it up well.
>Or did I just make a bad judgement call that will serve as a reminder for the rest of my flying days?<
That is exactly what you should take from this.

One thing I'd like to add.
I teach a technique to help you be more a "touch" flyer.
It's called "Kite Chi".
Check it out on my website:
http://www.windpowersports.com/guides/kite-chi.html

Please don't let this experience stop you.
Do let it teach you valuable lessons.

Keep asking questions and be carefull out there.

Safen Up! Buggy On!

"Often wrong... Never in doubt"

the coreylama
Mayor of Buggytown

Maven454 - 11-2-2010 at 11:59 AM

Unhelpful comment for the day, "these things happen". Things to remember:
1. Wind is often stronger higher up.
2. Wind blowing from the land out to the water can potentially be much stronger higher up.
3. Occasionally, the velcro'd safety leashes come undone, which is usually better than what could happen if they didn't.
4. Kites can be replaced, better them than you :bouncing:.
Outside of that, something like this has happened to most people at one point or another. We just have to remember to be careful and understand the way the wind moves around obstacles.

Some helpful info on the more unusual wind effects.

WadoGal - 11-2-2010 at 12:15 PM

I know that feeling for sure! I was lofted by both my Apex and my Turbo Diesel (pilot error and poor site choice - both lessons I have learned) when I first got them. It made me very nervous to fly them again. With the TD I underestimated the wind speed and was flying it static in a school yard. I went for what I though was going to be a little jump and shot up! I don't know how high, but I floated down and the kite overflew the zenith, hindenburged, inverted and crashed itself into a soccer post. I deflated it right away and had a terrible mess of lines to fix afterward. That was two years ago and I finally got it out on the frozen lake this winter!

The first time I flew my Apex I was flying static on a gusty day with a stand of trees at my back (poor site choice...) and the kite was collapsing at the edge of the window I tried to turn it hard to get it back in the window just as a gust hit and up I went again. Rode it out, packed up and went home. Thankfull I was out in some deep snow - cushioned the landing a bit.

But, after taking both of these kites out in nice open spaces and riding with them, that fear has gone away. Like you I am a very caution person and it did take a bit of effort to get over the fear, but I did get over it.

awindofchange - 11-2-2010 at 12:45 PM

Should you quit? No way. What you have learned is what every one of us had to learn and that is to respect the wind. There isn't a windy day that goes by that I look over while driving and see those flimsy car ports or porta shades and think - there's no way those things are ever going to stay on the ground if the wind picks up. This is because I have been flying enough to know that you MUST respect the wind. You just had your first lesson - and it is very good news that you weren't seriously injured. Don't get flustered by the lesson you learned, we ALL have done the same thing in one way or another. Some didn't get out of it in as good as shape as you did. LOL

When people say a kite pulls like a freight train, only those that have experienced what you just went through have any clue as to what the person is talking about. Use this information to make you a better and safer kite flyer. Learn from it and the next time you fly practice on keeping the kite out of the power and how the kite reacts when it is out of the power. Learn more on how the kite powers up and what happens if it has too much power - where to dump the kite to keep it from getting that much power. All of this will help make it easier for you to fly in the stronger wind conditions. Always use caution when launching - especially if you are not sure of the wind conditions. It is always better to have a kite that is too small than to wish you wouldn't have launched the one that was too big.

Recollect your thoughts - which sounds like you are doing by posting. Think the scenario over and discover what when wrong - which again sounds like you have done - and use that information for the next time you fly and it will get easier, safer and better.

Your dream can come true - but not if you quit reaching for it. Give it another try but use the respect for the power of the wind that you have learned.

Hope that helps.

PHREERIDER - 11-2-2010 at 01:14 PM

greetings,

fun with nature!
keeps the mind,
keeps the body sharp,
then you can cut through life like a razor!

you have fallen into a great spring well of information.
read and search alot, but fly more!

keep flying! the wind is an everyday gift!

lunchbox - 11-2-2010 at 01:23 PM

Agreed with everything that was said...keep flying...just a valuable lesson. Glad to hear you are Ok...and I was going to say, if the kite can yard you like that and rip the cord off your wrist it was definitely over 13mph. I would look into a Windtronic 2 wind meter...there the best in my opinion although it might have not helped you here considering the wind was up top. And listen to your gut, don't go out in conditions you don't feel comfortable in. Just take it slow...because the kites you'll be using for the water have a hell of a lot more power than those hydra's...

erratic winds - 11-2-2010 at 01:45 PM

Don't give up, but it's ok to be taking it slow. Just set the goal that you will get back on the horse. No need to set a date.

acampbell - 11-2-2010 at 01:56 PM

It's always the small kites that spank you. I have heard this from many, and have learned it for myself.

I think that when you put up something big, say 5 m or more, you are always thinking ahead a bit more with a greater dose of caution. If you take the #@%$#!y attitude of "Oh, it just 3 meters...", that's when you get spanked.

I was flying a 3m kite one day and getting ready to hop in the bug. Winds were fair and it was a hot, hazy day. The kite was out of trim and I was futzing with the brake leaders to get things right. It stole my attention and I never noticed what was essentially a baby squall line coming off the water behind by back. The kite suddenly perked up and I thought "Huh what a lumpy odd wind", then WHAM. I'm tossed I don't know how far and ended up doing a shoulder roll with keys and crap flying out of my pockets in all directions. Since I had been ready to buggy, I had my helmet on, which was a good thing, because at that moment, I learned why cartoonists always draw those who get whacked on the head with stars spinning around them. And I was spitting out sand.

I learned (beyond respecting the wind, which I thought I had)...
Always be situation-ally aware. Just like the story about the dust devil, always look over your shoulder.
Thick haze can hide approaching danger.
Always empty your pockets completely before you fly; that crap in the pocket hurts and leaves a bruise when you land on it.
Never let you attention be monopolized by one thing.

Yes these things are teaching moments, and now you are a better and safer pilot.
Good luck and keep flying.

SlasherQuan - 11-2-2010 at 02:12 PM

I did something very similar at the 2009 NABX pre-event. I learned several important things that day. Respect the wind, and use this incident to hone your Instincts. But most important of all, Never ever ever give up. As painful, scary, and embarrassing as my incident was to me (people with experience told me not to go). I would never remember what I had learned that day if I gave up. Remember the love you had at first and add that to the knowledge you have now, and Kite on!!

WELDNGOD - 11-2-2010 at 03:34 PM

Star spun, keep flying. It didn't kill you, so it made you stronger/smarter. Unfortunately ,when you play w/ nature's power ,your not the boss anymore. Offshore winds are very turbulent and usually gusty. If you had a kite smaller than the trainer, like say a !.7 flexifoil sting,you could fly in crazy wind. I bought a neon pink one for my wife, and she loves it. I have used it to landboard w/ in 30 mph winds. Now you see why we have so many kites. A kite for every wind, but even then ,we are rolling the dice. Glad nothing but your pride got hurt.
Now go on and get back on that horse
WG

Hardrock - 11-2-2010 at 03:46 PM

Yea, keep on flying. Like I post I started the other week. I was a little scared to get back out after some down time and it's because of what you got into.

Well, I have the same Hydra, and it's got some kick when the wind is up. Last weekend I finally got back out and it was the kite of choice. The wind was 10 to 15 and gusty and I looked pretty stupid getting pulled all over the place as I didn't want to be. Stayed sore for 3 days.

I'd say you have learned more in that few minutes than you can ever learn on those perfect days. Just not the fun stuff.

We've all been whipped and will be again.
My worst whipping came while holding onto a belt to keep my GF's son on the ground while his 130lbs was flying a 5m Beamer in high wind. I took the fall, he landed on his feet, but what the he!!, I asked for it.

Personally, I'd get a smaller kite to have a little fun with on most any day. Then if it seems bad, you can probably tell before the unthinkable happens.

And for heavens sake, you missed a kodak moment. :smilegrin:

WELDNGOD - 11-2-2010 at 03:58 PM

vids , we like vids!

DAKITEZ - 11-2-2010 at 04:14 PM

I agree with everyone else ... get back on that horse. You got spanked so now you know what can happen.

I just want to add the idea of a harness ... could even be a cheap climbing harness. The harness will not be for the bar but for the safety leash. Instead of connecting the leash to your wrist and risking injury from the tug connect it to the harness and let the harness take the tug. Plus if you do get into trouble with the leash pulling to much you will have both hands free to rip it off the harness. When its on your wrist you only have one hand available to get it off.

Just a thought.

WELDNGOD - 11-2-2010 at 04:37 PM

good idea Dino! :thumbup:

Kamikuza - 11-2-2010 at 07:03 PM

Don't give up!

Learn more about your kite and how it flies in XYZ amount of wind; get as much info about the weather in your area at the time you're going to fly and ... learn how to side-launch :D

If you can side launch, then you can keep the kite at the edge of the wind window and slide it around to the zenith. If at any time on the way from 9 to 12 (or 3 to 12) it's pulling too much for you, slide it back down to the ground, park it and get a smaller kite.
If you get it up to the zenith ok, then make small dips into the power zone, increasing the 'depth' until you either hit full throttle or again, if it's pulling too much back it off, land it and get a smaller kite.

How do you have your leash thing set up?

This sport is all about getting accustomed to things by degrees - stretching your comfort zones little by little. At each nudge of the envelope, comes new experiences, knowledge and another look into the face of fear ...

Fear gives courage wings!

macboy - 11-2-2010 at 07:33 PM

And Red Bull gives YOU wings :Ange09:

stetson05 - 11-2-2010 at 07:57 PM

Don't give up. I have been spanked by a 3m and a 3.5m Everyone who flies kites will eventually get spanked by a 3m. It's part of growing up. Learn from it and be safe

wannabekiter - 11-2-2010 at 08:00 PM

Stick with it! You will eventually learn your limits and this won't happen again. Thankfully you're OK.:singing:

Bladerunner - 11-2-2010 at 08:04 PM

Don't give up but DO get a harness and practice going to safety.

Look at it as an important lesson. :thumbup:

U2U sent

Txshooter38 - 11-2-2010 at 08:04 PM

I have not been flying long enough for the same to have happened to me. However by the looks of this thread I believe I could safely assume that there is certainly the propensity for this to be part of the learning process. Just one quick analogy to encourage you.

Having been a motorcyclist for years there is a saying....two types of motorcyclists...those that have been down and those that are going to go down.

After my first accident it was pretty tough to get back at it. But the previous posts are right. The reward is worth it and you should concentrate on what you can learn from the experience.

As with the bike...the only thing that makes you crash is pilot error. Everything can be traced back to a mistake you made and you should reallly take the time to figure out what sequence took place for your "crash" to happen. Obviously there are the freak events (such as the apparent gust you took) but there is always a lesson to take away.

Please do not misunderstand me...I am not being critical of you and your flying... I just would like to encourage you to really think back thru (as others in this thread have)what happened to help you in future. I have done this with my motorcycle accidents (yes more than one) and it has been very beneficial to my progression.

Kamikuza - 11-2-2010 at 11:25 PM

Great! Another biker :thumbup:

I'm in the category of "been down and probably going down again" :lol:

luckily, all mine have been without major injury ... even on the moto-x bikes :ticking:

Kamikuza - 12-2-2010 at 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by macboy
And Red Bull gives YOU wings :Ange09:

That's just a chemically induced delusion ... us real hard-core street dudes call that "being stoned" :lol:

SCREWYFITS - 12-2-2010 at 02:20 AM

StarSpun,

I understand your feelings and frustrations, my wife goes through these panic/anxiety attacks that you mention (also a Kat, hhmmm, you think there is something about Kats that go through this... :saint: ), and I do my best to help her through them, and she does get through them... As long as you can get through them and can put up with those attacks here and there, you'll be alright (as it sounds like you do)... I'm sure your husband is helpful in this fashion also and I'd think it helps you over come these panic/anxiety attacks yourself... You will be O.K.!!! :yes:

You need to feel comfortable to get back on the horse even if its in 3mph, well... make it at least 6mph... LOL...

One point I like to complement you on is, you made the right decision in that situation of letting go :thumbup:

(very good)... If you'd of held on, I'd only expect that your incident would have ended worse...:o

A lot of great advice has already been given, I'd like to emphasize the learning of wind conditions and behavior... this might of helped you understand the conditions for that location and helped you follow your gut feeling (would have been more a knowledge based decision at that point)...

Also past experiences with the hydra for me, seemed like it does not have the greatest safety, in that it doesn't kill enough power for my liking (compared to most kites I've flown)...

I think Dakitez has given excellent advice :thumbup:

... Do your research on them a little before you jump in one (I'm not worried that you won't as it seems your doing your research before and after your beginning experiences)...

You will need to expect that kind of power in the future :o (just hopefully controlled and not so abrupt), especially with kiteboarding kites, the good side of it is that you'll use it to get you moving, and you'll be expecting it too... The power of kiteboarding kites (even though more powerful) is much more manageable, as they are de-powerable, simply controlling the bar by pulling in or pushing away from you... You'll also have the comfort of an instructor there by your side, usually on a 2 way radio coaching you...

Good luck in your quest for flying, and if I may, I'd like to suggest taking a tandem paragliding flight as I think it will give you that true flying feeling that you are in search of... I've grown up with very similar aspirations, and will refrain from sharing some of the silly and embarrassing attempts I made as a young boy... :rolleyes:

LOL... but I used to watch the birds (eagles, hawks and buzzards) soar for hours on end... Paragliding is relatively expensive, but the closest to flying like an eagle that I can attest too... I've never done tandem, I took a one day class on solo paragliding, so very dreamy...:wee:

Again, good luck and as you can see we are here for ya!!! Keep us tuned in, it seems like a lot of us are interested in your progress...

StarSpun - 13-2-2010 at 11:29 AM

Wow, I never expected so many replies, and stranger than that, I didn't expect everyone to be so positive. I was actually bracing myself to hear how stupid I was and that I should never kite again, ha ha!

My hubby Bryan recalled to me last night what he saw, so I'd have to say that those of you who said letting go was a good thing to do, well, it WAS!

So basically I had the kite up in neutral, afraid to move it to power. I took it over to the side to untangle the break line (some how it got messed up), landed it on the water, and then relaunched up the side to neutral again. I do remember at this point reluctant to try any power strokes so I kinda eased into little ones, and moving further down. The first deep power stroke was to the left, and that's when it happened....

He said the kite just PULLED suddenly (and rather violently) and I let go the instant it happened....said my reaction was scary quick and I was jerked twice, once when it pulled (I let go before I was dragged) and once when the safety came off, which was harder than the original pull. The one good thing about my panic/anxiety disorder is that I have super quick reactions. People I know still laugh about the many times I've reacted before anyone else....especially when it comes to Tornado warnings when we travel south in the RV. As soon as a violent storm hits, I have my entire pet menagerie in their travel carriers and I am running and dodging flying debris with them in tow and am in the shelter (usually a campground bathroom) before anyone else has even decided what to do. Bryans usually still at the RV trying to find the camera while putting his shoes on. I've got some pretty funny stories but anyway....when it comes to fight or flight, I guess I'm pretty much flight, but at least I'm safer (maybe?)! Ha Ha!

Anyhoo, I cannot thank everyone enough for the kind words, and great suggestions!
I'm going to respond to each of you:

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Macboy, whenever I hear the word superman I now recall the youtube vids of that highly amusing kite move. It's pretty funny to watch but I'm sure it's not very funny when it's happening to YOU!
Glad you got over it, I'm not sure that I would! Ha Ha!

Well it's good to know that others have lost their kites like that, I don't feel as ridiculous! I don't want to know what a broken wrist feels like though!

Getting lofted, that is a HUGE fear of mine. With my reaction, I'm afraid I'd let go and break something, not waiting for it to come down. Can a 4m or 5m loft you that bad or just the bigger ones? How far up did your 4.7m loft you and how far? What were the winds like? Did it let you down easy? I don't think I'd ever fly anything over a 6m so I would love to know what I'm in for if I decide to do this! How does it happen, what position is the kite in? How do you recover? Sorry for all the questions, I just want to know what to expect, IF I ever fly again that is!

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Coreykite, thanks for the reply and the link, very cool! I was actually doing something similar to that when out there, I had the kite up in neutral and decided not to look up at it and just feel where it went making it go side to side very slightly! I really want to see the vid but going to bookmark it till I get some free wifi (the Verizon card we have for travel now has a 5GB cap instead of unlimited like it used to be and I'm nearing the end of my bandwidth, GRRRR!) Hopefully I can progress to not having to look at the kite all the time, that would be awesome! I can't even imagine that now!

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Maven454, thanks for the reply and that link is neat, gonna show that to Bryan!

1. That was exactly what I was thinking, I knew it was coming over from the other side of the island too, so I was bracing for it, but didn't know it was that strong! DOH!
2. I had no idea!
3.Thank goodness it did, I guess they are designed to give way if there is that much tension?
4. No kiddin' HA HA! :-D

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WadoGal, yikes! How high was the wind both times you were lofted? Did you land hard....any injuries? Just trying to prepare myself!
Man, that would scare me to death I think! Do you know how high you went the second time? I'm glad you got over it....I would think it would be rather hard to....
Thank you so much for sharing your stories. I don't know if it comforts me to know that others have those moments, or if it scares me that I'm going to have more of them!

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Awindofchange, thank you for the words of encouragement! I guess I DID come out of it in good shape, other than being scared to death:D

So the whole pulling like a fright train thing, does it feel this way when you go for a jump too? I mean, is it something I am going to have to master or is it purely when you are overpowered and in trouble? With this incident, I was going real slow, keeping it to the sides and top, and starting the back and forth thing higher up and then moving down bit by bit. But as soon as I went the next level down, that's when it took me. There was no transition....it was manageable and then it was out of control a nanosecond later!

I think I've run the entire thing through my head over 100 times, and telling by what Bryan saw, I really did the right thing by letting go. What ticks me off is that I should have thought more into the 'I'm on an island and the wind on the other side is REAL bad, so higher up on the protected side is just as bad' thing. I really should have looked at the other side first....for sure lesson learned! I mean, I think it was just this particular situation, because had it been at a normal beach, instead of a thin strip of land out in the ocean, it may not have been this bad!

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Phreerider, it is so true! Thanks you for the words of encouragement....I really needed to hear it. This forum is pretty darn awesome:-)

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Lunchbox, thanks for the reply, and yes, I know about the gut feeling REALLY well and should have gone with it. I thought if I went slow, I could always pull the bar. That pull was really quite unexpected, but in another way, I'm not surprised!

I have a really good wind meter I think....http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001JEPJZ2/ref=wms_ohs_product, but I was taking the readings from the sheltered side of the island:-( If I had taken it from the other side I'm sure it would have gotten a 30-40mph reading!!!! Eeeeek!

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Erratic winds, thanks for the reply! I tried again, after MUCH coaxing, but the wind wasn't enough to even get the kite in the air. However, it sure beat having my arm near ripped off:D I'm going to take it really slow now:-) Slower than before, which is....well, REALLY slow!

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acampbell, that's hilarious because I've been reading about the smaller ones surprising ya too, ha ha! I wouldn't dare put up a 5m, I can never even see it happening, especially now! I hadn't even the chance to get #@%$#!y with my 3m yet and it still taught me a lesson....

Ok seriously, I laughed out loud for real when I read your story....great mental picture of all your stuff flying all over the place from your pockets, hee hee! I guess it wasn't really funny, but I can't help it! I guess you also have to learn to laugh at yourself, I kinda giggled the other day when I thought about how funny I must have looked, trying to get out to that kite with that big stupid thick wetsuit....cursing like a sailor and even throwing my hands around a bit....ugh!

Anyhoo, thanks for your reply, I appreciate it! :-)

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Slasherquan, thanks so much for sharing your story. It must be 10 times more brutal when it causes embarrassment! Glad you are ok and glad to hear you kept going:D

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Weldngod, so true, but now I'm extra scared of getting killed! I probably should have started with something smaller like a 1.7, ha ha! You can take that thing out in 30mph winds?! May have to get one....I didn't think something that small would pull a board, so that's really cool! If I get back on the horse, I have a line up of kites that I want to get. I went into super research mode so I had better not have wasted that time;-)

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Hardrock, thanks for writing! I'm going to look for that post!
So you found the kick to be big on the Hydra, well at least I'm not going nuts! Even in 5mph I'm afraid I'll be lifted. Think that can happen? Imagine 30-40mph with it....ugh....

And I hear ya on the sore thing. I can barely lift my arms!

So how high was the wind with that 5m? It was actually lifting him? Oh my! How high did he go after yer fall? HEHE!

Kodak moment, I am sure it was. More so after the fact when I was trying to retrieve the darned thing!!!!

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Dakitez....what a fantastic idea!! I actually have a harness, but I didn't think this kite/bar would work with it. I never thought of attaching the safety to it....brilliant! Thanks so much for that suggestion:D

Thank you thank you thank you!

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Kamikuza, thanks so much for writing! I actually DID keep it at the edge and at the Zenith, was scared to make those dips but figured I could let go if things got bad. Which happened....arg! Though, I think I will be doing this from now on regardless....I don't want to be surprised like that again:D

The leash was on my left wrist. Dakitez above made a wicked suggestion though about attaching it to my harness. Then I won't get my arm ripped off again:D

You're right, have to stretch the comfort zones little by little. I made a mistake about the wind, but believe me I'll be watching out for that next time. I won't be going in anything over 10mph for a very very long time. I know it may be taking it too far (because it was probably blowing 30-40 up high!) but ya....going to take it slower than my previous slow! And that's REALLY slow! :-)

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Stetson05, ha ha! Well it wasn't a fun kind of spanking, that's for sure! :-D

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Wannabekiter, thanks for the words I've encouragement, I hope it doesn't happen again either, but telling from the responses, it might not be my last scary lesson?!

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Bladerunner, U2U responded to:-) I've got a harness, and with the advice Dakitez gave, I'll be using it for SURE. Rather it rip off that thing than my poor wrist! Now the question is, if it doesn't rip off, what kind of trouble am I in then?!

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Txshooter38, I totally agree with everything you wrote!
I have for sure been playing it over and over in my head. It appears my wind judgement (because I'm on an thin island on the protected side) was wrong, but my judgement in handling it was pretty good! I don't know if it makes me feel better or not, but lesson was learned. Now I just have to get over the panic when I look at my kite!

So how many accidents have you had with the bike, and how severe? My hubby wants to get a bike to put on the back of the RV, and I'm scared to death of them! As you can see, he is the daredevil in this duo. I love adventure and new things, but when something seems dangerous, I try to steer clear:D

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Screwyfits, haha, maybe there IS something with our name! That's so wonderful you are able to help her, I am guessing you are her SAFE person? I would have the odd attack all my life, but they started to get quite bad around the time we gave up the condo and all my stuff to take off on an RV fulltime. I LOVE change, and I was the one who was pushing it all, but maybe somewhere deep down I was scared. I started to get them once in a while, and went to a doctor to see if everything was ok. I'm sure I would have been ok, if I hadn't of gone for that damn ECG. Some doctor read the test and claimed I had pulmonary hypertension....which essentially was a death sentence. Standard 2 years left to live possibly 5 if I went nuts trying to halt it. This pretty much threw me down further, thinking I was dying. That seems to be what my panic attacks are about so naturally they got REALLY bad. Anyhoo, I managed to see one of the best cardiologists around and he did the reading himself and told me I wasn't as bad as the other test indicated, and I was pretty much on the line of 'high normal level'. They base it on some number. He said it was just ME and to go live my life out on that RV and get some help for my panic.

It's been over 3 years and I have none of the signs that come with the disease, so I am hoping/guessing he was right. The panic started to fade after that, and I haven't had one in ages, at least a full blown one. If I feel them coming on, I can push it away. It's hard to do, as you probably have witnessed with your wife. I'll start getting the anxiety attacks rarely, but as long as I keep them there and not a full blown 'fight or flight' panic attack, I'm good!

Has your wife any methods of pushing them away? I found it worked when I ridiculed myself. I got a blood pressure monitor and an oximeter, and when I felt one coming on, I'd hook myself up and watch the readings go all over the place, and say: 'Look you idiot, look at what you are making yourself do! Your oxygen is fine but look at your blood pressure, you moron!' Oddly enough it worked! My BP is normally 117/75, with a resting heart rate of 60-70 (super awesome) but when panic would hit, it would spike to 160/90 (or more!) and heart rate of over 100 (around 120). Panic does awful things to the body, gives you symptoms of strokes, heart attacks, all sorts of crazy stuff. I have some nutso stories, but the best one (and please tell your wife this!) was one time downtown Toronto.

I was waiting with Bryan to get on a bus when it hit! I freaked out, collapsed, thought I was having a stroke for sure this time. My left side went numb and I couldn't feel my lips (this is common of bad panic attacks, go figure!) People were all looking at me like I was CRAAAAAZY. Then the 'flight' part of fight or flight kicked in and I took off! When I say take off, I mean I started sprinting....and I out ran all the boys in school on the track team when I was younger, so you know I can run faaaast, ha ha. Bryan barely kept up with me....I ran all the way to the hospitals emergency room, which was about 8 blocks away. Any normal day and I would have never been able to do this. I could never do long distance stuff:P

So here is a girl who apparently is having a stroke yet ran 8 blocks, dodging cars and traffic to get to the hospital. It sounds ridiculous but at that time, I couldn't get my head around it. Of course I checked out normal (at least physically!), and I think that was the last of the big ones. From then on I told myself how silly I was being and that was that:-)

Anyhoo, not meaning to go off topic here, but yes, I agree! I think I did the right thing in letting go. The more I think of it, the more I realize I got off easy.

So you've flown the Hydra too, ok, I feel better now. It didn't kill the power at all. I've let go of the bar before in light winds and it's no problem. A little jerk and it's over, but pulling on it in 30mph wind does NOT stop it. Good to know that other kites respond to this a little better. Of course I'm already looking at other kites, and I'm liking the FS Pulse. Sounds like it stops when you want it to?!

Ok, so that is what I was wondering, will I feel that power again. Will it always pull like a 'fright train'....like before a jump, etc? I don't know if I will ever be able to handle it, even if expected. I need to be able to stop something right away....part of that control issue I have:D Of course I have never flown a depower but have heard so much about them and have read a lot. I'd love to know what they feel like, maybe something like that would be better for me. This Hydra seems either STOP or GO, there is no in between! In REALLY light wind though, it's awesome:D

Wow, paragliding....how I'd love to, but my gosh, if I'm scared of kites, then I can't even imagine staying conscious for that! I feel so restricted watching things I'd love to do but feel I cannot on youtube....gonna look up paragliding now:-) It kinda sucks living through others videos, but maybe that's how I work myself up to things....at least I hope it is....

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Thanks again everyone. I'm going to try again. I don't know if I would have had it not been for all the awesome responses on here. I'll keep you all updated, and maybe post a pic or a vid of when I was actually in control of that Hydra....

I'm off to help Bryan get the kite up. I may try again today, not sure yet....maybe yes? :-)

awindofchange - 13-2-2010 at 01:13 PM

Wow, that's a long reply. Thank you for taking the time to reply to everyone, that is very nice.

I will comment on my section and let everyone else go for their own. Glad you are still positive about it and looks like you will stay at it some more - which is a good thing. I think you will do just fine.

As far as pulling like a freight train - well you now know what that is like. When the kite powers up - especially in winds that are on the edge of being overpowered, the kite gets pretty relentless. This can happen with virtually any kite, regardless of size. If you are in winds that are just to strong it will overpower you. I have been lofted with a 1.5 meter when a 40mph gust came up out of nowhere. I didn't get hurt at all but it was still more than enough power to get my 240lb frame up in the air about 7 feet. Don't want to scare you at all but want to make sure you realize that any kite can bite you if you put it up in winds that are way to strong for it. In the lighter winds, the larger kites will be very manageable - still you need to know that if a stronger gust comes along, you can be lofted. Just be ready for it and make sure you have all your safety gear and know where your releases are and how to use them in a nanosecond.

Anyways - this is totally different for jumping. Especially if you are out on a board on the water. Flying static (standing in one spot) is totally different than flying while moving. When you are on your board or on a buggy or other mobile device, you can handle much more power (and want a lot more power) than when flying static. When you are standing in one spot, the kite sits out on the edge of the window where the power is lower, then you blast it through the middle of the power zone where it pulls you hard, then it heads out to the edge where the power is low again. You do this back and forth and you end up feeling like a rag doll being tossed back and forth while the kite zips back and forth through the zone.

When you are on a buggy or kiteboard, you dive the kite through the power to get moving and then park it somewhat out on the edge where the power is less. As the kite sits out on the edge of the zone, it pulls you along on your board or buggy. You can then sine the kite up and down to increase the power if you want. You hardly ever blast it through the middle of the zone to the other side but if you want more power, you can sine the kite more aggressively to get it to run closer to the middle of the zone while you are moving. Along with sitting the kite on the edge, you can control your buggy or board direction to help control the power. If you want more power you can edge away from the kite which will give you an increase of power or if the power is to strong you can turn towards the kite to kill the wind speed and lessen the power. When moving you don't have that "rag doll" type of feel by blasting the kite back and forth.

Now to jump on your board, you first get moving like above and then if you want to power up and jump, you direct the kite low, edge the board against the kite to build up more power and then send the kite overhead. With proper timing, you will release on the board and go airborne. Yes you will have a bunch of power built up but you will be the one doing it, not like what has just happened to you with the Hyrdra. As you build up the power it will come on much smoother and you will be in control of it. Not gusting out of nowhere and ripping you off the water. When the power gets to the point where you can't hold it with your board, you will be able to release by popping off the water and going for some air. Totally different than having the kite just yank you unexpectedly. The stronger the wind, the more cautious you need to be on how much and how fast the kite will power up but it will still be much easier and much more controlled than when the hydra ripped you out of nowhere.

I still say keep practicing. That is awesome that you are already doing water launches, that you can land the kite down on the water and such, also practice body dragging so that if you fall off your board while riding you can body drag back upwind to get it. Once you get that down then you can start doing water starts. You are really close to riding, just remember how powerful the wind can be and always lean to the safe side.

Hope that helps.

Kamikuza - 13-2-2010 at 07:05 PM

Yeah, you can still get launched when the kite's at zenith or the edge ... I took my 5m Rebble out in a typhoon once :D that was fun - till I was getting lifted off my feet when the kite was at the zenith :shocked2: bit of an effort to get the kite on the ground and packed too :lol:

Keep at it! :thumbup: