KITESURFING SELF-RESCUE

KITESURF SAFETY 101

Firstly, it’s always a great idea to assess the location before you head out. That way, if you break a line beyond the waves or crash your kite in the waves, you’ll know where you’re going to end up and how to manage the situation. Ask yourself, “Am I going to wash up onto the beach? Is there a reef? Where will I end up?”

Here’s what I’d do in a general situation:

 1. Providing I’m stuck outside the breaking waves I’d first wrap the lines up onto my bar – this is important so I don’t get tangled trying to get out of there.

2. Once the lines are wrapped up I tie half-hitch knots around the end of the bar to make sure they don’t come off the bar and leave it attached to the kite. I’ve found the best way to get myself and my gear in is to connect one end of my safety leash to the back of my harness and the other to the pump connector on the leading edge of my kite, leaving the kite inflated. Slide the harness to one side or unclip harness hook, lie on the board and paddle towards the breaking waves. The kite should trail along behind (always try to keep the kite inflated so it doesn’t sink and drag you under or fill with water).

OR my other option would be to lie on the board and use the kite’s rescue handles to slowly drag me in using the wind. This depends on wind direction and wind strength in relation to where I need to end up on the beach. 

3. Once I’ve reached the breaking waves, I detach the kite from myself and push the kite into the breaking waves, letting it wash onto the beach while trying to catch a broken wave onto the beach myself.

Alternately, in the event that my kite is deflated and I’m stuck out the back, the best thing for me to do is calmly take some time to wrap up the kite and lines into a nice, tight little package. Next, remove the harness and wrap it around the kite and the bar and secure it as tight as possible, connecting the safety leash around my waist like a belt and attaching this to the back of my harness/kite package. I can then paddle in with the kite package dragging behind in the water. It’s hard, but your only other option is to leave it behind. Again, it’s really important to ensure loose lines aren’t floating around as they can wrap around you when you’re in the waves. Then, depending on wave size, once I reach breaking waves, I can detach the kite from myself and push it in towards the beach. As it gets washed in, I’ll try to stay close to it and get washed into the beach myself.