ajdesq
A Force-of-Nature *  
F-O-N Champion 2003
Member #: 6 Posts 214
Registered: 24-7-2002 Member Is Offline Mood: Living to kitesurf :-)
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 posted on 3-4-2007 at 22:14 |
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Total Kitemare - and failure of GK Eject System
I had a lousy time today, to quote the diary:
'As no-one was around I decided to self-land the kite in the water. But I didn't put the board on the beach first, I left it in the
water. BIG MISTAKE! The kite landed, drifted, then the board got caught up in the lines. The kite powered up and I had absolutely no
control over it whatsoever. I started getting dragged and was sh***ing myself. I was already unhooked so I pushed the 'Oh Shit' Last
Resort eject device to detatch myself. Only it didn't detach. The head of the pin got caught in the loop of my harness, and under such
immense pressure/load it was impossible to release. I was dragged upside down underwater, then launched a good 10 feet in the air, then
dumped onto the beach and dragged along the sand, all the while desperately trying to detatch the kite. Eventually a lull hit, and only
when the tension on the leash eased could I flick the pin to release the head and eject, but by now I could hold the leash with my hand
anyway. Luckily I got up to the bar, untangled the board, and after a good 5 minutes (a long time when you're panicking and no-one is
around cos you're so far downwind) got to the kite and made it safe.
Needless to say I lost the 'mushroom' to the Chicken Loop release in all this.
The whole incident has left me pretty shaken up and doubting the safety of GK eject systems, but if I learned one thing today: NEVER
LEAVE THE BOARD IN THE SEA WHEN SELF-LANDING YOUR KITE!'
Maybe it's common sense and I'm just thick, but I don't remember ever being taught the bit about beaching your board first before
self-landing your kite.
I'll be phoning Airjam about the eject system tomorrow. Maybe this was a freak occurrence, and I remember staring in disbelief at the
head of the pin being caught up in the loop on the harness. It's the kind of thing that you don't expect to happen, but only when you
see it straining under load do you realise that it's not as failsafe as you'd liked. I don't think it will happen again as I'll
physically flick the pin, but you tend not to think quite so logically when you're starting to get dragged all over the shop! Has
anyone else had this?
There's more to life than KITESURFING!
Let me know when you find it.
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shem
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| posted on 4-4-2007 at 17:46 |
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suerly the kite de powered when you let go of the bar???? If not the kite isnt set up correctly. Or the board catching up with it,
caused it to happen.
Youll also notice that a lot of wind surf harnessess have spreader bars which are unsafe for kite surfing. i.e. hook part not wide
enough for a chicken loop to release safely. A few things may have caused this to happen.
+ the fact that you seem to have more KITEMARE situations than any other kiter I know. HeHe!!!!!!
Kite & SUP wales
Caravan decking wales
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Dandine
A Force-of-Nature * 
Member #: 2742 Posts 231
Registered: 29-10-2006 Member Is Offline Mood: Work is for losers
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| posted on 4-4-2007 at 20:13 |
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I bet you want a North Rebel even more now. Sorry to hear about your mare
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ajdesq
A Force-of-Nature *
F-O-N Champion 2003
Member #: 6 Posts 214
Registered: 24-7-2002 Member Is Offline Mood: Living to kitesurf :-)
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| posted on 5-4-2007 at 22:23 |
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Cheers Dan. The things we do to be the first one out after Tarifa! And yes, after that episode the idea of chopping in both kites for
North Rebels or Flexifoil Ions looks increasingly appealing.
I think I made it pretty clear that it was totally my fault that this episode kicked off, by leaving the board in the water which got
tangled up in the lines. Letting go of the bar and releasing the chicken loop made no difference, the kite repowered because of the
board. Up til now I'm 100% to blame. But this is when you need a decent eject system, and that's what failed. Basically, you always
test this when there is no tension in the leash, and it's obvious that the pin head will slip through the loop attached to the harness
(and yes it is a kitesurfing harness, and this loop was attached by an IKO instructor). But when the whole thing is under about 90kg of
pressure, the loop is under such immense tension that the head of the pin doesn't easily slip through and release the kite. Be honest,
who is really going to test this system in anger and possibly write-off a kite unless they feel that their life is in danger?
And this is only my 2nd accident in 12 months which, given 13 sessions so far in 2007 alone surely isn't excessive? Especially compared
to my buddy Paul! :-) Just want to alert peeps to the danger of leaving the board in the water when self-landing, and maybe trying out
their 'Oh Shit' eject systems under some kind of tension.
There's more to life than KITESURFING!
Let me know when you find it.
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Sean C
Beach Bum 
Member #: 1509 Posts 16
Registered: 7-10-2005 Location: UK Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 7-4-2007 at 17:40 |
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Hi ajdesq,
Obviously I've not heard from you here at airjam yet ?
Sorry to hear about your kitemare of course... it can happen to the best of us and is never pleasant.
Re: the GK QR pin getting caught on the hook of a spreader bar under load... I can tell you that I have never heard of this happening
at all, any where in the world. Nor has it ever been brought up on kiteforum etc.
I just spoke to the US distributor and neither has he ... I will ask GK about it directly next week to as obviously I would like to
inform them abount any reports of anything like this.
That QR system (although being replaced by a new set up later this year) has been on GK kites for 3 years now... had there been any
such issue or reports of anything similar during that time it would have been addressed and changed accordingly of course.
If you would contact me with more deatails that would be very helpful ... Ideally I would like to see photos of the pin and spreader in
the position (or as close as you can simulate) that it got stuck or whatever.
I've been having a very close look at it with both types of Dakine spreader bar + the Mystic hammerhead (which combine to make up the
vast majority of the market) and I can't see how under normal riging that it could possibly happen.
Please let me know if was a different type of spreader bar / harness or if you had any other rigging like QR shackles etc. attached.
Also, of course... if you need any bits for the system (like the mushroom) just shout and I can send them out to you.
Cheers,
Sean
Airjam
01637 850888
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ajdesq
A Force-of-Nature *
F-O-N Champion 2003
Member #: 6 Posts 214
Registered: 24-7-2002 Member Is Offline Mood: Living to kitesurf :-)
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| posted on 9-4-2007 at 14:23 |
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Hi Sean, thanks for that. Yeah, I'm working all over the holiday weekend, hence not been on the blower yet 
As you can tell, the spirit of the posting is merely 'Don't be a prat like me, and has this happened before?'. I'm now confident that
this was indeed a one-off, and as Shem says, it only ever seems to happen to me.
Will give you a call Tuesday as I need a few bits, but to illustrate what happened...
Here's how it's set up on my harness:
Here is what I saw when I looked down with the pin under immense pressure from the kite. It looks physically impossible to happen, but
it did to me:
After a fumble with the pin, it got stuck again:
In both those pix, I'm pulling on the leash to simulate pull from the kite.
Have I installed it wrong, or is this a sad flaw? Actually, it was put on by the IKO instructor from whom I bought my 11m.
I appreciate these things don't get tested in anger much. My solution would be to place a metal ring on the webbing strap that's
attached to the harness (as it's that loop which, when subject to pressure, closes up and can cause the pin head to possibly jam), then
place the pin through the metal loop. That way, it WOULD be impossible for the pin head to get jammed.
And does anyone know if it is officially taught to 'dispose' of the board properly before self-landing kites, so it doesn't get hooked
up in the lines as mine did? If not, guess I'd better let the BKSA know what happened too.
There's more to life than KITESURFING!
Let me know when you find it.
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shem
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| posted on 9-4-2007 at 16:53 |
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Ta for putting the photos up ajdesq, makes it so more understandable. Certanly looks like a one off unlucky incident. Having taught
people that release safety systems all the time, Ive never ever seen any type of system hold in that kind of way. Certanly a good
reminder to all of us, that eben with the latest safest kites, shit can go wrong. One thing I would say, that I have found with every
brand of release system, is that if they never get used, they can get stiff and some times have a delay on release, generally caused by
the water soaking in to the fabric or cord every session, this causes it to swell, and then when you pull your release it jams for a
split second. The old strike style safety release was awful for this. Luckily now a days with drop bar safety these types of incidents
are pretty much oveer with.
Kite & SUP wales
Caravan decking wales
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Sean C
Beach Bum
Member #: 1509 Posts 16
Registered: 7-10-2005 Location: UK Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 9-4-2007 at 18:19 |
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Thanks for the pics... and the feedback.
I actualy though it was the C-Loop quick release that was stuck on the spreader hook.... which would have been worse of course.
Its much clearer with the pics... Still, its not something I have ever heard of. I will check it out on mine + send the pics to GK.
One thing to remember though (obvious as it is?) ... I've not heard of it happen with a Sonic before but if the 'let go of the bar'
de-power does not work for some freak reason (in this case your board tangle?) ....
... if your leash is attached to the C-loop (IE: for unhooked leash out) ... then it will only do EXACTLY the same thing as letting go
of the bar as far as de-power goes !
Hence the need to QR the leash.
If you are not using the kite unhooked etc... then the safer thing to do would be to attach the leash to the re-ride loop on one of the
front lines... that way... when you dump the C-loop for safety reasons (as opposed to missing a handle pass etc) ... you will leash out
onto ONE front line in a traditional style and that will kill the power on the kite without losing it all etc.
Just a thought.
Call me or email anytime for whatever bits you need.
Cheers,
Sean
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Sean C
Beach Bum
Member #: 1509 Posts 16
Registered: 7-10-2005 Location: UK Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 9-4-2007 at 18:22 |
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PS... just remebered... of all the things, this quick release for the leash was actualy criticised on the 06 Sonic for releasing too
easily !
Sods law.
Good point made by Shem to test and use these things from time to time as all these various systems can seize or stiffen etc. over
time. Especialy in a hostile salt/sand environment.
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Sean C
Beach Bum
Member #: 1509 Posts 16
Registered: 7-10-2005 Location: UK Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 9-4-2007 at 18:23 |
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Cool, I made 'beach bum' status !
That'll do me, them was the days....
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Pluto
A Force-of-Nature * 
Member #: 598 Posts 281
Registered: 20-3-2004 Location: Shrewsbury Member Is Offline Mood:
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| posted on 9-4-2007 at 20:31 |
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Nice to see you as a Beach Bum Sean!
Message to all - A bit of WD40 goes a long way.
Kit maintenance cannot be under-estimated. As Shem says, if you don't use something very often (it could fall off) more likley and
worrying for some of us, it may just not work at all!
It's always worth TESTING your safety systems regularly, even under load. It can do wonders for your confidence when you know it's all
working......
www.kitesurfteacher.co.uk
IKO/BKSA Instructor
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ajdesq
A Force-of-Nature *
F-O-N Champion 2003
Member #: 6 Posts 214
Registered: 24-7-2002 Member Is Offline Mood: Living to kitesurf :-)
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| posted on 10-4-2007 at 10:48 |
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quote:
Originally posted by Sean C
If you are not using the kite unhooked etc... then the safer thing to do would be to attach the leash to the re-ride loop on one of the
front lines... that way... when you dump the C-loop for safety reasons (as opposed to missing a handle pass etc) ... you will leash out
onto ONE front line in a traditional style and that will kill the power on the kite without losing it all etc.
Hmm.. good point. There's a chance that even with the board tangle that this could have been effective, or at least more effective than
what happened.
And I think Shem hit the nail too... this stuff swelling and stiffening over time. A message to us all to give it a wiggle now and
again.
Oo-er missus, sounds like a carry-on film! 
There's more to life than KITESURFING!
Let me know when you find it.
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ajdesq
A Force-of-Nature *
F-O-N Champion 2003
Member #: 6 Posts 214
Registered: 24-7-2002 Member Is Offline Mood: Living to kitesurf :-)
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| posted on 10-4-2007 at 11:37 |
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Just phoned Airjam to order me mushroom and some other bits and bobs. They refused to charge me. And they've taken an honest interest
in what happened. What great people!
A happy ending all round then!
There's more to life than KITESURFING!
Let me know when you find it.
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