Seen a pretty solid forecast predicted for Lancelin today, drove the hour to turn up to see bins getting blown over. Super excited by this stage, blues sky's etc, threw the wettie on pumped up and at last minute decided against it. Couldn't hold my kite upside down, sounded like it was going to tear in half.
So I had this internal struggle questioning weather I was just being a pussy or should I was being smart.
Curious to know what others red flags are for canning a session? It's the first time I've got that far into settings up and not followed through.

If the gusts are really spooky and give you a funny feeling then its time to wimp out.
e.g. 20 knots suddenly goes to 45+ knots and possibly swings 15 degrees. Then goes back the other way.

Solid 40 knots can be "manageable", but not when it's being sneaky and spooky and unstable.

I think someone hacked Wishy's account.

Old mate is right though.

Has anyone heard of a kite tearing from too much wind?

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wishy said..
If the gusts are really spooky and give you a funny feeling then its time to wimp out.
e.g. 20 knots suddenly goes to 45+ knots and possibly swings 15 degrees. Then goes back the other way.

Solid 40 knots can be "manageable", but not when it's being sneaky and spooky and unstable.

It's sooo hard to do though, especially after an hour drive. I guess that's how people get caught out.

Getting better

You just have to trust your gut feeling.

If you are spooked and decide to head out, you are probably more likely to do something out of character and get your ass handed to you.

And it's pretty terrifying when you are experienced and yet you are still feeling out of your league. And yeah, when its gusty/ direction changey it gets all pretty unpredictable. I remember once a massive lull followed by a 40+ knot gust, caught my hindenburging kite and smashed it through the power zone, snapped both front lines, and nearly my spine. Kite didn't tear though, 2004 Fuel, bombproof apparently

Thought this through, yep your a pussy

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bjw said..
I think someone hacked Wishy's account.

Old mate is right though.

Has anyone heard of a kite tearing from too much wind?

Been close to ripping the arse out a my jocks with a bad case of wind

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bjw said..
I think someone hacked Wishy's account.

Old mate is right though.

Has anyone heard of a kite tearing from too much wind?

This is my advice, not what I'd do!

I would never back out!!!!!

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cauncy said..
Thought this through, yep your a pussy

I was waiting on it ;) LOL

1 more after wife says that's your last one

My neighbour's water tank just smashed down my front fence.
I'll upload a photo when I get a chance

?wind also took out the power

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psychojoe said..

?wind also took out the power

Looks empty.. much easier to move an empty tank (not a Furphy one)- and as for footings on that fence - a push over for an empty tank

Gazuki...
Your decision making processes depend on your age (so brain development stage) and capacity to access risk against your experience....
After the gung-ho factor driven by youthful hormones starts to get out-voted by all those things which come with age(-ing) - the vision of who is driving your car back home for an hour starts weighing heavy.. late 30?es - mid-40ies (probably influenced by when/if you had kids)
If you go for it and have a blast - your mental biceps expand 45-60% - either way it becomes an anchor memory.

Ohh for the definitive answer - if you have had a Facebook account for 4+ years and are active on the platform they can predict well in-advance..

My moto has worked for me so far - Live to fight another day (without a hospital visit!!)

Cheers
AP

Why risk wearing your bunghole as a hat when the following 4 days are green arrows.

TBH I used to get out in any storm front going, in all honesty I've had one session that last was epic , most are like today, messy waters, and 50knts to 15 knots mainly onshore or usually on your wrong side, couldn't be arsed with it today everything was wank blown out frustration

Traditionally I have been really bad at not going out. It has to be bat**** crazy and then i'm still wanting to go.

Here's my flow chart decision decider.

1) Do i have a small enough kite? Yes? proceed to Q2, No... dont go out.
2) Is the wind angle/gusts/squalls actually ridable? Yes? Go to Q3
3) Is there a space to launch/land? Yes, Proceed to kite.

The worst part is when you try to land, youre alone and its so windy your kite didn't sit on the beach a ton of sand on top before hand, and now I have to self land...

This is how to safely self land with an Ozone control bar and any of their inflatable kites. In strong winds and on beaches that have a lot of debris the LE can get damaged, but its only happened once to me in more than 1500 landings.
Wildest day in Perth metro I've seen, it got crazy windy in the afternoon, and very large messy seas.

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Ozone Kites Aus said..
This is how to safely self land with an Ozone control bar and any of their inflatable kites. In strong winds and on beaches that have a lot of debris the LE can get damaged, but its only happened once to me in more than 1500 landings.
Wildest day in Perth metro I've seen, it got crazy windy in the afternoon, and very large messy seas.

Try pulling the safety in 50 knots, the kite blows downwind and then flaps around so wildly then you can't even walk the line to the kite without tearing your hands up.

In stupid conditions, the best method I've found is to pull the safety while you are still riding in the shallows. Purposeful flag the kite so some whitewash washes over it. Then run through the shallows before the wind catches the kite again. You have about 30 -45 seconds.

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Ozone Kites Aus said..
This is how to safely self land with an Ozone control bar and any of their inflatable kites. In strong winds and on beaches that have a lot of debris the LE can get damaged, but its only happened once to me in more than 1500 landings.
Wildest day in Perth metro I've seen, it got crazy windy in the afternoon, and very large messy seas.

And as it's been brought up here before the Ozone flagout line doesn't last the life of the bar and can break if not changed out semi regularly. So if your useing older gear you could have a weak link onboard. Happy V2 Enduro owner but

The ozone flag out line doesn't last the life of the bar because the bar and strings last 5x longer than other "top" brands.

In 40 knots, I can barely trust my kite to sit in the sand without a ton of sand let alone trusting it to land properly.

I went out yesterday arvo with Matt in 30-40 knots at Horrocks. It was good fun and I think the wind eased a bit too.

You just have to go with your feeling on the beach, but also be aware as to what is coming up, and have a bit of an idea as to what youll do if it goes to ****. Yesterday would have been dump the lot and swim in.

I was a lot more scared first day at Gnaraloo a couple of weeks ago when the wind was only 20-25 but really offshore. Didnt go out that day. Which I regret but that was my feeling at the time.

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bjw said..
The worst part is when you try to land, youre alone and its so windy your kite didn't sit on the beach a ton of sand on top before hand, and now I have to self land...

Flag out

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Dave Whettingsteel said..
I went out yesterday arvo with Matt in 30-40 knots at Horrocks. It was good fun and I think the wind eased a bit too.

You just have to go with your feeling on the beach, but also be aware as to what is coming up, and have a bit of an idea as to what youll do if it goes to ****. Yesterday would have been dump the lot and swim in.

I was a lot more scared first day at Gnaraloo a couple of weeks ago when the wind was only 20-25 but really offshore. Didnt go out that day. Which I regret but that was my feeling at the time.

That might have been a good call at Gnaraloo anyway Dave, that wind can get real funky in close when it is a bit offshore and the reef is not exactly friendly.
I dont bother usually if it is over 30 knots as it never seems to be a very good session anyway.
Give me high 20's instead any day.

Yesterday was hectic in WA, no shame in backing down from that ****!

It's been like 4 years since I have kitesurfed in anything +30 knots. Welcome to QLD where its 12 to 15......

This vid was Gero one 2014 Christmas Day.

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