I went out winging once without a leach and got myself into trouble ( www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Wing-Foiling/Wind-Wings/Dumb--dumb--dumb- )

Why don't kiters use board leashes? If you are way out there and get separated from your board, how do you get it back? Isn't it risky?

I've never kitesurfed myself, sorry for the newbie question!

kiteboardleash.com

In short - it is very easy to catch up with your board with a kite. Either a short body drag upwind or a quick pop downwind.

conversely- it is very easy for a board to catch up with your head if its on a leash/wrap around your lines/generally piss you off.

and you can't do a duck tack or shove-it without the leash wrapping around your legs.

on big shallow reef breaks it gives you the opportunity to punch out the back without the board getting pulverised (or you getting pulverised when you go through the impact zone to get it), other than that no good reason...

flyingcarpet said..
I went out winging once without a leach and got myself into trouble ( www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Wing-Foiling/Wind-Wings/Dumb--dumb--dumb- )

Why don't kiters use board leashes? If you are way out there and get separated from your board, how do you get it back? Isn't it risky?

I've never kitesurfed myself, sorry for the newbie question!

Covered many many times but in short, here is the answer:
You come off your board and the edge digs into the water but you are still being dragged forward by your kite. Board leash loads up with huge amounts of tension until the board breaks out of the water. Thanks to the leash tension, board catapults towards you and collided with whatever part of your body that is not in the water, at this point it's usually your head.
Some people wear a helmet but I've seen teeth knocked out and jaws broken even with a helmet on because they are not usually full face helmets for kiting.
Better to learn to body drag!

I send this video to all my students. no explanations needed.

I'll use a leggy when it's BIG, like @ Gnaraloo, One Eye Mauritius, or Cloudbreak Fiji or offshore like Abrolhos

Probably worth learning the skill of body dragging before progressing to the board. By the time you are riding the board ok, you can easily drag yourself back to the board even if upwind. Basically, if you need a leash, you haven't mastered the body drag and therefore shouldn't be riding a board just yet. Learn the body drag and kite flying skills first.

On leashes...best avoided.

My worst Kitemare.

Wiped out in big margs wearing a board leash maybe 17 years ago.
Board must have gone through the lines mid tumble.
Kite slack lined and downed in front of large wave.
Saw the wave hit the kite.
Pulled safety to release the gear.
Thought I was out of danger.
Next thing board disappears dragged under by the kite.
Next thing I disappear dragged under by the kite.
Half a second later I'm 4m down being dragged across the rock and kelp reef.
20 seconds later I'm still being dragged and seriously worried.
I cant swim up because the body works like a plane and drags you down.
Cant release the leggie because the water pressure is too much to bend up against.
Then the leash snaps and I survive badly shaken but wiser.
Haven't used a leash since.

niall barrett said..
On leashes...best avoided.

My worst Kitemare.

Wiped out in big margs wearing a board leash maybe 17 years ago.
Board must have gone through the lines mid tumble.
Kite slack lined and downed in front of large wave.
Saw the wave hit the kite.
Pulled safety to release the gear.
Thought I was out of danger.
Next thing board disappears dragged under by the kite.
Next thing I disappear dragged under by the kite.
Half a second later I'm 4m down being dragged across the rock and kelp reef.
20 seconds later I'm still being dragged and seriously worried.
I cant swim up because the body works like a plane and drags you down.
Cant release the leggie because the water pressure is too much to bend up against.
Then the leash snaps and I survive badly shaken but wiser.
Haven't used a leash since.

Duuude... brutal. Mark Foo memories..

I have used a leash for 10 years without any problems. Yes, I can body drag and as I now only occasionally prang I suppose I don't need it anymore. But I do because it saves me time and effort when I do have an ooopps. As mentioned by Sandkickerz, I too have the leash strap (approx 1m) attached to one of the hold down screws on the handle. This way the board doesn't skip on the water as it would if connected to one of the fin screws (at the end of the board, and as seen in the anti-leash videos). In fact I've never had the board skip, instead when I prang the board ALWAYS digs into the water and acts like an anchor. It is so effective I've had to put (at the loop end of the leash strap) a weak link inline to protect the leash rewind mechanism. (It's a double loop of brickies line, the loop is just big enough to clip onto, about 150mm total, I think it's 20kg breaking, this also prevents any potential snap back.... which I doubt). I have 3 weak link loops attached to the strap so if one breaks (which they do on big prangs), I have two more weak links ready to be attach too. There are plenty of aspects to Kitesurfing that are dangerous, it is a matter of resolving them where possible. For me, my leash setup is adequately SAFE, thou it is now more a time saver than a board recovery device. Also, instead of holding the handle to try and get my feet into the footstraps I can hold the leash strap, which makes it much easier (as I'm not the most flexible).

PS Might sound a bit cynical, but I think Kiteboard Leach.com is a clever fear mongering advertisement to promote the Go Joe product. When I was learning people used pool noodles around the handle, mainly to assist in locating the board, with the added advantage they tend to blow down wind.

Nah. sbs ca still dig in then release. Have a scar on my scalp to prove that from "back in the day". I use one when offshore in gnarly conditions though as your board is your lifeline if things go tits up. Any other time - nah you don't need one. But if you wanna use a leash - then why not I say. Go for it.

Boots and loops

Peahi said..
Would be interested in peoples thoughts - when in trouble in the waves would you let the kite go or board go first? I suppose it would depend on whether the kite is in the air or can relaunch etc, and/or if you're getting rolled by waves

Hi..
Priority is kite. Board really doesnt matter it's just an 'accessory'.. Kite will get you back as a 'sail'.. . Board won't. It may get you back if you find it and paddle for a long way. The power of a kite will help you avoid whitewash.. Being sucked into further down reefs and breaks by air launch and power drift etc. A board won't.
I am speaking from experience and prob other people experienced in 'far out' reefs and missions.. Not from boots and loops (although I have tried it).. .. which to me is waaay more hazardous and injury prone.. More shallow etc.. Trees.. .. Knee injuries etc.. and there the leash is a big 'no' ;.. ridiculous dangerous and unnecessary..