ouch

so tomorrow i'm off to get all my kiteboarding gear. one of the things i'm going to get is lots of protection, in the form of helmets and impact vests. 'coz even though modern kites are abound with safety systems, things can still get out of hand. here is a 'kitemare' found on the kitepower website:

A kitesurfing instructor and professional kitesurfing competitor with very extensive experience had just completed giving a lesson. He rigged up an Airblast 11.8 m quickly connecting a new Airrush control bar for the first time. The winds were side offshore gusting to 30 kts. He did not carefully preflight his setup as he was in a hurry to get out on the water. He is on the order of 6'2" and weighs about 220 lbs. He launched upwind of a nearby truck and van. He was not wearing a helmet.

Apparently the actual overall length of the back lines was much shorter than the front lines resulting in the front lines almost being slack. In effect this large kite was rigged for maximum power and minimum controllability in strong gusting winds.

Immediately following launch he was violently dragged into the truck smashing in the grill and hood with his body. He was then dragged on to the hood with his leg getting caught by a plastic bug shield on the hood and badly hyper-extended his leg. He then plowed into the windshield, smashing it. He was then lofted up and over the vehicle to a height of 20 ft. and violently landed upside down hitting his head and shoulder on the ground. Two bystanders rushed up and grabbed him, which re-powered the kite.

ALL THREE people were then lofted on to some large boulders in the water. The two bystanders let the rider go at this point. The rider was dragged at speed out over the water and into a "no wake" manatee sign, bending/breaking the sign with his body. He was then dragged up on to a sandbar.

Stunned bystanders on the opposite shore thought that he was dead.

The rider eventually sat up and started to rewind his lines indicating that he did survive. He was dragged and lofted at high speed over an overall distance of about 100 yds. And over water about 50 yds.

Postcript: As a result of this serious accident banning kitesurfing at this singular launch area in this part of the State is under consideration by the governing authority. All the injuries suffered by the rider aren't known at this time but include a badly damaged knee and bone deep oyster cuts at many places on his body.