Your kiteboard leash is the most important safety component of your kite set up.
It is attached to the back of your harness and also to the safety line of your kite. The safety leash is always the first thing connected when hooking into your kite and also the last thing disconnected when you are finished your session.
The leash is important because it allows you to de-power your kite 100% at any point in time without fully losing your gear.
If you feel you are in trouble at any point, the first step is to let go of the bar. The bar will go out as far as possible allowing the kite to lose 90% of its power and fall to the water. If for some reason the kite does not de-power and is still pulling strongly or making loops the first safety system can then be activated.
This system is activated by grabbing the chicken loop safety and pushing away. This will release your chicken loop, your kite will now only be attached to you by your kiteboard leash. Since the leash is attached only to the safety line of the kite, the bar will travel up the line a full kite span allowing the kite to flag out fully and lose 100% of it’s power.
Once you are here it is important to re-assess the situation. If you are safe but your equipment is damaged, you are able to perform a self rescue to retrieve your equipment and float back to safety. If you are still being pulled strongly by your kite, your kiteboard leash also has an release system. Once this is activated you will be fully detached from your kite. If you are safe, your lines are not tangled and your equipment is not damaged, it is possible to connect your chicken loop back onto your harness and relaunch the kite off the water.
Recent Comments