Landing Kites at Cook St.

[winddoctor]

Hey all,

I just wanted to start a discussion on best practices for landing kites at Cook St in light of a neck injury I sustained from catching an incredibly powered up and fast approaching kite a couple of Fridays ago at Cook st. The kite hit me full force as I was grabbing it and nearly knocked me off of my feet (I'm 205 lbs). 2 weeks later I'm still having nerve pain and am having difficulty turning my head. Since I was tracking the kite as it was coming in, I couldn't see what adjustments the rider was making to control or slow the kite down (if any), so I can't comment on that aspect. Accidents happen, kiting is inherently dangerous at times, and I don't want to point fingers at any one.

As most of us know, it's not always possible to slowly guide a kite into a buddy's waiting hands at Cook st since the wind is often gusty and shifty. Too frequently, however, I've seen people coming in incredibly hot to negate the funky wind near the beach at the expense of the landing-buddy's safety.

How can we best keep riders and kite catchers safe from injuries like I sustained given our unique/funky situation at Cook st? Thanks for the input!

[more force 4]

I was taught at Cook that in the gusty NW, especially when there are rotors coming off the point, to come in hot and low; but that can be dangerous for the catcher. Someone posted recently on the best way which involved low and pushing out the bar as you got close to drive the kite upwind to the edge of the window and depower. Can anyone elaborate on that (or refind the post and paste it here?).

[abetanzo]

Landing a kite at Cook St is a problem for most in good conditions, but add the squirrely WNW winds and its really difficult..

one tip is to ride in with your kite very low in the window ie 7-8o'clock... while you approach and have tapped your head with a lander ready... slow down when you see your kite nearing the beach then come to a full stop and the kite will drive up the window into your catchers arms..

too often I see people with the kite way in the trees before they drop it low for a catcher... lots of problems here.. rotor winds up high in the cliffs or back stalling issues from changing winds

keep it low and go slow then stop....

also tell non-kiters sitting in the landing areas to move and sit somewhere else its dangerous

[abetanzo]

^^^ from kite safety thread

I imagine what happen to winddoc is that he was ready to catch the kite before it drove up the window.. fully powered up driving up the window..

wait for the kite to decelerate with you as you slow down on approach then completely stop and it should stall out just as the catcher is grabbing it..

hard to explain but I think I have a go pro video that shows it kinda.. will look later

[winddoctor]

I understand well what you mean, abetanzo. In this scenario though, the kite was already low and driving upwind before coming to me and I think the rider was still carrying tons of speed with the kite sheeted in. Had I not caught the kite where I was waiting, it would have overflown me, but I hear what you're saying. I've heard comments from other people that kites are being landed much too hot at Cook st as well. The rider should have been doing what you describe above. My option was to catch the kite where it was or let it fly past and risk stalling/tumbling/injuring the rider or others on the beach, thus the decision to "take one for the team" .

Good input so far!

[nanmoo]

The safest way is for the Kiter to not be selfish and dismount their board and body drag the last little bit so everything is coming in slow and controlled. Worst case it Hindenburgs just off the beach and they do a quick little self rescue. Usually the problems occur when people are trying to make a gust, keep some apparent wind and make sure their kite stays dry. I would've preferred that my kite got wet over Chris hurting himself.

[blackdogvan]

I've been out of the game for a bit but getting back in, I only remember doing it Tony's way. Signal and get acknowledgment from landing crew, maybe tack out again, stop a safe distance out, get board off feet, drag in.

[abetanzo]

so the truth be told.. it was booboo that injured winddoc!

#KOOK

[nanmoo]

Definitely not I.

[CTK]

Was this me? Wouldnt be suprised if it was. In gusty conditions i come in low and hot to make certain the kite doesnt backstall or flail as it means my kite and lines having a meeting with the cliff, random people, or logs, which are all potentially horrid scenerios. Nothing to do with getting my kite wet. Usually do a pretty good job of slowing the kite before it reaches the lander but do typically bring it in faster than i should in gusty conditions to avoid the above scenerio.

[winddoctor]

Was this me? Wouldnt be suprised if it was. In gusty conditions i come in low and hot to make certain the kite doesnt backstall or flail as it means my kite and lines having a meeting with the cliff, random people, or logs, which are all potentially horrid scenerios. Nothing to do with getting my kite wet. Usually do a pretty good job of slowing the kite before it reaches the lander but do typically bring it in faster than i should in gusty conditions to avoid the above scenerio.

No, not you Wade. Like I said, not wanting to single people out; only raise a bit of awareness for injury potential to people catching the kites and see if we can dial in better landing practices. There are clearly multiple scenarios that unfold so ultimately the rider has to assess and react. I think I got a little unlucky with my injury, but the kite was was coming in dangerously fast.

[voodmon]

Living in cook st village, a windsurfer I have caught many kites over the years, from Dwaynes when he was learning till now, usually if I am there watching in street clothes I will not catch unless it is someone I know and trust sort of, no mishaps so far, perhaps I have been lucky? If it is too sketchy I let it go!

[AC]

Just giver 🤘

[more force 4]

It was easy to catch Rees, Graham, and Adrian's kites on Tuesday - they came in slow the last few metres and pretty much steered the kite into waiting arms. Graham hit the reef just as I caught his, if he'd been catapulted a moment earlier the catch might have been more interesting! This was side/side-on though, not the deadly rotors with zero wind in between 30 knot gusts that are the 'land hot' option. I suppose in that case to avoid catcher risk you can eject and hope you can swim in the last bit if the kite is down? Or if your sense of space is better than mine, come in hot but depower and slow right down just as the kite reaches the beach.

[nanmoo]

I noticed a lot of people at Nitinat this weekend coming in and frantically tapping their head then dropping their kites onto people who hadn't acknowledged them or had to run to get it off the ground. It's the kiters job to be in position so a lander can receive them, not someone on the beach to come to you. Yeah there is some flexibility for beginners but for everyone else; chill out people, come in where people are ready to land you and if no one is there take another tack back out until someone is ready for you.

Just so its clear, this is the process:

Tap head - wait for acknowledgement from lander (CRITICAL) - wait for lander to be in position (CRITICAL) - slowly bring kite down - catch kite - wrap lines - beer.