VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Around here the Board leash is a good thing to start out with. Eventually you will want to loose it. It can cause some serious problems. ie: hog tie you, smack you, attack you, spin you, fly you, get under the board and aggravate you. If you use one: Helmet is a good idea, maybe impact vest. And whatever you do, don't use the leash in surfable waves. It will drown you. Launching with a leash attached in strong gusty winds on the beach also very dangerous. {Always attach leash after kite is in the air}. Difficult to do by yourself, safely. {Buddy system} Sometimes, you will want your board, to go away. Without the leash, a flick of your feet and it's away. Recovering it afterwards is not that bad. Ocean Rodeo has a new invention to aid in this. I believe it is called the" Go Joe", a inflated by pump device that allows the board to right itself and then provide the sail area to blow the board down wind,great tool for the loosing process. Loose it tool, I like that! So be safe out there happy sailing.

Great post John. I still use a leash but am willing to kite a little less powered & use a fifth line instead of the controlled drowning that is a kite launch (water) with board attached. Nice work on the http://www.oceanrodeo.com/gojoe.html Ocean Rodeo...I have had my board fly close to my head @ speed & a helmet doesn't help if you get a board in the face !!! Jim...Old school & slow to catch on.

Wow, pretty cool idea. I have a reel leash but I have definately had some close calls with with the board whipping back after a hard fall. In fact I have some good dents on the back of my helmet from the board whipping back due to the leash I try not to use the leash anymore. I do have to agree with JL, a board in the face is not cool. The the Go-Joe seems pretty innovative. Just my 2 cents.

I got wacked by my board being still attached to a foot/feet while being leashless. I had no clue I was that flexible, but a helmet saved me a couple of bumps on my head.
Chris

Hey asscrack- why not use a leash in the waves? it seems to me that this is when you would most want one. If you loose your board on the outside - it gets caught by the wash and ends way up on the inside- you get to body drag through the impact zone which doesnt seem like a fun thing. And with lonshore currents seems a good way to loose a board?
Have you had a bad experience with the leash and waves?

The wave is a place you definitely don't want to be using a leash.Doesn't matter what sort either.When the waves crash over the board,instead of washing the board away to be retrieved down wave,down wind.The leash makes the board act like a sea anchor, when the board is under, the kite pulls and the board dives down,the pull of the kite holds it down,and you as well.As the water retreats it is trying to take the board with it. IT WILL NOT FLOAT UP UNLESS THERE IS NO TENSION ON LEASH .You will want to get the leash disconnected in a hurry.So,Tom, to answer your question????Yes ,I had this bad experience,and I stopped using the leash right after.I'm not saying this may happen to you,but,there is a very good chance, if you are leashed.The waves are great for recovering unleashed, lost boards,usually they are recovered down wave,down wind.Always a good idea to have buddy around if you loose the board anyway.We always keep are eyes open.Wave kiting is unlike anything I have ever done,unbelievable stuff,surfing and flying,from wave to wave.So,loose the leash.When charging waves.Otherwise?Safe sailing.

Just wondering? With the new kites and their depower range, it is even easier to retrieve your board. The times when you most need a leash, EG. super windy/waves is when the leash is most dangerous. The Go Joe looks like a reasonable soloution. http://www.oceanrodeo.com/gojoe.html

At the very least, you should be able to see your board. Often just being able to see your board is most of the problem.

Personally, I am trying to come up with a solution for me--I hate the time wasted waiting for your board to drift in at IV, and have already lost 1 board at Cook-the tide took it out.

Any other ideas----anyone?

Just my musings.

If you crash your kite and lose your board at the same time you're hooped. Unles you can get your kite up quick. I usually can but not last time.

Kiting with a buddy helps. And if not, don't eff around and crash your kite while alone.

Write your name a number on your board and record the serial # since the cops like to know it.

5th line for quick relaunches?

Most of the time I'm not in the waves so I dont think a board leash would be a problem.

Just having a Go-Joe to rescue your board or have nother kiter or sailor able to see it and resuce it makes a lot of sense.

It sounds as if The Go-Joe should become available in August. I might well consider it for the visability. It wil be interesting to see how it works in strong winds with chopped up conditions/waves.

If kiting in waves, a board or kite will eventually wash up downwind onto your shore (Unlike in the straight). But a gojoe would still help in the waves.

Has anyone tried one? I wonder if they catch any spray from the board.

More specifically, would it right itself in waves or act as a sea-anchor?

If it rights itself quickly, you would at least be able to see where it is.

I have seen it in action, it rights itself immediately, as it is designed to do. it is off centre, so it immediately flips itself over if it lands upside down. doesn't appear to catch spray either. just looks a little odd, which seems a small price to pay compared to losing a board or taking a board in the face...

I'm going to get one!
I just got a new board.
don't want to loose it!!
but want to loose the leash soon.
First I heard of it, was JL's post.
But its' been on my mind since.
It makes sence.