The self rescue technique allows you to disable your kite, safely pack away your lines, and
use the kite as a float. This video will explain the steps of the self
rescue in detail, as well as a quick run through of the whole procedure.
The aim of the video, is to help you remember and understand the self rescue. You must practice
the technique with an instructor, to make sure you can complete it safely.
Your first step is to disable the kite. You do this using the eject on your chicken loop.
The kite should rest downwind of you, on the water with almost no power. The bar and 3
lines should have travelled several meters along the safety line, so that there is a
lot of slack in these lines. Having slack in these lines means the kite cannot fly or
generate much power. Now that your kite is fully depowered and
unable to fly, the next step is to get near to the bar. Pull yourself along the safety
line. Be careful not to wrap the line around your hand or body. Try to keep the excess
safety line on one side of you, to avoid getting tangled. Stop just before you reach the bar.
You are now next to your bar. Next we must secure the excess safety line onto the side
of the bar. Loop the excess safety line onto the bar end. A few loops will provide enough
friction to secure the safety line. Next, continue to wrap away all of the excess safety
line so that you can’t get tangled. When you get to the end, use your bungees, or a
simple hand tie to hold the excess line in place.
The safety line is now secured. In front of you, the safety line should look taught and
the other lines should have several meters of slack. This means the kite cannot fly.
Now the safetly line is shortened and secured, you are free to wrap up all of the lines.
Wrap your lines in figures of eight across your bar as you would when packing away your
kit. Make sure you are wrapping the correct number
of lines. If you have a 4 line bar, you must be wrapping 4 lines. If you have a 5 line
bar, you must be wrapping 5 lines etc. As you wind up the lines, you will move you
closer to your kite. At all times, you should see that the safety
line has tension and that the other lines have several meters of slack. If not the kite
could start flying. NOTE: If the kite starts flying or pulling
during a self rescue, you can let go of the bar and eject your leash to free yourself
from the kite. When you reach the kite, you should secure
all lines onto the bar-end. You can use a hand tie as shown before, although
this may be difficult if the kite is pulling. You can also loop the lines around the bar
end and cover with a bungee. Now your lines are secured on the bar, you
can simply place your bar onto the kite and lay on top of it for floatation. This should
help you get back to safety, and helps to make you more visible.
If you need to, you can use your kite as a basic sail. Flip your kite over this way.
You can then pull the bridle on your left or the bridle on your right – to use the
kite as a sail. Use the chicken loop eject to drop and disable
the kite. Work your way along the safety line to get
near the bar. When you reach the bar, rap the excess safety
line on the bar end. Use bungees or a hand tie to secure
excess safety line. Pack away all of your lines in figures of
8. When you reach the kite, secure all lines
together on the bar end. You can now use the kite as a float.
If needed, use the kite as a sail.