Today's Darwin Award Winner is.....

[Paul]

The very best kite boarders I've seen reach their limits with very small kites around 40 - 50 kts, if its steady. I wonder if it was blowing harder in the video. Whatever the case, that guy is not one of the very best kiteboarders.

 

[Marc]

 

[drjeff]

I figured that I'd post the updat I just saw over on CNN's website

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/08/20/kite.surfer/index.html

 

[Moe Ghoul]

Sounds like he was harnessed in after all, that explains why he didn't release.

 

[Paul]

Sounds like he was harnessed in after all, that explains why he didn't release.

 

[Marc]

Sounds like he was harnessed in after all, that explains why he didn't release.

Doesn't explain it.... those harness have safety releases on them to prevent you from getting dragged. Too dumb to pull it I think.

 

[Moe Ghoul]

Doesn't explain it.... those harness have safety releases on them to prevent you from getting dragged. Too dumb to pull it I think.

He took a pretty good slam into the sand before getting airborne and slamming into the wall. If you time it, it happened pretty fast. I wouldn't be surprised if the sand slam dazed him, and before he could do anything he was airborne again. I guess we'll have to wait for the book or movie to get the full story. It amazes me that law enforcement doesn't shut down the beaches once winds kick up over 30 mph. Or maybe they did, and the "stashmeisters" went out there anyway.

 

[cbcbd]

Sounds like he was harnessed in after all, that explains why he didn't release.

"Kearney's friends said his harness had emergency releases, but that it is possible things happened too fast for him to unhook his clasps"

So either things happened too fast or he thinks too slowly. Methinks it was the latter.

 

[Marc]

"Kearney's friends said his harness had emergency releases, but that it is possible things happened too fast for him to unhook his clasps"

So either things happened too fast or he thinks too slowly. Methinks it was the latter.

FTW. Chicken lines are pretty easy to yank on, and if you watch the video, his hands never even left the control bar.

 

[ctenidae]

So either things happened too fast or he thinks too slowly. Methinks it was the latter.

Out there in that with that kite, I'd tend to agree.

Okay engineers- time to design a break-away harness that pops off if it gets hit with enough force to snap you off the ground.

 

[bvibert]

Out there in that with that kite, I'd tend to agree.

Okay engineers- time to design a break-away harness that pops off if it gets hit with enough force to snap you off the ground.

Or one that works by mental telepathy, when it senses your mind saying "oh shit" it releases.

 

[Marc]

Out there in that with that kite, I'd tend to agree.

Okay engineers- time to design a break-away harness that pops off if it gets hit with enough force to snap you off the ground.

That would kinda ruin the sports of kiteboarding and kiteskiing.

 

[ctenidae]

That would kinda ruin the sports of kiteboarding and kiteskiing.

Not really- different physics and forces between catching mad steezy air and having your asshole yanked through your belly button.

 

[cbcbd]

I thought part of kiting was the ability to be somewhat flung off the ground and up...

Anyway, I could see putting a torque mechanism similar to what you see on torque wrenches that could be adjustable. You could then fine tune it to release at a certain force generated by the pull.

 

[Marc]

Not really- different physics and forces between catching mad steezy air and having your asshole yanked through your belly button.

I thought part of kiting was the ability to be somewhat flung off the ground and up...

Anyway, I could see putting a torque mechanism similar to what you see on torque wrenches that could be adjustable. You could then fine tune it to release at a certain force generated by the pull.

I think they have chicken loops because it would be just too unreliable to have a mechanism that could do it automatically, besides which, there is too much overlap between the force taken to drag someone and the force taken to lift someone off the ground.

And there are some times, like being 50 feet above the water... that you really, really don't want the kite to pre-release from you.

 

[ctenidae]

That's what handles are for.
And parachutes.
And wings.

 

[deadheadskier]

I think they have chicken loops because it would be just too unreliable to have a mechanism that could do it automatically, besides which, there is too much overlap between the force taken to drag someone and the force taken to lift someone off the ground.

And there are some times, like being 50 feet above the water... that you really, really don't want the kite to pre-release from you.

or when you're a half a mile off shore in 50 degree water, which is often the case when I see kite surfers in Maine during the fall.

 

[Beetlenut]

Okay engineers- time to design a break-away harness that pops off if it gets hit with enough force to snap you off the ground.

How about something connected to your butt, so that when you crap yourself, it releases. Can't imagine what was going through that guys mind when he hit that wall,...except his asshole! I'm just sayin

 

[Moe Ghoul]

I wonder who he's going to sue. The walls of that building should have been much spongier, imo.

 

[playoutside]

Ok, Glad this guy wasn't killed. But all I can say is somebody somewhere sure protects fools. Just listen to what this clown has to say. Also saw something that med bill are 75-100K and he has no insurance.

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=5647401