Two Kites Twisting Around Each Other

[lesvierra]

What should we do if this happens. Immediatley deploy saftey release? We had this happen a few times this weekend so we should have some experience to grow on.

[Kenny]

Obviously, the best action is prevention. When there are a lot of kiters in close quarters, riders need to be very aware. Second, riders need to spread out.

I have had a kite bump mine, but I have never had a wrap. My first instinct would be to depower the kite to the leash and to be immediately ready to release the kite completely if one of the kites did not depower. The scary possibility is if one kiter releases the kite altogether and the other kiter cannot release.

[Spencer R]

I guess this can happen a lot of different ways. I saw this happen to two pro's that were demo'ing some new tricks and kites for a crowd at Sherman Island. One Kite went right through the other's center lines. Both kiters realized what to do immediatley. They both got control of there kites; brought them close to 1 and 11 respectively, to bring the riders together, then one rider unhooked and passed his lines through the other kite and reversed the tangle. It seemed to work in that circumstance.

I think that it is best to not panic and try to eval the situation to see if you can reverse the tangle. If you can't, then communicate to the other rider (if possible) that you are going to release. I think that Kenny is right you should be ready to release, but you have to realize if you release and the other guy can't (or doesn't know you just released) it may just change his 12 meter kit into a 24 meter kite.

- spencer

[lesvierra]

I think this is a good topic to at least think about because there will probably be more kite races on water (line crossings are probably common) and there will be more races/kiter cross' this winter on snow.

Can anyone contribute what happened on deer creek and how the twists were resolved. Did the kites just crash and it was over. Was there any useful communication? Thats pretty cool that two pros could fly there kites with crossed lines and work together to get them untangled.