Newbie advice: wear a vest!
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 11:31
I'm a newbie, and I had both my best and worst session ever last night at Nahant (Long Beach). I had my best wind and my longest sustained ride, but then I thought I was going to spend the night in Nahant Bay. I was very glad to have a vest, and it made my mini-kitemare much easier.
My long ride felt like it took me 1/2 way down the causeway. But I was so stoked that I didn't realize that the side-offshore wind had taken me pretty far out. Then I couldn't re-launch. Then I lost my board. I finally gave up and self-rescued. But with the current going side-offshore, too, I thought I'd never make it back. And it was dusk, getting darker fast.
For a while, I thought quite seriously that I was going to spend the night floating in Nahant Bay. Luckily, I finally did make it back to Long Beach.
But it was REALLY helpful to be wearing a vest that can float me. It was much easier to self-rescue because I didn't have to tread water while winding up my lines. In fact, I was able to swim (kick) in the right direction while reeling in the kite, rather than continue further out into the Bay. And as I was getting exhausted, it made it easier to take breaks or to slow down. As I thought I might spend the night in the Bay or get blown to Lynn, it also made me feel safer to have a vest. I know the kite floats, but the vest was a big help.
I use a Dakine impact vest. I use a seat harness, so that makes a vest much easier. But I think there are also vest options that can work with waist harnesses -- I think I saw one at WB 2 weeks ago. I'm sure some of you gear guys might know what's out there and can offer some advice. But I would definitely invest in a vest, and make sure you wear it. It made things MUCH easier on me last night!
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 11:39
#1
swimming team
Hi Francis,
Welcome to the swimming team and at the same time we are happy that you are safe.. One thing I've learned on my first days of kiting was to never go to far because things can change very quickly, i.e wind drops, mechanically issues, fatigue and many other factors..
So a vest is definitely a good thing to have but the basic safety rules are more important then any equipment..
So ride hard go high and be safe..
Cya
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 12:14
#2
Off shore winds
Den nice plug for the MASSkiting Swim team and I think Francis might be the captain. As long as his swims become repeatable 
But I want to say waht everyone else has on there minds reading this. I was at dog beach last night across the way. I self rescued twice and once ended up along the cuaseway but acted fast and just self rescued as you did. The other time was a trick gone bad and I even tore my footstrap clear off coming down from kiteloop where I gained too much height. My point here is beginner or not we all need to be safe.
My advice in your situation is never ride in off or sideoff winds especially as a newer kiter or a more accomplished kiter throwing stuff that could go wrong. The impact vest plug here is appropriate but this thread really should be about side-off winds. Even though I have done that myself and may be those that were may have been cruising more than going crazy or as a beginner. You cannot use the kite to bring you to shore.
Please guys don't go out in side off conditions and never off shore. That could have been much worse as if the wind is blowing at you at 3mph and you swim 3mph then you could get tired and best you really need to just let it take you to conserve energy. But the golden rule is never kite in these conditions.
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 13:08
#3
I agree...
Not to beat a dead horse here, but seriously, do not kite in side-off or offshore conditions. The conditions may look flat and glassy-perfect, but it's a bad idea. I'm glad you are ok Francis. did you find your board?
Please people... Nahant is a great beach, but you can't ride it in any wind direction.
ALSO, I consider Dog Beach dangerous for beginners. I know it's the only spot for a west wind around Boston... but there are houses, rocks, an unsafe launch (road nearby), slippery dog shit, dangerous random things sticking out of the water, and that causeway. If you know it, cool. But there have been a lot of new people going there this year, and it really is a beach that you have to have your skills honed and some experience in order to stay safe.
Safety first.
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 15:58
#4
side offshore is a bad idea
Doing a full on the self rescue because you have to (as opposed to in a lesson) does give you some confidence. A little adventure.
The wind was right on the edge. From the wind history it looks like it was SW between 18:00 and 19:00 but most of the time before and after it was showing W/ SW.
That is there was a very small window of time when Revere was actually safe to ride.
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 13:32
#5
Dog Beach Dangers
I ducked out of work early yesterday and headed to dog beach for a session. I was the first one there and I sat around for a while waiting for the wind.
The tide was really low (lower than I've ever seen it, and I grew up in the area but I've also just started paying attention to Dog Beach) and Zack and I were able to scope out the conditions under the water before the tide (and crowd) came in (we walked out to the water line at around 4 pm which was like 200-300 feet out). This is what I noticed.
1) The ground is littered with clams and oysters, mostly broken in half. They're really sharp and leave little areas where there are no clams or oysters and just sand.
2) I distinctly remember seeing at least 3 lobster traps lying in the sand. They looked pretty mangled and were not attached to buoys. My guess is that they broke free from somewhere else and were brought in by the tide. Nasty looking pieces of metal, def not something you want to hit or get dragged on top of.
3) At the end of the beach towards the causeway, there was a line of rocks jutting out into the ocean. Starting where the causeway seawall begins there is a line of rocks about 20 feet wide that sprawls into the bay about 100-200 feet out. Even knowing that these existed, I still managed to cut my knee and hand on one of those rocks when I helped Johnny D bring his gear in after he self launched.
I wish I brought my camera so I could have documented these obstacles and shared it with everyone.
Be safe and wear booties!
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 13:57
#6
Tiresome for sure
And this is why I no longer kite in off-shore winds. I experienced this the hard way myself when I first started. Needless to say, I became a good swimmer that day.
As for a vest, I keep saying I'd like to get one each time I'm in deeper waters but I have not. In reality, if you're cautious and kite within your abilities, it's really not a necessity (in my opinion).
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 13:51
#7
couple of questions : vest and nahant wind direction
Vest:
I like the impact vest but does it offer enough bouyancy to help you do everything you need to do in the water if you fall? Would it be better to get a life preserver? I would look goofy and i know its less mobile but wondering as a beginner if its a must.
Nahant Wind DIrection:
Does it ever blow side shore or side on shore? If yes , what times of the day?
Elvis
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 13:57
#8
Side off...
Never kite in side off...unless of course you are in epic side off surf conditions in Hatteras but you didn't hear me say that.
Glad you survived, live to kite another day.
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 14:36
#9
Ilya meant to say when I self
Ilya meant to say when I self rescued and he is spot on about the rocks. So from the side of Dog Beach closest to the parking there are rocks under water 3-4ft boulders even. I also took a tack out and hit one that was way closer to where I thought it was safe. We also launched from a spot that eventually would have and did flood our gear below the water line. I think we need to get some snp shots of these rocks at low tide ASAP from many angles. That one lone rock would have paralyzed a landing kiter. I am totally down with DB and the short beach and road are not my concern. I knew there were rocks near the sea wall. We need to find them and get them up on this site ASAP.
But in regard to side off conditions I know I can do that to without concern. But I will not be able to stay calm and will boost and therefore like AA meetings I am powerless to off shore and side off winds.. Thats a NO no to Daffy....
I get people who think they can teach themselves to kite(DO NOT DO THIS) but offshore and side off is not negotiable.
Ohh and no feeling bad.. or thinking it was bad blah blahh.. Its great time to tell those to avoid what could have been worse.
Its not fair to your friends on the beach to worry or the 10,000+++ It costs the caost gaurd or helicopters to find you 1-2 hrs later only if you have a kite and board for them to see.
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 15:08
#10
Photos
If someone would like to help us with this, please send Dog Beach photos (@ low tide) to support@masskiting.com
thanks!!
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 16:49
#12
Impact Vest / Coast Guard Life Perserver
Francis,
I have tried many impact vest of all brands; just my nature to tried all kinds of gears And recently I found a great impact vest but is Coast Guard Type 3 certified PFD (personal floating device). It is Neil Pryde High Hook PFD vest. I bought one from Joe Jones store on Comm Ave in Boston, worked great for me. Note that most impact vest made by kiteboarding company are not CG certified. This Neil Pryde vest is.
TN
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 21:31
#13
Thanks just got one
tianhuo wrote:
Francis,I have tried many impact vest of all brands; just my nature to tried all kinds of gears
TN
thanks for the great recommendation Tianhuo!! I just picked up a Neil pryde from the wilderness store. They only got one more left so if anyone needs one, I suggest you get it now!!
Thanks again !
Thu, 08/20/2009 - 10:48
#14
correction
tianhuo wrote:
Francis,I have tried many impact vest of all brands; just my nature to tried all kinds of gears
TN
Just a correction, the Neil Pryde vest is not Coast Guard approved. It is CE approved (European agency), but only has 50N of flotation as opposed to the 16 lbs (=71.1 N) required for a CGA type III vest. Not to say that 50 N won't be adequate for kiteboarding use, but it does not meet the CG requirement, so you could be ticketed if you were to use it on a boat or jetski.
I've got a liquid force wakeboard vest (they also market the same thing as a kite vest) which is coast guard approved and that works well for me.
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 17:21
#15
Vest
I have an old Dakine impact that is a LG or XL that is sitting in my basement. Its is small fro me but not even sure whats it worth but I have it..
Francis,
Thank you again for sharing and its just a great opportunity to remind others that may not have realized.
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 20:18
#16
Good wind directions for
Good wind directions for Nahant are NorthEast and Due South.
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 22:24
#17
Dog Beach Photos
I'm going to be on vaca. in Nahant in a couple of weeks. I'll try to get some pictures if no one has done it by then.
Cheers
Thu, 08/20/2009 - 10:33
#18
Newbie Advice for Doggy Beach
Hi there,
I just wanted to make some people aware of the potential hazards and tips for riding at Doggy Beach. First off I think it is a fantastic place for an intermediate to advanced rider.
You should know that Doggy Beach is a very very shallow shelf beach. Depending on the tides this place can be a really fantastic place to ride and also a very dangerous place if you don't know what you are doing. Doggy Beach is NOT A SAFE PLACE for lessons either.
There are rocks along the beach and some in the water as you come in from the pathway from the Long Beach (Nahant) parking lot. There are clam/muscle beds in the water as well that usually are near the rocks. The beach is submerged most to very narrow at high tide and you are right on the rocks literally.
I won't tell anyone not to go there but the label I would choose for Doggy Beach is: "Kiteboard at your own risk". To ride at this beach really depends on the tide being the primary factor for concern and wind direction the second. The tide receeds far away leaving very shallow and deceptive depth pools of water meaning it could be inches at low tide. I've seen kiters run aground fall onto the shelf surface knocking themselves out to getting pulled into the rocks during a wind gust (from the NW) at high tide. There are also clam beds below the silty sand and sharp broken clam shells and occasionally a washed up lobster trap. Wear booties if you plan on standing in the water. High tide the water comes right up to the rocks and I've seen accidents happen there because there is no room for error. This is not an place to mess around in but given a few saftey tips and riding tips I know it is a fantastic place to ride and can be enjoyed safely.
If you must ride there and the tide is incoming or hight get your kite launched keep it at about 30 degrees off the ground get into the water walk out as much as you can and body drag out to more than two kite line lengths of your kite lines on your bar or far enough for your comfort level. If you can't ride upwind yet this is not the place for you. Never ride less than a kite length close to shore meaning your kite should neve be over land when you are riding here especially at high tide. There is no room for error.
Those are just a few tips but as alwasy use your better judgment. I've had many great session at this place and feel that many others can too. Just be safe and keep it safe for the rest of us at any location you use but especially this one.
Skipper
Thu, 08/20/2009 - 11:16
#19
Great Advice
Thanks Skipper, that's some real good advice.
Skipper wrote:
Hi there,I just wanted to make some people aware of the potential hazards and tips for riding at Doggy Beach. First off I think it is a fantastic place for an intermediate to advanced rider.
You should know that Doggy Beach is a very very shallow shelf beach. Depending on the tides this place can be a really fantastic place to ride and also a very dangerous place if you don't know what you are doing. Doggy Beach is NOT A SAFE PLACE for lessons either.
There are rocks along the beach and some in the water as you come in from the pathway from the Long Beach (Nahant) parking lot. There are clam/muscle beds in the water as well that usually are near the rocks. The beach is submerged most to very narrow at high tide and you are right on the rocks literally.
I won't tell anyone not to go there but the label I would choose for Doggy Beach is: "Kiteboard at your own risk". To ride at this beach really depends on the tide being the primary factor for concern and wind direction the second. The tide receeds far away leaving very shallow and deceptive depth pools of water meaning it could be inches at low tide. I've seen kiters run aground fall onto the shelf surface knocking themselves out to getting pulled into the rocks during a wind gust (from the NW) at high tide. There are also clam beds below the silty sand and sharp broken clam shells and occasionally a washed up lobster trap. Wear booties if you plan on standing in the water. High tide the water comes right up to the rocks and I've seen accidents happen there because there is no room for error. This is not an place to mess around in but given a few saftey tips and riding tips I know it is a fantastic place to ride and can be enjoyed safely.
If you must ride there and the tide is incoming or hight get your kite launched keep it at about 30 degrees off the ground get into the water walk out as much as you can and body drag out to more than two kite line lengths of your kite lines on your bar or far enough for your comfort level. If you can't ride upwind yet this is not the place for you. Never ride less than a kite length close to shore meaning your kite should neve be over land when you are riding here especially at high tide. There is no room for error.
Those are just a few tips but as alwasy use your better judgment. I've had many great session at this place and feel that many others can too. Just be safe and keep it safe for the rest of us at any location you use but especially this one.
Skipper
Thu, 08/20/2009 - 11:37
#20
NPX Vest I wear
I wear the NPX cult impact vest. Its been great to me so far. I've ridden a seat harness and a waist harness and this vest fits great with both. The vest gets thinner towards the bottom so there is little interference with any harness I've ridden (Dakine seat and Mystic Len10 waist), and there is no zipper to interfere with other gear.
Its got enough flotation for me, though it does say inside that it is not rated by the coast guard as a flotation device. As a noob I've spent a good deal of time in the water and this vest has helped a great deal. Keeps my shoulders and head above the water and does not ride up.
The only bad thing I've heard about this product is that it will eventually fill up with water and loose its buoyancy if its in the water for too long (I think the timeframe is multiple hours) but this shouldn't be too much of a concern since you shouldn't really be spending hours in the water when you're kitesurfing (unless you are a) unconscious, in which case you would hope someone would help you out sooner rather than later or b) Doing body dragging practice).
I've seen multiple people with this same vest and they've all had great reviews.
[img_assist|nid=2333|title=NPX Impact Vest|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=418|height=640]
Thu, 08/20/2009 - 16:48
#21
Mindset when riding side-off and off
I'll concur that as a new kiter you should avoid offshore or side-off conditions.
But if you do ride in side-off you should be able to make the decision about ditching your kite quickly if things go bad.
That's the difference IMO...
Thu, 08/20/2009 - 23:23
#22
@ skipper & everyone else
That's the info we were looking for! THANKS!!
Thanks for all the replies and comments - I appreciate it!
In my defense, the wind was more or less side-shore when I started. There were a few other kiters out, and for about 2 hours I did stay pretty close to shore. But when I finally got it together and took my longest "downwinder" ever, I was so stoked that I lost track of where I was until it was too late.
I agree completely with just4contact and others that basic safety is first priority over equipment. But good safety equipment provides some nice insurance. Or in this case, a little edge to help make a bad situation slightly less bad.
Elvis: My Dakine is an older slightly bulkier vest. It's not Coast Guard approved for flotation, but it does float me just fine. I'm not sure about the new vests, but I think some of them will give you enough buoyancy. If you use a good shop or search comments and reviews online, you can probably find one that will work.