5N1TCH Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Of course this sucks for the bloke who's died and his family and his mates. But as he's met his demise while kitesurfing its natural the rest of us as kitesurfers are interested to know how/why and if he made some avoidable mistake. Most people tend not to face up to it, but sooner or later we're all destined to be food for maggots, I'd like to delay that day for as long as possible if it means I can continue enjoying my one and only existence. And if it comes down to something like the way I set my safety, or assess the tide or check my lines or whatever, then I wanna know about it. It's not ghoulish to show an interest in someone else's misfortune, it's a part of being human, self-preservation is a natural instinct, who honestly hasn't ever gawped at a car crash? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 I can understand that and I said that in about the 2nd post but maybe knowing the facts and possibly avoiding the same is a positive. I don't see a positive only a basic understanding of the situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 It's true that we can all learn, but for now maybe we should just wait, offer our respects and condolences. It's not a silly thing to test your own safety systems every now and then. I'm not proud to say that I've had to call on mine three times in the last year, we all make mistakes. I lost an old friend windsurfing last year and we didn't know the full details until some significant time after. The truth was significantly different to the first hand reports we had, so for now I think we should just offer our support, if it can be of any use.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Agreed to a point Mike, but debate, no matter really about what will keep this thread at the top of the page. And that to me, at this stage is the main issue. Not posting anything on here will see the thread long gone in a day. Just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkshireboy Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 From the 2 close call situations I've been involved in (in 6 years of kiting), I would say have a plan C, plan D in mind before things go wrong. It's all well and good checking your kit, safety etc but what if they don't work as intended? Both times I found myself wondering what else to do while getting dragged through & under water. What to do if a release fails, both releases fail etc.. Can you get a clip undone while being pulled hard? Can you reach a front line to disable the kite (etc etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 I think YB that actual situations and thoughts on safety should be on a separate thread. Maybe when we get to hear the facts about Sean we can then maybe open a thread to discuss the implications to us all. Maybe, if you want to start one it'd run alongside this. Personally, I feel this thread should be wholly for the Man. Sorry if this offends or sounds offensive. For sure I'm the biggest thread hijacker on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5N1TCH Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Mick, the thread is called 'Hunstanton Accident', not 'Leave Your Tributes to Sean Here'. Whenever this kind of unfortunate event occurs there is speculation on what happened, and quite rightly, peeps wanna avoid a repeat. Maybe a separate 'tribute' thread is needed, but I bet that is already on a less kitesurfing specific website like Facebook anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 No mate, youve got me wrong. I didn't say don't speculate, Mike B said that. I just said that personal experiences and safety systems should be brought up on a designated thread. I did ask if any info was available. Try to keep up mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkshireboy Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 (edited) Mick, these threads get a lot of eyes on them (over 1,300 views already). I think a lot of the people reading do so in a 'how do I avoid this happening to me' capacity, as well as offering their support after a tragic situation. None of the posts are in the remotest bit critical of Sean, everyone has been very respectful. Edited March 10, 2015 by yorkshireboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 I think you're mixing my posts up with MikeB who said we shouldn't discuss anything. I merely said we should start a new thread about safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 It's true that we can all learn, but for now maybe we should just wait, offer our respects and condolences. It's not a silly thing to test your own safety systems every now and then. I'm not proud to say that I've had to call on mine three times in the last year, we all make mistakes. I lost an old friend windsurfing last year and we didn't know the full details until some significant time after. The truth was significantly different to the first hand reports we had, so for now I think we should just offer our support, if it can be of any use.. This was posted by MikeB not mick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Agreed to a point Mike, but debate, no matter really about what will keep this thread at the top of the page. And that to me, at this stage is the main issue. Not posting anything on here will see the thread long gone in a day. Just my opinion. Here's what I wrote. BUT I did add that the thread should be related to Sean and not just any other incident. BUT at the end of the day, this is your forum; the only really active kiteforum in the world so we all must be doing something right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitesurfandy Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 this a kitesurfing FORUM, discuss and give your opinon , a KITESURFER has just lost his life to this Xteme sport,, i cant see a problem with paying respects to the Guy and discuss how to avoid this happening again saftey is paramount Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonM Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 (edited) so sad Edited March 10, 2015 by JonM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broraboyan Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 I'm not sure we should be discussing this just now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonM Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 (edited) RIP smiler Edited March 10, 2015 by JonM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plummet Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 I'm not sure we should be discussing this just now. I disagree. Now is the best time to drill down to what happened in this terrible accident. While it is fresh in the minds of the individuals that were there on the day. Lets face it. The authorities wont go any deeper than. "Man drowned after loosing control of kite". It is up to us to drill down further and try and find the actual cause of the incident. I do not believe that is disrespectful at all. In fact it honours his memory to find out what actually happened. What was the wind conditions of the day. clean wind wind? gusty? What type of kite was he flying? how old was it?. How did the safety mechanism work? How deep was he? did he get knocked out? Was he wearing a helmet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broraboyan Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 You're wrong, we are only surmising what happened, until we know what happened I think we should show some respect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 I think we are showing respect BUT why not just start another thread ffs. We don't know what happened. I'm sure someone does tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith.b Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 only on here could a thread about a fatal accident end up with others having a go at each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Nobody's having a go. We're discussing. Its what WE do. Join in now and again and add to the debate. Its called difference of opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plummet Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 You're wrong, we are only surmising what happened, until we know what happened I think we should show some respect. How will we ever know what happened if we don't ask the question in the first place? The only way the truth will come out is if we have an open discussion about the subject. If that discussion occurs at after an "respectful" time frame then some of the details will be lost for ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Plum, there are members who know exactly what happened and I'm sure they'lle say when they feel the time is right. For sure, I wish someone would say what they saw. JonM posted a thread about killer kite death loops and I'm assuming that was the primary cause of the fatality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex23 Posted March 25, 2015 Report Share Posted March 25, 2015 I'M GUTTED. FU***** GUTTED. So sorry to all of you that want to keep it quiet, instead I think I need to shout here!!! I feel for the poor Sean, his family and all of his friends. RIP. How can we not discuss this??? That is the only way to learn, to save lives and improve our sport standards! Surely Sean would want to help us all with his life, just like I did 3 years ago when I was victim of a very similar accident scenario, or more likely the worst nightmare you can live as a kiter. Key Facts: Kite death looping at 45kn due to: A. Multiple gear failures: - CL unexpectedly unhooking - Kite looping due to slightly asymmetrical manufacturing - Bar snapped in mid air B. Kiter (my) mistakes: - Clipping emergency release at the back of harness (On handlepass) - Attempt to self rescue - Not carrying a proper safety knife Events: CL comes off, kite sets off looping then stops falling on water. I start the self rescue, kite sets off again, bar snaps and sends the kite in turbo loop. I get pulled in death ride backwards unable to reach the red handle. I desperately try to turn myself front way (it's horrible to be dragged towards the beach backwards as you don't know where you are heading to) and to find the red emergency release handle, which strangely I can't find anywhere: it was stuck between my body and the harness, probably twisted. I wasn't able to release or to reach the little hook knife somewhere in my new harness. I was Dragged at super high speed in rough seas drinking water until I drown during the ride. My body was dragged underwater for several minutes until stops at shore lifeless. I was immediately pulled out of the water unconscious and full of water. After several minutes of several CPR attempts I was finally resuscitated by the paramedics with oxygen and I spent 2 days in intensive care with less than 50% survival chances due to the bad state of my lungs for the excess of sea water and acidity in blood. I miraculously made it, the doctors were very surprised, I was lucky. What was key in my survival was the CPR performed right away when I reached shore. I've tried to raise the safety issues involved in my kite-mare, to suggest improvements, to be published in kite-publications, but I've had little or no attention except from the local community and the RNLY who amazingly offered a free first aid rescue and CPR training within days from my accident. Safety isn't a popular issue in our sport, there are so many topics about it and hardly any interest from the manufacturers who are consistently failing in improving loop free kite design and above all a more reliable safety system. HOW MANY MORE OF US NEED DYING BEFORE THIS ISSUE IS TAKEN MORE SERIOUSLY??? MY ADVICE: 1. NEVER CLIP YOUR LEASH TO THE BACK OF THE HARNESS. 2. ALWAYS CARRY 2 KNIFES, ONE IN THE HARNESS AND ONE IN YOUR BOARD SHORTS POCKET (NOT JUST THE LITTLE HOOK KNIFE, WHICH MIGHT BE COMPLETELY USELESS IN SOME SITUATIONS!), AND ABOVE ALL GET FAMILIAR WITH THEM! TRAIN TO USE THEM FAKING EMERGENCY SCENARIOS. 3. NEVER GO OUT ALONE OR IN REMOTE AREAS IN BIG CONDITIONS (STRONG WINDS) AND KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ANY ODD BEHAVIOUR OUT AT SEA, PEOPLE COULD BE HAVING SERIOUS PROBLEMS, GO AND CHECK THEM OUT IMMEDIATELY. 4. THINK ABOUT SAFETY AND SAFETY SYSTEMS MORE, NOT JUST KITE FLYING SPECS. SAFETY IS NOT A BEGINNER ISSUE!!! GET FAMILIAR WITH YOUR RELEASE SYSTEMS, TRAIN HOW TO USE THEM AND TEST THEM BEFORE EACH SESSION. 5. DO NOT TRUST OR USE CHICKEN LOOPS WHICH CAN COME OFF, SOME OF THEM DO (RRD IS ONE) AVOID THEM AS THEY CAN KILL YOU. 6. TRY TO WEAR A FULLY RELEASABLE HARNESS, THIS COULD BE YOUR LAST CHANCE OF SURVIVAL. 7. PAY SUPER ATTENTION WHEN LAUNCHING AND LANDING TRYING TO KEEP ONE HAND READY TO DEPLOY MAIN CL RELEASE IF THINGS GO WRONG. 8. DO NOT USE BOARD LEASHES. 9. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, ESPECIALLY IN STRONG WINDS OR IN SMALL BEACHES. 10. LEARN CPR, DO A COURSE OR ORGANIZE ONE LOCALLY FOR ALL SURFERS, YOU CAN SAVE LIVES… THIS GOES ACTUALLY FURTHER THAN JUST THE BEACH/SEA, YOU COULD SAVE A FAMILY MEMBER HAVING A HEART ATTACK FOR EXAMPLE. [11. LIFE IS ATTACHED TO A THIN STRING (JUST LIKE OUR KITE LINES!), APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE AND BE GRATEFUL FOR IT, AS YOU CAN LOOSE IT AT ANY TIME, UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT AN APPARENT REASON. ENJOY THE MOMENT, THE NOW. SPREAD LOVE AND PEACE.] I really wanted to leave this for last: but I'm now considering to publish the video of my accident. It might be disturbing for some, but it's my last throw to this cause and hopefully will wake someone up... PS. I can't apologise to some of you that might think this wasn't appropriate, or the time wasn't as your behaviour is more dangerous than a faulty safety system! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitesurfandy Posted March 25, 2015 Report Share Posted March 25, 2015 dont apologise ! but Deaths are very rare in kitesurfing and it is an extreme sport and there are very high risks of broken bones thats why this tradegy is so shocking , to lose a fellow kitesurfer ........ we should always be on the look out for anyone in trouble to check their ok , with a thumbs up sign , or just keep an eye for there board if its drifted far away from them, as next time it could be you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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