25 thoughts on “Kitesurfing disaster at the Vaal Dam”

  1. Andricist

    Hi,

    I did not understand exactly which kind of injuries you experienced, I just
    hope you are fine now. Kite is not a game, and accidents come so fast and
    unexpected. When I was beginner in 2001, kite was at its infancy, and I got
    overpowered like you with a 10 meters and 30 knots. I was young and stupid,
    and very excited by the strong wind. At the end, I released the kite for a
    miracle (at that time kites were not equipped with quick-release) and after
    a fear to be died, I recovered my kite.

    80% of accidents occured on land, during a take off.

    KEEP ALWAYS ONE HAND ON YOUR QUICK-RELEASE
    ASK TO SOMEONE TO HANG YOU FROM THE BACK OF THE HARNESS
    KEEP THE KITE AT THE EXTREME SIDE ON LAND, NEVER AT THE ZENITH
    NEVER BE OVERPOWERED (KITE-SIZE)
    IF POSSIBLE LAUNCH THE KITE WHILE YOU ARE IN THE WATER (UP TO KNEES)

    Good wind and luck to everyone!!

    Reply
  2. Daniel Keder

    Dan – hope you recover well!! Ive done my share of VERY stupid things but
    thank goodness never serious, always turned out well. I would totally do
    those things differently now..but yeah…I didnt know then.

    my advice to who watches this video –
    ALWAYS have one hand on the quicky-release system so you can quickly
    release the kite if you catch a gust / wind too strong…etc..

    Reply
  3. stefaan adriansens

    release the emergency chickenloop reflex , one of the firts steps i have
    learned . and i do not understand but it looks like his safetyline is
    connected behind his bar wich is WRONG. 

    Reply
  6. Fernando Dulce

    Hi Dan thank for share your accident, your biggest mistake wasn’t fly the
    kite in 20 knots the mistakes was:
    1st: bad choice of place to launch ( we need at least 4 times the length
    of the lines free of obstacles downwind on more that 15 knots i recommend 6
    times the length of the lines thats is 150 meter free downwind).
    2nd: the size of the kite respect to your level of riding-weight-wind
    speed-lengh of lines choice was wrong.
    3rd: The person that teach you, or never teach you to use the quick release
    or you forget what to do in a case of a big emergency, doesn’t looks you
    try to eject your kite. IS very importantant to practice this a lot from
    day 1, many people only see it and never try it or try it only coup of
    times that is not safe enough. This procedure need to be practice until
    your brain do it fast and automatic.
    4th: provably this don’t happened if you was with a certified instructor
    (always is cheaper pay lessons than kites or ever worst hospital bills)

    Reply
  7. Roman Melnyk

    ouch! that really hurts! i have intervertebral hernia, l5-s1 , and I just
    thought to learn kite. what would you say? could be kiting dangerous for my
    back or if i take care i could stil kite in normal conditions? i hope
    you’re ok now!

    Reply
  13. zalex820

    ouch! that’s horrible. Hope you well.Get back on your feet and be safer
    next time. Seems like you got over powered . Not for nothing if I was you I
    would have QR’d.The hell with the kite.

    Reply
  18. Bob Webb

    Oooffff,that was cruel punishment.Had over a decade of high wind
    sailboarding and wavesailing experience.Usually sail massively overpowered
    because I like it that way.Had gear break a couple of miles offshore and
    paddledback in F9. Even compared to this though, kitesurfing in adverse
    conditions is an extreme sport.You cannot shut the power off and if you get
    the kite sweeping through powerzone at high speed,the power is
    unbelievable,broken 500lb lines ..and I weigh 140.

    Reply
  19. TheDesignerDan .

    Thank you for summing up what I really want people to learn from this
    video. You are absolutely right, buying a new kite would have been about
    ten times cheaper. But you live and learn. Fortunately I lived, and
    hopefully others can learn without repeating my mistakes. It’s refreshing
    to get comments from polite and helpful individuals such as yourself. Happy
    kiting!

    Reply
  20. Ciccio Bello

    Everybody was a beginner and made mistakes. I watched a lot of kitemare
    videos on the youtube when i was learning, reading comments that gave some
    advice that helped. I am really glad you made this video explaining with an
    animation what has happened exactly and your injury. It is going to help a
    lot of people teaching us to be humble when putting ourselves against the
    forces of nature. Said that, I am really sorry you stopped kiting, it is a
    great sport. I wish you good adrenaline hunting

    Reply
  21. TheDesignerDan .

    Thank you for the good advice. I was very very fortunate that I wasn’t
    paralysed. It could have easily been different. Fortunately the surgeon was
    able to rebuild my vertebra with a balloon kyphoplasty. I’m very thankful
    that I’m not paralysed. Thank you for your comment.

    Reply
  25. TheDesignerDan .

    Thank you for your kind comment. The worst part is that I actually did know
    how to eject the kite but I was not FAMILIAR enough with it for it to be a
    natural reaction in that very quick moment when it all went wrong. That’s
    the importance of practice until something becomes muscle memory. It’s all
    well and good to know your procedures when you’re methodically thinking
    about them; a completely different story in the heat of the moment. I hope
    that I have been able to caution people through this.

    Reply

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