As with any surfing device there may become a time when danger can rear its ugly head. At this time, you will rely solely on what safety tips you have learned by a certified professional or from an acquaintance.
There are times when you have a possible accident about to occur and you need to detach from your kite a second ago. This is where you need to deploy what is called a “Dead-man safety release system”. It’s name alone should imply what the implications are if you don’t drop your kite.
A lot of times accidents can creep right up on you. Should you be out in the middle of the ocean and a motor boat comes racing in on you or if you get to close to coral reef, the shore, a possible swimmer hazard. At that very second you have to make a decision on how you can dump the kite or remove yourself from the danger. Once you get going you can easily get up to speeds of 40 –50 mph, and if you see a swimmer 20 feet ahead you will need to bail out, but your kite won’t let you go that easy.
A dead-man safety release system will detach your harness from the kite above. This may not be enough; you may still have to turn your kite upwind to get it to come down if you are about to tangle up with another kitesurfer. Deploy the dead-man safety release once your kite as well as yourself is free from immediate danger. Most dead-man systems do not work as you are getting started, unfortunately you will be forced to drop the kite and avoid danger as quickly as you can. Once the mechanism is intact the quick release can be deployed to help remove the danger.
Most of the quick release harnesses can start in the $100 – $300 range depending on which safety features are available. You want to purchase the safest kill-switch that you possibly can. Ultimately, you cannot put a price on your own personal safety.
