Author Topic: Board Leash Not Needed Anymore  (Read 8031 times)

Dwight (DW)

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Board Leash Not Needed Anymore
« on: February 12, 2021, 01:04:26 PM »
Remember when we thought leashes were needed kiting? Haha, same deal with winging. Only beginners will use them in the future.

https://youtu.be/Z5TCn_F_NS8

gone_foiling

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Re: Board Leash Not Needed Anymore
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2021, 01:32:55 PM »
It’s different from kiting. Maybe in benign conditions you can away with it but not in 8ft swell with 20+ knots winds.
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juandesooka

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Re: Board Leash Not Needed Anymore
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2021, 01:52:37 PM »
Interesting. That's going to require some practice in varied conditions to see how reliable it is.  I suspect it is easier in high winds, as there's more force to push you.  My wingmare was losing my board in 8-10kt wind, not enough for me to get up on foil, and then when I fell off, it turns out it's plenty enough for the board to sail away faster than I can swim.   So, will this method actually work to propel you in light wind too?  If yes, awesome, maybe one less leash needed. But if not, or even if it's kinda/maybe but not 100% reliable, then it's seems ffy to imply to newbs that leashes are unnecessary. I am increasingly seeing snarky comments on facebook groups implying leashes are for kooks, setting up a similar culture to not using helmets in kiting because it's uncool.

A difference for leashes in kiting is that using a leash is more dangerous than not using one, in 99% of conditions.  In winging it's the opposite, likely safer 99% of the time.  A leash is at most a minor inconvenience, except for those jumping or freestyling.  And in waves I think it's mandatory -- for the reasons Gunnar states on his site, as runaway boards are dangerous to others.   

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paddlur

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Re: Board Leash Not Needed Anymore
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2021, 04:00:31 PM »
It’s different from kiting. Maybe in benign conditions you can away with it but not in 8ft swell with 20+ knots winds.
Tend to agree,in flatter conditions like that video I can see it but would liked to see someone attempt that today here in 20-30mph and 6’ swell not so easy your board just gets away from you too fast swell ghost riding,don’t think the wing can provide that body drag velocity like a kite can in windy days,but I like the direction he’s taking gotta hand it to him for experimenting trying it out because as soon as I can ditch my board leash sign me up just too many leash’s hog ties legs,arms neck you name it with 2 leashes,but on flatter water winging spots looks like it’s the way to go unless a lot of beach goers if it gets loose with kids and stuff in shore break👀,but this is encouraging nonetheless
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Hilly

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Re: Board Leash Not Needed Anymore
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2021, 06:09:15 PM »
Light wind maybe  :-\ Yesterday a guy went out without a leash (Forgot it and had a new board) first gybe feel off and the board was gone. He was lucky it was a rare cross on day not cross off or that board would have been lost. Expensive day with an Armstrong bolted to the bottom if you lose your board.

PonoBill

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Re: Board Leash Not Needed Anymore
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2021, 07:32:00 PM »
I forgot to fasten my leash once in the Columbia and had to chase the board down. I flailed around a while and finally found a reasonable self-rescue solution with the wing. But by that time the board was too far away. I had to get to shore and then run along a thankfully relatively unencumbered shore to catch my board--which had run aground on a sandbar.

I too have seen the snarky anti-leash comments. A dick-measuring contest if I've ever seen one. If you don't want to use one, fine. Just don't expect anyone to get your board for you, and shut the fuck up about it. Getting newbs to follow your lead is moronic. And if your runaway board hits someone, you might have to give up that whole idea of having a life where you can afford nice things.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2021, 07:34:11 PM by PonoBill »
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Phils

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Re: Board Leash Not Needed Anymore
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2021, 03:48:57 AM »
Do what you are comfortable with.  Who cares what the cool kids are doing, that’s high school stuff.  I’m happy with my leash setup and I don’t like body dragging in the ocean, it just feels too bait-like.

Dwight (DW)

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Re: Board Leash Not Needed Anymore
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2021, 04:14:29 AM »
I’m looking forward to trying it. Never know until we try. Recovering a lost kite board seemed impossible when it was first done.



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Re: Board Leash Not Needed Anymore
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2021, 07:35:03 AM »
I have only kited about a dozen days but even as a rank beginner going downwind without a board could be a high speed affair.  This looks super slow.  Not sure that is going to be fun in cold water.  Is there enough upside of no leash to mess with it? 

Dwight (DW)

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Re: Board Leash Not Needed Anymore
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2021, 07:45:00 AM »
Is there enough upside of no leash to mess with it?

My curiosity about going leashless on the board, is all about the options this gives me with the WING leash. The true hated leash for me.

The wing leash is least obtrusive when connected to my waist. But connected to my waist can be a PIA with a board leash also connected to my waist. I will never wear a leg leash.

Dwight (DW)

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Re: Board Leash Not Needed Anymore
« Reply #10 on: February 14, 2021, 04:52:48 PM »
So today Jacky and my friend Mark tried this. Jacky found it hard to flip the wing up. She put her feet on the leading edge to help flip it. Mark also used his feet to help flip it. Mark said he hauled ass and even found cruising with his feet on the tube easy. Steering very easy too.

I decided to play with my drone instead of riding. My first time owning one. I did lots of epic filming, only to discover a message on the screen, no memory card. Left it in the computer. I grabbed the card from my GoPro and shot a little bit of video near the end of Jacky’s session.
https://youtu.be/16-nrCpiVtw

PonoBill

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Re: Board Leash Not Needed Anymore
« Reply #11 on: February 14, 2021, 05:09:30 PM »
Big wings can be a total bitch to flip without a board. I was at mission bay today using my 7M airrush. What fucking bitchy thing that wing is. Tons of power, but if you get it flipped or dip a wing you'd better have a plan, and it better include some water time.

Anyway, I tried the body drag stuff and I'd say with this wing, I can't make it work. Even the stuff I did previously to drag myself around doesn't work because the super-long strut wants to drop into the water, and once it does everything goes to shit and the wing is gonna flip over.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

gone_foiling

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Re: Board Leash Not Needed Anymore
« Reply #12 on: February 14, 2021, 08:26:38 PM »
Why not just leave wing leash on the wrist. F-one leash is perfect imho. Having a leash attached to the waist belt is a death sentence in significant shore break.
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juandesooka

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Re: Board Leash Not Needed Anymore
« Reply #13 on: February 14, 2021, 09:45:19 PM »
The wing leash is least obtrusive when connected to my waist. But connected to my waist can be a PIA with a board leash also connected to my waist. I will never wear a leg leash.

I am wearing a shorts harness these days. I attach wing leash to front and have reel leash hanging off the rear grab line.  Seems to keep them separated nicely

PonoBill

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Re: Board Leash Not Needed Anymore
« Reply #14 on: February 14, 2021, 10:23:40 PM »
Why not just leave wing leash on the wrist. F-one leash is perfect imho. Having a leash attached to the waist belt is a death sentence in significant shore break.

Actually, in a serious wave, a leash on your wrist and one on your leg is like the roman chariots dragging Spartacus apart. I find hooking both on your waist makes you a spectator instead of a stand-in for Spartacus.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

 


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