http://abcnews.go.com/gma

Kinda funny how the reporter/weatherman got ticked when he said he'd do it again. He should have AT LEAST dodged the question or not been so gung ho about 'definitely' doing it again.

pfffffff.... whatever man... that makes me a little ticked too. I mean give me a freaking BREAK. you'd think he'd learn his lesson "don't fly in 70+ mph" lol.

Yikes... i am definitely no longer going to be contributing money towards his website...
no lessons, no helmets... no clue...
"I'll use a snowboard helmet" ahem...

So here's the new face of kiteboarding for all of america to see... and he's a moron.

Exactly. Maybe he'll think twice once he sees his medical bill. :P

must not have been painful enough. That MORON won't quit until they make a federal law against kiting!
I see the problem now, he's a "surfer" that uses a kite. Not a kite boarder or anything else that started with a kite. I'm sure he was a" surfer "first, who decided to get a kite for a pull. So the kite thing is secondary to his stupid little brain.( what little he didn't leave on the side of that bldg.)

...and to think I felt sorry for this guy...

Why the f&*K would you say that you would go out in a tropical storm again after the #@%$#! he went through and the bad publicity that episode caused the kiteboarding world in general????

Boy, I hope that most of the people watching that don't think we're all a bunch of morons!!

Sorry for the rant, but that interview rubbed me the wrong way.

....forgot to mention....loved the part that he would normally go out 2 miles to sea to see the Gulf Stream....and I would almost bet my life that he didn't mean with the support boat/jet ski trailing me....what about the 'rule'...don't go out farther than you can swim in...

This guy is definitely bad for the sport...somebody please, take this guys kite away from him :flaming:

There are only a select few places to ride in Fort Lauderdale. I work right across the street from that beach. That beach access most likely will be toast after all this.
I am just getting into this sport and this incident has left such a sour taste in my mouth.
The interview was a huge mistake on his part. and why did it have to be done a week after the accident!!!
Hope I dont have to travel 60 miles just to get some kiting in when I could have done it right across the street.
Please be safe all, looks like another TD is on the way!!

problem is , everybody thinks across the street is a cool spot ! LOok around do ya see light poles , boardwalk railing, buildings, people, the street you referred to. (which also means vehicles)
ANY ONE OF THESE THINGS SAYS IT IS NOT A COOL SPOT TO FLY,ALL OF THEM TOGETHER MEAN YOU FOLKS NEED TO CHECK YOURSELVES. DON'T SCREW IT UP FOR EVERYBODY ELSE . I have to drive all the way across town to fly. So I don't feel sorry for nobody who lives in FLA. There has to be a better spot than that! Maybe the hotties can't see ya sportin' but neither can the city officials ,who certainly want to stop this kiting thing.



NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN'T FLY ON THAT BEACH, OPEN YOUR EYES!
RULE # 1 FLY AT APPROPRIATE PLACE!
RULE # 2 PUT UP THE APPROPRIATE KITE FOR THE WINDS YOUR FLYING IN!
IF YOU BREAK RULE 1 OR 2 YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVE. AND I SHOULDN'T BE PUNISHED CAUSE OF SOME TWIT!:flaming: sorry for yelling , but it had to be said.

Quote:

Originally posted by domdino Yikes... i am definitely no longer going to be contributing money towards his website...

What's his website? Just curious.

I wonder who's going to launch his kite from now on......

This guy is not alone. There were others on the beach that day. He is what "Maverick" was in the movie Top Gun. He is the top gun of the kite surfing sport. There will be other instances of such acts. You can bet your bottom dollar that sport will see some serious scrutiny by state authorities wherever a person is tied to a kite/sail.

His buddies will love him when they have to drive many miles to secluded beaches to kite surf.

Quote:

Originally posted by leebrianh Quote: Originally posted by domdino Yikes... i am definitely no longer going to be contributing money towards his website... What's his website? Just curious. I wonder who's going to launch his kite from now on......

http://kevinkite.org/

I sent him an email ! His address is on the website
kevin@kevinkite.org

Does he really think I am going to send Him money for what he has done ???

Not unless it is to lock him up for the safety of others !

There is an update on the situation with the guy's interview!

This info is from a different forum and RickI is a very reputable source. Also, I'd simply paste the link to his post but that's not allowed.

Quote:

Originally posted by RickI on a different kite forum Kevin has had a serious brain injury. I understand he forgets things within minutes and has very poor short term memory. I experienced this for almost a month after my injury. Out of concern for the rise of negative sentiment in the kiteboarding community, I spoke with his mother by phone today for the first time. She was present during the two hour shoot that was condensed into the four minute GMA broadcast. She said Kevin was asked three times would he go out in such conditions again. The first two times he said no emphatically. The third time when the interviewers decided to go live, he said yes, astonishing the people present. He kept confusing the storm with a hurricane, wind speeds and still other details. If his injury is anything like mine, the confusion, poor recall are intense. They are also fairly obvious. I understand he made several comments that might have helped things which were left out of the broadcast. I understand he may be facing $75,000.00 in medical expenses without insurance. Interviews may help with these expenses although perhaps not substantially so. At the same time, interviewing someone recovering from head injury with impairment isn't a great idea either. It potentially damages his credibility, his statements and that of the media carrying the broadcast. To portray events as otherwise is to no ones credit. All this at a time when it might be best that he focus on healing. I just learned from his mother that interviews were given to Nightline and Inside Edition as well. Astounding. I contacted a person (producer?) with Nightline and expressed all these concerns and followed it up with an email summary. I said many in kiteboarding were very concerned about the harm potentially being done to the sport by the original video clip and possibly in response to subsequent interviews. In addition to identifying some of the points listed, I asked that an expert be interviewed to provide an accurate view of the sport and ways of avoiding problems. There must be dozens of kiteboarders (not me either) out there that could help to put things to rights in a broadcast. She was sympathetic, said she would forward the email and was uncertain if the Nightline segment would run given the Democratic Convention coverage. A person well placed in the Kiteboarding Industry is trying to do the same thing with Inside Edition. We have had so many donation drives here and elsewhere over the years. We go in with a simple expectation, to help others, the need is still there. In this case I leave it up to your judgment what you choose to do with these new developments. I am still reeling myself.

Lol. Quite the interveiw. From that I would gather brain damage was never an issue, unless it happened years ago.

the f$#@ up thing is "HE WASN'T ALONE"!!!!!! There are MORE!!! MORONIC MORONS!
LET US PRAY THEY DON'T BREED!

RickI is a stand up guy for sure. I meet him years ago when he was just starting out. Had some interesting stories

Yeah, the dude shouldn't have been flying nor should a lot of peps out there. I've flown in 50-60mph wind-I'll never do it again. But I was on a 2 meter kite!
Boosting 10-20' jumps on an ATB board over hard packed sand isn't the best idea due to the potential for injury but we still do it. Nor is driving down the interstate at 80mph with no helmet a good idea but we do it. Let's hope the guy has an easyand full recovery.

There is a bunch of "mavericks" riding here in Florida for sure. We've got a couple of them locally. Kinda scary watching them ride right next to a major highway in onshore winds.

Let's hope the guy recovers quickly and pays the medical bills. I"m sure that will slow down his kiting.

Bottomline is if you don't have good medical insurance or weathy what the HEL$ are you doing playing an extreme sport anyway!!!

Later-Scott

If this guy is doing interviews with brain damage it would seem to me his motive is the money. :flaming:
I know the poor guy has medical bills coming on. I hope he has to pay for the other damage he has caused as well. :ticking:

To think that people are going to get all bleeding hearted and throw money at him for his boneheaded move bothers me

If he wasn't insured and took the chance I'm afraid he made his own choices. He shows no regret and suggest he'll be out in it again. Or perhaps get taken away by the current starting 2 miles out , with his snowboard helmet on.... maybe :duh:

The person I keep feeling sorry for is this poor guys Mother :saint: She can't exactly be proud of him right now !

Quote:

Bottomline is if you don't have good medical insurance or weathy what the HEL$ are you doing playing an extreme sport anyway!!! Later-Scott

A wee bit of hijack... I am pretty sure that health insurance companies have clauses in their coverage that would prevent them from having to pay in a situation like this anyway. I dont have insurance, but I like to play, and I do so as safely as I know how. Check all the p's and q's in your coverage, these insurance companies pay lawyers millions of dollars to pay as little as possible. Strapping yourself into a kite with insurance may not mean anything in a situation like this, or any extreme sport.

The guys interview pissed me off too. He cant even freakin talk right, and hes saying that hes doing great. Obviously brain damaged or delusional. Niether of which look good for any of us. I hope he gets well, but I seriously question his sanity after hearing that he would go out in a tropical storm again.

Not defending the stupid but what about the people who drown inland or in the surf guys? A little too real for the news to put up interviews don't ya think?

As a newer member of this community and kiting itself; it saddens me to see ignorant people such as this, ruin the few spots available to kiteboard/atb.

I wonder why every other kiter on the beach in the video was using what looked like 3 meter or smaller kites while KockmongrelKevin was on a... 5? 6? who knows how many meters that damn thing is ? Its definitely a good size.... and strapped in nonetheless???

Bottom line if your going to swimming would you chain yourself to a cinder-block first??

After thinking long and hard for about 1/1000th of a second I've come up with the following ways this could have been avoided.... (it took alot longer to type than to come up with :singing: haha)

1. Kite Killers and handles (that makes too much sense in a hurricane doesn't it?)

2. A smaller kite (proper for the conditions, whatever they may be)

3. A Better knowledge of the... WEATHER! YOU STUPID ****

4. Common sense (in this case lacking - see #1)

5. A better release mechanism (or being smart enough to use the one he was using... see #1...)

6. A RESPONSIBLE and SAFETY CONSCIOUS kiteboarder... (see #1 and 4...again) (safety conscious is IMO the best term here because we all know this #@%$#! ain't "Safe")

7. BUY SOME HEALTH INSURANCE BEFORE FLYING A BEAST IN A HURRICANE!!!!!



Ummm... this can't really be this clear can it?


Unfortunately,
People such as KockmongerKevin are a detriment to the human race and society as a whole.

IT IS "SHEEPLE" LIKE KEVIN THAT BECOME THE SCAPEGOATS OUR GOVERNMENT USES TO PROTECT "US FROM OURSELVES."
THANKS KEVIN FOR HELPING BIG BROTHER SLIGHTLY FURTHER THE REACH OF HIS PROVERBIAL OUTLAWING-WHIP ONTO THIS INFANTILE SPORT YOU INSIGNIFI#@%$#!!

Who wants to place bets on how long before kiting at THAT Florida beach is banned and directly causes other parks, forest preserves, beaches, fields, school fields etc to kick RESPONSIBLE kiters off their areas in fear of LIABILITY and proposition a ban of kiting in those areas???

===

I'd like to note that in an attempt to explain to people outside the kiting community that we are NOT all ignorant jackasses with no regard for human safety, this page has been added to STUMBLEUPON!

If you have StumbleUpon please give this page a Thumbs UP!

www.stumbleupon.com

If you have DiGG please DIGG this page ! For the good of your own reputation lol!

A few clarifications. I think he was using a 9m kite. Surely it wasn't a C-kite, but who knows. He couldn't talk right because his throat was injured in the accident (per the interview video). I don't think health insurance yet has limited coverage for kiting but watch for it to happen now because of this "free spirit" in Florida.

I keep coming back to his statement about how pretty the water is out in the gulf stream. One little problem and the next stop is on Popeyes beach in England somewhere a few weeks later. Even people in boats don't go out there with only 1 engine most of the time. And they have radios and other technology to fall back on if something goes wrong, AND A BOAT TO FLOAT IN. What's this guy going to fall back on if he breaks a line or pops a bladder 2 miles out. I'm guessing he doesn't work his way out there upwind so the wind would blow him back in, but rather does it with a side shore wind with nothing but maybe the outer banks to stop him from touring the Atlantic. Heck, don't most buggiers that go a long way from their starting point carry an extra kite? If he continues like he says he is going to, natural selection will run its course with him.

Quote:

Originally posted by TheNotoriousZ28 1. Kite Killers and handles (that makes too much sense in a hurricane doesn't it?) 2. A smaller kite (proper for the conditions, whatever they may be) 3. A Better knowledge of the... WEATHER! YOU STUPID **** 4. Common sense (in this case lacking - see #1)

People don't kite surf on handles. They fly depower kites on depower bars. (There are a couple exceptions including a guy or two on this forum, but 99% of kite surfers fly depower).

I haven't seen the interview and agree that this guy made some bad decisions and brought negative attention to the sport but as a newer member of the kiting community maybe you shouldn't be calling him stupid when he has four or five years of kite surfing experience. (Especially if your #1 suggestion for kite surfing in a hurricane is to use kite killers and handles.)

Quote:

Originally posted by kiteNH Quote: Originally posted by TheNotoriousZ28 1. Kite Killers and handles (that makes too much sense in a hurricane doesn't it?) 2. A smaller kite (proper for the conditions, whatever they may be) 3. A Better knowledge of the... WEATHER! YOU STUPID **** 4. Common sense (in this case lacking - see #1) People don't kite surf on handles. They fly depower kites on depower bars. (There are a couple exceptions including a guy or two on this forum, but 99% of kite surfers fly depower). I haven't seen the interview and agree that this guy made some bad decisions and brought negative attention to the sport but as a newer member of the kiting community maybe you shouldn't be calling him stupid when he has four or five years of kite surfing experience. (Especially if your #1 suggestion for kite surfing in a hurricane is to use kite killers and handles.)

I definitely wouldn't wanna be dangling on kite killers in 60mph either!!!! :tumble:

Quote:

Originally posted by kiteNH Quote: Originally posted by TheNotoriousZ28 1. Kite Killers and handles (that makes too much sense in a hurricane doesn't it?) 2. A smaller kite (proper for the conditions, whatever they may be) 3. A Better knowledge of the... WEATHER! YOU STUPID **** 4. Common sense (in this case lacking - see #1) People don't kite surf on handles. They fly depower kites on depower bars. (There are a couple exceptions including a guy or two on this forum, but 99% of kite surfers fly depower). I haven't seen the interview and agree that this guy made some bad decisions and brought negative attention to the sport but as a newer member of the kiting community maybe you shouldn't be calling him stupid when he has four or five years of kite surfing experience. (Especially if your #1 suggestion for kite surfing in a hurricane is to use kite killers and handles.)

Excuse me if I didn't write "Don't go out in a hurricane" as my number 1 choice... Most people would assume thats the RIGHT and SAFE choice. If you didn't notice either, they are in no particular order just random thoughts. COMMON SENSE ONES

I'm sorry if you don't have the abilities to kiteboard with handles. I use both bars and handles on land AND in water, when the conditions call for it. I could care less if I lost my kite if it ended up saving my life and keeping me from FLYING 100 YARDS INTO A BUILDING BECAUSE IM SO STUPID IM FLYING A 9 METER KITE IN 60-70 KNOT WINDS STRAPPED IN! Yeah! OK!

Oh and I may not know you too well KiteNH but I do know you should go watch the damn interview then come back here and put in your two cents once you know the whole story because this guy most likely DISGRACED everything you have ever stood for as a responsible kiter or human being in general. If not, then your just as bad as he is.

You don't need years of experience with kites in order to know when someone has ruined something for everyone, that ALSO fits into that # 4 column, COMMON SENSE.

Quote:

Originally posted by domdino Quote: Originally posted by kiteNH Quote: Originally posted by TheNotoriousZ28 1. Kite Killers and handles (that makes too much sense in a hurricane doesn't it?) 2. A smaller kite (proper for the conditions, whatever they may be) 3. A Better knowledge of the... WEATHER! YOU STUPID **** 4. Common sense (in this case lacking - see #1) People don't kite surf on handles. They fly depower kites on depower bars. (There are a couple exceptions including a guy or two on this forum, but 99% of kite surfers fly depower). I haven't seen the interview and agree that this guy made some bad decisions and brought negative attention to the sport but as a newer member of the kiting community maybe you shouldn't be calling him stupid when he has four or five years of kite surfing experience. (Especially if your #1 suggestion for kite surfing in a hurricane is to use kite killers and handles.) I definitely wouldn't wanna be dangling on kite killers in 60mph either!!!! :tumble:

So if you were this guy and got slammed into the sand would you have pulled the release on your Bar or release the handles from your hands??? Which one is easier to do when your knocked out/unconscious? In the video this guy responds to the interviewer, "I was knocked out a little bit from the impact so I couldnt pull the safety..."

Quote:

Originally posted by TheNotoriousZ28 Excuse me if I didn't write "Don't go out in a hurricane" as my number 1 choice... Most people would assume thats the RIGHT and SAFE choice. If you didn't notice either, they are in no particular order just random thoughts. COMMON SENSE ONES I'm sorry if you don't have the abilities to kiteboard with handles. I use both bars and handles on land AND in water, when the conditions call for it. I could care less if I lost my kite if it ended up saving my life and keeping me from FLYING 100 YARDS INTO A BUILDING BECAUSE IM SO STUPID IM FLYING A 9 METER KITE IN 60-70 KNOT WINDS STRAPPED IN! Yeah! OK! Oh and I may not know you too well KiteNH but I do know you should go watch the damn interview then come back here and put in your two cents once you know the whole story because this guy most likely DISGRACED everything you have ever stood for as a responsible kiter or human being in general. If not, then your just as bad as he is. You don't need years of experience with kites in order to know when someone has ruined something for everyone, that ALSO fits into that # 4 column, COMMON SENSE.

Yikes! Let's ease up on the flaming here, this forum has always been somewhat free of that behavior and i love it for that!

Quote:

Originally posted by TheNotoriousZ28 So if you were this guy and got slammed into the sand would you have pulled the release on your Bar or release the handles from your hands??? Which one is easier to do when your knocked out/unconscious? In the video this guy responds to the interviewer, "I was knocked out a little bit from the impact so I couldnt pull the safety..."

I completely agree that handles would be easier to release WITHOUT killers - but killers in my opinion are a bad idea in extreme wind - they only slam on the breaks, and if for some reason you are pulled over and unable to keep your arms at a balanced length you will start spinning the kite creating a whole world of trouble...

There were millions of things he did wrong that he did not admit to in this video that he would have been taught had he the humility to take a lesson or two all of which would have saved him just as easy as using handles...
I've kitesurfed on handles and it was kinda fun though Also... when we're talking depower/LEIs, a 9m kite is less powerful than a 4-5m fixed bridle in similar winds IMO...

I'm not disagreeing with you at all, enhance your calm :D i just think the kitekillers comment was :smug:

Quote:

Originally posted by TheNotoriousZ28 Excuse me if I didn't write "Don't go out in a hurricane" as my number 1 choice... Most people would assume thats the RIGHT and SAFE choice. If you didn't notice either, they are in no particular order just random thoughts. COMMON SENSE ONES I'm sorry if you don't have the abilities to kiteboard with handles. I use both bars and handles on land AND in water, when the conditions call for it. I could care less if I lost my kite if it ended up saving my life and keeping me from FLYING 100 YARDS INTO A BUILDING BECAUSE IM SO STUPID IM FLYING A 9 METER KITE IN 60-70 KNOT WINDS STRAPPED IN! Yeah! OK! Oh and I may not know you too well KiteNH but I do know you should go watch the damn interview then come back here and put in your two cents once you know the whole story because this guy most likely DISGRACED everything you have ever stood for as a responsible kiter or human being in general. If not, then your just as bad as he is. You don't need years of experience with kites in order to know when someone has ruined something for everyone, that ALSO fits into that # 4 column, COMMON SENSE.

Easy there killer. If you kite surf on handles then you must know that it isn't very common and still probably isn't a great suggestion for the masses. Also kiting on handles wouldn't give you any depower at all which may not be great for gusty hurricane conditions:tumble:. Just out of curiosity what kite do you kite surf with on handles?

I'm fairly certain that this kiter fellow didn't disgrace everything that I have every stood for as a human being. I don't need to watch the video to find that out.

I do want to watch the video, but just haven't gotten around to it yet. My mom saw it and got a kick out of it when the weatherman went off on the guy.

About the only thing he said that made sense was that he knew he should have kept it low in those winds. :duh:

:!: THIS IS AN IMPORTANT LESSON THAT FOLKS ON THIS FORUM NEED TO HEAR :!:

When you take lessons you are taught to NEVER just leave the kite sitting at Zenith. Keep it low and go , they say ! Folks on land tend to fly in lower winds so we often forget or never learn this important rule !

The logic is that you will get yarded downwind / cross wind and have better chance of maintaining control in a big gust. The option is being lofted and counting on getting to your safety in time.

It is also a handy practice in busy launches. You take up much less room with your kite down low.