Water sports to the extreme
Kite tubes can get plenty of air, but that means a harder, longer fall into the water.
Water sports like windsurfing can be fun. But it can also be very dangerous.
Some call kite tubing water sports to the extreme. And after two deaths and 39 injuries, one company is pulling the product from the water.
The rush of speed in the air and on the water has some shelling out hundreds of dollars for kite tubes. The inflatable watercraft is pulled by a boat, letting the rider slide, glide, bounce, and if the conditions are right, even fly.
But one wrong turn was enough to kill some people. Most of the accidents are happening with one particular Wego kite tube. More than three dozen others went to the hospital with broken necks, punctured lungs and chest, back and face injuries.
The maker of the Wego kite tube, SportsStuff, has pulled its product off the market, though other brands are still being made. Steve LeVine of Watersports West in Largo knows firsthand the dangers of kite tubing.
"I've been on tubes and gotten plenty of air," LeVine said. "Like I said, they bounce and we would whip 'em back and forth. You bounce all over the place."
As a water sports enthusiast and coach, LeVine reminded people kite tubes are not mechanical airplanes.
"I think they're going out in conditions that are windy or gusty and
LeVine said people may not be using kite tubes in optimum weather conditions.
they're running the thing faster than it was probably intended to run," he said.
The higher and faster you go, the harder you hit when you fall, possibly to your death. All reasons to take steps toward safety.
"Helmets, vests and a driver who understands what's going on and keeps you away from movable objects and takes it easy on the speed," LeVine said.
The Wego kite tubes in question were sold between October 2005 and July 2006 for about $500-$600. The model number is 53-5300.
SportsStuff hasn't determined the exact cause of the accidents and recommends to stop using the product if you have one.
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