There are times when you really get into trouble with the wing leash - anyone who has ever been spit out by a wave while completely entangled in their equipment knows what is meant. Nevertheless, loosening the wing leash on the water has always been a no-go. The risk of the wing disappearing never to be seen again in a moment of carelessness is too great. The Cloud IX Anchorman Safety Leash (149 euros) - a kind of drift anchor for wings - is designed to remedy this situation. We took a look at the system and tried it out on two windy days on the Baltic Sea.
Beads of sweat before the first test
The system consists of a waist belt to which a release is clipped. The basic system should be familiar to kitesurfers in particular. If you push the handle away from your body, the wing separates from the waist belt and pulls out the parachute, which is stowed in a neoprene cover. To be honest, we were a little nervous during our first attempts in the face of gusts of 25 knots - what if the system didn't work as promised and the wing disappeared never to be seen again? We therefore tried out the Cloud IX Anchorman close to the shore and organised a potential rescuer for the wing.
Releasing the wing is easy, simply grab the orange handle and push it away from the body. The first gust tore the wing into the air and blew it a few metres away, but then the drift anchor immediately caught in the water. This ensured that even strong gusts did not cause the wing to lift off and it only drifted slowly to leeward. Lying on the board, the wing was quickly caught up - our potential wing rescuer was not used. It also only took a few seconds to reconnect the wing to the waist belt. Finally, the small drift anchor was stuffed into the neoprene sleeve on the hip belt and that was it.
Of course, we then repeated the test a few more times and deliberately threw the wing into the air to see how reliably the system worked. The result was always the same - after two flips at the latest, the drift anchor had caught itself, and in most cases the wing did not move away from us at all. Reaching it at a relaxed paddling speed was possible without any problems in all attempts.
Here's a short video of one of our tests:
Cloud IX Anchorman Safety Leash - the conclusion:
The Cloud IX Anchorman Leash works reliably and in extreme cases, for example if you have to detach from the wing in a wave, it can ensure that you can reach it again. The only thing we can't quite understand is that there are no additional eyelets for a board leash on the hip belt. However, an upcoming update (see pictures below) should make it possible to attach the safety system to other hip belts or harnesses - we will keep you up to date.
You can order the Safety Leash at Haiku Sports online shop.
Here's a short interview with Jan Muellers from the distributor Haiku Sports:
Jan, what is the idea behind the Cloud IX Anchorman?
In principle, it is a leash to which a small "parachute" is attached. This opens via a release mechanism and the leash separates from the body. In the water, the wing then hangs from a drift anchor - it drifts slowly and does not fly away.
What is the area of application of this system?
There are several situations in which it makes sense. For example, if you get tangled up with the wing and board leash after a fall or wash. You can then release the wing leash without the wing coming off. This can minimise the risk of injury in the wave.
How is the system triggered?
In principle, it is a simple mechanism. You push the trigger away from the body, causing the wing to separate from the body and the sabot to open.
Where should the system ideally be mounted?
The Anchorman Safety System should be used in conjunction with a hip leash.
How much does the Cloud IX Anchorman System cost and where can I order it?
The leash costs 149 euros and is available Haiku Sports online shop available.
