NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207



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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2006
Release #06-202
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: Julie Vallese, (301) 504-7800




CPSC Warns Consumers about Dangers of Tube Kiting Two Deaths over the Past 3
Months Attributed to New Water Sport

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In advance of the July 4th holiday weekend, the U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers about the
possible dangers associated with a new type of water recreation known as
"tube kiting."

CPSC is concerned about death and injury reports associated with tube
kiting. It is currently investigating two versions of these products to
determine if there is a significant product hazard.

Tube kiting is a relatively new form of extreme water sport which is fast
growing in popularity, but also extremely dangerous. CPSC is aware of at
least two deaths associated with tube kiting this year. A
33-year-old Texas man was killed in late April 2006 while tube kiting, and a
42-year-old man died from injuries associated with tube kiting on June 26,
2006 in Wisconsin.

CPSC is also aware of 12 serious injuries associated with tube kiting. The
injuries include a broken neck, punctured lung, broken ribs, broken femur,
chest and back injuries, and facial injuries, such as jaw
fractures. A 14-year-old girl who was tube kiting lost consciousness when it
fell about 15 feet and struck the water.

Tube kites are very large, sometimes round, inflatable water devices that
can be more than 10 feet in diameter. The tube is hooked to the back of a
boat by a tow rope, and the tube rider pulls back on a rope as the boat
travels at speeds between 25 and 35 miles per hour. The ride begins when the
tube is lifted into the air trailing the boat. Possible reasons for
incidents and injuries include: 1) rider's difficulty in controlling the
tube, 2) boat operator inexperience, and 3) how the tube reacts in certain
weather conditions. The conditions of highest concern are wind gusts that
can cause the tube to spin out of control,
or sudden slowing or stopping by the boat operator, which can cause the tube
to nose dive into the water. In some cases, the sudden stopping of the boat
might cause the tube rider to continue past the boat and hit it or hit other
boats or stationary objects, such as a bridge.

The National Park Service has banned the inflatable devices in at least one
of its parks, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which includes Lake
Powell where there have been at least four serious injuries.