Alameda Beach Safety Guidelines, Etiquette, & Right of Way

[Boardsports]

As a community, we all owe it to each other to promote safety. Please read these guidelines that were created years ago with the help of the greater community and the SFBA (San Francisco Boardsailing Association). They are posted on the shack in Alameda with a map of the launch area. We have the safety guidelines in a handout, feel free to stop by the shack for a hardcopy. We pass these guidelines out to every beginner student, and it's always a good idea to remind ourselves of best practices for safety guidelines, beach etiquette, and right of way. If you go to a new spot to kite, always ask the locals or the local shop for the local guidelines before you go out.

Please also feel free to stop by our Boardsports Alameda shack anytime, and we will happily give you an overview of the Alameda launching area, as well as introduce you to the regulars/locals that tirelessly help out newbies.

Thank you to all of our devoted locals that help to promote safety at Crown Beach in Alameda. We are all stronger together, so everyone please take the time to help out each other.

Thank you,
Jane

attachments for download below.

ALAMEDA KITEBOARD SAFETY GUIDELINES

Beginner Guidelines

▪ All beginners should get professional instruction from a certified instructor at an established school 


▪ All beginners are encouraged to get at least 6 hours of practice on a training kite before instruction. However, do not fly the trainer until you have read and understand its instruction manual 


▪ Never buy, rig and launch a non-trainer kite before instruction 


▪ Never try to help launch or land a kite before you’ve had instruction

General Guidelines:

▪ When in doubt, don’t go out 


▪ Kite with a friend and let a non-kiter know where you have gone kiting and 
when you should return home 


▪ Kitesurfers are responsible for their own safety and for the safety of others 
in their vicinity 


▪ Always use a proper safety leash 


▪ Always were a helmet, life jacket/Impact vest, harness and wetsuit 


▪ Never kitesurf in off shore or onshore wind 


▪ Check weather forecast before every session. Avoid storms and squalls. 
Consider not going out in higher winds (20+ knots) and gusty conditions 


▪ Before going out read site specific guidelines and/or talk to other kiters 
about water hazards, obstacles, land considerations, etc. 


▪ Kiters should yield right of way to all other beach users 


▪ For beach goers’ safety, it is strongly recommended that you do not walk 
up the beach with your kite in the air 


▪ Be helpful to others and take responsibility for public safety


▪ Do not leave unused kites on the beach 


▪ Roll up your lines when not in use

ALAMEDA KITEBOARD SAFETY GUIDELINES 


Please protect kiting access at Crown Beach in Alameda. 


FOR RIGGING, LAUNCHING, LANDING, AND SCHOOL ZONES, PLEASE SEE MAP AND RESPECT DESIGNATED AREAS

Launch Area:

• The launch zone must remain clear of equipment. It is for launching and landing only. Additionally, launch areas are typically based on kiter consensus and not sanctioned by law. Often they are also the launch area for windsurfing, kayaks, etc. That means that anyone has the right to stand in the launch land area and you are responsible for their safety. Ask bystanders to "Please remain clear

Pre Launching:
• MAINTAIN A SAFETY ZONE around you of a minimum of 200 ft (or approximately 2 kite line lengths at all times!) 


• Set up kite and clear all tangled lines 


• Ensure that all safety systems are properly working 


• Always prevent kites from inadvertent launching on the beach by 
weighting with sand etc... 


Launching: 

• Attach kite safety leash 


• Make sure that launch zone area is clear and there are no incoming kiters. 


• Look in the launch area before signaling to be launch. Ask bystanders to 
"Please move out of the launch zone” before you launch 


• Don’t fly your kite at 12:00 over land. 


• Whenever possible, launch toward the water, keep your kite low and go. 
Self launching is discouraged. Please ask for assistance 


• When launching, make sure that kite is free of sand before release (This is 
a courtesy to other beach users) 


• Launch kites only from designated areas 


• Leave the beach in a slow and controlled manner, but do not hesitate to 
get to the water 

• Beginners should body drag 200’ out before water starting 


• No beach jumping 

  
ALAMEDA KITEBOARD SAFETY GUIDELINES

On the Water/Right of Way:

• Starboard tack has right of way (right hand forward is starboard, left is port) 


• Right of way does not mean you can veer up or down wind. While passing, maintain your course 


• While passing another kiter who is down wind of you, fly your kite high; if you are the down wind kiter, fly your kite low 


• Keep clear of all beach goers, swimmers, and waders. They always have right of way


• Downwind kiters/windsurfer has the right of way (they can’t see behind them) 


• Kiter should give way to other water crafts (kiters can maneuver easily, others can't) 


• Don’t jump 50m upwind of another water user 


• Incoming kiters should let launching kiters go out first before landing 


• Jump and jibe at least 200’ outside shore break and swimming area 


• Always yield to ALL other water users 


• DO NOT COME WITHIN 200’ OF THE BEACH OR SWIM AREAS 
UNLESS LAUNCHING OR LANDING!! ... 


Landing: 

• If you are on the water and can’t water relaunch and you are drifting toward the beach w/swimmers or bystanders, you must perform a self rescue before your kite reaches them – 200’ Minimum! 


• Be sure that no one is launching as you come in 


• Self landing is discouraged. Obtain assistance for landing your kite 


• If you have been taken down wind, do not ask beach goers to help land 
your kite; self land in the water 


• Roll-up your lines immediately after landing and move your kite out of the 
launching/landing zone


“Kite in hand when you hit the sand.” Kitesurfers who return to shore downwind of the antenna must land their kite in the water and recover it before walking up on to the beach.