BayAreaKiteboarding.com

Yes, this looks good, but how does one make this happen? Do we just do it and see if we get complaints or do we ask permission? The only thing I would be concerned about would be landing where there is no one at. Of course a self-land is always possible but in hopes of not having to get the kite wet or look for a bush or building to try and land the kite behind, I think it might be nice to have the landing zone close enough to the launch that people could run over to help without going out of the way. Theoretically the land zone for anyone able to go upwind would not have to be more than a kite length or so upwind. It just seems that most people that would be on the beach and not on the water already are people getting ready to go out, hence at the launch zone. Maybe if that spot is just for more advanced kiters we can look at the net idea again. I love the idea of being able to land the kite without needing anyone to help or getting the kite wet.


Yuri

Please go out to the beach WITH A TAPE MEASURE and lay it out. I would like to see your "%"ages verified with an actuall recording device.
If this will help make kites AND kiters 200 feet up wind and at least 150 feet due side from the public I'll adopt it.
G.

=D>

L.M.G. wrote:Please go out to the beach WITH A TAPE MEASURE and lay it out. I would like to see your "%"ages verified with an actuall recording device.
If this will help make kites AND kiters 200 feet up wind and at least 150 feet due side from the public I'll adopt it.
G.

If you want rough numbers, and don't have survey equipment , check out "Google Earth" (maps.google.com on crack)

Use "Tools->Measure", plot a line, and choose your measurement units.

I'd give you numbers, but am not sure on what the measurement would consist of (location of pilot, kite, launch direction based on wind, where they would be positioned, etc).

Google earth RULES! I spend an hour a day on there just looking for kiters in the water somewhere out there. Kidding, but it is pretty cool how detailed it gets. And that is probably severely regulated by the military. I heard they can read lisence plates if they want to.

On another note, I really love Alameda's nice soft beaches. I went to Marina Bay this weekend and ended up climbing out of the water on to slippery sharp rocks 4 times. Of course I had little choice other than to walk 5 miles around the pier. So of course the last time walking out, my kite fell out of the sky and lets just say it looks like I got attacked by a small shark on my arms and hands. ROCKS are no joke. I had no idea just how razor sharp they are. I didnt even fall hard on them. It was a lucky lesson I learned. Not sure what I learned other than to not go out underpowered in a rocky area you need to get upwind rapidly on.

windhorny wrote: I went to Marina Bay this weekend and ended up climbing out of the water on to slippery sharp rocks 4 times. Of course I had little choice other than to walk 5 miles around the pier. So of course the last time walking out, my kite fell out of the sky and lets just say it looks like I got attacked by a small shark on my arms and hands. ROCKS are no joke. I had no idea just how razor sharp they are. I didnt even fall hard on them. It was a lucky lesson I learned. Not sure what I learned other than to not go out underpowered in a rocky area you need to get upwind rapidly on.

This is another launch that can be fraught with peril and not to be taken lightly. You need to have your top game on hand - no mistakes or you can pay.... It's amazing how sharp the rocks are, if they have barnacles - even sharper.

I went with Don who was on a 12 a larger board and is lighter than me and he was making his way upwind. So I thought I would be able to make a valiant tack out into the open wind. If I had rigged bigger I would have been overpowered at the sandbar. Definately an area you want wind and a kite with huge range-unlike a 2003 15 meter slinshot.
But all in all I walked away with a few war wounds and a lesson.

Yuri

I like the plan, BUT

How busy are those parts of the beach right now on weekends? If people park
in the last parking lot and walk straight to the beach, they will be in the launch zone. If they're in the lot before, they'll walk to the landing zone. Also, for groups picnicing, they'd want to walk to the beach behind the trees, right (just downwind of proposed beginner launch zone)

Yuri,
That sounds like a good lesson, now lets see how good your retention is.
Limi

Cool thing about this launch is that beginners would be able to take the time to run their lines slowly without the pressure to clear the launch landing zone. That has been a concern for some of the folks I have talkeed to rigging along the beach front.