Dangerous launching at 3rd

[ramsey]

Its also a nice courtesy of the guy on port to put his kite super low. I do this a lot in crowded situations so that the starboard guy can keep his right of way. A lot of times that same guy will later give you the right of way too. Of course it depends on conditions too. On a super windy day like today its probably good just to stay a couple line lengths away from everyone.

[kief]

SFO building..big time!>>>>BE SAFE OUT THERE.

Time Temp. Dew Relative Wind Wind Visibility WX Clouds Sea Level Altimeter Station 6 Hr 6 Hr 24 Hr 24 Hr Quality
Point Humidity Direction Speed Pressure Setting Pressure Max Min Max Min Control
(PDT) (f) (f) (%) (mph) (miles) (mb) (inches) (inches) Temp Temp Temp Temp
28 Apr 12:56 pm 61 40 46 W 37G45 :shock: 10.00 FEW030 SCT200 1022.7 30.20 30.198 OK
28 Apr 11:56 am 60 42 51 W 22G33 10.00 FEW040 BKN200 1023.0 30.21 30.208 OK
28 Apr 10:56 am 59 43 55 W 20G29 10.00 FEW018 SCT040 BKN200 1023.1 30.21 30.208 59 50 OK
28 Apr 9:56 am 56 42 60 WNW 13G22 10.00 FEW015 BKN038 BKN200 1023.3 30.22 30.218 OK
28 Apr 8:56 am 54 43 66 W 21 10.00 FEW015 SCT034 BKN040 1023.0 30.21 30.208 OK
28 Apr 7:56 am 53 43 69 W 8

[kitenaked]

rules of the road are guidelines....

ultimate if they fail, the two kiters need to be aware of each other and make a decision based upon the specific situation.

giving people space and right of way including dropping your kite down to let the other pass is common courtesy.

benicia wind ....day 7. See yah!

[MehYam]

I'm surprised there wasn't another upper launch incident today. Winds were super sketchy, gusting and lulling, shifting from north to west and back. IMO nobody should have been out there, the kiting wasn't good enough to warrant the risky launch anyway.

[shred_da_gorge]

Dammit, sounds like my kind of day! I threw the 7 and small board (and squid lid) in but ended up in late meetings and dragged out for sushi by a VP. Oh, the things you do to pay for gear.

Great conversation and tips! An upwind kiter can pinch higher with the kite high than with it low anyway. When the kite is low it can become a tug-of-war with your edging and generally bring you further downwind the more you power it. When I first switched over from windsurfing this was counter-intuitive and so frustrating trying to muscle upwind until my friend showed me the technique.

[baypirate]

I'm surprised there wasn't another upper launch incident today. Winds were super sketchy, gusting and lulling, shifting from north to west and back. IMO nobody should have been out there, the kiting wasn't good enough to warrant the risky launch anyway.

It probably has more to do with many of the... greener beginners not having a small kite than with good judgement. But we likely came pretty close to... mayhem as wind completely shut down on the inside ~4-4:30. Everybody (re-)rigged bigger kites, I went back to the car for a 10m + surfboard, pumped it and just as I was launching, the beast woke up again whipping the beach with upper 20s. Took a tack out, lit out of mind on the twinnie, and came back for my 8m. Thankfully, was before anyone else got to get out, so whoever had any conservation instinct rigged down after this experiment.

Even on an 7-8m, jumping in the channel was gnarly at times, at least on distance traveled downwind, would have counted as "flight" in 1903...

I'm still waiting for that (mythical?) "steady" 3rd Avenue wind.

SFO Chart.gif (35.52KiB)Viewed 2587 times

[Greg]

Keeping your kite super low is a REAL DRAG....
Like Shred da gorge said having it around 45 provides LIFT as well as pull (drag)-
If you really want to learn to go up wind with MAX effency I suggest STUDYING the TOP RACERS. Ant Chavias told me years ago, max speed DOES NOT get you up wind fast... (But for me, it is more exciting then going up and down, up and down....)
Have fun,
G'

[dz]

I'm just thinking back to the first post,
aside from not offering to pay for damages to your wetsuit I find it pretty disturbing that the guy that caused the accident never checked in with you to see about any injury to you, I mean your person.

But it's a good heads up to be especially alert around the launch area.

[Greg]

I'm just thinking back to the first post,
aside from not offering to pay for damages to your wetsuit I find it pretty disturbing that the guy that caused the accident never checked in with you to see about any injury to you, I mean your person.

But it's a good heads up to be especially alert around the launch area.

This seems to be a question of integrity and honer. Here at Alameda a young girl was injuried by a kiter that simply TOOK OFF.... I dont know what happened but it seems some Kiters have lost their moral compass-

Be safe, (around others) and if you make a "MISTAKE", please OWN UP to it-
L.M.G.

[jbirdmarin]

Greg - while some may have lost their compasses, MOST kiters still have it. I pretty much put my kite buddies at the top of my list for doing the right thing when needed. =D> =D>