Wind this weekend

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Will the wind blow anywhere this weekend?

Poll ended at Sat Aug 25, 2007 8:26 am

Yes! Godsey knows nothing.
3
60%
No, I'm staying home.
2
40%
 
Total votes: 5

super_monkey
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Post by super_monkey » Mon Sep 10, 2007 7:53 am

The funniest thing was that I dropped my kite near shore yesterday and ,of course, let my board go to tend to the kite. Once I got it up I started dragging upwind. All of a sudden I lost track of my board and could no longer see it. When I got to shore next to our launch where windsurfers go in a few guys were sitting on chairs with these odd smirks on their faces and one of them asked, where is your board? I replied that I lost track of it and need to get back to it. The board was gone, as if it vanished. I took another board to look for it and what do I see, a windsurfer getting out of the water, my board in hand at the windsurfer's launch way below. I got my board and board in hand tried to get out. It's super intimidating in their places as they see you, look you in the face and go millimeters below your lines. One dude with long blond hair kept doing this notoriously until I was way out. If he hit my line, I would have gotten out of the water and knocked him the-fu*k-out.

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windhorny
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Post by windhorny » Mon Sep 10, 2007 9:10 am

This tension has got to stop, seriously. Lets literally cut the wall down between us. I only blame myself for jumping ontop of this guy because the guy who jumps basically gives up the right of way. Although I didnt see him at all I think the reason is that we are not self trained enough to look out for them. We will sometimes give a quick glance left or right and see if tehre is a kite in the air but not downwind enough to see if there is a windsurfer going 50mph. Again, it really shouldnt be any different than driving. We can yell at bikers for going between us but we just learn to give em their space. maybe not the best example but point being we all need to work with the space we got and they are part of it.

What was really annoying was the guy at the beach yesterday talking loudly about his thoughts on the dangers of kites to windsurfers. But he did in such a way that was not direct yet obvious he wanted everyone to hear his heated thoughts. Maybe it's time to have a Ruben Lenten-less meeting with both sides present. A bbq? Cause when you think about it, it is bullshit to have these bickerings between 2 so closely related sports.

And on another note of right of way. I think the person who has the right of way should take it! When it is windy as hell and people are coming at eachother at mach 5 and you have any debate on who is going where. It would make things much more predictable if the starboard tack stayed upwind. There are circumstances of course but this mainly applys to the guy who just turned around and is heading at you as if he is trying to get as close as possible before falling off. Sometimes these get so close that the right of way person will give him the space at the last minute but only to find tha the other guy did the same thing at the last minute as well, smack! So take it! Assume it! Just don't hog it!

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davewsail
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Post by davewsail » Mon Sep 10, 2007 9:33 am

Kind of funny but not... http://forums.ikitesurf.com/viewtopic.php?t=9069

Looks like the kiters at Belmont have more than just windsurfers pissed at them. What a kook! That kind of crap makes anger towards kiters justified.
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Post by Bulldog » Mon Sep 10, 2007 10:16 am

On a related topic, next time the Coast Guard shows up on a crowded Sunday, you guys might want to think about not going huge inside the buoys! I saw Dave and Ollie both pull giant kiteloops 100 ft. off the beach while the CG boat was sitting there. Dave's wipeout was fun for a kiter to watch, but if I'm sure the CG didn't have the same reaction.

If any windsurfers or anyone else has been complaining to the CG about kiters at SI, doing that kind of crap right in front of them is not going to help. :evil: Next thing you know, they're going to make us all take boating safety classes and start patrolling the launch for KWI (kiting while intoxicated).
Paul
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It says 10M, but it's really a 9.

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davewsail
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Post by davewsail » Mon Sep 10, 2007 10:35 am

Paul, in my defense I started that loop well outside the buoys but it was so powered that I got yanked way downwind. My bad-- the wipe-out was my punishment. I seriously tried to stay outside the buoys at all times. I got the message last week (at least I think I did).

BTW, what happened to the guy with the red kite that the CG delivered to the launch?
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OliverG
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Post by OliverG » Mon Sep 10, 2007 11:21 am

At the risk of starting a heated thread, the presence of the buoys goes both ways. Many kiters, including myself (I can name plenty more) have had crashes or breakdowns well outside the buoys and struggled to relaunch or get things sorted out only to drift in and have no chance of recovery after getting lines tangled in the buoys. Once one of your kite lines wraps around a buoy, it just pulls the buoy underwater and getting things untangled can be a serious undertaking. Happened to Bret Sat. morning...

There are always two sides to the story, but one side has it that the buoys were placed there by an instructor because the students after taking lessons and starting to kite at the main launch, and having beginnner-level skills, were intimidated by the more advanced kiters and needed a buffer zone. Ok, fine, but should beginning kiters be there anyway?

There is so much continual drama over the buoys, some people think they serve a purpose, many think they are nothing but a hazard...so, are they help or hazard? It's funny how something that is there to make things "safer" can actually be a hazard in itself.
Last edited by OliverG on Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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windhorny
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Post by windhorny » Mon Sep 10, 2007 11:48 am

Funny, I never saw any issues with ollie or daves loops other than I was so enthraled with watching them i found myself sitting out in the water to get a better view.

I am betting the coast guard is made up mainly of younger guys. Cummon, you really think they don't get enjoyment from watching people wipe out? As long as they dont have to scoop you up they probably love it.

I never really thought about it but I bet if the buoys weren't there, nothing would change.

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Post by CdoG » Mon Sep 10, 2007 11:50 am

Too late,heated thread, on the way
how do the markers make money...?
and i feel thay are there to remind you" were you at?"
not play in here.
i would hope the markers are there to keep the luanch free of "fly n dabree"
who are you too ,to keep kiters hostage at the luanch..
wile you too, unwrap, bounce, fly or sometimes land?so close to the put in..?
and if you know the markers are there, shame on you for doing something on top of them!
you know there are island there too?
you want to remove them also?
i, for one" like the markes"
it lets me know when one of you yah whos is too close.


and then there is the publick, you know ppl who dont kite and just want to swim.

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Post by fearlu » Mon Sep 10, 2007 11:56 am

The bouys are there to designate a launching/landing area for the benefit and safety of all park users.

I'm sure the agencies with authority at this locale would prefer that we observe the self-imposed boundary. If the Coast Guard, the Park Host, the Park Rangers or OTHER PARK USERS decide to make a stink about us (or specific individuals), we ALL lose. I'm sure most riders understand that in this case (as in many others involving mixed-use parks) that "perception is reality." Kiteloops, powered tricks and big jumps APPEAR to be potentially dangerous on the inside.

Please observe the bouys for their original intent and the subsequent symbolism they represent. It's just good etiquette really. After 25 years of windsports at SI we'd hate to be restricted. Anyone disagree? If so, kindly kite away from the launch area, where you can loop, jump, crash, spin, handle-pass, swell-ride and kook-out in any way you please.

Just my grandfatherly advice. Don't make me call your mama...

](*,)
Go bigga'

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Post by super_monkey » Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:01 pm

Personally, the buoys help me gauge where to send it but then I never had the misfortune of getting tangled in one.

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