Twin Tip Board ban comming to Crissy

Post general kiteboarding discussion topics here!
Tony Soprano
Resident
Resident
Posts:741
Joined:Sat May 19, 2007 7:29 pm
Contact:
Twin Tip Board ban comming to Crissy

Post by Tony Soprano » Sun Jul 06, 2014 7:10 am

Got your attention? This could be a reality if as a user group we do not get it together on
self rescuing.

If you are not in danger of being swept out by the tide, hurt, getting cramped up or hypothermic; you are expected to self rescue and swim. Most all regulars including myself have swam in from the middle of the bay.

A week ago Sunday a windsurfer swam in with her gear. It took her 1.5 hours. Four kite boarders had to be rescued by the Coast Guard and they were closer to the beach than the windsurfer. Why? Because they stayed out to late into the evening. The wind had shut off.

If you have a Surfboard, Formula Race board, Foil Board, you can lay or sit on it and paddle in with your kite flipped upside down behind you. Of course if there is still a little onshore wind you can use the kite like a sail with your lines rolled up.

Way too many losing there Twin Tip Boards and needing Rescue. And the fact that a Twin Tip Board does not provide you the same Floatation and can not really lie down on it to swim in.

The Twin Tip Board at Crissy is becoming a big liability and banning them may be the easiest way out of a serious safety problem.
Last edited by Tony Soprano on Sun Jul 06, 2014 11:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
tgautier
Regular
Regular
Posts:359
Joined:Tue Jun 29, 2010 10:32 pm
Contact:

Re: Twin Tip Board ban comming to Crissy

Post by tgautier » Sun Jul 06, 2014 11:05 am

Ok Jeff all of your concern is seriously appreciated. But the Sunday rescue was not quite the way you put it.

The first rescue was a real one. It occurred at the bridge where a kiter had torn his kite. I and another kiter stayed near to him in case something else happened as the ebb started to take him out. Fortunately the coast guard notified a tanker on its way out of a downed kiteboarder and they changed course slightly south of their original heading. After the cutter headed towards us to rescue the guy we all booked it in as the wind was dying.

On the way in the cutter picked up another kiter who was already self rescuing to the beach.

Shortly thereafter my kite and the other kite both dropped and we began to self rescue. The cutter came next to both of us and asked if we wanted a ride. Swimming in would have been long but definitely a possibility and I think both of us recognized that and were prepared for it. But of course we took the ride that was already there. Wouldn't you?

Finally the cutter also picked up a downed windsurfer. I got the distinct feeling that the coast guard was happy to do their jobs.

It should also be noted that I was on my directional and I always carry a radio as does the other kiter that was rescued.

Should this be a regular occurrence? No. Are you right that everyone should have self rescue skills and be respectful of Crissy? Absolutely.

While Sunday was a light wind day on the inside and there were some antics I would say were not super safe from other kite boarders I think you are overstating the situation with respect to the rescue.

I guess my point is if the windsurfers suggested banning all kite boarders as they are unsafe I doubt you'd agree - just as I would argue banning just twin tips is not the right answer.

You are right however that everyone needs to show respect to a place that demands it and that doesn't always happen and we definitely need a way to do that - I'd just like to keep the conversation constructive.

Tony Soprano
Resident
Resident
Posts:741
Joined:Sat May 19, 2007 7:29 pm
Contact:

Re: Twin Tip Board ban comming to Crissy

Post by Tony Soprano » Sun Jul 06, 2014 12:41 pm

Numerous Twin Tip related lost board rescues in the last couple months.

I like the word "Antics" that certainly describes what has been going on.

Please see this Coast Guard letter from last April 26th 2013

http://www.scribd.com/doc/138553396/MSI ... yak-Safety

User avatar
CdoG
Old School
Old School
Posts:1485
Joined:Sat Jun 16, 2007 6:12 pm
Location:AlAmedA
Contact:

Re: Twin Tip Board ban comming to Crissy

Post by CdoG » Sun Jul 06, 2014 4:34 pm

Hey jeff
If you get that done at crissy...
Could you also do it for berkeley?

calikites
Contributor
Contributor
Posts:24
Joined:Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:54 pm
Contact:

Re: Twin Tip Board ban comming to Crissy

Post by calikites » Sun Jul 06, 2014 8:33 pm

Please do not ban twin tips from Crissy.

sanjose_kiter
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor
Posts:131
Joined:Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:57 am
Contact:

Re: Twin Tip Board ban comming to Crissy

Post by sanjose_kiter » Sun Jul 06, 2014 10:14 pm

I 'd like to propose some ideas:

1. Wear a reel leash or some kind of board leash when kiting @ Crissy field with your TT. That way, there 're no excuse that you lost your board and had to be rescued in.
2. Don't go out further than you 're capable of swimming.
3. When you have to sine the kite to get additional power, it is ABSOLUTE time to head back into shore. This rule had save my a.. so many times when kiting @ 3rd ave.

Anything else ??? But either way, banning TT from a site would really create bad blood amongs the community .

Red_Element_Andy
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor
Posts:83
Joined:Mon Aug 27, 2012 10:24 am
Contact:

Re: Twin Tip Board ban comming to Crissy

Post by Red_Element_Andy » Sun Jul 06, 2014 10:39 pm

First they came for the twin-tip riders, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a twin-tip rider.

Then they came for the windsurfers, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a windsurfer... |}{+

Wouldn't a more moderate position be to look into IKO/PASA cert requirements - similar to the system in Chicago-Montrose?

User avatar
CdoG
Old School
Old School
Posts:1485
Joined:Sat Jun 16, 2007 6:12 pm
Location:AlAmedA
Contact:

Re: Twin Tip Board ban comming to Crissy

Post by CdoG » Sun Jul 06, 2014 11:27 pm

I don't want to have to show any iko license
we need to take care of are own
jeff and some others like him cant do it by themselves, all kiters should step up and talk to newbees and kiters that just don't have the skills yet to kite at the more advanced spots and conditions
if you've been kiteing for a bit you can tell
kiters should keep an eye out for rude kite behavior, dangers kite antics
selfish acts
I could go on and on about what that is
but more kiters need to get involved now before bans and licenses give back to a sport we all love and would like to continue....
new kiters and those with weak skills need to use common sense.
unfortunately it's the lowest from of intelligence when your hungry for a hot session.

Thor29
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor
Posts:131
Joined:Fri May 28, 2010 2:16 pm
Contact:

Re: Twin Tip Board ban comming to Crissy

Post by Thor29 » Sun Jul 06, 2014 11:40 pm

In regards to San Jose Kiter's item 1, if you lose your board but still have your kite in the air, you can body drag in and wouldn't need to be rescued. Losing a twin tip after your kite goes down from lack of wind doesn't really make much difference in regards to being rescued.

Rakky
Contributor
Contributor
Posts:54
Joined:Mon Sep 02, 2013 11:16 am
Contact:

Re: Twin Tip Board ban comming to Crissy

Post by Rakky » Mon Jul 07, 2014 6:44 am

Like quite a few kiting places around the world, I am surprised that there isn't a rescue boat, or someone who wants to make some extra money. Probably charge $20 per rescue. Maybe cheaper and easier than to ban kiters or have the Coast Guard create rules for sailors. Having a rescue boat also increases kiters/windsurfers use of the Bay.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 38 guests