Safety at 3rd Upper Launch

[sloughslut]

Welcome to sherman.

[goosh]

The person landing always has priority over launching. So says 99% of the kite world.
Don't give contrary advice please.

I never mentioned people landing or launching, but coming in or out. Which is pretty different. Both of them are flying the kite. And unless it's an emergency people going out HAVE the right of way in 99% of the kite world.

As far as landing or launching. I would think it's pretty obvious that people trying to land have right of way over people launching. I don't think that's too much of a problem at the 3rd upper launch though. Coming in and out is. I often see, when it gets busy, a person in the water trying to put their board in, another waiting by the water's edge, another a bit further back. And somebody come in from far and squeezing through all the flying kites.

[kailuakiter]

launching = person going out
landing = person coming in

It's the whole process of getting in or out of the water. Think of "launching" as "launching from the beach," not just the act of bringing your kite into the sky.
Technically a person "coming in" as you call it has right of way, because again, they might be having an emergency. But normal courtesy is to cede right of way to the person going out, i.e. launching

[super_monkey]

Maybe some of these guys took a trip up to Sherman this weekend.

Hmm, roll out lines........then blow up kite......then take 20 frickin' minutes to put your wetsuit on.......4 kites managed to take up the whole launch area for a ridiculously stupid length of time. Who teaches people this is ok?

There is an obvious fix to that. If you have to weave thru unattended lines simply go and collect the lines at the bar in arm's span length, or collect the lines at the kite. It really is kinda rude but I think it gets the point across on a busy day.

[goosh]

launching = person going out
landing = person coming in

It's the whole process of getting in or out of the water. Think of "launching" as "launching from the beach," not just the act of bringing your kite into the sky.
Technically a person "coming in" as you call it has right of way, because again, they might be having an emergency. But normal courtesy is to cede right of way to the person going out, i.e. launching

Sorry, but I respectfully disagree. I don't really think they are the same.

Anyway, as per the IKO rules
http://www.kiteboardingtarifa.com/priority/safety/rules

(couldn't find it in the actual IKO webpage, but I'm sure it's buried there somewhere)

[kitedancer]

Dare I say it? I miss the mudd! LOL.

Yes, for some reason everywhere I kite beginners tend to not bodydrag out before water starting. Most of the time I still body drag out - just out of safety.

Most of the time in CT/RI, I have the whole beach to myself, had to give myself a crash course on self launching,hahaaa

~Lisa

[CdoG]

I would say kite coming in has right away
and last time i hit 3rd upper, my left foot was leading me out i.e. port
coming in right foot forward starboard
and
also
kiters of all abilities,should drag out

[baypirate]

people sitting in the water right in front of the launch zone, not moving.....with their kites straight up in the air. Kind of looked like those WWI scenarios with barrage balloons all over the place.

WWI barrage balloons, that's exactly it. Didn't work that well then either...

[stone]

Folks, lets apply a little common sense here. Kiters launching are moving to the water with their kites in the air at walking speed. Kiters on the water are moving at 10 times that speed. In the time it takes to walk 30 feet into the water, a kiter 500 feet away could zip in block you. Now what do you do? Go back up to the rigging area? There are two other launching kiters stacked up up behind you (normal for 3rd upper). Does the landing kiter really want to dance around three live kites before landing his? What about another landing kiter coming in right after him (also with "right of way")--now you have 5 kites trying to get around each other in congested (and slippery) space.

If the inbound kiter were to have right of way, then you'd have to wait for ANY inbound kiter within 500 feet of the launch to make clear their intentions. That includes people just beating upwind and the douchebags throwing tricks in front of the launch. You'd never get out.

If the landing kiter can just take right of way, then you end up with a traffic pileup. This is why the launching kiter has right of way, to minimize congestion and clear the launch. (there are some launches that have evolved their own practices--respect the local ways)

Obviously, a kiter with an equipment problem or a newbie coming in hot (eg. Sherman) gets right of way over the normal rules. This applies to all situations, not just launching and landing. And if you're launching and see an inbound kiter coming at you close, give them space--maybe they've got a non-visible problem like the recurring harness breakage mentioned above. Besides, as Ollie says, give a little to keep a smooth flow going.

A simple google search on "outgoing kiteboarder": http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=outgoing ... TZlSg8c0wI

[rvv]

Sorry, but I respectfully disagree. I don't really think they are the same.

Anyway, as per the IKO rules
http://www.kiteboardingtarifa.com/priority/safety/rules

(couldn't find it in the actual IKO webpage, but I'm sure it's buried there somewhere)

So that's how they do it in Tarifa Hmmmm? Kiters stand on the beach kite in the air watching kiters shred! (see link above) Sounds like upper 3rd only warmer. :-k