Old 2011, Crissy to Berkeley Live2kite Downwinder -JUNE 11th

[flyingpaddy]

Twin tip or surf board???

I have both, but I'm not very good on the surf board yet. I have only started using it very recently and can't really jib very well.

Someone told me I would be wrecked (tired) using the TT.

Just curious what everyone else is gonna use.

Cheers

[soupdumpling]

I'm using TT for the same reason (don't know how to jibe properly yet on a surfboard). I've also never kited Crissy in general so don't have a radio or signal flares or whatever else is needed for that spot. Even with the boat support, are there any other precautions or things we should know about at various points of the trip? Should we err on the side of our light wind kites with the current forecast, even if there are spots where you might get lit? Just asking a lot of questions since it will be my first time!

[Live2KITE]

Hi there,

Evan here from Live2kite.

First of all thank you for making this fundraiser for the SF Bay Keeper such a success.
Due to the overwhelming interest and registrations of the event for this coming Saturday, we decided to extend the registration timeframe and expand the event further.

So if you haven't registered yet, or if you contacted us at the shop to find out that we were sold out, you can still register till tomorrow (Friday) by noon PDT and get a spot on the event.

The ones who have already registered will receive more details between tonight and tomorrow regarding planning details. The same goes to the boat captains and other volunteers.

Here is the link to the registration page in case it is not obvious on our website.

http://www.live2kite.com/live2kite-down ... -1382.html

See you all on Saturday or by the shop before that.

Evan
Live2kite.com
44 Industrial Way
Greenbrae, CA 94904
415-924-9463

[Live2KITE]

I'm using TT for the same reason (don't know how to jibe properly yet on a surfboard). I've also never kited Crissy in general so don't have a radio or signal flares or whatever else is needed for that spot. Even with the boat support, are there any other precautions or things we should know about at various points of the trip? Should we err on the side of our light wind kites with the current forecast, even if there are spots where you might get lit? Just asking a lot of questions since it will be my first time!

At a minimum you guys should have:
Impact / Float vest
Helmet
5/3 wetsuit
Safety knife
Other safety gear that you usually carry while kiting.

TT vs surfboard is a personal preference. Be on the gear that you are most comfortable with. This event is not really the right time to experiment with new gear. At the same time, make sure that your bar, lines, pigtails, straps, harness are in as new condition as possible.

Overall you should expect:

Wind conditions to be variable. At Crissy it will be gusty; around Alcatraz / Treasure Island it will be stronger, maybe even a lot stronger; and towards Berkeley it will be lighter.
Since we are leaving early the winds will be filling in while we are kiting, so we should have plenty of winds for the whole duration.
We have 5 boats to support us, with jetski and zodiac for immediate response. Radio/waterproof pouch with cell phone, flares etc are great safety measures.

The tides are ideal for this kind of event during the times we will be sailing downwind.

More details on the communication to the participants later tonight / tomorrow.

Evan
Live2kite.com

[amir]

Is anyone going from the Oakland Piedmont area? I'd love to catch a ride to Crissy and back after the BBQ.

It's gonna be awesome! Amir

[kief]

. At the same time, make sure that your bar, lines, pigtails, straps, harness are in as new condition as possible.

well,that eliminates me. #-o

[soupdumpling]

Thanks for the info, Evan. All prepped now. I don't exactly know where the lower launch is, but I'm sure there will just be a bunch of kites there. :)

[baypirate]

Please make sure that everyone doing this know that there is a race that day. It is the Ronstan distance and course racing event. [...] On the day of the downwinder we will be Racing from Crissy out the Golden Gate to the Berkeley Pier and back to Crissy.

I'm sure the L2K team would give a flawless beach safety run-down, but here are a few salient Crissy particulars:

- we normally use the West end of the beach (where the “lagoon” is), fewer beachgoers there; w/ temps < 60, I doubt we’ll have a beach day but on a Sat afternoon there will still be people and dogs.
- be mindful of a busy launch: don’t leave your lines on the beach, over somebody else’s lines etc.; make sure you generously sand your kite, we have rogue gusts!
- no “lazy launches”; go through your routine as usual, in particular make sure you are positioned correctly at the edge of the window and that you are clear of people downwind; I’m stating these particular obvious-es b/c wind is shifty on the beach, so kites will drift back etc.
- launching is “Low and Go”, don’t keep your kite at 12 o’clock (lots of lulls/gusts), no lingering on the beach w/ the kite flying. Wind is always fluky on the beach.
- the inside (beach to Anita Rock) is no play pen; the wind line could be well past Anita (if we still get a little SW, even more so); given how busy is likely to get w/ everybody launching, treat the inside sort of like “controlled air space”: get on the board and get out.
- chances are racers will launch about the same time; they're just a few, let them get out of your way.
- please read the Guidelines posted at the showers (restroom building, the one w/ the wind sock)

One last thought. There are many other bear traps at Crissy that won’t apply to a downwinder. However, Crissy is a seductress and if you do feel like coming back next week, do consider that riding at Crissy by yourself is different from a boat-assisted group event. Crissy looks deceivingly easy, but all of us learned the hard/wet way. A few things to contemplate if you return to ride Crissy: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7627

[Aloha]

Other reco is making sure your board has your name / phone number / email on it. If you don't want to mark your board at least put a sticker on with the info that will be waterproof enough to last a full day in the water

If you lose your board and are picked up by the assist boats then later on somebody finds it and calls the CG (or the CG finds it) at least it's got contact info on it and they can confirm you're alright and abate spending any costly search calories on a missing person / found vessel sweep.

I'm sure they would appreciate that with so many people hitting Crissy this weekend and the possibilities of lost boards going out

[kief]

I have a great story on that note,
my buddy got separated from his board at C street,ventura
waited on the beach for hours,walking up and down the beach
no luck.
2-3 months later,he gets a call from a fisherman who found his
board floating out in the channel islands.
how cool is that.