Should Sherman Be Upgraded?

siguy · Post by **siguy** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 8:08 am

](*,)

pointbucklerisland · Post by **pointbucklerisland** » Wed Jul 31, 2013 8:37 am

Pittsburg will not be for anyone but expert! However anyone who's launched at Lil Baja will feel right at home. A large concrete boat ramp is being poured so it will resemble a standard boat launch ramp. A number of us have given input to the city so it should be cool. The waves off the powerplant are big! Great fun to loop chips island and play in honker bay. Showers and lots of parking. A bunch of guys have been doing downwinders last couple weeks from river view park already. Slippery rocks.

windhorny · Post by **windhorny** » Wed Jul 31, 2013 9:44 am

I think it's time to have a pow-wow meeting at sherman. Things are not safe there. Some of that can't be fixed. There do need to be rules even though we are in no man's land and if they arent met people get hurt or irritate those that know the place well. here's a few of the things that drive me nuts that I would love to discuss in a meeting, not on here.

1. If you need a GoJoe, you have NO business kiting at the delta!

2. The lower launch really should not be used unless it is an emergency land or a weekday where no one is around to help launch. I've heard people say they launch there because they arent comfortable walking their kite down the path??? Are you friggin serious? But you feel ok kiting in 30mph? Go to alameda.

3. When you land your kite smack in the middle of the only launch, you better be wrapping your lines ASAP or your kites getting deflated and thrown in the fuking dumpster. I realize a lot of new people from europe come over for the first time and dont give a shit. but for the regulars to do this is just as ignorant and obnoxious as the GoJoe.

4. People on surfboards, I get it, you like to carve. As it is impossible to predict your next move I find it unsafe to kite next to you. So anyone who wants to do something in the air is pretty much at your mercy. I have a new respect for directionals and I know everyone wants to show off in front of the peanut gallery but seriously this is just as annoying as the windsurfers that cruise over into the corner and just sit there for 5 minutes.

5. Windsurfers.........I really have no issue with them, we all share the same passion. But I do have an issue with being mid air and seeing a pole line up perfectly with my A-hole from 30' in the air. We are programmed to look for other kites and sometimes it can be very hard to spot a windsurfer going 40mph from all the way down wind to the kite beach. SCARY! hasnt this deal been made with them before? We dont cruise in their beach unless its an emergency, they dont cruise in our LZ.

6. Theft is on the rise. Is it possible/worth while to install some security cams? We have some notorious kleptomaniacs amongst us, some know who they are, but until caught we really cant do anything "fun" to them.

sc-surfer · Post by **sc-surfer** » Wed Jul 31, 2013 10:40 am

I'll preface my comments with this,

Yuri, I am by no means a Sherman local, just an occasional user and I give all due respect to you and the other regulars. However, I do see a lot of the same issues at the spots I ride more frequently so I'm commenting here in regards to Sherman but consider my comments on a more global scale.

windhorny wrote:I think it's time to have a pow-wow meeting at sherman. Things are not safe there. Some of that can't be fixed. There do need to be rules even though we are in no man's land and if they arent met people get hurt or irritate those that know the place well. here's a few of the things that drive me nuts that I would love to discuss in a meeting, not on here.

1. If you need a GoJoe, you have NO business kiting at the delta!

Probably true!

2. The lower launch really should not be used unless it is an emergency land or a weekday where no one is around to help launch. I've heard people say they launch there because they arent comfortable walking their kite down the path??? Are you friggin serious? But you feel ok kiting in 30mph? Go to alameda.

Also true!

3. When you land your kite smack in the middle of the only launch, you better be wrapping your lines ASAP or your kites getting deflated and thrown in the fuking dumpster. I realize a lot of new people from europe come over for the first time and dont give a shit. but for the regulars to do this is just as ignorant and obnoxious as the GoJoe.

Super true. I had to work around 5-6 line setups as I launched in the big grassy area away from the pavilion. Super annoying.

4. People on surfboards, I get it, you like to carve. As it is impossible to predict your next move I find it unsafe to kite next to you. So anyone who wants to do something in the air is pretty much at your mercy. I have a new respect for directionals and I know everyone wants to show off in front of the peanut gallery but seriously this is just as annoying as the windsurfers that cruise over into the corner and just sit there for 5 minutes.

Ahh, ok. You lost me there. I could JUST AS EASILY say that jumping freestyle guys are hard to predict and once airborne are a flying menace to everyone else... especially when they insist on doing it out in front of the launch. But I'm not saying that. It is just another way to have fun and I have no issues sharing the water with y'all. You are not at our mercy, and should pick an area that is open and safe to jump. Directional riders shouldn't be carving it up in front of the launch area either.

5. Windsurfers.........I really have no issue with them, we all share the same passion. But I do have an issue with being mid air and seeing a pole line up perfectly with my A-hole from 30' in the air. We are programmed to look for other kites and sometimes it can be very hard to spot a windsurfer going 40mph from all the way down wind to the kite beach. SCARY! hasnt this deal been made with them before? We dont cruise in their beach unless its an emergency, they dont cruise in our LZ.

Really? If you huck and air it's pretty much your responsibility to do it safely. Of ALL the other users out there, the pole dancers are likely the most predictable so should be easiest to avoid. I'm sure they are just as uncomfortable with some of our antics.

6. Theft is on the rise. Is it possible/worth while to install some security cams? We have some notorious kleptomaniacs amongst us, some know who they are, but until caught we really cant do anything "fun" to them.

Ya, that sucks and I don't know how to prevent it. It's getting bad everywhere. Several places I ride regularly have new piles of broken window glass every week or so. Sherman is just a highly concentrated environment so problems like this will be compounded.

As for all the issues you raise, they all come into play to some degree or other at all the name brand spots. Some are worse than others and it seems to be directly related to the number of users. The problem is, it's almost impossible to make any hard and fast rules, just consider the recent thread on a rating system. We as a group don't really want any rules but we want some of the benefits they bring. There may come a time where rules become necessary but in the meantime, if we can continue to have dialog and police ourselves we will maintain the maximum freedom to enjoy the sport as we each see fit. I for one enjoy the freedom as it exists now.

However, as long as large numbers of riders continue to use the popular spots there will always be some issues. The development of new riding areas is one way to improve the situation. All the new areas in the east bay will hopefully help reduce some of the congestion.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

friggin old guy · Post by **friggin old guy** » Wed Jul 31, 2013 12:42 pm

Yuri I'd agree that you have to be a mindless numbskull not to be able to figure out that the launching area needs to be kept clear.

I disagree about not using the lower launch. Shit sometimes its just pure self preservation when there's a gazzillion people launching at the upper launch with kites stacked all the way through the middle of the launch zone (duh) while the lower launch is blissfully empty. If you're observant you can time your launch so you are not inconvenienced by or an inconvenience to anybody.

Also would make the point that one of the single largest impediments to an orderly flow on a crowded day are the folks that huck right in front of the peanut gallery. Yeah, it's a great show but man do I get peeved at the amount of folks that drop their kites and then it's a total ridiculous work around for folks coming in and out.

You're treading on thin ice when you diss gojoes. Some people are very attached to them and you'd better be ready for some hater stuff. I actually saw one on a directional board the other day. No kidding. Hilarious.

jrg · Post by **jrg** » Wed Jul 31, 2013 3:40 pm

Yuri's Rant

4. People on surfboards,

5. Windsurfers.........

Just so I understand, your right of way rules are as follows?

Highest to lowest priority:
- Yuri on a twin tip in the air
- Windsurfers
- People on surfboards
- GoJoe riders
:roll:

NCKite_Ryder · Post by **NCKite_Ryder** » Wed Jul 31, 2013 5:08 pm

If your worried about getting poled in the ass you shouldn't be boosting at Sherman.... just saying

sloughslut · Post by **sloughslut** » Wed Jul 31, 2013 5:43 pm

windhorny wrote:
4. People on surfboards, I get it, you like to carve. As it is impossible to predict your next move I find it unsafe to kite next to you. So anyone who wants to do something in the air is pretty much at your mercy. I have a new respect for directionals and I know everyone wants to show off in front of the peanut gallery but seriously this is just as annoying as the windsurfers that cruise over into the corner and just sit there for 5 minutes.

6. Theft is on the rise. Is it possible/worth while to install some security cams? We have some notorious kleptomaniacs amongst us, some know who they are, but until caught we really cant do anything "fun" to them.

How bout no tranny i mean twin tips ! they are dumb anyway, and if you pick your stuff up it wont get stolen! :angry-screaming: :text-deletetopic:

Aloha · Post by **Aloha** » Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:44 pm

We're coming on August 1st here so it's just about time for the annual holy shit Sherman is getting over-crowded thread anyhow

Peanut gallery tail throwing parties can be fun ... Had a great one on last Saturday's sunset session - the wave don't gotta break to tear the bag out knowwhatimsayin?

sc-surfer · Post by **sc-surfer** » Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:47 pm

I love me some tearin' the bag out of waves.

:-) :-)

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

BayAreaKiteboarding.com