BayAreaKiteboarding.com

Today was great session at Alameda - not too crowded, everyone was following the rules, rolling up the lines after kite landed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I never know what to do when I get to Alameda. I usually try to ask somebody but nobody wants to make eye contact. I took a lesson there and I've bought gear there. I've kited there maybe 20 times.

I usually kite at Sherman and everything is pretty clear there. Help launch people to get them out of the area. If you're in launch/land area land them Etc. Be kind. Help out.


At Alameda One guy told me he would not launch me. That you can't Launch on shore. But. That's how they taught me at my first lesson here years ago. Prob 2014.

The person said it's because I would get pulled into the street. Which made sense until I talked to another kiter.

We came to the conclusion that the problem is that the onshore direction goes directly into the street. whether your kite is offshore or onshore, the power zone is directly into bad stuff. So if it rolls or drifts...

Bad news no matter what side of the window you launch on.

I would argue that most kiters are not idiots and that they/we will follow what's modeled. So lead by example.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Mellofit
Yes years ago we had less beach ,so we launched on shore ( no one would go into the water to hold kite)
then they pumped sand back onto the beach'so now we have more room to launch off shore.
You say lead by example .so if your launching on shore that's not a good example
If someone you ask won't launch you , just ask someone else.

CdoG wrote:Mellofit
Yes years ago we had less beach ,so we launched on shore ( no one would go into the water to hold kite)
then they pumped sand back onto the beach'so now we have more room to launch off shore.
You say lead by example .so if your launching on shore that's not a good example
If someone you ask won't launch you , just ask someone else.

Good call.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

I'm going to say that instituting rigging your kite, rolling lines, then unrolling has more potential for an unsafe situation to go down.

The reason being it's not that hard to cross a line when you are rolling lines back up attached, flipping the kite at least twice, and unrolling. Not the mention any twisting/ flipping of the bar. I certainly know what I'm doing and have had a few times where I rolled lines, moved the kite, moved it back, unrolled and had a twist that didn't get seen before the kite was being held by the launcher (but didn't launch). Seen plenty of people launch with twist and panic/shit go down.

If the argument to that is "well just rewalk your lines," then it doesn't take more than 15-20 seconds to start from having them unattached if you're rewalking. I even walk my lines two at a time(backs then fronts), and still beat most people into the air.

Also to the person on the red Vegas throwing tricks/ airs near the beach on a port tack. Cut that shit out. Especially on that kind of day.

mellofit wrote:I never know what to do when I get to Alameda.

You know there is a sign with rules on the side of the shack closest to the parking lot.

NorCalNomad wrote:
Also to the person on the red Vegas throwing tricks/ airs near the beach on a port tack. Cut that shit out. Especially on that kind of day.

I was annoyed when I saw him too. I remember him from last year.

Throw down further away Hello! No one on the beach takes a decent picture anyways.

I'm pretty sure he's also one of those guy that refuse to follow the launch/land flow.

Is it mandatory to launch/land in the official area? I was there the weekend f the fatality last year. Even as a Sherman regular it felt like the official kite zone was a next level clusterfuck. I decided to head a quarter mile down the beach. No noobs, wider beach, no trees, no shacks....seemed like a no-brainer.

From what i understand..
From the shack or shellgate is good to Launch and land providing it’s free of public.

Yeah wandering off down the beach to find your own sweet piece of heaven is kind of a no no ,we need to leave some of the beach free of Kites, plus some beginner see you doing it and think that’s what I should do.
Also seems to me that's how we get clusterfucked on windy days ,Kiter's just don't want to follow Guild...
they just wanna get out on the water fast.

Shellgate is definitely another opportunity to launch or land, but guys aren't there all the time.

The coolest thing happens when you launch/land in the designated areas -- there's a qualified person there to give you a toss or catch you! WHAT A CONCEPT

Kiters are the last on the totem pole when it comes to beach access, we are LUCKY to be here still considering the actions of some in the past. Moving up or down the beach puts you in the general public who will always have right of way. If you're making a family feel unsafe you IMMEDIATELY respect their wishes.

Everyone needs to chill out. If the launch is a clusterfuck, go back out and a do a couple more tacks and give the beach some time to clear. Launch the kites that are in the way on the beach if youre standing around waiting for it to clear.

I thought that legal launch is between the shack and the antenna. At least that is what I have been told when I took lessons there two years ago. I always see guys launch at the Shellgate though. I would rather launch at Shellgate then.