BayAreaKiteboarding.com

What do people think will happen if Alameda guidelines become to strictly enforced, and kills peoples stoke?

Specifically, do you believe this might cause beginners to prematurely seek out new locations to ride, distributing problems elsewhere and possibly causing even more issues on a larger scale?

(just something to consider)

I don't think enforcing the guidlines will kill peoples stoke. I think advanced kiters will be stoked to hit the water faster and have less chaos on the beach, and I think beginners (who don't have much of a base for comparison) will view/expect their session as one that ends in a self rescue. No big deal. Part of the learning process. Of all the reasons that make such Alameda such a great place to learn, walking your kite up the beach isn't one of them in my book, and eliminated that doesn't affect alameda's appeal (to me) -stef

jjm wrote:Specifically, do you believe this might cause beginners to prematurely seek out new locations to ride, distributing problems elsewhere and possibly causing even more issues on a larger scale?

Hopefully not. There's a reason people spend time learning at Alameda. It's safe. If people without the requisite skills go to other, more advanced locations, the regulars at those spots will deal with it quickly if someone is spotted who puts themselves or access at risk.

I think a few people will more on a bit prematurely but thats life.
We have to start somewhere,
L.M.G.

look for the TELL
its just like limm gee said at the meeting
as you watch someone rig up you know.
then we are all beach guilds and nees to step in to help.

Nuf said!
L.M.G.

jjm wrote:Specifically, do you believe this might cause beginners to prematurely seek out new locations to ride, distributing problems elsewhere and possibly causing even more issues on a larger scale?

It's a good question, but I think the opposite is true. If you present Alameda as a good beginner's site that comes with with established and thought-out protocols, it will attract beginners, make them more likely to pay attention to the rules, and more likely to ask questions when they're (we're) clueless.

Believe me, when you're new on that beach and just rigging up for the first time without an instructor, you want nothing more than a set of guidelines that help you do the right thing. Print 'em in big fvckin' red letters! The 10,000 little bits of common sense you need in this sport become easy to forget when you're still trying to remember which side of the kite your inside lines attach to, or trying to keep in mind the nuances of your QR while launching.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. I think the thing people would get most annoyed about, water landing if they're downwind, is even worse at other sites... There's no water landing rule required at Sherman/3rd/Crissy/etc. because there's no beach downwind to land on!