Sherman Freestyle Solution?

[OliverG]

Many kiters, including myself, have been guilty of throwing tricks inside the buoy markers at Sherman on occasion. The rules are in place for a reason, and no can argue with that, but maybe we can turn this into something fun.

A while ago, a friend suggested it might be fun to have organized freestyle expression sessions in the afternoons on weekend days and it sounded like fun and could go something like this:

Perhaps between 4pm and 5pm, organized groups of 4 or 5 kiters could go out for 20 minute "heats" and throw down their best and biggest tricks maintaining reasonable distance from the beach, using appropriate safety leashes (no suicide leashes!). In this way kiters can be given a sanctioned venue to do what most are going to continue to do anyway as far as the markers are concerned and it can turned into a fun recurring spectator event with some level of peer approval and organization.

On my trips to Sherman, whether staying for days or just day trips, I'll promise to stay at or beyond the markers, but there are many kiters (you also know who you are :roll:) who have and continue to ignore the markers just as I have, so this may be a good way to work toward a permanent solution if it's understood when and for how long a "freestyle expression" session can be had, with it also being understood that at all other times, it's not cool.

Do you think that might be a good idea and solution to work toward complete compliance of the marker rules?

Ollie

[Bulldog]

Isn't that basically what happens every weekend afternoon anyway? As long as the peanut gallery is sitting on the beach, the best kiters are going to throw down as close to the beach as they can get away with.

I was in San Diego this weekend without my kites, and I sat on the roofdeck of a bar on the boardwalk watching the locals kite the waves. If we had bleachers or something at SI the showoffs might feel like people could see farther out into the river

[windhorny]

I'm all for, at least, a Sherman show off day. That is what I need to get on video-so do it! Sunday night seemed to be nice and open there.

[Greg]

What you'd need is an offshore venue (peanut gallery up wind).
With an offshore situation kiters can throw shit right off the beach and eat shit in water and not on peoples heads.... So it seems you'd need a party platform for Shermin spectators.
We had a great floating dock in Tahoe to pull skiers, one day I was trying to spray EVERYONE on the dock. I was successfull but the dock eventually got damaged.....Another thoughtless idea turned bad, thankfully no one died!
Greg

[fearlu]

There is no "safety in numbers" on this topic my friend. Just 'cuz some people are ignoring the rules doesn't make it any better when you/we/I break them too.

I mentioned the "local murmur" to you after the incident this weekend since I consider you a good friend and knew you would take it well. But, mentioning others who break the posted rules doesn't diminish the impact of the mishap or it's potential to injure others.

I often have my kids at this beach (as do many others) and I shudder to think what would have happened if your total depower bar had wrapped up a child, an adult, a dog or another powered kite in it's wake.

I'm not trying to be mean here, it's just a reality check for ALL of us! It could have been really ugly and those super-powered loops close to the beach just aren't prudent. I know you agree and have discontinued the practice!

Yes, I know you RIP, now go do it in the middle of the river will 'ya? (Contest sounds good, maybe at the island?)

[narly1]

so i have input..
if say 6 kiters want to throw a express ses
then 3 of them stay on land and gaurd the beach from the other 3 throw n down
to think if we stop the hot shots from throw n inside the Zone.will stop run away kites is silly

we are gonna still have runaways...

but if we figure out how to have it both ways youll have gaurds around the beach to help spot and stop trubble
i dont think this just say no,is going to help the publice get to know what to expecit from us
and i do think there is safty in munbers.

so what if at 4 oclock 4 kiters are gonna Show
if you want to watch you know the time and place if not ...
just walk away for 30 mins.
come on dave help us figure it out ..id love to see you upclose and 30 up.

[windhorny]

I have an extra couch at the shop here and I have been eyeing this troling motor. If i were to whip out a floating couch(with beer holders and cooler of course, is there a home for it upo there where anyone could use it? It would be slow, but could be alot of fun for non-kiters, instructors, filmers,etc. I will pay for everything.

Yuri

[fearlu]

Sorry, didn't mean to ignore the original intent here (an expression session) it's just that I hate competitions I'll NEVER win! I really think the "contest" should be at the island-- that's where I see the most technical tricks and it's pretty safe there.

As always, safety FIRST!

[dewey]

First off it's a bad idea because people are going to want to launch and go out while the contest is going down. If you want to do something like that why not go upwind to the beach at the end of ho chi min trail? Those that want to see it will have to walk up the trail (I think it's walkable) to that beach and you could throw down over there out of the way of the general public.

[dewey]

On another note if a kiter loops his kite and nobody is there to see is does it make a sound?