Flying kites on land

San Francisco Bay Area kiteboarding lessons, learning and support.
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reyrivera
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Flying kites on land

Post by reyrivera » Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:12 am

Saturday, July 12, was another typical light wind day in Alameda. I almost had a mishap with a group of kiters riding the 12 meter red and white Naish Sigma walking along the beach. Dudes, again I apologize, my kite dropped in front of you guys on my way in when the wind died, I did not mean to do that.

Anyway, as I was packing up, I noticed another group of kiters flying their kites on land.

The dude was clueless. He was riding a 7 meter Caution spitfire, crashing, relaunching, powering up with kids and their parents a couple of feet away from the downed and powered up kites. No wetsuit, no helmet, he has a harness, but he was flying unhooked.

I rushed to his assistant and ask him if they knew what they were doing, guy could not answer me, said he does not know how to speak english. So I rushed towards him asking him if he knew what he was doing.

He gave me this bad ass attitude telling me off. So I got pissed and gave him a mouthful of words, he was lucky that he was flying his kite, I almost grabbed his bar and wringed it around his neck. This is a first, a clueless beginner I'm trying to help, cops out an attitude telling me off.

I still tried to reason with him, explaining to him that he can injure the kids playing around him, especially his son whose head was less than a foot away from his powered up lines. I warned him not to launch his kite any more and go up the shack and take lessons. He can go ahead and hurt his kid with his flying kite lines, he can just sue himself later. I just don't want him injuring the other kids at this point.

I think I got him rattled enough where he decided to take a break. I walked away before things could escalate and I start punching him.

Max later spoke with the group and explained to them why we are enforcing kiting etiquette. Hopefully he understands and play safer on the beach. Max told me that he was going to apologize to me, but he just walked past me while he was packing, not saying anything.

So, watch for this group in Alameda:
Asian dudes, don't know their ethnic background (i.e. don't know if they are Vietnamese, Chinese, Filipino, etc..). I would guess Chinese or Vietnamese. They drive a van with a blue ocean kayak rigged up on the roof, probably 11 to 12 feet long. They ride a quiver of old Caution Spitfire kites, probably just recently got it from craigslist or ebay.

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Post by average_male » Mon Jul 14, 2008 1:22 pm

Hey Rey Rivera,

You totally did the right thing, most people wouldn't have done what you did, just wanted to thank you for making such an effort. Makes me feel a little bad about how I saw something at 3rd this past weekend and didn't say anything about it.

I saw a guy at the upper launch rig-up his kite/line directly in front of the beach where people enter and exit in the bay; you couldn't safely walk around his lines to get out or in; When this person finally did get his kite up, he took a lot of time getting into the water and once in the water took even more time water starting; clearly a beginner; looked for him later but couldn't find him anywhere. He was flying a dark color and green SS Link (or was it a rev); Asian also, not sure what variance or origin. He seemed to be very cautious but just didn't pick the best rigging area.

At any rate, I know I will be looking out for the gang you described, want to take a picture of them and post it on the KBC site (Kite Boarding Criminals) Top-Ten most wanted list of kiting protocol offenders).

A++

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vdeub
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Post by vdeub » Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:10 pm

I think i was in the line-up waiting for him to free the way. It was annoying, but eventually he rode away. please, beginners, body drag asap out of the start zone. And others, please be patient and keep your distance. not this time, but before, someone bypassed the line, and kite in the air go through the 2 or 3 kites at 12oclock. I am no more a beginner, but do not feel confortable when someone is downwind of me, specially on land. you never know. this attitude is rude and dangereous.

reyrivera
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Post by reyrivera » Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:13 pm

Oh, be careful when you are taking pictures though, I'm Asian as well (Filipino), and I also ride a quiver of 4 line Caution spitfire kites. I ride those kites in Alameda when I'm practicing riding my blue 8 foot foam surfboard. Since I'm not very good at turning the damn board, I end up crashing all the time (in the water) when I try to make a turn. :mrgreen:

I think I gotta stomp the back of the board as the kite flies the other direction.

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6m caution flying on land

Post by litewave125 » Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:03 pm

I saw the 6m caution kite up and down in the power zone when the guy drop his kite close to me and my daughter i did grab the kite and face in to the safe direction and walk up to him to talk and share the safety issue for the people at the beach and other kiters as well, he is Mongolian he said he has over 15 years in windsurfing and he knows what he is doing " come on " kitesurfing and wind surfing does not combine. after talking he agrees and willing to take a kite lesson, and then when i turn around and walk bach to my daughter one of the other guy blue shirt " not wetsuit " walk up wind with his friend kiteboard in hands he point at me and said " Go home you are dangerous you can kill people :| i said hey you are taking to the wrong guy... he might thought that i am in the same group of those mongolian oh' well.... korean, malaysian, indonesian, laotian, cambodian, chinese, filipino, japanese, taiwanese, vietnamese, asians look a like, same black hair but different background between the bad and good.

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Post by Greg » Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:54 pm

KiteBoarding is INCLUSIVE, we don't discriminate.
Everyone who screws up gets equal punishment,
LoudMouthGreg

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Post by kitenaked » Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:01 pm

I Agree Completely

Retards Come in All Colors, Shapes and Sizes.

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reyrivera
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Post by reyrivera » Wed Jul 16, 2008 5:42 pm

Yup, you guys are right, I concur.

Anyway, another guy, yesterday, Yuri's gonna love this, this time, pink Cabrinha, guy was attempting to relaunch his kite after crashing a few times near the shore, oblivious that there are other kites launching and landing, he was in the impact zone.

To avert possible disaster I grab his kite and re-launched him. The rest of the crew on the beach were telling me to park him because they want to talk to him about etiquette. I was confused, did not know what went on previously, all I knew that he was a danger to the rest of the kiters wanting to launch and go, so I had to do some traffic management.

Turned out this guy just landed smack into Slawek's head, poor guy was just minding his own business videotaping at the beach while recovering from a back injury.

Pink Cabrinha guy, dude, the reason why I was shouting at you was because you were putting everyone at risk, you should have parked your kite, and made sure that the person you injured is ok.

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