Stupid kite landing and how to get Crissy potentially closed

[fathom]

I posted this one on other kite forums but since this is your beach and we were just visiting, I'll repeat so you can keep your beach open to kiters!

While the big boys were racing at Crissy Field today, this kook was learning and 2 friends were helping him land his kite after he drifted downwind.
He was now into a warm sunday afternoon crowd with TONS of family and little kids.
I could not believe he was not walking up wind a bit more to land where he started, next thing you know he landed his kite right on top of our family with 5 young kids (2 to 11 year olds) with lines and all. I had to help hold the kite, his helper was practically trampling us and the rest of the adults have to grap the kids. :angryfire: :angryfire: :angryfire:
Did not even excuse themselves, talk to them how dangerous that was, but do you think they care?
If you don't want your beach closed, better police those kooks yourselves...
Here's the idiot (sorry, no better words) and his accomplice.

[average_male]

Finally someone is taking a proactive step (posting images of offenders) to point out those that are endangering kite access for all of us.

Fathom, thank you. I am sure if this "kook" was to visit this forum, he would realize the impact of his bad judgement and perhaps other (beginners) viewing the thread would realize that their carelessness may also not go unnoticed.

Did you happen to get the license plate # or a home address?.... I just might have to pay him a visit....kidding... but seriously, its nice to put a face to careless act.

[fathom]

We left right after having to scramble to get the kids out of the way.
They had an european accents though.
If I remember correctly, he did the same thing further down the beach when we first arrived.

[Tony Soprano]

How unfortunate, I was on the water and could not intervene, saw him doing a mini down winder along the shore line, not appropriate at CRISSY.

The only Coast Guard Rescue of the Day, was a guy who deflated his leading edge, or had a failure.
NEVER DEFLATE YOUR KITE and tried to swim in, does not work.

[Blackbird]

Tony,
great write up. About the character in question here, I believe I saw him on the beach that day. Looks familiar, and the kite was familiar. He was asking about wind conditions and if his 12m would be ok on a twin tip. It was light, and even racing on a 13m kite with race board was difficult to get close to shore. (I believe this happened Saturday). I remember telling him he probably shouldn't go out as he would most likely be looking at swimming back in. He seemed to ponder the idea a bit, and I walked off. Sounds like he was just too jones'n to make a good decision. Unfortunate, and I will try to be more adamant and vigilant in the future. As we all should. A simple redirection up the beach to the west a hundred yards or so would have been much better.

[Tony Soprano]

Tony,
great write up. About the character in question here, I believe I saw him on the beach that day. Looks familiar, and the kite was familiar. He was asking about wind conditions and if his 12m would be ok on a twin tip. It was light, and even racing on a 13m kite with race board was difficult to get close to shore. (I believe this happened Saturday). I remember telling him he probably shouldn't go out as he would most likely be looking at swimming back in. He seemed to ponder the idea a bit, and I walked off. Sounds like he was just too jones'n to make a good decision. Unfortunate, and I will try to be more adamant and vigilant in the future. As we all should. A simple redirection up the beach to the west a hundred yards or so would have been much better.

What you saw Saturday was just the beginning, my observation was Sunday.

Scenario, only place with wind+ it is a warm and sunny weekend+ do not know the ropes particular to this beach= Trouble!

[KillaHz]

Yeah, these guys were still around when I launched yesterday and had their gear strewn all over the place. I believe they were French. I didn't see this incident but it was quickly apparent that they were arrogant/ignorant kite tourists.

I was there on Saturday with my kids playing up by the swimming creek and there was a (self-proclaimed) Crissy regular teaching a friend to fly the kite (in street clothes) over swimmers and kids on the beach. The wind was fluky on the beach at best and this guy had a curling grip on the bar and was sweeping the kite back and forth, over sheeting it, stalling it and almost taking out people everywhere. I yelled across the creek for him to shut it down but he couldn't here me. I ran around the creek which took about 2 minutes and as I was getting there the guy crashed the kite in the water.

I told them to not even think about relaunching it to which I was met with a little resistance. They agreed not to relaunch but did not understand that they were causing anyone any danger. The newbe was claiming his friend was just trying to help. I told the newbe he was clueless which meant that I really had no gripe with him. I asked the guy who was teaching him if he kites and particularly at Crissy. He responded yes and at Crissy regularly. He looked slightly familiar but there have been a lot of new faces their this year. I tried to let him know how unacceptable this was but he was quite smug and really just went about breaking down the kite and not paying much attention to me as the newbe tried to plead his case instead.

As I didn't want to knock someone's teeth out while my children were present, I left them alone as they could do no more harm but I do plan to continue the conversation when I see this moron again...

[feixaq]

Don't know the guy in the image, but I'll be sure to watch out for newbies at Crissy too and do my part in making sure we keep the beach safe for beachgoers (and enjoy continued access for kiters).

[average_male]

KillaHz,

Thanks for getting involved. Not always the funnest thing to do, but is a big help.


Tony,

Next time can you paste a link to Peter's thread (a great thread at that) rather than copying/pasting the whole text? It'd be easier to view this threat's discussion.

(Thanks Tony!)

[cedralpass]

I am self admitted Jackass last Sunday, June 28th. I was not these two stories but a third one. Yes, our beaches are getting crowded. My mistakes are below, for beginners to learn from and to clear my conscience. I apologize to all in advance. No excuses. 100% my fault. 100% dumb. I hope I can regain your trust, as i have enjoyed kiting with many of you.

I did kite semi-regularly at Chrissy, not quite a local yet (I live around the corner 2 blocks), but I try to get out 1-2 times a week from March thru Oct at Chrissy, with some breaks in between. My first Chrissy day was 2 seasons ago Sept 2007, after 1.5 years learning at other places (alameda / Sherman / 3rd) when time permitted. I would call myself intermediate. I typically kite safely, and have helped many people with problems, taught them the rules that "Tony" has posted, helped them fix lines, etc. I try to introduce myself to everyone, and watch out for people, as I carry a radio. I am a "kook" with a Helmet and now an Impact vest as I am jumping bigger.


Yesterday, I was not 100% with it, and could not get my kite to fly right and launch in the light, funky wind. It’s a complicated sport on the beach, and here are some of the factors I was dealing with. Again, no excuse on my behalf, mainly for beginners and intermediates, for their learning.
Some are just beach traffic that you have to be aware of, some was my mental space. But my bottom line is and lesson learned is, if your head is to full of distractions, conditions are poor, beach is crowded with lots of INNOCENT PEOPLE, and you're not 100% CONFIDENT: chill out and Walk up the beach upwind further.

Some factors that flooded my headspace as I was launching… if you have this much going on, probably not a good idea to kite that hour / day. Launching / Landing are the most dangerous aspects of our sport.

• I Haven't kited in 7 weeks, with broken foot (5th and 4th metatarsal)

• Was rushing to get out a bit, as I knew the tide was getting stronger, and it was light inside.

• I Launched and landed a few racers / others, I try to help out

• Helped a guy untangle and launch a few times before he got his lines right. Seems to happen every once in a while, with people. It's ok. Fine by me. My point is a personal problem; helping others mid rigging distracts me. I have a routine. So I typical walk the lines again. Interruptions mess up my launch routine. Maybe i should focus and then help people

• New kite, not tuned, only ridden a demo a couple of times and somewhat different from my old kites, 5 line to 4 line, less bar pressure. (i think that's why i was over-sheeting, less pressure)

• Lots of time had passed from my beach inspection and when I was fully ready to launch. Wind died pretty fast to 13 mph. You can see it on the ikite graph around 4 to 4:30

• Crowded beach

• I know I am not great at kite skills in low wind sub 15 mph, and it looks like the wind dropped as I was rigging.

I should have just stayed on beach, and watched the end of race. But as Blackbird says, probably like the other guys, I was "jonesing", even more than most, as I had been out, and now im off for a non-kite vacation. I now know I shouldn’t have tried yet, as my foot is back to swollen, and was quite painful on the beach.

Sorry again,
Geoff