How Many Police Assets does it take?

[Guest]

DON,
confused still?
Please clarify.
Did the guy in the shack call the cops, or did the cops figure all this out on their own and lower the hammer?

Dude, did you call the cops? on a guy teaching someone.

Can you imagine a chopper, 2 cops on snowmobiles and horse back arresting me for teaching my 2 year-old to ski.

what a d-bag

Ba bye Alameda....It will be shut down. Mark my words.



=D> =D>

[consumer]

when alameda goes down so will countless other spots.

oh well, time to find some new pastime.

[MehYam]

While I think some clarification would be nice about what actually went on here, I think chicken littling the Alameda spot is a little overboard.

...waiting for the details. Hope this didn't put Jeff out too bad, the KWS guys seem like a nice bunch (and so do the Bsps folks, fwiw).

[Bob]

I am an instructor at Club Nautique (the sailing school just upwind of the shack) and have taught sailing and power boating for five years on the waters purportedly under the jurisdiction of the East Bay Regional Parks Department. Never have I been arrested for teaching these water sports in front of the beach. My colleagues and I have spent many hours over many years practicing with students near the radar tower; the same location where the helicopter circled the arrested instructor. But have any from Club Nautique been circled with load speaker blaring orders from a helicopter? No.

My school boat leaves and returns from the same marina the arrested windsurfer departs and returns to in his PWC. Up to a dozen school boats will be out on the weekend yet never has one instructor had 9 (count em nine) EBRP Police vehicles waiting for their return to shore. Club Nautique is a small business operated in Alameda has an Alameda business license and pays Alameda taxes some of which go to EBRP (see measure CC below) as does KWS. So why did the bald guy get arrested and not me? Is Power boating OK and Windsurfing not? If you can be arrested for windsurfing how about sailing?

Don is correct, there are many issues swirling here. What is park territory? High water mark? Low water mark? The county line? Does it conflict with the charter of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) http://www.bcdc.ca.gov/ ? The city of Alameda? How can EBRP make an arrest on a sidewalk in Alameda when the arrest was for teaching on park territory?

My greatest ire however resides in the duping of taxpayers by the parks. They were crying foul at last years budget cuts and created Measure CC. Voters approved it. Read for yourselves http://www.smartvoter.org/2004/11/02/ca/alm/meas/CC/ how just one month into the 15 year tax the prophecies of those who suggested we vote against are coming true as evidenced by the over the top show on Saturday. We thought we were saving Bambi instead we witness first hand the misuse of funds - to serve and protect what?

[Don Bogardus]

I did not file a complaint or call the police on Jeff, and im sure the callers didnt expect the "navy seals" to showup with such a massive show of force, and they are just as sorry as i am that this happened.Its like de ja vu for me, I was arrested for windsurfing in Seal Beach in an even bigger show of force once upon a time, hence my total distrust, disgust and empirical evidence data to back up that government is not good to mess with on matters like this.I am sorry for Jeff that he was subjected to such nonsense and now is caught up in something that is totally blown out of porportion.I hope it will bring answers and not restrictions that require a wind sports oriented person attain the mayors office to reclaim access as i have witnessed before in Seal Beach!

[Guest]

Don, so if this was all legit, lets get this all out in the open. Who made the call ??? What was their reason for picking him instead of someone else out there teaching?

[OliverG]

Reading about this really surprised me. The show of force and action taken by the EBRPD was blown way out of proportion. Last night, a young gang member in San Leandro shot and killed a police officer, and the response by the EBRPD sounds more suited to last night's killing than someone teaching windsurfing on the Bay. Jeff was out on the Bay in the water. He didn't access the water through Crown Beach. So what's going on here? Who called the police? If it was someone from Boardsports, and we may never know, and can only assume unless shown otherwise, that's pretty low. It seems unlikely that this would have been initiated solely by the EBRPD, more likely stemming from a complaint made by a third party from which this was likely not the first.

Jeff Ruoss is someone who cares deeply and sincerely about the health and safety of the sport and he has always conducted business in a honest and upstanding manner. I would vouch for him anytime as a person, kiteboarder and a professional. The instructional program at KWS is top-notch and I've always heard good things about them. I've recommended them and will continue to do so.

Whoever called the police did everyone a disservice. Shame on you.

[consumer]

how about this pseudologic

1. Don knows who made the call.
2. Don works at boardsports.
Therefore The person who made the call is in some way affilliated with boardsports i.e. at the very minimum, a friend, most probable an employee.


Boardsports made the call.

[kitechick]

If I take my wife to Alameda in 15Kts with her 8 METER on a weekday and try and teach her the basics of Kiting, WELL AWAY, from other people I could get fined...or worse?

GVT- Actually this is a very good question, I hope someone here knows the answer. I remember the story of the couple (kiting buddies of ours at Crown beach), he a kitesurfer, she a beginner since many years. That story is 2 years old. He was "teaching" her. She told me that they were asked to discontinue this activity.

2 main questions in this context are:

1. Is there a legal base for prohibiting non-commercial activities on the beach? Friends or relatives showing each other how to kite, windsurf, kayak, play volleyball and so on.

2. GVT - in your case it sounds as if you are experienced and having all awareness necessary to stay safe. What if someone shows up who is neither experienced nor aware and wants to show his buddies how to kite, windsurf or kayak? In such a case I am happy and supportive in askimg them to discontinue this activity and get a professional lesson.

Well - and finally - I may test the situation. My sister may be visiting soon, she is a windsurfer and I am a kitesurfer (thousands of hours, PASA certified). We want to hang out at the beach, have fun and teach each other our skills.
Let's see whether they pull us out of the water. :shock:
(hehe...we better don't ask a bald friend to help us carry equipment to the water)

[knyfe]

Its really suspecious quiet from Boardsport about this hard accusation here in their home forum. They should come up with a clear statement. But until then, they are innocent !

@KiteChick
Yes, accurately the same happened to me and my wife this year. I am a skilled kiter for years (never certified as at that time there was nothing like that), she's a newbee with well trained kite skills. At the beginning of this season I was called out of the water helping her out to get into the season. I got notified that I am basically not allowed to help my wife(which was fine the years before). At the same time she asked me if I would like to get certified and teach for them?!?! So, learning from that, the direction was already clear.

In the discussion afterwards she clarified it that I just need to be certified to teach at Alameda, which also makes sense if one looks over the current problems. Just starting with the buddy system does not work in Alameda and thats what they like to avoid.

There is no black and white all the time, actually the summer is quite colorful..

K

enjoy your time out in the water with your sister. I think nothing will happen as everybody will be scared from this issue.