New Policy/Alameda

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 7:57 pm

looks like O.G.

lmontejo · Post by **lmontejo** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 9:47 pm

If as a newbie, one ends up downwind from the launch, and there is wind, I don't see the safety in trying to also land the kite by yourself, deflating it and then walking back up.

How is it unsafe to walk up the beach with the kite facing the water?

Having someone help you land a kite when the wind picks up is not only nice but also safe.

I vote for common sense in all this, and that means few rules. Put rules up, and a few are going to make a meal out of them. Common sense guidelines is what we need. I agree with Yuri that if it's the middle of the week, and nobody is around, everything can be more lax. Of course, if it's the weekend, in the middle of the summer, common sense does not tell one to walk up the beach with your kite flying over the street while you jump over kids and their beach balls.

So common simple guidelines will save the day. Many paragaliding spots have been killed with the rules approach in the Bay Area. Let's not start the same song and dance with this sport.

windhorny · Post by **windhorny** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 11:51 pm

Its not realistic to walk a kite up over the water. The wind is the wrong direction, way too much work. There is no answer really, but we need to make sure we dont let someone we know doesnt fly here often screw it up by flying over people anywhere. last year I saw that guy who flies the flysurfer looping his kite over a family. I could just see trouble in the making. It was too light to fly anything. Realistically, when there is good wind, people dont flock to the beach. So if you are out on a light wind day, and you dont have a glid(e) better carpool down at macdumpsters.

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 7:17 am

leo
i dont think we have to deflate are kites ....
just not fly it over the beach/street walking back up.
as for the rules.....
if it is the only way to keep access open........

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 9:07 am

Ahhh the old debate goes on.... and on.....
Frankly I say we're FUCKED!!! Yes rightly so, we have earned it.
There is can be no comprimize
Frankly when kiting is shown to me to be dangerous to the public I'll personally try to presuade the parks we need there assistance in keeping order. Yes I'll even tell the mayor, whom I personally know, that we have failed to be able to correct the problem ourselfs, BLA BLA BLA.
Yes I will tell all, the cards will fall as they will. LET the ticket season BEGIN!!!!!! Bring'm on the parks will love there new MONEY TREE....
I hope you all get real good at boat launchs becouse when Alameda is EXPOSED as dangerous in the news, sites around the bay will fall like the house of cards we all live in.
Face it we all live in a highly populated area, the population will win. We can ALL cooperate or we can ALL buy a boat. I'd start looking into a ski!
LOUD MOUTH GREG- OUT!,
Gregory Boyington

windhorny · Post by **windhorny** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 11:40 am

So maybe we just have to keep ourselves from kiting on light wind days there when its nice out. Maybe there isnt a win/win solution. I think the big problem is that there are a constant flow of learners there and of course they are not able to go upwind nor are they comfortable shooting out onto the water far enough that their kite doesnt crash on sand. I think that the schools here need to really figure this out! In the latest Kite boarding magazine they had a picture of a boat with a tow system on the side. maybe they could do that to hone board skills so when they actually are ready to mix kite and board they are confident enough to stay on the water and not the beach where shit always happens. Because, on a crowded day, that upper beach is packed also. Limited space/rescources-more and more people, its the problem of the whole world. So tell your girls to take their birth control pills and maybe we will only have 10,000 kiters in the year 2010 at alameda instead of 50,000! Seriously, 5-6 beginner kiters all standing at once on the beach is a huge recipe for disaster. In a way its nice having that tree there to catch all the kites from hitting the road!

VanSimms · Post by **VanSimms** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 1:36 pm

I think what the problem is here is that what is really safe, and what the public thinks is safe are two totally different things, and we need a park ranger who kites and windsurfs, so he/she can be the translation between us and the government.
I agree with the wakeboarding approach, I was wakeboarding for 3 years before I got into kiteboarding, and within the first two hours of my lesson, I was up on my board.
We should call a meeting along with the swap meet on the 4th of April and get KWS, boardsports, and the park officials to attend. We should also put together an Alameda safety board, consisting of true locals (Andy, Charlie, Jeff, ect.)
-Evan

elli · Post by **elli** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 2:19 pm

If we call a meeting, we should first get some discussion among ourselves. Talking to the park officials is second step. We have some decisions to make before we talk to them. My opinion is that any negotiation with officials should be done by representatives of our group.

And keep that crazy woman out.

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:12 am

that crazy womans name is pam
she was one of the frist shop owners in the bay area.
she has seen the wind sports industry grow from mail order only to were we are today( local shops )
she is entitled to her opinion.
as for the parks dept ...ya we should have are act together frist.

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:13 am

CHECK THE RECENT POSTING ON IKITE REGUARDING SETTING UP BEACH REPS WITH THE SFBA. THIS APPROACH IS PROBABLY OUR BEST BET.
DONT GO OUT HALF COCKED: OUR GROUP MUST SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE,
L.M.G.

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New Policy/Alameda

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