BayAreaKiteboarding.com

Crissy Field currents and wind can be frustrating.

1. Never deflate your kite unless you are about to be rescued by a boat.

2. Never jettison your gear and swim for it.

3. Always rap up your lines unevenly so tension is only on one front line or something similar.

4. know how to get your kite flipped over and into the self rescue position.

5. If no wind at all, swim perpendicular to the current.

6. Sometimes the wind shifts offshore, flip your kite on its back and clip off with your leash to the bridle or kite pump attachment point, and trail it behind you and swim perpendicular to the wind and current.

7. If you miss last chance beach, stay out away from the piers down wind.

8. A second leash is helpfull to clip on to your board and let your board trail behind you, only for rescue, not while riding.

If you need Coast Guard assistance wave your arm over your head, we can not read your mind from the beach.

Do not panic..

basically what he's trying to point out in a nice way is that there have been a lot of folks out lately who aren't good enough to ride Crissy who have gotten into trouble. This happens every spring.

I just had the following conversation recently: New kiter with twin tip: "What's it like out there?" Me: "well it's flooding pretty hard" Kiter: "is that good?"

rule #9 wait until you know what you're doing

Consider carrying a radio - it's a long swim in even for the most skilled kiters in the event of an equipment breakdown or bridle / line snap

There are 4 zones with increasing levels of risk in regard to breakdowns that I have observed:

1) The Inside - Easiest in the event of a breakdown. You can usually swim in from here. Not fun to kite in consistently unless it's a strong NW day (typically gusty / bubble zone). On filled in NW days however I believe this is statistically the safest place to kite at Crissy
2) Anita <-> Channel - The span where the wind picks up & fills in. You are closer to the swimable zone and not yet in the channel. Probably the safest sailing with regard to balance between break down risk exposure but still getting a good session with consistent wind, not a coincidence that it is loaded with windsurfers (who have survived riding Crissy for years and years)
3) Gate / Fort Point / South Tower / North Tower / Various Attractions - All have different stories, sights, and perils from surfer brahs to great white sharks to smooth buttery water that draws you in to instant wind shadows
4) Shipping Channel - This is the spot where statistically you probably want to spend the least time to reduce breakdown exposure as it poses potentially the highest risk of negative outcome

Above all, treat Crissy with respect. No matter how good you are equipment malfunctions happen to everyone and Crissy will quickly humble even the most experienced sailor

on #5 don't you mean swim perpendicular to the current? ie:not against it, but across it, possibly slightly with it in certain situations

and just to add my 2 cents, I stopped by crissy yesterday for a little sunshine and people watching "; and noticed a guy landing his kite to a fellow kiter. The fellow kiter watched as the kite came down flipped over and swiped across the beach.

If you are close by, please help your fellow kiter and catch his kite. The beach at crissy is not like 3rd. It can be fluky, on/off and gusty making self landing non-trivial. Unlike 3rd in which there is practically no wind below the rocks on the beach making self landing very easy.

Last thing we (global we) need is someone swiping their lines around a dog walker or something.

also you prob mean *perpendicular* to wind and current? ..and towards land. parallel means swimming with or against current in which case don't waste energy and let the mother nature carry you.


Suppose you flip lines (flyable), or tangle your lines, or wrap them on your kite. What's the procedure to reel yourself to the kite, untangle and relaunch. I've seen it done. I've even seen a guy use the downed kite as a sail - what seemed to be him sitting on the canopy, lines reeled in the bar and using the kite in a relaunch-like position to steer himself closer to land... the amazing thing is he relaunched and kept going

Bump

As the session progresses toward sunset consider staying within zone 2. A lot of the regulars will be there already beginning to test the inside as the afternoon winds down.

Also remember at Crissy a lot of the kites you might see in the distance are out training on raceboards so just because you see 5 kites headed toward the golden gate bridge or alcatraz and it's starting to get light it doesn't mean it will be just as easy for you to get in with them

I am available to accompany kiters during their "introductory session" at Crissy. I normally teach lessons in the waters around Treasure Island, but on occasion, have taken my jetboat up to Crissy for personal/client sessions. At any point during your session, I can board you and your gear into my boat and return to shore. Or, turn your session into a downwinder and head downwind as far as you want, I'll follow you...just a suggestion.

It's never fun to miss your landing beach, and sometimes Crissy makes you really work for it!


Contact me if your interested,
CaptainJohn@KiteTheBay.com

Are there going to be more policing because of the news report below?

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/s ... topstories

Likely those knuckleheads don't read BAK or they wouldn't be ignoring local advice. Best advice given to me in my early sessions was: If people are heading in, do the same!