BayAreaKiteboarding.com

Hi All,

After all the discussion about bad and/or dangerous launches at the beginner spots of late, I've been thinking…

To me, kiting is a bit like learning to fly an airplane. You go through school, but you have someone experienced, flying next to you for a while before you're allowed to fly 'solo'.

Clearly instructors can't go to every new spot with their students and teach the etiquette, setup, launch angle, dangers, etc,. Maybe that's where we, the more experienced kiters come in. I spent the afternoon at Alameda today, 'mentoring' a friend. He's the second guy I've spent a day with this season, getting their kiting game on.

Each had been through lessons (at Sherman Island and La Ventana) and were released into the wild as "kiteboarders". They'd both been taught the requisite safety, self-rescue, kite setup, do's and don'ts, etc., but weren't quite comfortable heading to Alameda, running their lines and hitting the water just yet. I remember how freaked out I was connecting the lines the first times I had to do it all by myself. And that's the point, these people shouldn't be doing this *all by themselves*… yet!!!

So, while I think it's primarily the responsibility of the schools/instructors to turn out safe, ready and competent kiters, I think there is much we as a community can to to help these fledgelings fly solo. Of course every new rider won't know an experienced kiter who's ready to spend a day(s) being their mentor. But it shouldn't be too hard for the newbies to *get to know* someone who kites...

What if the new kiters were instructed that they would be welcomed to hit their local beach, leave their gear in their car and start talking to the more experienced riders with a possibility someone might offer to mentor them?

Hopefully, we'd have fewer ugly launch situations with the folks who aren't really ready to be flying solo in the first place.

Or we can choose to yell at or write about them in the forums when they screw it up and/or hurt someone. I say we all take a day or two and help get in front of the problem of these soloists, rather than wait for bad things to happen again… and again…

Be the guy/gal on the beach the new kiters can approach. Pay it forward.

OK, off my soapbox.

Kirk out

Did Boardsport know what you were doing at their beach?
If you aren't a certified boardsport instructor you can't do that.

great idea. in fact i would take it a step further and say that schools should have a list of possible mentors for each location that a new kiter can go to. Upon end of classes, schools can match a kiter with a mentor. This can be a free service for the sake of promoting safe kiting in the bay area.

im willing to mentor anyone starting next season at which point i hope to have enough experience myself!

tomerp wrote:great idea. in fact i would take it a step further and say that schools should have a list of possible mentors for each location that a new kiter can go to. Upon end of classes, schools can match a kiter with a mentor. This can be a free service for the sake of promoting safe kiting in the bay area.

im willing to mentor anyone starting next season at which point i hope to have enough experience myself!

Ditto. I think the whole concept is great (in theory).

Did Boardsport know what you were doing at their beach?

Absolutely.

Here's what this looks like:
1. Pump up our kites on the lawn and walk past the Shack, kites and boards in hand. Exchange greetings with Jane and Rebecca on the way past.
2. Put our kites down on the sand, upwind of the popular/crowded launch area (staying out of the way of the real beginners).
3. Walk over, introduce my buddy to Jane & Rebecca.

Kirk: "This is my buddy Alex. He's had lessons with Nat from Edge Kiteboarding. I'm mentoring him today to make sure he knows what he's doing."

Jane and Rebecca both said hi (even though they were both busy) and welcomed Alex.

4. Help Alex check his lines and launch him safely. Make him land his kite back to me before heading for the water.
5. Launch my kite, follow Alex into the water, following him (upwind). Retrieve his board when he gets WAY away from it.
6. Ride by and offer relaunch techniques as needed.
7. As we get pushed downwind, I land my kite and help catch Alex's kite safely.

Mentorship defined. Only takes an afternoon and Alex is a much safer, more competent kiter.

Walking back up the beach with Alex (mentorships tend to be downwinders!), Jane was doing a lesson. Something had broken on the board she was using for the lesson and she exchanged boards with Alex, telling him to ask Rebecca to let Alex demo any board he wanted to at the Shack.

If you aren't a certified boardsport instructor you can't do that.

I think there's a misunderstanding here. So much that I called Rebecca today and asked her if she was cool with the role of mentor I played with Alex yesterday. She said they really loved the way things went and that they really appreciated having someone around to keep an eye on a newcomer.

There is clearly a difference between 'mentorship' and 'initial instruction'. I'll let those who have issues with the definitions work it out amongst themselves.

All good. Really.

Kirk out

At Alameda if any newbie runs into Max or I at Shellgate Launch (the lower beach where you see people launching from) or me when I'm up helping out the school I am always more than happy to help new people out esp. with orientation to the spot and getting them safely on their way.

Just look for the incredibly handsome guys with the Caution kites and you'll know it's us

It's an important responsibility in the learning process to pass on the culture of safety and friendship amongst riders who help each other navigate sometimes dangerous launching / landing & riding conditions and always coming to each others aid. When you think about this sport when something goes wrong lives are put at stake within a minute or less and it's so important to have a helping hand to instantly be there to help you out.

There are a lot more of us out there now--so the response time of kiters helping kiters will keep getting better and better even as the spots become more crowded if we foster this spirit.

I am not surprised Kirk suggested this idea--he is one of the best winter storm kiting buddies anyone can have at the beach... always ready to lend a hand in what at times has been some pretty sketch conditions off-season.

YES,YES,YES,YES.... Dont JUST talk- DO IT!
=D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>
I have MANY MANY MANY... Times!
And THANK YOU, :goodman:
L.M.G.

I wish I could make myself more helpful while I let my arm mend. I have thought about how I could help verbally to beginners but I always conclude that anyone that inexperienced really needs someone that can take over in a pinch.

I think at alameda, it is ok to try and learn on your own after your first lesson or two BUT the big lacking skill is landing. I am watching 6+ kiters crash their kites on the beach as i type this and none of them look like they have the slightest clue how to evade the public nor get to the kite before their kite hits the beach. It usually looks like a prayer that the kite will just land itself after a few tumbles. So in response to this, I would still like to offer a self landing class. But I will need a novice kiter to assist me in the demonstrations. I think the analogy to learning to fly has been made but again....you dont learn to fly without also earning to land!

my other, potentially racist, solution is to pay all those out of work mexican guys at home depot to learn to help. They would be getting paid to walk on the beach basically. Sounds a lot better than waiting for illegal employment that may never come. It could be funded by the schools and ultimately passed on to the student with a small fee like $5. If 20 people spent $5 thats $100. I am sure those guys would take $100 to chill on the beach and land some kites.

windhorny wrote:my other, potentially racist, solution is to pay all those out of work mexican guys at home depot to learn to help. They would be getting paid to walk on the beach basically. Sounds a lot better than waiting for illegal employment that may never come. It could be funded by the schools and ultimately passed on to the student with a small fee like $5. If 20 people spent $5 thats $100. I am sure those guys would take $100 to chill on the beach and land some kites.

Yuri-
Your a SMART COOKIE, Me LIKEY!! =D> =D> =D>
G'

Maybe a few solo kiters will pick one or two of those guys up and put them to work, GOOD PLAN!
$10 an hour for a personal spotter-
Share the wealth, :D
L.M.G.