Kiters ranking among other beach users

[Zepheros]

When using an unrestricted beach that is used by other beach goers such as swimmers, boaters, fisherman, etc, how do you view our privilege in comparison to the other more common uses. Is it equal or are our privilege to use somehow secondary to the other uses due to the larger portion of the beach and the nature of our sport.

Curious as to peoples thoughts on this topic.

[Air_Pharaoh]

We should have more rights, our sport doesn't affect the environment in anyway. unlike boats, fisherman, etc.

[Peter_Frank]

I definitely think other beach users like families/children/sun bathers should have priority, no doubt at all in my mind !

Firstly, it is quite rare (here), that there is a lot of wind AND extreme temperatures, so not that often it happens simultaneously, and of course we should just get the "heck out of there".

Sometimes, if I/we came first and the beach is empty - and it gets filled later, when going ashore - we dont move just as much always, especially as most think it is soooo fascinating, so we have a lot of good conversations, and they could see that we were there (had all our gear/boards/bags on the beach), so sometimes not necessary to move except for putting the kite down next to the beach goers and not in the middle of course.


Swimmers - we have to take care and look out for them, our full responsibility IMO.

Boaters - we have a lot of row boating here (competition and freerowing or whats it called..), and we should give them way too, and pass in a safe distance so they dont get scared.

Motorboating (not that many actually, as we are a sailing nation here) - they always avoid us, and think it is fine that way.

Fishermen - hmmm, THEY are a big problem often....


We have many tourists from other countries (but also native of course), who stand either on the beach at the very best wave point break, or out at the pier at the very best wave spot.

I must say, I really dont know how to balance this....
Because, they will say and think we should just move away, as there is plenty of water.
And we have only picked the very spot because of the point/pier break.

Mostly, I ride quite close to the lines (but a bit scared of getting "hooked"), if they came "last".
If they were there first, I keep a bit more distance.

An interesting topic actually

Peter

[tautologies]

No this is not about rights. All beach users should have the same rights. However, we do not have the right to put other beach users in danger.

It is good if local kiters on unregulated beaches band together on a part of the beach where one does not affect other beach users as much.

[Toby]

No this is not about rights. All beach users should have the same rights. However, we do not have the right to put other beach users in danger.

It is good if local kiters on unregulated beaches band together on a part of the beach where one does not affect other beach users as much.

well said.

But we should also have the rights to get designated areas for us as well. How can Maui have hundreds of swimmer zones and not one designated kite zone? Not fair!

[Peter_Frank]

This is bull IMO....

I agree it is not about rights - but to just say "lets all hold hands and it'll work fine" will often go wrong....

So important to have an idea about how different people look at the "limited" beach space in order to coexist in the best possible way


And regarding the fishermen ?

That is not even a question about danger, but how to handle the situation as we want the exact same spot and this can give huge "anger" although no real "danger".

Peter

[jakemoore]

This is bull IMO....
I agree it is not about rights - but to just say "lets all hold hands and it'll work fine" will often go wrong....

+1

I would suggest to give the fisherman some space. People have been fishing long before any of our governments were even formed. And you can bet your local councilman is more interested in teaching their kids/grandkids to fish than kitesurf.

[longwhitecloud]

There is no ranking, there is mutual respect. Where we ride is quite often dangerous for swimming - rips , tides huge swells etc and we have likely saved many swimmers lives (i'm on 5+) over the years whilst kiting, surfing etc.. (including young children). I avoid going anywhere near swimming children - it's a huge no no (especially upwind - closer downwind and slow), but also don't have a problem talking to parents if the swim zone is open and they are in a rip zone - attitude is the thing that will destroy this relationship instantly though... Having been to Maui a few times to kite I am very surprised there is an issue at this spot, if the wind is cranking it sucks for swimming compared to so many other spots. To anyone that does not know, you cannot kite before 11am on Maui which Is totally the time I would be going for a swim - before the potential nuclear winds pick up through the day. It's often quite murky at Kanaha area close in too - which would not my preference for swimming, but ok for a quick cool off.

I don't really fully understand the place with the issue - is it the slick downwind of the rocks at kite beach - or between teh rocks just upwind of here - towards lower Kanaha?

Anyway I'm hyped to book a flight to Maui right now - I love it all ( except the surf localism)

Toby, if you don't like to ride over 18 knots, you will hate this place, it gets so ridiculously windy, although if you show up at 11am you may get some lower wind session for a short time.

[chemosavi]

Are you kidding?

"Other" beach users should PAY to have kiters present. And give them ANY space they want.

Since all they're doing is watching US...... kite.

ENTERTAINMENT, free of charge.

A few massive, spray producing crashes combined with big airs and most important of all, good looking kites, helps increase the shiznit.

[Zepheros]

I tend to lean toward Peter Frank's position.

All beach goers have equal privilege to use the beach, however the uses are not equal. When you have a single user occupying 25 meters of beach well that's not equal to 3 folks on a blanket and therefore more likely to be regulated. I think we need to be cognizant of that fact as a group and adjust our behavior accordingly. Nothing should be viewed in a vacuum and the circumstances of each spot should be considered from a reasonable perspectve.

My local spot is unregulated and bayside, the spot is used by swimmers, kids, fisherman, boaters and so forth. Overtime it has become the kite beach, when I started in 04 there was only a handful of kiters and in those days we as a group made a serious effort to self regulate and not interfere with the "existing uses". In fact, we moved to that spot to avoid conflict with the windsurfers. We as a group had a different attitude, we were thankful for the spot and thankful that no one regulated us. Since then more and more kiters have come to the spot and sadly I think the attitude has changed, the newcomers somehow see that location as the kite beach and that its their given right to kite without an iota of concern for other users. Similar to the post above that says they (other users) should pay kiters for entertainment...really? This sense of entitlement among our group has grown since the early days and is concerning.

Just a thought, but perhaps the issue is the addictive nature of this sport, like any addiction the addict becomes very selfish and must get his fix at others expense. I know I've had to reel in that emotion over the years.