Sounds like a lost cause !
If you have this TV program,and tell the truth about kiteboarding,it will probably just make things worse !
Are you going to leave out the bits about how many kiters have been killed or seriously injured?
How complete idiots will try to learn amongst the crowds and be dragged all over the place?
Your best option is to go to remote spots where you dont bother anyone,and hope that they will leave you alone.
TV program on kitesurf prohibition!
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DickSticker
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Tom183
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Is 100 kiters enough to carve out a launch area? If you get there early in the day, pick a spot far away from the parking lots, and keep all 100 kiters in that one area - I would think 100+ kite bags and boards might keep away the sunbathers.
If you're going to do it, find a way to use the numbers to your advantage.
If you're going to do it, find a way to use the numbers to your advantage.
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tautologies
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although getting some press is good, I think it is more important to COLLECTIVELY get kiters in the area to organize. Then get a dialogue with the authoroties that decide. Create a suggestion, where (and you have to be willing to offer some time) you ask for a launch area, where you promise that only qualified kiters will kite..this would probably have to be enforced by you guys (we have been praised for wearing very visible yellow t-shirts on the beach with KITE SAFETY printed on them, where we try to help and advice kiters)....where you always have someone there to watch so that no beachjumping happens. Big signs with rules in Spanish English and maybe german.
Our biggest problem here are tourists coming over and ignoring every rule. Stating that they can do what they want doing their tricks too close to the beach.
We have posted our rules here:
http://www.kiteoahu.com/default.asp?nc=5305&id=6
In my opinion we are our own worst enemy...when kiters behave unsafe it really frightens people, this quickly leads to bans etc.
I really think it is important to initiate a dialogue with the authoroties. Maybe you can suggest that kiting is only allowed weekdays after a certain time...it would be better than nothing. In addition, do not demonstrate with a 100 kiters on the water..in front of the camera..that is a recipe for destruction...really. Get a representative, be humble, say you understand the concerns, but that you feel that you are getting organized...etc. In general I think it is very important that you know you are going to say before the interview.
anyhow there are sooo much you can do...
Alex
Our biggest problem here are tourists coming over and ignoring every rule. Stating that they can do what they want doing their tricks too close to the beach.
We have posted our rules here:
http://www.kiteoahu.com/default.asp?nc=5305&id=6
In my opinion we are our own worst enemy...when kiters behave unsafe it really frightens people, this quickly leads to bans etc.
I really think it is important to initiate a dialogue with the authoroties. Maybe you can suggest that kiting is only allowed weekdays after a certain time...it would be better than nothing. In addition, do not demonstrate with a 100 kiters on the water..in front of the camera..that is a recipe for destruction...really. Get a representative, be humble, say you understand the concerns, but that you feel that you are getting organized...etc. In general I think it is very important that you know you are going to say before the interview.
anyhow there are sooo much you can do...
Alex
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RickI
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I was out of town when this post went up. Trying to negotiate designated launches for kitesurfing could help. Doing this in less populated areas would be one approach. It may not be feasible but it could provide an alternative to an outright ban. More about setting up something like this in the first sticky at:
phpbb/viewforum.php?f=131
phpbb/viewforum.php?f=131
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RickI
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Thanks, I wish you folks all the best in regaining access to ride. Designated launches have successfully been used in various heavily populated areas around the world where beach use is high. Places like Rio de Janeiro, Lower Kanaha Beach in Maui, Ft. Lauderdale in Florida and many other places.
Key to the process is building a credible case/need with the authorities, crafting a set of rules for sustainable access and effectively motivating riders to comply with them. Memberships that could be lost can be one possible means of motivating riders to comply. Enlisting the support of merchants that benefit from kiteboarders, e.g. restaurants, shops, would be useful. Some kiteboarders are also well connected with the authorities/merchants and could be requested to help with the cause. Presenting an organized appearance to authorities as opposed to a bunch of guys doing whatever they want individually can also help.
The designated launch often is a fairly confined setup and launch/landing channel. Guys need to get offshore beyond the exclusion zone (often around 100 m +) and stay out until time to come in. If you have a narrow staging area on the beach, you may need to parallel park kites with lines wrapped up on bars. If coast conditions support the practice (depths and waves), doing assisted launches and landings in the shallows can further extend things. Not everyone will be able to ride in tightly confined designated launches, i.e. guys learning to stay upwind. They will not be able to stay within the channel. Hopefully, resources will be available for new kiters to develop skills, things like chase boats for staging sessions offshore or other less populated/contested beach areas. Critical to all of this is working to tactfully keep bystanders out of the setup and launching channel. Marking out the boundaries with traffic cones and putting up effective informational signs for bystanders can help. It can and has been made to work in various parts of the world. Good luck again!
Key to the process is building a credible case/need with the authorities, crafting a set of rules for sustainable access and effectively motivating riders to comply with them. Memberships that could be lost can be one possible means of motivating riders to comply. Enlisting the support of merchants that benefit from kiteboarders, e.g. restaurants, shops, would be useful. Some kiteboarders are also well connected with the authorities/merchants and could be requested to help with the cause. Presenting an organized appearance to authorities as opposed to a bunch of guys doing whatever they want individually can also help.
The designated launch often is a fairly confined setup and launch/landing channel. Guys need to get offshore beyond the exclusion zone (often around 100 m +) and stay out until time to come in. If you have a narrow staging area on the beach, you may need to parallel park kites with lines wrapped up on bars. If coast conditions support the practice (depths and waves), doing assisted launches and landings in the shallows can further extend things. Not everyone will be able to ride in tightly confined designated launches, i.e. guys learning to stay upwind. They will not be able to stay within the channel. Hopefully, resources will be available for new kiters to develop skills, things like chase boats for staging sessions offshore or other less populated/contested beach areas. Critical to all of this is working to tactfully keep bystanders out of the setup and launching channel. Marking out the boundaries with traffic cones and putting up effective informational signs for bystanders can help. It can and has been made to work in various parts of the world. Good luck again!