Recently at a Lake in Kansas we were asked to leave because the national ban on Kites at Corps of Engineer Lakes. The lake Director stated that the new regulation just took effect and that we are not to kite board on any Corps Of Engineer Lake in the US. Does anyone know more about this?

I know they banned the stupid "kite" tubes that kill people too? I can find no current regulation on Kites on Corps Property....

Corps of Engineers bans kite tubing on lakes
Wednesday, July 12, 2006

The Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK -- The U.S. Corps of Engineers has banned kite tubing and kite surfing, a new extreme water sport, on its lakes in Arkansas and Missouri and soon the entire US.

Kite tubing has caused at least two deaths on other lakes in Texas and Wisconsin, the Corps said.

A kite tube is an inflatable platform towed by a boat. As speed increases, the entire tube is lifted into the air like a kite with the rider on top. The tubes often overturn or throw the rider, according to the Corps.

"This product is described by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission as 'extremely dangerous' and has already caused two deaths and numerous injuries," Col. Wally Walters said. "Until this product can be better designed for control and stability, and until proper training can be established, it is my judgment that the hazards and potential liabilities of allowing kite tubing on public waters outweigh the benefits of unrestricted use."

The Corps' Tulsa, Okla., district banned kite tubing last week.

The National Park Service has said that injuries caused by kite tubing include internal trauma.

"Victims have reported coughing up blood, torn muscles, whiplash-type injuries, broken ribs, punctured lungs and cervical fractures," according to a safety alert from the park service.

P.J. Spaul, a spokesman for the Corps in Little Rock, said that kite tubes are becoming more popular -- and that the inflatable platforms can be costly.

"These kite tubes are expensive -- $600 or $700," Spaul said. "We hope to keep people from going out and spending money on them before we tell them they're not allowed."

Lakes in Arkansas and Missouri where the ban is now in effect include Beaver, Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Norfork, Clearwater, Greers Ferry, Nimrod, Blue Mountain, Millwood, Dierks, De Queen and Gillham, as well as the Arkansas River in Arkansas.

it's just the tubes...not kites. no worries.

It may be just the "tubes" but are the people who enforce this going to be educated enough to know the difference?

that is sincere shit...who are these corps of engineers? Sounds like idiots to me...

There should be some guys on here who are affected?

Corps of Engineers are the same people who built levies in New Orleans. A semi-military, government group in charge of waterways and water control activities throughout the US.

We are t-h-i-s far from a ban at our local, federal park service beach. Luckily, we have a couple of local kiters representing our interests; holding the wolf at bay for the moment.


jim

thx for the info and good luck Jim!

I think there are more associations needed to keep access...too bad you don't have a kiting president

There may be 20,000 dead/wounded, young Americans that may quietly agree with you...

But the main topic of 'Loss of access' needs more attention. We are all pretty much macho, water Cowboys who like to show their stuff ..and often forget the people who actually have control over us are dweebs who prefer less 'show off' sports like desk-naps or golf.

A problem, that may not be limited to the US, is that none of these people want anyone hurt in space under their control. No civil servant wants to have to explain why something bad happend in fear that someone will connect a negative event with their name. It would be easier to ban the sport in their backyard than attract undue attention before their pension kicks in.

Jim

Do you just like pissing people off?
That "press release" is edited for shock value.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=& ... tnG=Search

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=& ... tnG=Search

lame!!!