Respect for your Fellow Kiters' Safety and Access

[Jake-wright]

As a beginner kiter and having only kited one season on water, I would have actually liked to see some recommendations and/or rules posted for proper etiquette on a crowded or difficult launch site. Often times I have felt intimidated and too emberassed to ask what maybe a " dumb" question. All this despite the fact that every person I have ever talked to or met has been more than willing to give advice or tips in a very friendly and non-judgmental way ( this friendly attitude has made kiting for me much more than just another way to get air, so thank you all!) Also I must say that it really only takes about 5 - 10 minutes of careful observance to figure out what the general consensus is of the seasoned pros on the simple stuff ( i.e. proper launch and rigging areas, right of way, and especially kite sizing.) it would be kind of annoying to post rules at launch sites especially when they are mostly only valid when it is crowded. So maybe a set of posted recommendations for when the beach has x amount of riders? This way we don't bind ourselves and take away what is best about kiting but newbies such as I can see what is expected of us without any confusion of asking different people, or even worse... Doing it wrong and hurting someone.

[Todd Jacques]

I just want to say that I agree with Ralph. If we grow the sport and loose access, it will be in vein. I kite dc alot, and I want anybody who kites to have a good time there. I also want people to learn, I did. The problem is if something silly happens like a kite ends up in the power lines or a car gets snagged we will loose it. I just dont think we can keep asking people to be smart. You cannot be there 24 /7. Silly stuff goes on there all the time, even by excperied riders. Like ralph said some might not care as the ones who kite there all the time. How would Chris and Jessica G feel if they lost ULLB? Or Billy is he lost access to Strawberry?
We need to get serious about protecting our launches: DCBB, ULLB, ULSBB, ULLindon, Willard, rush, etc... We live in a great state for wind. If we lost DCBB I would be devistated, hell I would move!! Can the UWA get this seriously on there chalk board? we have some great people in this community., very smart inteligent people. We just need to get the pride out of the way and get informed. Just read some websites about all the launches that have been lost!
Rush was plush

[Travis Cook]

So i have heard references to this BMW guy over the past year on this board and wonder if it is me. I have been known to drive a BMW but not recently. And I might have had some unsafe launches early on. My 2nd time out my friend brought me up to bwb to learn body dragging right when the wind was ramping up and everyone else was getting off. I was too green to recognize the danger. That first year I bugged billy to death to let me kite bwb, but he was tough on me and didnt give in. I respectd him and stayed at lincoln until i had enough sessions under my belt to stay upwind and understand why bwb isnt good for beginners. I'm still learning a ton but have had a few scary situations that teach you to respect the danger.

[John Guay]

Utah Summer Games does have a permit and the appropriate liability insurance for the kite event. They have always had these over the past 5+ years. The State ranger was very aware of the race/freestyle area being set up by BWB out on the water. No event was "hosted" at BWB, only communications and launching in/out from there. I would not run or be involved with an event that didn't have the appropriate permission and liability insurance. If you feel like the event shouldn't be hosted there, please start a new forum and let's see what the kiting community decides.

Hey Jake thanks for posting info regarding the organization of the Summer Games event. It sounds like you had all the bases covered. I'm not sure if we need a new forum but I think there is some concern about the issues Ralph posted. Does the additional parking and crowding of an event change the mind of the guy who has the lease and has given us verbal permission to access the land? I guess watching a bad launch and kite get released on a busy day raised some anxiety!

[JimSouthwick]

No, Travis, you're not the BMW guy. Ironically, the kiter everyone used to refer to as "the BMW guy" has become a highly respected member of the Utah kiting community.

[Kenny]

I am sorry that I brought up the "BMW Guy" moniker. He is one of our fellow kiters that went from kook to one of our favorite members of the crew with more stoke for the sport than just about anyone that I know.

I too started out as a total kook. I started in 2000, there were no local instructors and I tried to learn from watching DVD's and reading whatever was available on the internet. It was pretty scary because I was flying 2-line kites with no depower at places like Grants (not a friendly launch for kiters). After several months of struggle, I went to Maui and took a lesson. However, I came back and continued to do stupid things from time to time. What got me into trouble was too much enthusiasm. I was so stoked to get on the water that I often prepared my equipment too hastily or I was so eager that I would go out in marginal conditions. I clearly recall about 5-6 years ago, Spencer spoke to me after I initiated a bad launch at Rush. He mentioned to me that a kiter of my experience should not be having these type of issues. He was kind and respectful, but direct. He was right and I am grateful that he spoke to me. After that I resolved to not be so anxious.

The lesson that I learned is to take my time and not be so eager that I risked my safety and/or the safety of others.

Todd is right when he says that we need to protect our launches. I have read about many beach closures that were caused by one kook. It only takes one person to shut down a launch. Kiters are on the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to access rights. We take up a lot of room, we are a small minority, and we don't own the property. So, we do need to police ourselves.

[bordy]

This is the same topic we always discuss.

First off for Travis C. and Jim H. Peter Miller was and still is BMW guy. Peter never took lessons and missed so many of the needed saftey aspects of kiting that a kiter would receive from a instructor in their first few days of kiting, Peter has learned most of his info but it took years and not days. He is a much safer kiter and we now just call him Peter because for a little while we did not know his name. Dave Kyle also took a few lessons but in his post he clearly has insight about how a kiter who had to learn the ropes on their own.

WE currently have a sign for Barbwire Beach but it is at my house and I am in the gorge for 10 more days. I as always hope the kiters that are there will help provide guidance to those who are not familiar with the area of the rigging and launching zones.

I think we as a community have decided years ago that a launch with onshore winds, barb wire and power lines down wind should not be for beginners. If a kiter can not self rescue,handle gust, stay upwind, and self land and launch as well know all the rules of the road and proper etiquette. then they should work on their skills at another site and then come to BWB when they are ready. These are all skills one can develop in just a few days if practiced, and asking a kiter to spend a few days practicing before BWB should not be to much to ask?

I live 8 minutes away and will be crushed if this site is lost. lets be smart and safe, I like Ralph's take, who cares if more people come into the sport if there is no where to go kite. I am all for new kiters It used to be how I made a living. Safe Smart kiters should be the people we want in our community.

On a side note I think it should be clear that the kiter who sent his kite down wind was a experienced guy who made a mistake with some improper planing it is just as important that we make saftey corrections to all of us. I welcome corrections if I am unsafe any day. I have made many comments to experienced guys doing "ground airs" or handle Passes in the launch area with powerlines down wind. these guys could have had it go wrong also. But having the courege to listen to your peers is also a important part of kiting.

[Don Losee]

Who was it?

[Kenny]

Don,

It is not for me to say. I wasn't there. Sherwin told me and my jaw hit the ground. It must have been a bad day for this individual because this guy has been riding longer than I have and has promoted safety from the beginning. I have a lot of respect for this person and what happened seems so out of character. We all have terrible days, I am going to chalk it up to that and let it die...