Utah Windriders Association

It was another fun day at Barbed Wire Beach. 36-38 kiters out. Lots of stoke and lots of people. The wind was more South today so it was weird. Some kiters almost got hurt launching today so even though I like to "Run it fast and loose" here are some ideas.

We can spread out way more at DCBB. No need to bunch up so much.
I am going to start a couple of new paths to the water. We need more than one way in and one way out.
All new kiters need encouragement, nobody needs advice (unless they ask you for it) I am one of the three trained Kite Instructors in Utah. DO NOT tell students what they should be doing.
If you see someone doing something really unsafe. Please ask one of the Pros to pull the kiter aside to deal with it. Praise in public.... correct in private.

I love this sport! KWA Rule!
3B

I had too much fun and too much sun the days before so I couldn't make it today, but I did take some pics from the web cam.
Looks like I missed a good one.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 158d5f9570

Another great day with lots of kiters and spectators enjoying the gift of a late summer. I took a few photos to share... Thanks for your post Don...

Nice webcam pics Mark. Rode up there on my raceboard to drag race Carl C. on his Formula gear. So fun!!!

Who was faster? Who was able to point higher?

I think we were pretty even going upwind with Carl being able to point a little higher at times. I was definately faster on the reaches. Sorry Carl

Don Losee wrote:It was another fun day at Barbed Wire Beach. 36-38 kiters out. Lots of stoke and lots of people. The wind was more South today so it was weird. Some kiters almost got hurt launching today so even though I like to "Run it fast and loose" here are some ideas.

We can spread out way more at DCBB. No need to bunch up so much.
I am going to start a couple of new paths to the water. We need more than one way in and one way out.
All new kiters need encouragement, nobody needs advice (unless they ask you for it) I am one of the three trained Kite Instructors in Utah. DO NOT tell students what they should be doing.
If you see someone doing something really unsafe. Please ask one of the Pros to pull the kiter aside to deal with it. Praise in public.... correct in private.

I love this sport! KWA Rule!
3B

This brings up so much I don't know where to start. On the insignificant side of things, there are more than 3 certified kite instructors residing in UT. If access of egress in and out of the water is truly the concern then move quickly in and out of the launch, don't linger. For example, a "student" was right in front of the egress complete with kite at 12 o'clock when everyone was trying to come in on Sunday while the wind was dying and kites were falling out of the sky. This made things more difficult than the lack of several pathways to and from the water.

On the more significant side of things....haven't we been here already?

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7667&hilit=POLL

Really ?!?

I have received very valuable kiting suggestions
from professionally trained kiters and non-professional kiters.
If I'm in a position to potentially injure myself or worse someone
else, I would hope to be enlightened. While at a kiting location
I may have a difficult time Identifying a kiting student from just a fellow
kiter.

anybody against moving this to the kiter forum and starting a real dialog. IMHO we need to talk about deer creek issues

Funny, that is the reaction I had when I read your post. But to answer the question, yes most definitely "really." I won't rehash the other thread other than to say that in my kite instructor training it was never suggested to teach a class in on shore winds or without a jet ski (not to mention other safety equipment) and, that you said you would not teach there any longer.

Also, your suggestion that only the "pros" (by the way who are they?) comment on unsafe behavior smacks in the face of the discussion about maintaining safe launches that we have had in the past.

Obviously it wasn't a big deal having the guy directly upwind of the egress into the water but this IS an issue at DC and you even hinted at it in your post. Once your kite is in the air you should move quickly away from the launch and kite far away from it. This is where most incidents are likely to occur.

Sorry, I should have PM'd this perhaps but someone suggested that I speak up when the whole Lincoln Beach thing arose. I am happy to talk about it on the beach.

Thanks Don for opening this topic again. I will say first of all, and I've heard another say it, Don has done a good job of sticking with Andy through a tough learning curve. I think he has proved that he can instruct the right student. I think the right student is someone who is tough and athletic and someone who will keep taking lessons until they are safe on their own.

I was glad that Don had just one student. It's good that the lessons occured when the water was low enough to be out from the bushes. I think that it was good that Don is intimate with Barbwire. Someone who is not intimate with Barbwire should not be teaching there. Training kites only for visitors introducing their friends to the sport.

I agree with Vern that passing along tips on technique or local information is a good thing. If somebody is doing something dangerous, it needs to be dealt with right then. I'm not going to go looking for a "Pro". I'd like to add that if I approach someone about an issue that I don't mean it personally and I hope that no offense is taken. I'm as capable as anyone else of making a mistake and I won't take offense if someone tells me. I do understand what Don was saying about telling his student what to do. I'm sure Don gave him all the information that he could handle at one moment and more information would confuse the student further. The exception would be if the student was doing something dangerous and Don was not around.

A thing I would ask everyone is to launch with enough room in the field that if something went wrong there would be some space to recover before going into the road.

Don Losee wrote:I am going to start a couple of new paths to the water. We need more than one way in and one way out.

I think this is a wonderful idea.
Sherman Island is onshore launch also.
they have worked hard to make the place work.
They have posted an in lane, and a posted out lane.
you can somewhat see in this older photo.
We could do this with some work,
maybe a colored ribbon in the bushes by the water, to mark the IN,
for those of us that don't make it to DC as often.

Talk about a crowded launch! But things work out well, most of the time.

Self policeing is the only way things can sometimes keep from causing problems.
The BAKB forum is like ours and peer pressure and open conversations can go a long way

Don Losee wrote:Really ?!?

Doesn't seem like a very good way to have an open conversation about a launch site that has,,

Don Losee wrote: 36-38 kiters out. Lots of stoke and lots of people.

An open and accepting of criticism,
forum conversation is the only way that I feel that we are going to keep the most kiters happy,
and most importantly, keep open access of our spots.

RESPECT
Seems to be the reoccurring thing I keep seeing anytime this type of topic comes up.
again
Lack of respect for property
Lack of respect for other kiters
Lack of respect for other launch users
and in this case lack of respect for others opinions.

I have lots more to bring up,
but long posts suck.

More paths would be nice!