ULLB 7/9 710 epic with pictures

[Leo Chan]

I think PFD and helmet makes me look fat and short. And my head is so big already that I look like an alien. But I'd rather live to tell it. Helmet + PFD = happy sailing. Just look at Jim Southwick and his total package! Wicked!!!

[hedquista]

I have worn helmet from day one. and always will. i have turned around to go back home to get my helmet. It is part of my gear and if i dont have it then i dont ride. If i went to the ski resort and forgot one ski i would sit the day out because i forgot my other ski. It is my choice and i choose to wear it.

It does bother me some that those who jump the jetty are not wearing helmets because i cant stop you. My only problem with it is that when someone does have an accident i might be the one that has to carry your sorry ass out of the water and take you to the hospital while bleeding over my seats. Wont be to thrilled about that. But as with any good community i will do it, because i will take care of my own for that is what i would expect they would do to me. Just dont crash.(easier said than done). I kite by the philosophy of "you can always kite another day". i am not afraid to call it a day when i am tired or the conditions are less than desirable. I have looked at the jetty jump and passed on the occasion. I relly wanted to but just didnt feel like it was the thing to do that day.

I know that those that jump the jetty are very aware of those down wind.(if you jump on top of me i will undoubtably dive my kite on you and make you pay for a new kite you just ripped) You will wait for those to be very clear of your intended landing. I have only seen the jetty jump when there have been less than 5-6 kites at lincoln.(more open space) Just be safe and dont be stupid... not even for the camera or a story while drinking a beer afterward.

If you choose to ride with out a helmet i believe it is your responsibility to be that much more safe, for yourself. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS. Just dont get my beaches taken away or not just i will be very angry that they are gone. other than that do what you want.

[Kenny]

I am glad that Bordy is teaching newbies to wear a helmet. Once you are proficient at kiting it is easy to become complacent about helmet use. 99% of the time a helmet is not needed. When things go bad, they go bad fast. It can be another rider wrapping their lines around your kite, a freak gust of wind, a broken kite line, etc. Of course, a helmet may not save you in those situations.

I think all new comers to the sport should read about the incidents that have occurred both locally and in other parts of the country then they can make an informed decision. www.kiteforum.com has a whole section on accidents.

We have had one fatality in the local community and a serious brain injury. I doubt a helmet would have saved our friend who died, but I am almost certain that the outcome would have been different with the instructor who suffered a brain injury.

[Jason Klein]

I wear a helmet. Just seems to make sense to me (and it keeps my sunglasses on), but it is a personal choice. If you are an experienced kiter and fully understand the risks, you should make your own choice as to whether or not to wear one.

[bordy]

I think it very important that we don't blur the lines between the Helmet Use and access issues, going off on a tangent rant about how much it would suck IF we loss access becuase of a accadent and weather or not you choose to wear a helmet to protect your head are to tottally differnt issues. I could go on about how kitelooping in shallow water can lose us access if the rider gets hurt, or flying your kite while standing between two cars can cuase injury and lose us access, or not knowing the right of way rules and wrapping your kite around some one and cutting or choking them out, etc. There are a ton of varibles that can cause a injury, If you beleave wearing a helmet makes you less prone to head injury and you choose to wear one to prevent said head trama then post as such, If you choose not to wear a helmet becuase it is your personal choice and you have the freedom to do so then also post as such.

There is also great topics about helmet use at kiteforum.com

As I said befor Helmet use is a choice, this topic has come up in the past, I am surprised by the forcefulnees of helmet users towards thoose who are not helmet users( Alex). I don't see the riders who go helmet free"coming down on the helmet wearers?

And Les come on, why do you troll it up here, when is the last time you went kiting? Maybe you should come to the beach if your jonesing to particapate? What a buzzkill it was for all of us to go from super stoked about one of the best nights kiting all year to "I can see a "what happened to wearing helmets" discussion soon"....Thanks. There would not have been a helmet disscusion if not for your post? Mark has posted hundreds of pics all year with the same athletes rocking the same attire, of course once you troll for a thread there it is? And there isn't going to be any change from this topic life at the beach will be the same just now with some tension created on line. Helmet use will still be incouraged with newbies, Helmets will still be worn be thoose who like them, and not worn by thoose who don't. And as Always I'll still be the guy on the beach trying my hardest to keep the community safe and sound, with no help from online posters who don't kite......

Our sport is already very dangerous, After we lost Mitch no one shut down Rush to use, Derrick got wacked on the head at UT Lake we are all still kiting there? People jump off boats and die and fisher man disapire at UT lake and boating and fishing are still aloud.

It very easy to conjer up great stories about what may happen while sitting in front of your computer, as a author I could write pages. Lets keep it real on the beaches, and on the forum.

[lesvierra]

easy billy, I'm enjoy the pics, just interesting observation since I have had to chance to kite with you guys. please hold the personal attacks.

[Mark Johnson]

The final word on this subject. The choice is yours! You decide.

[Marty Lowe]

kinda stupid and a little off topic....

Wonder if the kiters wearing battle gear,( helmets, impact vests, etc)
also used condoms when single ?

And if the non helmeted group,
just hoped for good luck to keep them out of a life changing event ?

-Marty

[JimSouthwick]

In all due respect to Billy, who has a well deserved reputation as an excellent, caring instructor and a great guy to have around when it hits the fan, safety and access ARE related issues. Recall that a couple of years ago, as a result of accidents involving flying water weenies ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H0k9Uvt ... re=related ) Lake Powell instituted a ban not just on them but also on kiteboarding. I don't know what the current situation is down there; hopefully the powers that be have figured out that kites and flying water weenies aren't the same thing and have lifted the ban, at least on kites. In any case, the fact remains that there is precedent for banning activities that are considered excessively dangerous and hence a potential source of legal liability. So far, despite a couple of high profile accidents, the Utah kiteboarding community has escaped loss of access (except to Richardson Flat) but there are no guarantees.

Question: why is helmet use virtually universal for snowkiting but not for jumping rock jetties?