Current Utah PFD law..

[bordy]

Ok this is a touchey subject and I have been talking with others about how the "law" is being enforced were they kite, and well its not...


First, I do not think we will be band as a group for someone getting a PFD violation. I have been told by DNR,(state, so water cops at UT lake), and Utah county who owns the property we launch form that Kiting is a water sport that is welcome and each kiter is held responsable for their actions just like any one else using the waterways.

Second.

I would really like to reach a community dessicion on our course of action, I have beeen speaking with lots of you on the beach and would like others to chime in here.

So far we have a few ideas about what actions to take.

We can just comply and not make a huge stink and hope the solution of the infladable PFD works. This also allows others to make their own call to comply or not. We can not be punished as a community for the actions of a few.

We can write the coast guard and get there defeinition of the law. I know from speaking to others they are aware of the issues a pfd and kiteboarding create. Which is why we are not a vessel when close to shore line which is were most kites sail anyway.. We can then go to the state with our ducks in a row and try and get the law reviewed. The UT law can not be more lax then the federal law, but it can be tougher and require PFD reguardless of the coast guards views on swimming surfing area etc...This action will be long and take time to change the law at the state level. Some one getting a ticket and fighting the Law and forcing a judge to decide if the PFD law is safe maybe faster then jumping throught the correct hoops here...What we really need it the UT folk to interprite the coast guard law in our favor....

The biggest option, is much like the windsurfers did, it involes, getting the kite companys to work together and prove to the US coast guard that our Kites are sutible floatation devices, just like windsurfers are, the plus windsurfers have going for them is there board are filled with foam and should not sink..our kites can pop... SUPs are al;so filled with foam and that didn't help there case though? I spoke with my boss at North about this, they are cautious about this course of action becuase it may cuase a chain reaction that brings the PFD law to all kite spots nationwide if the coast guard doesnt accept out kites as floatation devices.

[RickHeninger]

(msg sent from Android phone)

I have talked to a couple of kiting the organizations. Gorge, IKO DR , Maui, For what it is worth.
It appears to me that enforcement comes down to individual officers. If you treat an officer
Individual like what he says doesn't matter, Of course that will result in the negative result.
Individual officers are just doing their job. If we are doing our best to be safe and comply with the law.
Then more than likely we can keep this issue under relative control.

So if the effort is to try to comply. For now, We will be met with much Less resistance.
Any kind of apparent rebellion out of the gate will result in increased resistance.
That is to say arguing with a cop on the beach. Will do no good. Being nice and letting him know
That you know he is just doing his job Will go a long long way.

PLEASE DON'T ARGUE WITH COPS ON THE BEACH.

They will respect your reasoning much more for not liking the law
Let Bordy et.al. Work on this the right way. Sleeping giants sleep.

Teach an officer to kite!

[Todd Jacques]

I hate wearing a PFD!! my .02 cents, but I love to kite. But I wear one to not provoke the woman. When I kite at LB I see almost everyone trying to comply. Even billy one of the most free spirted dudes out there wears one. Why he wants to kite. I mean it sucks but what choice do you have? If you go out and dont wear one you are going to make the rangers mad. At that point they have the keys and can and most likely will do what they want. Once again I was there when the lady cop with a gun and bullet proof vest came over and said you will wear one!! oh well what do I do? I buy two of them.
As eric said please take no offense. this is what I am thinking. I am passionate about kiting, and I disagree with my good friend Billy as I think a few could harm all of us with a cavlier attitude. no offense billy.
I think unfortunately all launches in all states will eventually enforce the pfd law, as the USCG has already handed down there verdict it is just not being enforced. The lady copy just had the cohanes to confront us, just because she wanted to. who knows maybe she does not like kiters? Maybe a better way to handle it is to get a official approval on the belt ( dont even notice it on)

Once again no offense to anyone. I hope I am friends with all. I just want to be heard.
Good luck in all of your endeavors

[Kenny]

My 2 cents...

Comply for now. It will run it's course. Most rangers really do not care and as long as we don't make a big deal about it, it will blow over. If enforcement spreads to other locales, it may require intervention from the kite companies. However, if it is just a local Utah thing and we don't make a big issue out of it, it will die of it's own accord.

[Craig Goudie]

Unless the Parks Department is just looking for revenue. Sorry, that was an evil thought.

-Craig

My 2 cents...

However, if it is just a local Utah thing and we don't make a big issue out of it, it will die of it's own accord.

[Duane Bush]

Brian Kelm, Frank Pignanelli and I worked together to get the PFD law changed back in the early 90's . We were tired of the $50.00 plus tickets and the hassle of getting thrown off the water. A colorful Yuba incident was the final straw.
We did the same thing you are doing now which was to document the facts from experts in the sport, cite the laws in other states and the biggest bonus was having Frank walk us through how to present our case to the State Legislature. We had the State Parks and DNR fighting us the whole way. It was a major tense issue back then with tickets being handed out like candy. The State Parks representatives came to the hearing where we each presented our case and right at the end of the presentation they tried to sway the legislature by one of them pulling the rip cord on an inflatable PFD he was hiding under a jacket and wearing over his shirt...trying to make the claim that the inflatable PFD would not tangle with our harness etc and save us from our hapless selves... The whole room laughed, we countered back, destroyed their case and in the end the legislature sided with us thankfully, presto---No more PFD's for windsurfers.
The Legislators were very attentive and concerned , asked good questions and clearly listened to those experts out on the water participating. You are on the right path. FInd a local politician like Frank Pignanelli or just contact him for some pointers. He was an avid windsurfer back in the day and he will remember what we did. I can't imagine you wont get this fixed!