Event Site Users- Make your voices heard

[Bret]

Communicate on the Water! Communicate on the Water, Yell right or or something Communication is your best friend on the water.

[Bret]

If you do not understand these issues concerning the future of a sport in the heart of Hood River do not comment here.

[ericandholly]

Dear Recreation Committee Members,

We kiters will need more inflation room at the grass assuming we wade out, or not. I think we can come up with a very reasonable space that allows for windsurfers to rig, store and walk into the water with their gear. Perhaps an "L" shape with the base of the L at the East, as now, and the stem of the L going West towards the bathrooms and limited to the flat portion--South-- of the grass, with windsurfing boards and sails stored on the sloped portion.

Something like that, anyway.

I have had some nice, informal discussions with two longtime, hardcore Event Site windsurfing folks. I am really encouraged by what I hear them saying. Mainly, I think we tend, like all things, to hear about the extremes, be they from the sailing or kiting perspective. These guys made it clear to me that when the sand bar is flooded they fully support getting kiters out on the water, are willing to accommodate and recognize our plight, as well as our growing numbers.

I, in turn, have a much better understanding of what the windsurfers contend with as the sand gets exposed. While I windsurfed for 20 + years, I never really used the Event Site much. Mainly, the shallow tongue moves further west which pinches everyone on the west half of the Event Site into tighter, and tighter quarters. To complicate matters, as windsurfers get closer to the western jetty their sails are in a wind shadow created by the jetty. They drift out and downwind to water start, which puts them in the launch zone. They don't want to be there anymore than we want them to be there.

If all of this were up to me--which it isn't--I would propose the following:

1. Event Site open to kiters from Sept 6 (day after Labor Day) through June 30.

2. Increase the pump and dry area during all times and allow lines to be attached, with the expectation that they get IMMEDIATELY rolled up on the bar.

3. Between July 1 and Sept 5 kiters are to launch/land from the sand.

4. Kiters and windsurfers are discouraged from high speed travel, jibes, jumps etc close to the event site--get out of the "look at me zone." Both user groups have a small number of riders who abuse this. The maddest I have been in the last 15 years was when a windsurfer used my then 8 year old's head as a jibe buoy, as my son was practicing his windsurfing water starts. The sailor's comment to me was, "He shouldn't be learning here."

5. In the event of another high water episode, an "Emergency Launch" contingency goes into effect, which incorporates extending the Event Site season, and/or expanding/reopening the Marina launch, which is a pretty nice launch. Moreover, I think the improvements and excitement brought about by The Slider Project folks will make that area super appealing to the growing number of Wakestyle kiters.

I DO NOT represent the CGKA, or CGWA, though I am a member of CGKA, and a past member of CGWA.

Best,
Eric Cohn

[ericandholly]

Dear Recreation Committee Members,

We kiters will need more inflation room at the grass assuming we wade out, or not. I think we can come up with a very reasonable space that allows for windsurfers to rig, store and walk into the water with their gear. Perhaps an "L" shape with the base of the L at the East, as now, and the stem of the L going West towards the bathrooms and limited to the flat portion--South-- of the grass, with windsurfing boards and sails stored on the sloped portion.

Something like that, anyway.

I have had some nice, informal discussions with two longtime, hardcore Event Site windsurfing folks. I am really encouraged by what I hear them saying. Mainly, I think we tend, like all things, to hear about the extremes, be they from the sailing or kiting perspective. These guys made it clear to me that when the sand bar is flooded they fully support getting kiters out on the water, are willing to accommodate and recognize our plight, as well as our growing numbers.

I, in turn, have a much better understanding of what the windsurfers contend with as the sand gets exposed. While I windsurfed for 20 + years, I never really used the Event Site much. Mainly, the shallow tongue moves further west which pinches everyone on the west half of the Event Site into tighter, and tighter quarters. To complicate matters, as windsurfers get closer to the western jetty their sails are in a wind shadow created by the jetty. They drift out and downwind to water start, which puts them in the launch zone. They don't want to be there anymore than we want them to be there.

If all of this were up to me--which it isn't--I would propose the following:

1. Event Site open to kiters from Sept 6 (day after Labor Day) through June 30.

2. Increase the pump and dry area during all times and allow lines to be attached, with the expectation that they get IMMEDIATELY rolled up on the bar.

3. Between July 1 and Sept 5 kiters are to launch/land from the sand.

4. Kiters and windsurfers are discouraged from high speed travel, jibes, jumps etc close to the event site--get out of the "look at me zone." Both user groups have a small number of riders who abuse this. The maddest I have been in the last 15 years was when a windsurfer used my then 8 year old's head as a jibe buoy, as my son was practicing his windsurfing water starts. The sailor's comment to me was, "He shouldn't be learning here."

5. In the event of another high water episode, an "Emergency Launch" contingency goes into effect, which incorporates extending the Event Site season, and/or expanding/reopening the Marina launch, which is a pretty nice launch. Moreover, I think the improvements and excitement brought about by The Slider Project folks will make that area super appealing to the growing number of Wakestyle kiters.

I DO NOT represent the CGKA, or CGWA, though I am a member of CGKA, and a past member of CGWA.

Best,
Eric Cohn

[katosandog]

[tweeky]

[phazle5499]

Lets do what they do in Maui. Seperate the kiters from the windsurfers. Do we know something they do not?? Kiters should launch and land from the Marina, down wind of the windsurfers launching from the event site. There is no reason to have both launching and landing in the same small stretch of beach at the event site. It's just common sense.

[phazle5499]

Increasing the pump and dry area of the event site only magnifies the problem. First of all, the only reason it appeared necessary this season was because the sand bar was under water, which brought more kites up on the pump and dry area. But the bigger problem is that we all know what the next demand will be. Based on past experience, the pattern is to first get the pump and dry area expanded and then, the next year, attempt to turn it into an expanded kite launch and land zone. I don't think that kite will fly.

[ericandholly]

What problem does a dry kite sitting on a lawn 50' from the water magnify?

[phazle5499]

For the answer, please read the entire post.