Sailing with Kiteboarders

[repooc99]

I am doing some research on how windsurfers safely move in and around kiteboarders. Please submit your do's and don'ts. This is a genuine post attempting to gather good information from the folks who are on the water here in Oregon. Please keep it positive and free of opinions. Thanks

1. Are you a windsufer, kiteboarder or both?
2 What is your general set of rules when sailing with kiters?
3. What do you wish kiteboarders would be more aware of when around windsurfers?
4. Where do you sail and what kind of situations occur due to site geography?
5. In your opinion is kiteboarding safe?

If you have comments and or want to add questions to this post please contact me at repooc99@yahoo.com


Thanks,
Ron

[boardsportsrule4]

1. Are you a windsufer, kiteboarder or both?
I am a windsurfer

2 What is your general set of rules when sailing with kiters?
stay upwind if at all possible. If not, watch their kite incase somethign crazy happens and i have to move quickly. If we're sailing in the same area i try to guage their ability, and determine if i should move, or if its "safe" to sail around with them.

3. What do you wish kiteboarders would be more aware of when around windsurfers?
They know they're dangerous, and they try to stay out of conflicts in my opinion

4. Where do you sail and what kind of situations occur due to site geography?
hood river, OR. The new delta will be interesting for beginner windsurfers and launching kiteboarders, other than that not a whole lot

5. In your opinion is kiteboarding safe?
no, but neither is windsurfing, driving, or drinking alcohol..but we still do it.

[jesusjones]

Obey all general sailing rules, as if they were windsurfing. Wear a small knife somewhere. Ie..Pocket harness pocket ect...that way should you become entangled in any lines you can cut yourself free.

I don’t care who you are, if your sailing around assholes then there's always the possibility of confrontation.

[isobars]

[pdxkiteboarder]

The first question is a little off putting as I KB (obviously) and all the questions are geared for windsurfers. But, as it IS I windurf, I thought I would jump on and give some info on behalf of the kiteboard community as the above poster has been posting inflammatory posts on other forums that have not been taken well.

So here is my take on things (and I can say that there are shared sentiments with many of the kiteboard community).

First and foremost, we are all out to have a good time and enjoy ourselves, it seems at times that people seem to forget that and get all caught up in all manner of BS. I feel sorry for those people that are out on the beach on a nice sunny day and they are all piss and vinegar about that guy or the other guy.

I have seen kiteboarders bust obnoxious moves in "no fly zones" (which are not formally posted) and I have seen beginner windsurfers sailing through downed lines or sailing directly under people's lines.

The two can mix but they don't exactly mix well b/c of some of the reasons posted above. We are more mobile and sometimes I just feel like boosting an air and changing direction quickly. I always look behind me before doing something like that, but not everyone does. Most people are trying to stay out of everyones way. If you seem someone that is struggeling on a kiteboard or obviously doesn't know what the are doing, just steer clear of them (they have enough to worry about without someone yelling at them). If you see some being just plain obnoxious or breaking the rules..TELL ANOTHER KITEBOARDER! We are a very tight community that does a good amount of self policing, we will approach the individual and it will get dealt with.

Oh yeah, the safety thing. Yes, everything is dangerous. Yes, kiting is dangerous, it is far far safer now than it was but it is still dangerous. The difficulty we have is that for experienced KB's it isn't dangerous at all. The problem we have is that KB is extremely fun and is gaining popularity at an amazing pace. So much so that not everyone is taking lessons or learning how to do things correctly. Those are the people who pose a risk to others and those are the people we are trying to "manage" in one way or another. It is a delicate balance between responsibility (certification or some kind of "kook patrol") and freedom (obvious).

If you see something that looks suspicious or you know is just plain risky in the launch area, then engage that person or grab another kiteboarder to due so. Out on the water, you have very little to worry about, just don't sail immediately downwind of us (within the length of our lines).

Lastly, most of the time we are in entirely different places and that is fine and dandy. But when we are mixing it up, try to remain positive. I have gone to Rowena kiting and put up with a lot of bullshit from windsurfers when once I was launched I was nowhere near them. I never said "fuck you its a public park" but I felt like it several times. On the other hand, there were some really cool cats there that were obviously stoked to be out doing what they love and understood that I was just trying to do the same thing.

Isn't THAT what it is all about?

[isobars]

[pdxkiteboarder]

First, perhaps you should know what your talking about.

Second does the headline "MAN DIES AT SANDBAR!" sound inflammatory to you?

[isobars]

[pdxkiteboarder]

My bad, I meant the original poster. He really got tore up both with legitimate reasons and I think what quickly became sheer sport.
Most of the threads have been locked as it was just getting stupid but my intention was only to let the WS community know that the vast majority of kiters know what is going and and pose little to no risk to you. If you see a kiter acting like a dufus, let another one of us know. We generally stick together as a group and are very aware of our image and safety concerns.

The forecast looks good for this weekend so go get some!!!

[wsmike]

1. windsurfer
2 As others have said, watch the approaching kiter and judge their skill and capability/attitude and try to keep upwind. Stay as far away from them as possible as they tend to dangle around and land 100ft from where they were 2 seconds ago without notice.
3. When there is a large crowd of windsurfers like at the Hatch, take it upwind, downwind or just somewhere else. Kiters have a much better ability to go upwind and downwind than windsurfers do, they require much more space than windsurfers do, by staying int he channel with 30+ windsurfers they pose a real danger. Even if they are controlled, we know that accidents dont't tend to happen while under control but, no one goes out intending to have an accident, they happen in the blink of an eye without notice. Don't temp fate, idiotic kiters attempting to get so close to me to slap my sail with their hand, or purposely cutting me off on a jibe is stupid. Sail sober, no one wants to be sailing with some asshole who is either stoned out of his mind, or drunk off his ass. Wind sports require instantaneous judgement calls and its irresponsible and life-threatening and illegal.
4. The Hatch, the Event Site are the main shared spots that I sail. Mostly problems occur in jibing areas and launching areas due to arrogant attitudes, lack of knowledge, and poor gauge of conditions.
5. Life is not safe, safety is a concept sold to people so they can quell their irrational fears. If you want safety you might try a padded cell and a straight jacket, strapped to a hospital bed, then finally, you might be safe. That being said, I've never heard of a beginner windsurfer being hurled headlong into a pile of logs by their gear.

[6.] As above, this is all opinion...kind of the whole point of a forum, sorry.