Informal Contest at Waddell 4/27

[kevinkan]

[SWE106]

YEP, you can't trust 'em, even if you would like to: respect 'em for who they are (live and let live). Just smile and shake your head in utter disbelieve when they walk up to you wearing underwear on the outside of their wetsuit (surely those can’t be boardshorts because everybody knows you don’t wear boardshorts that way), with metal shackles, ropes, hooks, pulleys, etc attached to the harness (Last time I checked Mt Everest was not on the North American continent, but I could be mistaken), unraveled 60yrds of lines, attached a 20m2 kite inflated with a battery driven pump (what happened to carbon neutral and good old fashioned lungs?) and then ask you for help to launch and land their kite (that's like a basketball player asking somebody watching the game: "hey can you dunk the ball for me in the basket? I can't do that myself". "Sure, no problem…") but hey “This is to... …have fun, and hang out with friends while taking part in a little friendly competition” so let’s piss-it-off… Wahoo! Boys, real brave! I didn’t think you could go that low, but apparently you can…

[higgybaby]

"Just sayin'... if we did this, you guys wouldn't be happy." -Pablito

I hear ya, brother.

[slayer666]

[south-west]

"I am wondering what advanced intermediate means... "

an "advanced intermediate" is somebody good enough to get in your way but smart enough to apologize.

[Jaipal]

Hey man, you couldn't have picked a more impromptu day to do this. The surf will be the smallest of the year. Try it again next February.

None of the local windsurfers will bother to be there. The local kitesurfers, however, will be there to make your life miserable.

And for those of us who sail Waddell about 100 days a year, the conflict you just stirred up is like you decided to shit in our backyard. At least it is on a day when we won't be there.

Of course we do not own the beach but a bit of consultation with us about the best way to go about this would have gone a long way and made your event more enjoyable.

Have fun and keep your beer hidden from the Gary the Ranger.

-J

Ps. Never try the same thing with a surf contest at The Lane or you will get your nose broken.

[charlie12]

hey kevin whats LGFTK ?





charlie

[fearlu]

As a huge fan of all watersports (and particularly wind-powered ones) I'm here to say that this animosity between various sportsmen is just uncalled for. It's just silly. I started skiing in the 1960's and snowboarding in the 1980's and this is painfully reminiscent of the same "them-versus-us" mentality. Which, by the way, is now long gone thankfully. We all love to glide on snow, right?

Jeez Pablito, why stir up this hornet's nest? I know you fairly well and it's just a buncha' hoopla for nothing. Why would you say "I know windsurfers hate us"? Nothing could be further from the truth. In addition, I know for a fact the many of the kiters who "took over Davenport" started as windsurfers in the 1980's as I did. It was just for grins ferchrissakes, not meant to cause ill feelings, and not meant to be repeated. We're over it, right?

Yes, I have been kiting for a number of years now and still think we have way more in common that not. I frequently ride at Waddell with my best friend whose racks are piled high with the latest windsurfing gear and he and I both have a lot of fun there, riding side-by-side, both totally stoked and in awe of the Pacific conditions.

Unfortunately it seems many people will say stuff on a forum like this one that they would never say to a fellow waterman face-to-face. So, I'm done venting now. Just be cool. All we are lookin' for is a little wave space and some wind-yank right? How different are we REALLY? Ever been to Maui where we also co-habitate successfully? Crissy? The Gorge?

As for Pablito: don't worry windsurfin' brothers, I'll take care of this one, he's new here! Now go have fun will ya? See you at the contest. I am invited, right?

[oops]

Lets have an informal kiteboarding contest at Davenport.

[pravda]

how about an informal contest at Drake's Estero. It's never crowded, even on Sundays.