What's up with NW Kite??

[westender]

I'll share the water with the monkey boy. Maybe I'll get good enough next spring to do it with my kite.

And why do they call it "Going to the Dark side" if you get into kiting??? Sounds racist?

[NwaMike]

[River-Lizard]

[NwaMike]

River, I never once suggested you shouldn't post. I encourage you to post your thoughts. I'm not upset at all. I just don't understand why the Us vs Them attitude. I've helped a lot of people on the water, and never once did I care what kind of board the guy (a couple of gals too) was riding. Or how they harnessed the wind. I just see people out having fun, and sometimes pushing the envelope.

All I'm doing is trying to shed a little light here. You don't buy what I'm selling, that's OK. Think about it though. Remember what is was like when you were young. If you had to admit to something embarrassing, did you cry and beg forgiveness, or did you try and lighten the moment with humor? If you witnessed a friend doing something embarrassing, did you have an Oprah moment, or did you kid around? Read the thread I posted in my last post; look at his reaction to another kiter endangering someone, and showing no remorse.

Maybe he didn't do it the way you would have, but he tried to point out that mistakes can happen, better be careful. He did this the way most young men would. In fact, most young men would have said WTF and blown it off. Instead, he posted it so others could see him screw up. You really think he is proud of screwing up? You really think he enjoys people seeing him screw up? Sit back, think "why would this kid post a video showing him screwing up so bad?" Being cool is about daring and skill, about doing precisely what you planned to do. Clearly, this was not cool. Just as clearly, the poster knew it was not cool.

It's funny, posters on both forums pretty much have the same opinions on safety and respecting other riders. A lot of sailors on this forum just don't speak the same language as posters on the other forum. You read one thing, and take away something the author never intended.

I've never, ever, seen the animosity displayed on this forum on the other forum. (Except by the occasional troll.) That's what I don't understand. If kiteboarding had never been invented, the same guys you don't like would be windsurfing instead of kiteboarding. You still wouldn't like the few a-holes.

Prejudice is the irrational characterization of many because of actions of a few. It really mainly hurts the one holding the prejudice. I realize that probably 99% of windsurfers are cool people, even though a couple are jerks. I guess if it makes it easier for you, that's cool. Just have fun on the water!

Oh yeah,

http://forums.iwindsurf.com/viewtopic.php?t=16140

[River-Lizard]

NwaMike, I just find your whole post to be passive-aggressive... this whole "hey, if you can't handle it..." thing. For the last time, talk to the guys who are posting about kicking windsurfers in the head, not the people who raise concerns when they see out of control behaviour.

For the record, I have helped many, many kiters. One guy who drifted past Bob's Beach I actually towed into shore, only to munch my $150 fin on a rock on the way back out. Don't post like you're the only one who ever helped anyone. I've retrieved boards, kites, and towed in kiters more than once. You've made the assumption that I don't like kiteboarders, and that my posting is about "us vs them". Its not. Its about respecting each other out on the water... I don't care if your windsurfing, kiting, on a Jet Ski, whatever.

[jingebritsen]

How should anyone interpret these comments?

yardsale wrote:
Amery and I almost killed windsurfers..." How did you miss that guy Adam....you had him lined up perfectly! Chuck Norris would have done an unhooked board off round house kick to the Windsurfers head, landed blind and kited between the marker piling then folded his kite and rolled up his lines before hitting the beach.

Bonetti, I'll be cool with you jumping over me when you hand me a certified check for $500,000 first. How many kiters have asked you to jump over them? Are they in their right minds?

So were you trying to go over him or just random? I wish we knew some cool windsurfers that were cool with us launching over them!!!

pdxMonkeyBoy, care to come out from behind your internet name and say that in public? How about in front of everyone at the event site?

That will teach the pole boarders, stay west of the tower or prepared to be POWNED!> This ain't the event site bitches Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil

Who spends more time on the internet trolling around and who spends more time sailing? That's something completely subjective to what one may see on these screens....

Drock speading the love....

Note to readers: not all windsurfers are like this, just the ones who troll the internet and don't spend enough time on the water. I think we all get a little pissy though when there is a lack of water time in our daily lives.


Please count the number of posts of everyone you may think is "cool" or not before you make comments like that.

[GuyT]

[cdfellows]

[NwaMike]

looks like you almost got skewered on the mast

What was going through your head when you saw the WS on your way down? Looked pretty intense avoiding him!

I'm impressed at how fast that WS cranked that turn to avoid hitting Amery, still stayed in control and ripped off like no big deal.

Thats looks pretty dangerous... assholes.

Sorry about that. We'll definitely back up a bit more from now on! See ya next time (just hopefully not so close)!

All of the above comments were made by kiteboarders. Like I said before, you guys don't speak the same language. The comments that you're taking offense to don't mean what you think they mean. It's how young men deal.

Back in my "Go Fast" days we made fun of the Coasties. And yet, if they showed up at the "O" club, their money was no good. I, or one of my buds, bought their drinks. Why? because they saved my ass and some of my buddies asses too. We respected and admired them, and yet we made fun of them. Marines were "Jarheads", Army was "Grunts". We respected the shit out of all of them, yet we made fun of them. They made fun of us too. "Flyboys" I'm sure was one of the less derogatory terms. And they risked their lives without thought, to save ours. Try and understand, young men make fun of people while respecting and admiring them. Young men make jokes about serious situations. It's how they deal with it. Yes, the jokes can be stupid and incredibly inappropriate.

You may or may not believe this. The translation to what you've read on that thread can be summed up as:


Crap, I almost killed a guy and myself today. That was stupid. Here's how I screwed up. Don't do this shit.

Crap, that could have been bad. Glad you learned from your mistake. I'll try and not make the same mistake.

That was me you almost hit!

Jeez, I'm sorry about that man. Thanks for being cool about it. I won't make that mistake again.


Believe what you will. The reality is that the guy is sorry and knows he screwed up. He apologized and pledged not to let it happen again. There is not one trace of real animosity towards windsurfers in that thread. Yes, there's humor you justifiably find inappropriate. Again, that's how young men deal.

Of course I'm not calling all of you prejudiced. But I am calling some of you prejudiced. Re-read this thread. There are a couple of posters who pretty clearly have issues with all kiters because of the actions of a few. I speak old guy too, so I don't need a translation. All I'm saying is lighten up and have fun.

See you guys on the water. I'll be the one with the big smile! Peace.

[NwaMike]

One last comment, then I'm outta here. Here's a comment made on an unrelated thread by a poster who did not post on the offending thread. The post was made this morning.


Those manly options at the coast look good to me Tuesday afternoon, I will keep and eye out for sails.

Say what you will, but it looks like the thread may have served it's purpose. I apologize for any comments you found offensive.