Kitez Banned at Crissy?

spanker_jeep · Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 4:43 pm Post subject: Kitez Banned at Crissy?

Heard a rumor besides club racing that kites are banned from Crissy. True?

Riptide · Joined: 15 Jan 2011 Posts: 411

No.

Here is my write up and posted to the kitboarding online forums:

Crissy Field SNAFU memorial day weekend:

Saturday. Memorial day weekend.

Approximately eight people were rescued on Saturday...this happened because of there skill level and poor decision making. The most challenging conditions are when it is a flood current and the wind has a strong south component to it, making the wind off shore just off the beach.
Most rescued were not local riders, acting to much like a Labrador retriever dog(just to dam happy and not enough common sense)

MONDAY Memorial Day

I have received complaints from other beach users that some kite boarders are not being courteous and are unsafe. Reports of landing kites on top of people. Launching and landing into crowds of sun bathers etc. I gave out the safety handout to unfamiliar faces and had everyone down at the waters edge and instructed all to land there kite in the water if there was no one to help them land there kite. Absolutely the rule of the day was not to ever fly your kite over anyone's head. I went out early and hung out a while. But then the wind really picked up and apparently things fell apart on the beach. I cannot and will not be everyone's kite bitch on the beach. If I am not actually on the beach barefoot and my shoes on then I am done. On crowded days we need volunteer full time kite docents taking a shift of a couple hours at a time to keep things cool from kite boarders too in a hurry to launch/land.

Message from the San Francisco board Sailing Association Facebook page:

We hope everyone had a great holiday weekend - it sure was a windy one! Sadly, at Crissy Field we witnessed a number of kite launching and landing activities over the weekend that placed recreational beach goers in danger---folks, NO ONE should launch or land their kites in a crowded beach area. It is your responsibility to be sure you have clearance of at least 25meters downwind of your launch/landing area. All it will take is one bad incident and we risk losing access altogether. So we strongly implore all boardsporters to self-monitor as a community - we ALL have a stake in this.

spanker_jeep · Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 10:00 am Post subject:

It's a cool sport and all, I personally know former windsurfers that shifted addictions. Kiting just doesn't have the weed out factor that windsurfing does. I know few windsurfers without a capable waterstart and upwind skills that would even attempt Crissy. I suppose there is something to be said about steep learning curves and the opposite.

dvCali · Joined: 23 Aug 2007 Posts: 1314

Riptide · Joined: 15 Jan 2011 Posts: 411

The river mouth location is constantly changing. I recommend to kite boarders to go as close to the drainage pipe as possible and at the water line. West of the drainage pipe, the beach is not big enough and a hazard with the pilling for the drainage pipe.

And crowded days I tell people to walk out onto the sand bar and launched there kite at the waters edge so the kite never is over anyone. Also when landing to dump it in the water and roll there lines. So you do not hazard the beach with land over top of people. I did this myself all weekend, my kite never was flying over the beach or people.

fearlu · Joined: 30 Apr 1997 Posts: 155

Kiters, kindly launch upwind of the crowds, walk a few hundred feet if you have to, save the privilege for the long-haul. Thank you for your courtesy and safe practices-- for the good of all wind-seekers and other beach users at this amazing urban beach location.

boggsman1 · Joined: 24 Jun 2002 Posts: 9120 Location: at a computer

I've always wondered why any accomplished kiter would choose Crissy over the Coast, unless they were racing. 3-4 hours in the waves , right on shore, or a couple hours lapping back and forth, then getting rescued.....tough choice....

spanker_jeep · Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 2:29 pm Post subject:

That's the thing with Crissy. The reputation of the place has kiters drooling for a shot at it. Thing is most have only been kiting a year or two and have zero knowledge of a tide chart or established safety procedures. They show up, air up, then blow up 10' from the beach.
I mean what other sport offers the prospect of being dragged over rip rap and spike studded rebar shoals or catching air only to actually catch a pedestrian unawares?

Truly the jet skis of the wind scene. Can kites once downed be water started?

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dvCali · Joined: 23 Aug 2007 Posts: 1314

spanker_jeep · Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 4:43 pm Post subject:

The hijinks continue