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Lake Perris closed by rangers at 30mph
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loopless



Joined: 30 Jun 1997
Posts: 426

PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2021 10:33 am    Post subject: Lake Perris closed by rangers at 30mph Reply with quote

Could have been a great day at Perris this Sunday. Solid 4.0 conditions 27-35mph. But then the rangers turned up and shut the lake down saying that they are not allowed to take their rescue boat on the water in more than 30mph so they have to close the lake. Eventually 3-4 ranger cars and the "real" rangers ( the guys/gals with guns) were present making their point in a friendly but serious manner.
Of course one kiter and a winger had to make us all look bad by pretending to ignore the 'come in' signals.
Weirdly they never asked about "life jackets" which used to be the thing up there.
So now a major PITA as I would say most people drive up to 1 hour to get there, and now not knowing whether sailing will be possible....
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dllee



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 5328
Location: East Bay

PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2021 11:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Same thing happened at Lake Folsom in 1984, all female rangers, at the W sideshore launch.
One male ranger, as we were driving out...after paying to get in...told us to drive to the SE Entrance, where the wind blows ONSHORE.
We did and had a fun op 4.5 day with tons of jumps and real planing jibes.
Went back to thank the old guy, but couldn't find him.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2021 11:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote



Last edited by isobars on Mon Nov 22, 2021 12:07 pm; edited 1 time in total
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2021 11:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I thought we got rid of that kind of thinking in the '80s. Once our local lakes in New Mexico, the Corps of Engineers, the Coast Guard, whoever runs the O'Neil Forebay, etc. recognized how self-sufficient we are, most such restrictions were lifted. It's a freaking LAKE, not the Pacific Ocean and not a major commercial shipping lane. It's time for an organized, formal, data-driven appeal to whatever agency is still living in the early '80s.

When NM tried to require (expensive) registration and numbers on windsurfers, Joe Crepeau took a 70L board to a court hearing on the issue, waved it overhead, explained that many WSers have several boards and swap them out each season, and asked, "REALLY?". As for PFDs, he also told them we wear them all the time; they're called wetsuits. Both hassles were thus shelved, apparently permanently ... in the 1980s ... through common sense and formal venues.

I've been "rescued" by the Coast Guard in a New Mexico lake. By the time they arrived from park HQ a dozen miles away, I was already on shore, and had to jump back in the (winter) water and swim out to them to assure them I was the "victim", was OK, and would really appreciate an attempt at finding my lost gear (rig-board separation).

They were surprised that I was alive, let alone comfortable, as most such rescues (of the usual mindless recreational boaters) are body recovery attempts because they refuse to dress for the occasion. They and the Corps realized at both the local and regional levels that most of us know WTH we're doing. I've never even heard of any agency trying to shut down the Gorge even when it's averaging 50 or 70 and an occasional sailor dies. They may panic*, but that beats not reacting at all.

* Someone called the Sheriff when I lost my gear in the Gorge a few years ago, and almost a double handful of emergency vehicles showed up, as though a fireman or a state trooper was gonna swim out and rescue me. My buds had dragged my butt to shore long before the parking lot was crowded with emergency vehicles waiting for the boat to arrive. All of us have swum clear across the river there many times, usually with our busted gear in tow and one round trip at a wide spot JUST BECASE IT WAS FUN. While I was encouraged to see such an effort, we've lost ... what? .... half a dozen sailors out of millions of man-days on the water.

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Plus many more testimonies to iW's inept software resulting in duplicate posts. It achieves nothing when we complain directly to iW; don't our moderators pass these problems on to Weatherflow?


Last edited by isobars on Mon Nov 22, 2021 12:05 pm; edited 1 time in total
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loopless



Joined: 30 Jun 1997
Posts: 426

PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2021 11:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well at Perris you could also go to "other side" of the lake and launch, but the mood those rangers were in , they would have gone over there to roust us for sure just so they could have something to do. These days I'll bet the ticket is $300 and a day in court.
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loopless



Joined: 30 Jun 1997
Posts: 426

PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2021 12:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The rangers are sort of stuck between a rock and hard place due to their workplace rules about not taking their boat out. Obviously one solution is "get a better rescue boat" that can operate in higher winds, or maybe re-evaluate this 30 mph limit.

Clearly the issue is litigation. Someone drowns and his/her family sues the park service for $30 million. I have seen a kiter blown onto the dam wall once. He was a candidate.
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dllee



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 5328
Location: East Bay

PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2021 1:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Same ole 1984, Lake Folsom, N wind 20-30.
3 female Rangers wouldn't allow water access, saying conditions were "dangerous". For them, yes.
As we drove out, a male Ranger told us to check the SE access, to the marina and most downwind. He said the Rangers there tend to be more lax, but still, we gotta obey.
Sandy launch, great 4.5 op wind, 1 Ranger came by to watch as we jumped, crashed, easily waterstarted, and did not drift downwind into the Marina proper. He left after we did several runs.
Maybe the key is to launch at the downwind mist site, so the wind takes you to shore.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2021 4:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

loopless wrote:
I have seen a kiter blown onto the dam wall once.

And cars and highways and bridges and jetties and apartment buildings and telephone poles and (almost) low flying aircraft and (likely) train tracks and freeways and ships and (except for the grace of God) wood chippers and tiger cages.

Add to the data-driven appeal to ban the ban the fact that kiting and WSing are two VERY different sports. WSers in trouble simply let go, jump in the water, and grab a snack while waiting out the gusts. Kiters, especially inept ones, can be in serious $#!+. How many WSers have been lofted 400 feet into the air? OTOH, how many tens of thousands of WSers routinely sailed winds gusting into in the 30s before they were even CLOSE to jibing or even just jumping?

If it were the government's job to make sure no one dies short of unavoidable incurable disease, sugar/pasta/bread/potatoes/etc would be banned from human consumption and we'd be required to wear seatbelts while sitting on our couches (OOPS ... never mind; a woman was hit by a meteor while lying on her living room couch.)

In most states, if I get killed playing on someone else's property, it's my fault, not the landowner's. See, for example,
https://www.clausen.com/california-supreme-court-holds-landowner-not-liable-obvious-danger-not-cannot-control/

We gotta do our own homework and present the results to the people empowered to change things.
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swchandler



Joined: 08 Nov 1993
Posts: 10588

PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2021 5:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

On Santa Ana winds you might want to consider Port Hueneme. If the surf is not too big, it can be a very fun time.

Needless to say strong offshore conditions in the ocean can be risky if you breakdown, so you want to be sure your gear is in good shape. Also, it helps to sail with others at this location. Lastly, you must pay to park, and the police monitor frequently to ensure compliance.
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dllee



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 5328
Location: East Bay

PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2021 2:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Surf is almost flat right now....
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