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Craziness at ULLB

PostPosted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 10:20 am
by Marty Lowe
I gotta admit,,, we all did some unsafe things on the crowded beach at Lincoln Saturday.
Launching between cars, walking through families to the water, etc.

If that scene was posted on Kiteforum.com,
our community would be lambasted with unsafe conduct.

I'd sure hate to get kiting banned there,
because some kid gets lines wrapped around them,
or something like that.

But were there any options?

Lets talk about this,,,,,,,

Re: Craziness at ULLB

PostPosted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 10:48 am
by ChrisPSherwin
Yeah there was some sketchy conduct for sure. I pumped up and launched from the gravel beach which was not the best for my kite, but I bet a tarp could fix that issue. I landed near the trash can, because the wind was good and I wanted to put the kite in the grass - it would have been safer to land on the gravel and walk up to the grass. Or just land to a tarp on the gravel. Anyone that kites should probably keep their car away from the water's edge if possible to make the safer launch zone more appealing.

Someone was commenting on a newbie trying to fly C kite. From 200 feet away, I could see that it was not going to be pretty. Sure enough, the kite got out of control and almost hurt the kiter and bystanders. We all were very lucky that the kite didn't loop. I don't know exactly what kite was flown or how new the person was, I didn't even talk to them. But if they had launched 200 feet out in the warm shallow water it would have reduced many possible problems. Mainly - the potential to be dragged across sharp rocks and the potential to get bystanders caught in lines.

I have done more than enough stupid crap myself, and am still very new to the sport. BUT, one of the best things that ever happened to me was when someone saw me launching too close to the covered picnic areas and walked me to a safer area for a launch - I think his name was Todd. All the kiters seem to get along pretty well, and should not take offense to another kiter pointing out a safer launch/technique just as a kiter wouldn't be offended by another kiter showing them how to tune their kite. We DO need to police ourselves before someone who has no clue about kiting does it for us. There are many places in Florida with ZERO kite access, and tiny zones for launch and landing in places like Santa Barabara and Malibu. If you look at some of the forums out there, access is not pretty and it is getting worse. We have it very, very good in Utah for the moment. I propose that for starters, if we see someting that just doesn't look right that we all ask why someone is doing what they are doing, and see if we can help them to find a way of doing things that doesn't threaten anyone's health or access. I have and will continue to appreciate any comments that fellow kiters make that might keep me in the water, on the snow, and out of the hospital.

Re: Craziness at ULLB

PostPosted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 11:45 am
by bordy
Launch it up safe !

What a junk show on the land out ther last night, I as well made a costly error in the end of the evening thinking it had slowed down enough to land in the grass I had done so a hour before, only to almost get taken for a free ride when a excited beach goer turned the road into a drag strip. I took a few steps to get the lines on the ground just in time..... this isn't the only time a car and some kite lines have crossed paths there.

I think not just last night, but also any night many of us need to focus on our ground handling, This is the most dangerous part of our sport in the summer. Even on slow nights people will just stand around and watch someone try to self land or try and fish a board out of their truck or car??????? go catch that pesons kite, help them grab gear etc.. make it safe, Ok.

Last night I pumped up and strung up by the gazobo then, wrapped up and walked to the water and lauched Christy wet, this seemed to be the safest route? This is the same way I have taught every student, I think thats the safest? then I caught her kite wet and relaunched wet for me! Thanks to Mel for watching Calvin so it could go down that way. I did land on the grass as well as launch from there later when the beach had cleared.

If its busy perhaps we really need to police ourselves. most of the locals get lax when its just us. last night the busy beach was the new factor. I think we should adjust when it is like that. Launch wet or at the waters edge, its only rolling and unrolling your lines, plus if you are a solo stud you can drift launch if your last out. When it comes to landing we all need to step it up and keep a eye on fellow kiters coming in, any one landing a kite should be the priority, not sipping on a beer, or chatting in a circle, etc. take the minute it takes to catch a kite and keep our beach safe.

We all know how dangerous our gear can be if things fail, no one else on the beach has a clue, it is up to us to maintain safe ground handling. And a smart route in and out of the luanch.

Re: Craziness at ULLB

PostPosted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 1:02 pm
by Marty Lowe
I challenge every kiter to at least,
carry your kite down to the waters edge for launching.
and,
On busy weekends, helping kites land as soon as they are off the water,
before getting to the grass.

(Thanks Peter for landing me close to the waters edge yesterday!!)


I'm not as worried about any of you getting hurt
as much as us ALL losing our launch privilege,
because of some bystander getting injured.

Re: Craziness at ULLB

PostPosted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 1:40 pm
by Don Losee
After 16 years in the Marine Corps I hate rules. BUT, Marty is so right on this. If we do not police our own. We will lose sites. I saw it happen in Huntington Beach CA, a few years ago. One kook..... ffff it for a huge crew of good kiters.

We need to start working like the paraglide crew at the point. At POM if an instructor sees dumb flying. He will pull your card.

Rules:

Have fun.
If no one is on the beach.... run it fast and loose. God knows that is what is cool about our crew.
If people are on the beach.... launch and land at the far north end of the Lincoln bay next to the jetty. No one is ever there.
No launching and landing between cars.
Only launch and land on grass when you have a clear area. Your line arc.
Old guys look for and help out new guys.
Stay far away from non kiters while riding. (I had a fisherman spit at me a few time last evening.) He has a right to be there and not have me spray him....LOL

My rant. What do ya think?

Re: Craziness at ULLB

PostPosted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 9:49 pm
by Todd Jacques
Well that is why i drove 140 miles round trip and went home. looked sad. not deercreek!!. I love lincoln, but that was tough to see. Do like Marty and Billy say, walk your stuff to the water, and land at the water on busy days or we will loose it!! Do like Don said, people with more excperience speak your mind and tell someone when they might not be thinking wise.
Marty nice topic, we need more of these types of communications. Too bad we as a group do not contact the county for lincoln beach and see if we could create kite rules to preserve our launch!!! If we step up and start the dialogue they might even rope us off a spot to launch and land, and people could watch us safely? :)))
Don you are right the fisherman hate us! too bad because the more enemies we have the faster we could loose it. :(

Re: Craziness at ULLB

PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 9:29 am
by Kenny
Thanks Marty for bringing up this topic. We sure do not want to injure an innocent bystander. Let's police ourselves on those busy nights. We can launch and land in the gravel area. Let's also give the fisherman plenty of space to cast their lines.

If we show courtesy and respect towards other users, we will maintain our access. If on the other hand, we endanger the lives of others or upset other users, we will be the first to lose access. That is the way it has gone down in every community were there is a conflict between users - kiters always lose as we are the "new" guys on the block and the perception is that our sport is less safe. As Don said, it only takes one kook to eliminate or greatly curtail access.

Re: Craziness at ULLB

PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 11:45 am
by RickHeninger
Marty might have just saved some sites and lives or at least bought them some more time, along with the other followup posts... It's paramount that this type of dialogue continues.

I've been to planning meetings for Utah Lake. If something really bad ever happens I know it'd close some sites down...

So, I say THANK YOU Marty et. al...

I actually think that I'll put this post as a permanent post in the NEWBIE section... What do you think Marty? Do you want this kind of dialogue to be in sight, in mind as opposed to OUT of sight, out of mind?

Re: Craziness at ULLB

PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 7:43 pm
by David Kyle
I would, if the possibility presented itself, have somewhat of
tailgate saftey meeting with as many group members as possible so that
most of the crowd would have the hazards in mind which might
get people launched and landed quickly and safely.
One thing though, beers would need to be passed out prior to the meeting
so that we all dont feel and look like a bunch of retards sitting through a Walmart
staff safety pep talk.

Re: Craziness at ULLB

PostPosted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 10:07 am
by Chase.Leibfritz
I was talking to the camp host there who already thinks most of us kiters are "ignorant." I don't know what kind of authoritative pull he would have in getting us banned from the beach if something did go wrong, but I know he wouldn't be on our side. He also told me a fisherman hit a jet skier with a rock who was blasting through the jetty. So realize if you are buzzing fishermen, I hope your good at dodge ball too. I've been thinking about the tarp idea for a while too. I have one that I suppose will begin to be thrown in the mix of ever-expanding gear.