Keep Kiteboarding from getting Banned

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Save our Sport from increasing Bans.

This is not a joke, Kiteboarding/Kitesurfing has already been banned in some areas and highly regulated in other places.
Bans have occurred in Miami! Details Below.
Banned in Fred Howard Park, Tarpon Springs, FL ( Caused by only "1" kook! )
Banned at Bird Island Basin, Just south of Corpus Christi, TX

The next ban my be at Your local beach.

Do your part:

1) Always wear a kite leash whenever flying your kite. (even in light winds)
2) Always do a preflight check & double check of your gear. Lines, safety leash, etc.
3) Take responsibility and THINK before you launch!   Onshore winds at high tide (small beach area) is very risky, leave it for the experts.
4) Join the AKA   & FKA (Florida residents) more info on the links pages.
5) Take a lesson BEFORE you attempt to fly a large traction kite. ( Inflatable or Foil)
6) Help others who are having difficulty & restrain kooks if they're putting others in Danger.
7) Common sense ( maybe its really un-common).
    - Keep a safe distance from Surfers, swimmers, boaters, windsurfers, etc.
    - Expect the best, but have a plan for.... big unexpected wind gusts, breaking kite line,
      losing your edge.   Nobody wants to be worried about a getting tangled in kite lines.
8) Ride like Pro, and push the limits when you're AWAY from others.
9) Fly your kite like a grandma, or over-protective mom when your on the beach or water near
   other people.

**** Bottom line: If "You" chose to push the limits and take risks with "your own" safety, .... Go for it. ****Just don't take any risks with the safety of "others".

This is just a beginning, its up to all of us to prevent Bans, do your part.

Date: Wed, 14 May 2003 09:35:56 -0400

From: "Rick Iossi" <flkitesurfer@hotmail.com>

Subject: Kiting now prohibited at Padre Island Natl. Seashore, Texas.

This is a continuation of an earlier thread titled "Kiting now prohibited at

Padre Island Natl. Seashore, Texas" from ikitesurf.com. I did some

checking to find out more about it and it is TRUE.

The rangers had been observing kiteboarding for sometime. They had noticed

some traffic pattern problems with mixing kiteboarders and windsurfers.

This is a very popular windsurfing destination and has been for a very long

time. A few kiteboarders in particular may have been prone to blasting

through the windsurfers than others. Other obvious issues were noted with

regard to kiteboarders coming to close to others, etc. At any rate, after

an evaluation period they decided to ban the sport at Bird Island Basin.

This ban never should be allowed to happen, setting up parallel launches is

easy with the windsurfers upwind of the kiteboarders. I understand there is

often a prevailing wind out of the SE at Padre Island, Texas.

It may be possible to establish a dialog and try to negotiate some form of

restricted access but there is no certainty about that at this time.

Hopefully the TKA will be able to regain some lost ground here. Just look

at ALL the successful examples of parallel but segrated

windsurfing/kiteboarding launches in the world, Maui, Cabarete, etc. We

just have to act rather than have stupid things happen and have our access

taken away from us.

Are other National Parks considering this at present? I don't know but

problems like this are SO AVOIDABLE. If we are indifferent, careless and

cause complaints and problems more bans will likely result in other parts of

the country. Riders at various launches need to organize if only to the

degree to try to enforce responsible riding practices to try to PRESERVE THE

ABILITY TO RIDE FREE AND AT WILL. If we sit back and say I can't be bothered

to deal with this, more trouble and restrictions will likely be heading our

way with all the new kiteboarders joining our ranks. So, if you see someone

that needs talking to, grab your friends who have just as much to lose in

this as you do and TALK TO THE GUY as effectively as you can.

Some ideas for working to maintain access appear at:

http://www.kiteforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=6098

and some ideas that may keep you safe and your access open by reducing

complaints at:

http://www.kiteforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=6849

So get involved at your launch NOW or potentially get ready to get into

another sport as your access may get blown away, one dumb, avoidable

incident at a time.

FKA, Inc.

transcribed by:

Rick Iossi

Ban in Miami, newsgroup post from the Florida Kitesurf Association:

I heard from Victor Hernandez today, that kitesurfing access to Virginia Key Beach along Bear Cut in Miami is now closed. The lifeguards have been concerned about kitesurfers launching too close to bathers and coming too close to bathers and windsurfers while underway. We are going to attempt to negotiate a conditional reopening. More news on that to follow. It is time that kitesurfers that go Kitesurfing in Miami-Dade County, at a minimum, start to take this access issue very seriously. We have just lost two of the best launches on Biscayne Bay and in terms of ease of access and reliable good winds, one of the best launches in the upper Caribbean. Crandon may reopen if we can get insurance. Things are not looking great in that area right now but time will tell. Virginia Key may be reopened but if it can be accomplished we will no doubt be giving up some freedoms, closeness of launch area, etc. For the remaining spots in the County, it is critical that we keep kitesurfing as free from complaints and incidents as possible to avoid more lost launches. Victor is going to pass on to me his email list for the last organizational meeting. I suggest that we have a general meeting of kitesurfers that go off Miami-Dade County within two weeks and preferably one week. I will be sending out emails in that regard. The main purpose of this meeting will be to bring everyone up to date on the closings and to discuss tactics to avoid more closings and other issues. If it is possible to regain access to Virginia Key Beach and Crandon Park, that information will be sent around as things develop. Kitesurfing is all about fun, freedom, going full out and getting away from hassles. Our numbers have grown, issues are coming up along with hassles and we have a choice. We can take the effort to self-regulate, be responsible and careful to avoid complaints and incidents or we can go at "business as usual", and the odd succession of rare incidents may bar us from this excellent sport a beach at a time. I vote for getting together to try to avoid all this banning and restrictions. I know that by signing up for this list most of the rest of you feel the same way. We now have to get the word out to other kitesurfers that aren't on the list. We need to spread the kitesurfing guidelines and encourage folks to follow them. -Rick

Here is a letter I just received from a concerned Kiteboarder in south Florida. 9-17-01

"....... getting frustrated. We are getting angry at newcomers who are causing a loss to kite areas. I am ready to take kites from their hands and hand them a trainer kite- i.e... call me when you can handle it.... Have them prove they can fly prior to handling a big kite. I know this won't work but we don't know what will work. It seemed in your area. (Jacksonville) everyone was watching out for each other. The Miami area seems to have a "I am macho" buy try "I can do it on my own mentality" I tend to lean towards - Kite in our area and stay out of the Miami coolness. I would rather not do that because I am into making this sport have a good name.
What would you do?"