Event Site Users - please follow the rules!

ldhr · Since 21 Jul 2009 1487 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

Memorial day was an epic day for kiting.
Half day of perfect foil wind followed by ballistic winds thru the evening.

And the usual suspects launching, landing, and flying in the no fly zone.
It took years and many hours by dedicated volunteers to secure the rights for kiter’s to launch from the grass and a small group of kiters are jeopardizing this privilege.

Larry, Laura, Rick, Doyle, Pat, etc. etc. Please launch in the designated space – do not launch and land above the rest room building.
What part of the event site map do you not understand – I’ll be happy to explain.
Sponsored riders launching 10 feet inside the no fly zone close to the windsurfers.
You're a sponsored pro - you can set a better example by launching in the designated area and not exposing kiter’s to loss of privileges.
Rick from Portland (LP Cabrinha Apollo) - please stop foiling inside the buoys. they are not gybe buoys. You're an expert - go kite upwind. You do this every time you show up here and you're gonna cause us to lose privileges.
Kid on the Rally jumping 20 feet in front of the beach - please stop from doing this!
The buoys are there to keep you away from the beach.

wannabekiter · Since 14 May 2015 269 Posts Hood river Obsessed

Good post. Keep up the good work. Very Happy

hilton · Since 15 Aug 2008 798 Posts Opinionated

Memorial Day at the Event Site
The grass was packed with spectators and kiters.
The Nichols Basin was packed with sunbathers and SUPers trying to get out of the wind.
And the windsurfing parking was almost empty.
Granted, the forecast may have kept some of the windsurfers at home for the long weekend, but there were still huge crowds at the waterfront.
These pictures are all from around 3:00 in the afternoon when the wind was 20-30mph.

wannabekiter · Since 14 May 2015 269 Posts Hood river Obsessed

I was one of the first people out on a 12m Monday morning. I had the swell above the white salmon all to myself. Landing was easy nobody on the grass.
I came back later and saw the crowd. Wow. I then went to the city front area and windsurfed on a 4.2
The event site is not a good windsurf site anymore. It use to be years ago before the trees on wells island grew so tall.
Nobody I know windsurfs there anymore. We all go to Rowena or the hatch.
It does seem like we could have a little more grass for kiting.

chrissmack · Since 08 Jun 2005 526 Posts portland Addicted

thanks for posting this.

policing is a shitty job, but some brave soul has to do it.

cpc219 · Since 12 Jun 2014 296 Posts The Dalles Obsessed

Thanks for posting this L you're the man.

Yeah if you rig up in the launching/landing zone (like the big painted boxes with arrows, hello?) you look like an idiot when you are doing your thing with your lines and not landing kites. Not to mention a huge dick. If you are in the LZ then you are volunteering your time as a kite lander. Don't want to volunteer? Then go rig up where you're supposed to like the other 90%. Thanks in advance for catching my kite when I drop it in front of you while you're rigging.

Doing tricks in and around the buoys on a crowded day is for people that think they are better than they really are. If you were legit you would be upwind or in the Park working on your craft where you don't have to think about people.

A nice reminder that when you are at the Event Site please use your brain. When you
don't it makes you a hazard, not a shredder, and everyone laughs at you.

cgka · Since 18 Jul 2006 278 Posts Obsessed

Sella · Wed May 31, 17 9:19 am

Until the Sandbar re-appears a little more room extended to the West wall of the bathrooms would be ideal for rigging space but right now a missed opportunity easily corrected is PLEASE MOVE YOUR GEAR when not in use.

When you land your kite you should be rolling up your lines as you walk out of the water, or secure your kite and roll up your lines and look for an open space to dry your kite up on the flat area and MOVE. Then go grab your shower, beer, lunch whatever.

Also, if you're packing in multiple boards don't leave your booted twin-tip or foil sitting down by the water with the blade facing up in the air, or on it's side, while you're out riding your surfboard. All they do is catch lines from people coming and going. Last weekend I watched a little girl running out of control down the slippery sloped goose poo grass heading straight for a foil blade....aka rigid impalement device. Leave that up top please. Thumb's Up

hilton · Since 15 Aug 2008 798 Posts Opinionated

laura · Since 22 May 2007 107 Posts Stoked

Thanks for the heads up. Memorial Day am was my 3rd time kiting at the ES in the last few years so not to get lumped into the usual suspects I have been joining the ever growing ES Foil Army/Academy. This crew seems to hug the area where the bathroom is between that and the line. Trying to go out at the deepest point for obvious reasons and they all seem to try to respect the windsurfers side. I was pretty stoked to come in at that point on Mon and in true ES style my kite surged and dropped over that line. So more buffer seems to be the call. Thanks again for reminding me of the rules. What a foiltastic spot the ES as become.

scottm · Since 12 Jun 2006 108 Posts Stoked

As one of the Usual Suspects / Foil Army, I choose to launch and land where it is safe and appropriate to do so. We are long-time Gorge residents, home and business owners, former windsurfers, and we treat the Event Site and other users with courtesy and respect. We have been kiting at the Event Site for several years.

The "rules" and map are several years old, and sorely in need of revision. Kiters are the dominant user group at the Event Site, and have been for several years now, often outnumbering other user groups by more than 10 to 1. We are not newcomers, and we do not have to fight for the right to be there. We are the majority.

The unofficial line between windsurfers and kiters, has moved to the west end of the bathrooms. This is appropriate, and gives plenty of room for the 1-5 windsurfers that typically launch from the Event Site. This is much safer than the painted launch/land zones, which are far too small for even the pre-July kite crowd, and dangerously shallow for anyone on a foil. I have personally witnessed 3 kites tangled in the Charlie Brown tree this week. For safety reasons, for kiters and for the families that play on the sand at the east end of the Event Site, a larger buffer zone is necessary and appropriate.

Rather than focusing on fear and how things were in the distant past, let's work on updating and adjusting the rules to correspond to how things are now, and making the Event Site safer for all the various user groups.

FYI, I asked the kid on the Rally very politely to "Please stay outside the buoys, we are not allowed to ride on the inside", after which he did.

I find direct, polite, positive "policing" far more effective, than what I see as semi-anonymous passive-aggressive shaming on the Internetz. And when you see a large group of courteous, respectful, long-time locals not following "the rules", that is a clear sign that "the rules" are out of date and out of touch with the current reality.

CTkiter · Since 27 May 2011 87 Posts

sleestack · Since 07 Dec 2006 182 Posts Land of the Lost Stoked

[quote="scottm"]As one of the Usual Suspects / Foil Army, I choose to launch and land where it is safe and appropriate to do so. We are long-time Gorge residents, home and business owners, former windsurfers, and we treat the Event Site and other users with courtesy and respect. We have been kiting at the Event Site for several years.

The "rules" and map are several years old, and sorely in need of revision. Kiters are the dominant user group at the Event Site, and have been for several years now, often outnumbering other user groups by more than 10 to 1. We are not newcomers, and we do not have to fight for the right to be there. We are the majority.

The unofficial line between windsurfers and kiters, has moved to the west end of the bathrooms. This is appropriate, and gives plenty of room for the 1-5 windsurfers that typically launch from the Event Site. This is much safer than the painted launch/land zones, which are far too small for even the pre-July kite crowd, and dangerously shallow for anyone on a foil. I have personally witnessed 3 kites tangled in the Charlie Brown tree this week. For safety reasons, for kiters and for the families that play on the sand at the east end of the Event Site, a larger buffer zone is necessary and appropriate.

Rather than focusing on fear and how things were in the distant past, let's work on updating and adjusting the rules to correspond to how things are now, and making the Event Site safer for all the various user groups.

FYI, I asked the kid on the Rally very politely to "Please stay outside the buoys, we are not allowed to ride on the inside", after which he did.

I find direct, polite, positive "policing" far more effective, than what I see as semi-anonymous passive-aggressive shaming on the Internetz. And when you see a large group of courteous, respectful, long-time locals not following "the rules", that is a clear sign that "the rules" are out of date and out of touch with the current reality.[/quote]

Will you be launching from the Sand Bar once it appears? I hope you know that by breaking the rules you're not setting a good example for anyone really; especially visitors and kooks. If you're not already on the Port board, then get on it and put some of your progressive ideas and the kiter #'s an influence into action, please.

wannabekiter · Since 14 May 2015 269 Posts Hood river Obsessed

Hey Scottm The rules don't apply to you? A lot of us our home owner's, business owner's and ex windsurfers. That does not mean the rules don't apply to us.
If anything we should be setting a good example for everyone else.
Don't ruin it. Please go thru the correct channels to change the rules.
Smile

registered · Since 12 Jul 2005 1319 Posts tsunami Sandbagger

....after kiting and living there for several years entitled to do as he pleases. Wink

He practically invented kiting here probably been doing it soo long. Evil or Very Mad

just need some space from the OTHER kooks.. Evil or Very Mad

scottm · Since 12 Jun 2006 108 Posts Stoked

I will continue to lead by example, and I am pursuing change through official channels. I feel we are setting a good example, and are invested in our community, and are not jeopardizing our access to the Event Site by launching and landing in a safe manner.

As for the haters and trolls, good luck and see you on the water 8)

cgka · Since 18 Jul 2006 278 Posts Obsessed

Reminder that the Event Site is reserved for exclusive use from Fri to Sun June 9-11.

Alternative access for kite launching is available via the Marina Beach Launch and the Sandspit (AKA - the original Kite Beach in Hood River)