Please do not launch your kites from the boat pier.

boredbrain · Since 16 Feb 2006 352 Posts Hood River Obsessed

Simple, submit Shannon Best name to the Port as his first strike. One more and your banned from Port property, which includes the HR Bridge. Enough people witnessed this action.

sq225917 · Since 27 Jul 2009 4 Posts New Member

I've spoken to Shannon and Gavin about it and both of them state that they saw no signs indicating that they couldn't launch/shoot from the pier. Shannon said that Jim later mentioned to him that it was a 'no launch' site and after that they no longer used the area.

I wasn't there and don't know the area so have no idea how accurate any of this is. As a local myself, at my local spot, if anyone launches from a restricted area I just wander over and have a word with them, or stick a note on their vehicle if that isn't possible, just to politely inform them of the local rules and regs.

Of course I always make a point of going on the web afterwards and bitching about it like a school kid just to make myself feel better, seems that part is universal... Wink

On a more serious note, if there is any fallout about this with the PA, let me know and I'll deal with them directly on the matter. Maybe we could pay for a Shannon Best memorial launch sign at the pier to let other wayward visitors know it's a no-go.

Simon

Chooch · Mon Jul 27, 09 10:21 am

Sorry but if Shannon can't figure out where he can and can't launch from then maby he shouldn't be kiteboarding since its a spot that takes a moderate amount of intelligence. He could be putting himself and others in danger if he lacks the appropriate amount of brain power. Rolling Eyes

sq225917 · Since 27 Jul 2009 4 Posts New Member

Chooch, I wish Shannon was so clever that he knew the answer to everything without having to ask. Hell, i even wish I was that clever myself.

But the truth is that we all need help from friendly faces sometimes, to help us avoid trouble. Why is was only five months ago this very day that i was giving advice out to sales manager from a new kite brand about the fact that their proposed sales and pricing structure would have fallen foul of US anti trust laws and competitive practice laws rendering them liable for a fine up to 50% of that years gross turnover.

Of course I could have been a prick and not told them, waited until they launched and then made sure they were caught out. But what sort of asshole would that have made me?

Simon Clark

Perhaps you'd like to ask Mark T about it.

Chooch · Mon Jul 27, 09 10:51 am

Common Sense is a bit different from complex business law. But thats ok you can still try to cover up his faults all you want....

And I have no problen being called a prick when someone fucks with my access.....

sq225917 · Since 27 Jul 2009 4 Posts New Member

Chooch, tell you what, I'll pony 50% of the cost for lovely new sign to go on the pier telling riders it's a no-go launch site, to cover the rider on my brand, if you pony up 50% to cover the guy who launched from there on the Wainman kite.

If you aren't interested in helping to improve the local signage so that any rider, local or visitor can benefit from it I'll understand...

simon

Chooch · Mon Jul 27, 09 11:30 am

That kid does not ride ride for me so I have no controll over him. We don't need a sign there we just need less dumb people.

We can go back and fourth all day, the point is you are never going to come up with a good explination for his actions so just be done with it.

Inept_Fun · Since 14 Apr 2005 1417 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

I never saw any wainman kite launch from the boat pier. I think you guys are pullin that one out of ur ass to make you sound less stupid. Simon, Im sure you are making all the people on this forum really like best with your lame ass posts sticking up for that shit. And your a director of marketing?? Go eat it and stay away from our beaches if your just gonna jeopardize it for all of us. I personally dont give a shit that you launched off the dock, and have had ideas of doing something with that dock for kiting as well, tho it wouldnt be something as gay as just sending it off it. But to attack chooch while trying to stick up for you own teams dumb ass decisions pisses me off.

Write shit in small font as much as you want fagbait.

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

Woah I am on KiteForum, its got sq225917 and everything! Wink

Simon - thanks for the apology... maybe just best to leave it at that. No pun intended!

sq225917 · Since 27 Jul 2009 4 Posts New Member

Shannon doesn't ride for me, I work for him, I have no control over what he does.

You say we don't need a sign there, just less dumb people, well I'm resigned to the fact that I'll meet asshats wherever I go with kiting so I'm prepared to try and help you take some preventative action. It's obvious that my willingness to make a difference isn't shared by other posters on this thread, so I'll leave at that.

It's not my loss...

Bettyboarder · Mon Jul 27, 09 11:48 am

broadbandito · Since 26 Apr 2005 342 Posts CSO headwaters WheatHead

mschulz · Since 29 May 2007 530 Posts Reno, NV Addicted

Not to beat a dead horse. And please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe there are yellow signs that read " Kite Launch" and they point towards the 76 station, then around the boat yard to the Sand Spit. You know, the one with "Best" stickers on the sign.

Nice try sq225917

Chooch · Mon Jul 27, 09 12:09 pm

stacey · Since 27 Jul 2009 1 Posts New Member

On behalf of Best Kiteboarding, on behalf of everyone who was there ... who launched, who witnessed the launch, without bothering to ask, or thinking anything was wrong, including myself ... I apologize. We should have been more conscientious of local access issues. We're very sorry that we weren't. If you get any slack over this issue, from whatever official body that is threatening to shut down access, please let us know ... although we hope it does not come to that, we will be happy to write a letter, talk to them, whatever. My email is stacey@bestkiteboarding.com ... you can contact me privately.

At this point, the deed is done, and this is all we can do ... apologize, and I hope this thread will end here. I don't see how this is productive for the community.

As a non-local who is as concerned about her own local access issues as you are of yours, I have a few observations:

1) Ignorance is no excuse of the law, even if the law isn't written down anywhere. But maybe it should be. If it's such a big "no no," put up a sign, or take a paint brush and write: "do not launch from ledge" or something. Then if someone does it the next time, you know it wasn't just out of ignorance, like in this case, but out of flagrant disregard, which it wasn't, because for guys who like to launch themselves off boats and bridges and mountains and aircraft carriers, that launch is very tempting.

For the record, it wasn't just Shannon, and he wasn't out on a mission to wreck access, so please don't single him out just because it's fashionable. It was otherwise squeaky clean riders who were simply looking for the fastest way to get to a photo shoot down at the Spit. To rig there where all the gear was stored, and jump off and kite down, or pack everything into the truck and ride down was the difference of five minutes verses an hour ... we went with the 5 minutes option. You can see how it happened.

Jim wasn’t there ... he was on a lesson, and Cori wasn’t there either, so please don’t fault them.

2) By posting this on the Northwest Kite forum, you're missing your target audience. This forum, for the most part, consists of locals, and you guys apparently already know not to launch off the pier. It is not the locals who need "do not launch off pier" posts. It is the out-of-town visitors, who probably don't even know about this forum, who need the "do not launch off the pier" message, and the best way to reach them is to go up to them and talk to them. Your target audience is standing on the pier, walking around the sandbar, pumping up a kite ... not sitting behind a computer, waiting for a message on a forum they don't even know about. Thus, the most effective way to reach these people, and to help preserve your access, is by going up to them and talking to them. The only reason I joined this forum is because someone forwarded me this thread and I wanted to apologize. I'd never have come on here and seen this post otherwise.

3) Also, if I saw someone doing something at my local launch that could threaten access, I’d be the first one over to say something, in about 2 minutes flat. There was a 15 minute gap between when the first guy went off the pier and when the second guy did, and another 15 minutes before the 3rd guy did, and then another 4 hours or so before the guy in the afternoon went off. It wasn't like we were hiding ... at least one of us was there at the New Winds trailer the whole day. It would have been much easier, more effective, and much more adult, to just come up and talk to us in person. We really do not go around doing things we’re not supposed to do for the hell of it, and had we known we were doing anything wrong, we would have stopped immediately, as we did, once we found out it wasn't allowed.

Again, just want to reiterate how sorry we are for causing such an uproar, and for putting your site in jeopardy. This is a good reminder for everyone that we all need to be more conscientious of local rules when visiting new places, and that we need to work together as a community to keep our launches open.

tstansbury · Since 06 Jun 2006 649 Posts Rowena and P.C Addicted

I agree that it was dumb and they should have know better but their was less uproar in the past when locals did it(I know their were less acess issues then). I am not buying the time thing but the rest of you apology is good send it to the port as well.