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kiteboarding access at Rufus
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4Stringer/KipWinger

Since 27 Apr 2005
541 Posts
Hood River
Addicted



PostTue May 31, 05 12:38 pm    kiteboarding access at Rufus Reply with quote

Below you'll find copied posts from the Stormwarning website dated 5/31/05. I can't vouch for any of the accuracy of this info, but if it's true, we gotta get-it-together:

Posted on 5/31/2005 11:10:31 AM

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Just a heads up to fellow kiters....... The Army Corp of Engineers is assessing the safety and liability of allowing kiting at Rufus. One child was was almost killed by a flyaway kite last weekend when some dumbass couldn't land his kite and got tired of waiting.

The brothers and sisters who continue to launch upwind of the SWIM COVE are putting lots of children in danger and the Corp. is hearing these stories from people who want us out. If you don't feel safe launching on the river side of the beach, don't kite at Rufus. Its just that simple. If we keep having problems, we're going to lose access to another great beach. Be respectful and spread some good will and we might have a chance at saving Rufus for kiting.


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Re: Kiteboarder at Rowena Last Weekend
jill c
Posted on 5/31/2005 1:23:55 PM

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this is no joke! officer eugene from the army engineers has warned us that rufus will be closed to kiters soon if we have any more kitemares on their property. he's mostly concerned with kiters injuring other people, especially in the cove where people swim. we don't own rufus, so we better clean up our act, or we'll all be looking for another spot out east.


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scooter

Since 23 Apr 2005
99 Posts
hood River
 



PostTue May 31, 05 1:30 pm     Reply with quote

Don't wait until its too late to organize! Be proactive or don't bitch when you loose access!

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4Stringer/KipWinger

Since 27 Apr 2005
541 Posts
Hood River
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PostTue May 31, 05 4:23 pm    Action plan Reply with quote

...Okay Scooter, you've engaged me. Most of us know why there hasn't been much proaction by gorge kiteboarders for some time now. It's nobody fault...but it just comes down to time & effort. Would spending the time and giving the effort be worthwhile? Yes. Definitely. But I'm sure most of us would rather use our off-hour time recreating, spending time with our families (in my case...cat and girlfriend), and just plain old relaxing. To illustrate the point, I'm sitting here at home at 5:25 p.m. after having just arrived back home from work since 6:45 this a.m. I've got a beer in my hand, and I'm feeling too lazy to go down to the sandspit to kite (that will change in about twenty minutes.) The smartass in me wants to ask you to lead the organizing, the meetings, the unfun stuff. If you're up to it, give me a call. Truth is, maybe what we need to-do is to talk to some of the kiting groups that seem to have their shit together and figure out how to motivate guys like me and you.

One last thing... and this is completely unrelated...or maybe not; 'Team America: World Police' is absolutely richter scale hilarious. I didn't follow a friend's advice to see it months ago. If you need to laugh, rent it. Sorry Phil for getting off-topic.

Correction: I just looked at the sandspit, it's now 5:30 p.m. it looks about 12 mph and I see no kites. I'm actually gonna call you Scooter to go sailboatin'. Maybe we can figure something out on 'da boat.

Jim

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PostTue May 31, 05 4:31 pm     Reply with quote

"Just a heads up to fellow kiters....... The Army Corp of Engineers is assessing the safety and liability of allowing kiting at Rufus. One child was was almost killed by a flyaway kite last weekend when some dumbass couldn't land his kite and got tired of waiting."

This flyaway kite you speak of, where do you think it came from? It came from the river side launch that you somehow feel is a safer launch for the children. You should pull your head out and think about what your saying. Launching at the point of the "swim cove" is the safe place to launch! There is nothing down wind of you for hundred of yards. If you launch at the river side launch that is upwind of the the swim cove you are being irresponsible!

Don't kite at Rufus if you can't launch at the point. Be responsible and keep other safe.

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PostTue May 31, 05 5:20 pm     Reply with quote

This weekends kitemare at Rufus would have never happend if the person who lost their kite WAS USING A KITE LEASH. It is bullshit that people don't use a kite leash. If a kiter takes someone out because they don't want you use a leash they should be fined and jailed. If I was the guy in the water that had his kite wrapped up by the runaway kite I would have swam to shore and beat the dumbass that just tried to KILL ME. Yes, this is how people die! From this point on everytime I see someone about to go out that doesn't have a kite leash on I'm going to give them some shit about it and I won't give that person a launch. If we all started doing this we would have a much safer sport and by being proactive and self policing me might be able to save some of our launch sites.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A KITE LEASH DON'T ASKE ME FOR A LAUNCH!

scooter

Since 23 Apr 2005
99 Posts
hood River
 



PostTue May 31, 05 5:43 pm     Reply with quote

kip winger, just sent you a pm. great idea!

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pkh

Since 27 Feb 2005
6548 Posts
Couve / Hood
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PostTue May 31, 05 7:04 pm     Reply with quote

We might have trouble with beach access if some kid gets decapitated.

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Rico

Since 13 Mar 2005
1219 Posts
Vancouver
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PostTue May 31, 05 7:15 pm    We all need to do our part to keep our sport safe! Reply with quote

We also need to put some of the blame on ourselves. Why didn’t anyone tell the person that was not a good place to launch in the first place. We all need to make sure that when we see someone doing something idiotic that we let them know and not only think in our heads that the person is an idiot. There is no limit to the stupid stuff we have seen people pull. Almost every time out we see someone doing something stupid. We just need to let them know.

We all need to do our part to keep our sport safe!

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PostTue May 31, 05 7:30 pm     Reply with quote

"We might have trouble with beach access if some kid gets decapitated."

if some kid does get decapitated we should loose our beaches and plan on paying the millions in court. you are responsible for your actions!

Hein

Since 08 Mar 2005
1313 Posts

Possessed



PostTue May 31, 05 8:33 pm     Reply with quote

Kiters should launch and land upwind of the west most rock pile.
clean wind equals clean launch.

And remember about the devil.

P.S. I bleeped further posts of mine in this thread. Some were'nt nice
and who wants my advice anyway.

Last edited by Hein on Sat Jun 04, 05 8:55 pm; edited 3 times in total

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PostTue May 31, 05 8:54 pm     Reply with quote

that may very well be the cleanest wind, but not the safest for the folks down wind camping and fishing. we need to think about what is the safest for the non kiters out there not what is the best place for us. the eastern most point by the cove is the safest place to launch and land. If a kite gets away from someone,( wich it can't because we aren't going to lauch people that don't use a leash) it will drift into the river and has hundreds of yards for a safety zone.

what is the safest for the non kiter? this is where we should land and launch.

pkh

Since 27 Feb 2005
6548 Posts
Couve / Hood
Site Lackey



PostWed Jun 01, 05 5:59 am     Reply with quote

I think two things we can do better are:

- Always have a leash on when launching
- Don't try to relaunch right next to shore

Also if you see somebody's kite go down right next to shore, go grab it and relaunch it for them. No reason to let them struggle and potentially take somebody out on shore when the kite decides to relaunch.

I think this weekend was a worse case scenario, with tons of kiters and non kiters alike, but really we need to work on being more safety conscious. It would really ruin things completely if some bystander gets taken out.

We can injure ourselves all we want and likely nobody will care, but as soon as we start hurting other people, game over!

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pkh

Since 27 Feb 2005
6548 Posts
Couve / Hood
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PostWed Jun 01, 05 6:03 am     Reply with quote

This from the Yahoo group:

Quote:
As for the Gorge local / Slingshot weiling / dumbass dude... I just
hope he learned a lesson. And thank God noone was hurt. For that
probably would have been the death of Rufus for all kiting to come.

In short form, the story goes- Dude comes into land kite and has kite
powered darting back and forth waiting for somone to catch his kite.
A dad with his small baby in arms and other child are right next to
the hanging kite. Father screams get the blankedy blank out of here
you blah blah blah. The dude rips his kite over the top of the
window and lofts himself to the waters edge and ejects his kite.
Well, here I am down wind attempting to land my 10 when I was so
happily greeted by an unleashed Slinger straight into my lines. My
kite powered sooo hard racing toward land. I immediately ditched the
rig and escaped from a for sure injury.

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Hein

Since 08 Mar 2005
1313 Posts

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PostWed Jun 01, 05 6:07 am     Reply with quote

...
Last edited by Hein on Sat Jun 04, 05 8:52 pm; edited 1 time in total

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PostWed Jun 01, 05 6:27 am     Reply with quote

PKH said

"I think two things we can do better are:

- Always have a leash on when launching
- Don't try to relaunch right next to shore "

THE RULE SHOULD BE TO ALWAYS HAVE A LEASH. There is no reason not to have a leash with todays kites. If you are riding and you kite gets away from you and takes me out like what happened to the guy on Sunday because YOU didn't have a leash you will NEVER RIDE where I ride again. I don't want to be a dick, but your lack of a leash puts my life in danger and that is not accetable.

RIDE WITH A LEASH OR GO HOME!

pkh

Since 27 Feb 2005
6548 Posts
Couve / Hood
Site Lackey



PostWed Jun 01, 05 7:41 am     Reply with quote

I guess when I said have a leash on when launching, I meant riding too...

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PostWed Jun 01, 05 8:36 am     Reply with quote

Quote:
I guess when I said have a leash on when launching, I meant riding too...



Quote:
I guess when I said have a leash on when launching, I meant riding too...


Hell yes!!!

I would have lost my kite 3 times between Sunday and Monday if it wasn't leashed. I broke a Chickhoop on Sunday and it's replacement had a mind of it's own on Monday and opened by itself on two occasions.

The only think that keep me in possession of my kite was my 5th element!

Thumb's Up Thumb's Up Thumb's Up


Cheers,

penxa

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