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MarkWorth
Since 02 May 2011
149 Posts
Hood River
Stoked
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 Thu Aug 04, 11 7:35 am It’s a big river - More space please. |
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More space please.
You might remember your first time on the water with a kite. There is a lot going on and it’s nice to have some room to focus on your kite. It’s a little difficult to judge the space between your kite and the kiteboarders that have crossed the river and are turning back for the next crossing.
Please give extra space to the students who are body dragging or on their first ride.
It just takes 1 kiteboarder coming close and turning or jumping on every crossing to ruin the experience for a beginner. it’s a big river please kite 100 feet further up wind or make your turn a extra 50 feet short of the students(50 feet is 1% of your ride but 30% of the students bodysurfing area).
I am asking for a little respect and kindness.
Thank you to the 98% of kiters who are staying out of the teaching area.
.
_________________
Have More Fun!
Mark
Gorge Kiteboard School
http://gorgekiteboardschool.com |
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its_kite:30
Since 29 May 2009
108 Posts
White Salmon/ Beaverton
Stoked
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| Thu Aug 04, 11 10:36 pm |
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| The students may have a more positive experience away from the sand bar. Less people in the shallow water would make better flowing traffic. Perhaps jet ski them out to a less busy more beginner friendly area? I took my first lesson during gorge games and all I did was try to dodge kites the entire time, it was not the best experience. I went away feeling kinda burned. |
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wylieflyote
Since 30 Jun 2006
1648 Posts
Puget Sound & Wa. Coast
XTreme Poster
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| Fri Aug 05, 11 7:37 am |
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| its_kite:30 wrote: | | The students may have a more positive experience away from the sand bar. |
YES,
With the river now back to a more typical water level, I'm seeing lessons west of Wells Island in a shallow long open stretch. Seems like the most logical safe place for new kiter lessons. All alone and safe.
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CGKA Member
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Kip Wylie |
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strapless101
Since 17 Aug 2009
82 Posts
gorge
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| Fri Aug 05, 11 9:20 am |
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I stay out of the teaching area in hood river, but if someone throws a lesson in the middle of another area where people are riding, the lesson gets the same space as I would afford any other rider out there: ie no special consideration. Anybody who is trying to run lessons in the same place as people are throwing down, unhooking, etc then the instructors are being irresponsible. Schools that whine about space best wake up, it's only going to get more crowded.
This isn't about being a prick, I'll be one of the first to rescue just about anybody, but the schools need to be respective also |
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jaksavage
Since 02 Dec 2009
216 Posts
hood river
Stoked
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| Fri Aug 05, 11 9:31 am I agree Mark |
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Experienced kiters need to stay clear of the teaching zone. Get in the water and get out to the river. A few inconsiderates are very conspicuous when they repeatedly cruise in and out of the beach zone.
Wells island is not the best location for most beginner lessons. It is good for some, if we had to jetski every beginner up there it would be a madhouse of skis.
Make room and play nice.
Being agro is not good for anyone.
This season has really tested the capacity of our waterfront facilities and so far we are handling it really well. |
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GWTW
Since 11 Aug 2008
24 Posts
Gone With The Wind
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| Fri Aug 05, 11 12:07 pm |
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For a novice, kiteboarding the Spit/Sand Bar can feel like riding a tricycle on I-5. We have all been beginners. Yes, we have limited accessible shallow water. Yield, stay clear and give them a break.
Rip it up!! |
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K4L
Since 19 Jan 2009
483 Posts
Obsessed
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| Fri Aug 05, 11 12:49 pm |
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| Jet ski lessons are the best for the student. If you have to give lessons at the sandbar then stay in the area the schools are supposed to be (NE area of sandbar I believe) most prblems I have seen is when the instructors are teaching in the launching/landing area of the sandbar. |
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undertow
Since 15 Feb 2008
371 Posts
BeaversBurg
Obsessed
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| Fri Aug 05, 11 3:31 pm |
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| Kiting around the west end of the sandbar sucks, I launch then head up to wells for flat and hatch for swell. If your not in the kiddie pool, throwing down then your showing off so suck it up! And deal with noobs and lessons. |
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jsj
Since 11 Sep 2006
83 Posts
Hood River
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| Sat Aug 06, 11 1:33 pm |
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| wylieflyote wrote: | | its_kite:30 wrote: | | The students may have a more positive experience away from the sand bar. |
YES,
With the river now back to a more typical water level, I'm seeing lessons west of Wells Island in a shallow long open stretch. Seems like the most logical safe place for new kiter lessons. All alone and safe. |
Not so much.
There are a startling number of small (2" DIA and maybe 1.5' high) spiky roots in the shallow area West of Well's, and they also stretch halfway to the channel. I personally used to think it was a nice safe area, but it's actually a pincushion out there... It's hoot to boost big, blow it, and be able to stand up and sort gear but after wandering around the whole area at low water, then putting a huge gouge in the bottom of my board on the way out to the channel, don't think I'll ever kite the shallows between Well's and the Hatch again. Certainly wouldn't recommend it for beginners anymore. |
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Inept_Fun
Since 14 Apr 2005
1417 Posts
Hood River
XTreme Poster
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| Sat Aug 06, 11 6:06 pm |
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| jsj wrote: | | wylieflyote wrote: | | its_kite:30 wrote: | | The students may have a more positive experience away from the sand bar. |
YES,
With the river now back to a more typical water level, I'm seeing lessons west of Wells Island in a shallow long open stretch. Seems like the most logical safe place for new kiter lessons. All alone and safe. |
Not so much.
There are a startling number of small (2" DIA and maybe 1.5' high) spiky roots in the shallow area West of Well's, and they also stretch halfway to the channel. I personally used to think it was a nice safe area, but it's actually a pincushion out there... It's hoot to boost big, blow it, and be able to stand up and sort gear but after wandering around the whole area at low water, then putting a huge gouge in the bottom of my board on the way out to the channel, don't think I'll ever kite the shallows between Well's and the Hatch again. Certainly wouldn't recommend it for beginners anymore. |
Those are only in certain sections. If you know where to teach then you can totally avoid them, but it isnt shallow the whole way.
_________________
I heart dangling |
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undertow
Since 15 Feb 2008
371 Posts
BeaversBurg
Obsessed
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| Sat Aug 06, 11 6:10 pm |
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| If you see that house with all the windows, then the brown house just upwind of it, stay Parellel or upwind of that house and you will be fine, no deadheads sticking up, downwind of that and there are many deadheads. |
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jsj
Since 11 Sep 2006
83 Posts
Hood River
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| Sat Aug 06, 11 10:01 pm |
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| Inept_Fun wrote: | | jsj wrote: | | wylieflyote wrote: | | its_kite:30 wrote: | | The students may have a more positive experience away from the sand bar. |
YES,
With the river now back to a more typical water level, I'm seeing lessons west of Wells Island in a shallow long open stretch. Seems like the most logical safe place for new kiter lessons. All alone and safe. |
Not so much.
There are a startling number of small (2" DIA and maybe 1.5' high) spiky roots in the shallow area West of Well's, and they also stretch halfway to the channel. I personally used to think it was a nice safe area, but it's actually a pincushion out there... It's hoot to boost big, blow it, and be able to stand up and sort gear but after wandering around the whole area at low water, then putting a huge gouge in the bottom of my board on the way out to the channel, don't think I'll ever kite the shallows between Well's and the Hatch again. Certainly wouldn't recommend it for beginners anymore. |
Those are only in certain sections. If you know where to teach then you can totally avoid them, but it isnt shallow the whole way. |
I hit a root in an area that's usually 4' deep and is more than half way to the channel. Moreover, by even HINTING to a student that they are in an OK place to kite, you are building in a really, really bad habit.
YOU may know where the roots are, but when they come back and bring their friends, they wont. They haven't spent the time at low water, they haven't literally walked the whole area... they don't know.
Don't kid yourself. |
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MarkWorth
Since 02 May 2011
149 Posts
Hood River
Stoked
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| Sun Aug 07, 11 7:29 am |
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I am only asking that kiteboarders that are crossing the entire Columbia from the Washington shore to the Hood River sandbar give the body dragging beginners a few more feet.
I am in the teaching area. I know it’s the teaching area because I have been teaching in the same spot almost every day since 2001(when all but a sliver of the sandbar was submerged all summer). The teaching area I use is on the northern edge of the sandbar, on the outside. This is the only spot where students can work in deep water and return to the sand bar to walk up wind and repeat.
I avoid taking students to Wells Island if I can provide a safe productive lesson on the tip of the sandbar because the students get an extra 25 minutes of water time, instead of 15 minutes of wave runner ride and 10 minutes of setup.
These 25 minutes adds up over multiple lessons and students end up taking an extra lesson to make up for the lost time. This is not cost affective for my students.
Please if you ride back and forth from the Washington side to the sand bar over and over, please make your turn 50 feet further away from the sand bar or go upwind or downwind 100 feet.
Thank you
_________________
Have More Fun!
Mark
Gorge Kiteboard School
http://gorgekiteboardschool.com |
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Jonpnw
Since 22 Jul 2010
1327 Posts
Pacific Northwest
XTreme Poster
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| Sun Aug 07, 11 8:15 am |
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It shouldn't be that hard to comply. If you can kite get out of the sand bar area!
Mark, thank you from time to time for posting tips and information on here!
_________________
Slingshot | Ride Engine |Try before you buy | PM me
Join the Columbia Gorge Water Sports Association. http://gorgewindsurfing.org/ |
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Inept_Fun
Since 14 Apr 2005
1417 Posts
Hood River
XTreme Poster
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| Sun Aug 07, 11 9:02 am |
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| jsj wrote: | | Inept_Fun wrote: | | jsj wrote: | | wylieflyote wrote: | | its_kite:30 wrote: | | The students may have a more positive experience away from the sand bar. |
YES,
With the river now back to a more typical water level, I'm seeing lessons west of Wells Island in a shallow long open stretch. Seems like the most logical safe place for new kiter lessons. All alone and safe. |
Not so much.
There are a startling number of small (2" DIA and maybe 1.5' high) spiky roots in the shallow area West of Well's, and they also stretch halfway to the channel. I personally used to think it was a nice safe area, but it's actually a pincushion out there... It's hoot to boost big, blow it, and be able to stand up and sort gear but after wandering around the whole area at low water, then putting a huge gouge in the bottom of my board on the way out to the channel, don't think I'll ever kite the shallows between Well's and the Hatch again. Certainly wouldn't recommend it for beginners anymore. |
Those are only in certain sections. If you know where to teach then you can totally avoid them, but it isnt shallow the whole way. |
I hit a root in an area that's usually 4' deep and is more than half way to the channel. Moreover, by even HINTING to a student that they are in an OK place to kite, you are building in a really, really bad habit.
YOU may know where the roots are, but when they come back and bring their friends, they wont. They haven't spent the time at low water, they haven't literally walked the whole area... they don't know.
Don't kid yourself. |
So if I show them where it is OK to kite I'm building in a really bad habit. Don't kid yourself...
_________________
I heart dangling |
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melokitegirl
Since 28 Oct 2008
396 Posts
Where the wind blows
Obsessed
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| Mon Aug 08, 11 8:52 am |
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Mark - I completely agree & support your reasonable request. I know that you have been there a long time. I respect your knowledge of the river & kiting. If people are so freaking good, then go up wind & stay away. No need to show off or be an inconsiderate A-hole. It's the "self centered" attitude that is so ugly in our culture these days. Declining civility...
My question is...why are there so many schools now? I heard there was a cap - but saw 2 new ones spring up this season. Pretty ridiculous. Not enough room.
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Be kind to Kooks |
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wylieflyote
Since 30 Jun 2006
1648 Posts
Puget Sound & Wa. Coast
XTreme Poster
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| Mon Aug 08, 11 9:08 am |
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| melokitegirl wrote: | | If people are so freaking good, then go up wind & stay away. |
The only time I've ever had issues with schools (or whoever is out there teaching their cousin) is when it's super underpowered light and I'm trying to point up off the sandbar to get out, and someone's got their student with a kite at 12 o'clock sitting on the W shore of the bar.
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CGKA Member
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Kip Wylie |
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