Loads of people have been dreaming of a cable in the basin for years.
I wouldn't be surprised if Hood River loses a few core kiters to cable riding.
wheels
Since 14 May 2005
29 Posts
Sun Aug 21, 11 9:59 pm
NaitoDevelopment wrote:
Confirmed - we're looking at a full 5 tower system and a 2 tower Rixen Little B.R.O.
I learned how to wakeboard about 3 weeks ago () on a Little B.R.O. and it convinced me that we should have one in the basin.
2-tower setups are essential for bringing cable riders up to speed for riding a full-sized setup. Stoked to hear you're convinced. However, I would highly suggest you look at Sesitec's System 2.0 instead. They're about half the price and have some key performance advantages over Rixen's Little Bro.
For one, when it comes to high-end riding, which is a secondary use for a 2-tower cableway, the S2 dampens cable sway much better, as the cable runs in a vertically oriented loop (as opposed to Rixen's horizontal configuration) and most importantly, both sides of S2's looped cable are bound together (via a pulley) which dramatically alters the performance of the cable when you're doing load and pop tricks. On a Little Bro, when you edge out, the cable can stretch much further, as it's not being supported by the adjacent side of the cable. When you go to load up a trick, you can easily lose a lot of energy you build up, plus get wicked whip from the cable too, which can affect precision of landings, loading up, etc. It would kind of be like kiting with stretchy lines, rather than the bomber, relatively stretchless lines we use today. Don't get me wrong, S2s have sway too, but it's to quite a different degree. For a pro like Tom Fooshee, he could do whatever trick he wanted on either setup. But for those that want to throw themselves into the process of learning, S2 offers a potentially faster and more enjoyable route to learning air tricks.
Another reason to consider a S2 instead is that on the high-end front, you can't manually shorten a Little Bro line, as there's a spring-filled pole encasing the line. Also, with an S2, adjusting the line length for a beginner can help them get up easier and it can be useful to try hard tricks with a short line first and as you start to get it and become comfortable, slowly make the line a bit longer. Essentially, this is like learning a trick with the kite high, then progressively doing the trick with the kite lower, until it's almost at the water. When i lived in Florida, I saw world-renowned wakeboard coaches Mike Ferraro and Ryan Jones use this technique on the S2s out at the Projects. It worked wonders for many of their big name pro clients, like Dallas Friday, Harley, Bob Soven, Raimy Merritt, etc. With a Little Bro, you're not going to have this capability.
I've ridden both S2s and Little Bros and without a doubt would go with a S2 — preferably set up on the extension ladders.
Wheels
wheels
Since 14 May 2005
29 Posts
Sun Aug 21, 11 10:04 pm
genek wrote:
this will be the only cable park on the west coast north of San Diego (if they build theirs).
The San Diego park ain't happening. Plans fell apart.
NaitoDevelopment
Since 25 Apr 2011
23 Posts
Portland
Mon Aug 22, 11 8:34 am
I’ve been astounded at the attention this thread has generated and I’ve enjoyed reading all of the positive and negative comments! To all of you who are excited, thank you! We’re working as fast as possible to bring the cable to Hood River. And to pdxmonkeyboy and SalmonSlayer, I hope we can convince you once you’ve seen the facts that support the project.
It’s easy to get carried away on an internet discussion forum, where all claims inherently carry about the same weight. But “IRL” we’re spending days, nights, & weekends thinking about how to build the best project for Hood River. Our site architect has been working in Hood River for about 20 years and is responsible for designing many recent buildings in the community.
We’ve hired the leading hotel consultant in the region to conduct a market study. The last new hotel was built in Hood River in 1997. Meanwhile, the town has continued to grow and attract visitors for the past 14 years. In fact, last weekend was the fifth weekend in a row that Hood River was completely sold out of hotel rooms and had to turn people away.
We’ve also hired a respected aquatic ecologist to conduct an Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) so everyone will know what the actual conditions are in the basin and what the actual impact of the cable park will be. Once the ESA is complete, we will share it with everyone. This study is quite expensive, $XX,XXX, and will be the most comprehensive environmental survey of the basin to date.
Despite what some people’s initial impressions may be, cable parks aren’t “Disney Land cracked out on Red Bull.” Cable wakeboarding is a growing, popular, and environmentally friendly sport. In fact, the International Olympic Committee has shortlisted cable wakeboarding as a new sport for the 2020 summer games. We’re not building a novelty or amusement park ride on the waterfront. _________________ Will Naito - Naito Development
www.naitodevelopment.com
wylieflyote
Since 30 Jun 2006
1638 Posts
Puget Sound & Wa. Coast
XTreme Poster
Mon Aug 22, 11 8:45 am
NWK (or someone) should set up a Survey Sticky asking yes/no on this subject, just out of curiosity. I was against the Broughton/Hatchery project because it seemed ill-conceived, but I'm all for this. Sick and tired of trying to bring my wife to a comfortable hotel in Hood River, and almost always finding full/sorry.
Is it self-serving to be firmly against another Indian Casino in W'East, and the windsurfer condos at Broughton, but at the same time being all for this project? Hell Yes, so what. _________________ CGKA Member
-------
Kip Wylie
eric
Since 13 Jan 2006
1814 Posts
XTreme Poster
Mon Aug 22, 11 8:58 am
<<Casino>>
I think being against an activity which brings about an unhealthful addiction--Casino--and a whole host of unintended negative consequences that are felt community wide, and being for a Cable Park is a legitimate stance.
In this overly politically correct world we often forget to stand for something.
Eric
Scriffler
Since 03 Jul 2005
581 Posts
LYLE
Addicted
Mon Aug 22, 11 12:45 pm
I think if an 85 room hotel is being built they should throw in one of these for good measure.
I think a cable park would pretty much cement Hood River as the go-to place for any kind of outdoor sports activity in the U.S.. Its huge. Environmental impact? yes some I'd guess, but how about the environmental impact of having giant dams in the Columbia that (depending on power needs) raise and lower the water level by 10 feet at a time. Or Hanford... Or dredging shipping channels... yadda yadda.
Let folks have an (already) completely unnatural section of Columbia for something fun that promotes healthy active human beings and gets them out in the water so that they'll fight for it to stay clean.
Its good discussion to have though, and probably good prep for Naito to get ready for the public hearings (guessing that was the idea. )
forrest
Since 21 Jun 2005
4329 Posts
Hood River
Hick
Scriffler
Since 03 Jul 2005
581 Posts
LYLE
Addicted
Mon Aug 22, 11 1:57 pm
I heard they have one in Spain now with head-high 100 yard waves and are building more around Europe. No videos on the site of it though. It seems simple enough, pump the water into a holding tank, and splash it into a puddle, creating the wave near shore. The bigger the puddle, the bigger the splash, the bigger the wave. Super simple.
forrest
Since 21 Jun 2005
4329 Posts
Hood River
Hick
I heard they have one in Spain now with head-high 100 yard waves and are building more around Europe. No videos on the site of it though. It seems simple enough, pump the water into a holding tank, and splash it into a puddle, creating the wave near shore. The bigger the puddle, the bigger the splash, the bigger the wave. Super simple.
DROCK999
Since 31 May 2007
852 Posts
Left Coast
Opinionated
Mon Aug 22, 11 2:40 pm
Scriffler wrote:
I heard they have one in Spain now with head-high 100 yard waves and are building more around Europe. No videos on the site of it though. It seems simple enough, pump the water into a holding tank, and splash it into a puddle, creating the wave near shore. The bigger the puddle, the bigger the splash, the bigger the wave. Super simple.
Siam park in tenerife perhaps Link _________________ BIP- "YOUR GIRLFRIENDS FAVORITE"
arthurb
Since 06 Feb 2009
19 Posts
Hood River, Oregon
Mon Aug 22, 11 3:18 pm
Just want to make sure everyone understands the public process which must occur before any construction starts. You will have *plenty* of opportunities to share your opinions with the people making the decisions, but you need to know how and when to do it. NWKite is not part of the public record!
The hotel will require approval by the City of Hood River, and possibly action by ODOT and the Army Corps of Engineers. The City Planning Commission will need to determine if the project meets the provisions of city zoning code. They will hold public meetings and take public testimony. Their decision may be reviewed by the City Council.
A cable park application will go through a similar process, but first the Port will need to determine if it will allow siting of towers on Port properties. The Port is also a public entity, so you'll have a chance to submit testimony to them. If the Port agrees to citing of towers, then the City will consider the compliance with zoning.
*No* applications have been filed yet. The Naitos say they are planning their own public meetings and discussions before filing an application. After the City receives a formal application there will be comment periods and hearings. If you want to be sure your opinion is considered in the decision process, submit your comment verbally or in writing to the City and Port. You can debate on NWKite, in the newspaper or at the informational meetings, but the decision makers are supposed to work with the formal public record. I can tell you that formal comments really do get read and they do matter.
This maze of public hearings and decision points can be very confusing. Because this is near the water and a freeway exit it's even more complicated. If you care about this project I encourage you to do a little research about what questions are decided by which agency at which time. The City Planning Director and the Port Director can help you navigate this process and get the right comment to the right entity at the right time. They can also put you on a "notification list" so you'll get a personal invitation to the public meetings and hearings. Hearings happen even if it's windy, but you can always comment in writing.
soona
Since 27 Sep 2009
72 Posts
Mon Aug 22, 11 3:18 pm
That was a brilliant strategy by the Naito folks to get NWKiters onboard with this cable park idea, but I agree with the posters who have serious questions about the hotel complex being proposed.
Developers have been trying to get a hotel down there for years and luckily common-sense public opposition held them off (and got the Waterfront Park built instead of another waterfront light industrial plant).
One plan that was in very serious contention would have had a hotel complex on the edge of the basin where the kite schools and the lower landing are now, and totally blocked the future development of the kite beach, the sandbar cafe, and everything the community enjoys down there. Luckily that was stopped or we would not have access to the water like we have now.
Did you see those photos of the crowded beaches around the cable park somewhere else? And have you seen the size of the parking lot around the HR Inn by the toll bridge? Imagine a mega parking lot right past the airtime gas station, and all the cars and crowds of tourists jamming up the overpass, the roadways north of the interstate, and the soon-to-be-developed beach along the boat basin. And where are all the cable-park users who aren't hotel guests going to park?
People here act like it will be our own private cable park - yay! - but in reality it's going to be disneyland with an absolute bottleneck getting across the overpass, not to mention parking - and thousands of new people crowding in to use the cable park.
I'm not against the cable park at all, but the hotel project needs careful and critical evaluation just like every other proposal down there over the past 25 years. Further developement is inevitable, but the people need to be sure we don't rush into a bad plan that will irreversibly ruin what we have.
Now go ahead and give me a hard time if you must - but I'm just voicing my opinion and I respect all yours.
PS Has Naito advertised this week's hearing to any segment of the public except the NWKiters? I haven't seen it in the HR News, the BizBuzz, or in any other posters or notices. Hmm, and they want to be transparent - or they want to stack the hearing room?
NaitoDevelopment
Since 25 Apr 2011
23 Posts
Portland
Mon Aug 22, 11 7:08 pm
soona wrote:
PS Has Naito advertised this week's hearing to any segment of the public except the NWKiters? I haven't seen it in the HR News, the BizBuzz, or in any other posters or notices. Hmm, and they want to be transparent - or they want to stack the hearing room?
There is a top-of-the-fold front page story about the project in last Saturday's edition of the Hood River News. In the center column, on the front page, there is a text box announcing the public meeting.
Also, on page A10 (after the jump) we ran our own ad announcing the meeting.
Also, on the Hood River Biz Buzz blog, there is a post titled "Naito hotel project at boat basin will include wakeboard cable park," posted August 18th. This post announces the meeting: "Naito, in a follow-up posting, noted that he will make a public presentation about the company’s plans at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, at the Hood River Hotel."
We are doing are best to be as transparent as possible. I'm sorry you missed all three announcements, but glad you found this thread! Next time, though, please consider fact-checking the information you are posting in this thread. _________________ Will Naito - Naito Development
www.naitodevelopment.com
lance_k
Since 04 May 2005
561 Posts
Hood River
Photographer
Mon Aug 22, 11 8:49 pm
we need more visitor beds in this community. i think a new hotel is long overdue... _________________ www.lancekoudele.com
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) on a Little B.R.O. and it convinced me that we should have one in the basin.
