Is the Hatchery turning into an angry bee hive?

realharry · Since 03 Nov 2008 31 Posts Oregon

Chill kiters.....there are very few bad apples in the crowd. One of them had a bad day. Everyone is ok. We can all share.
There are dick kiters and there are dick windsurfers and they will just be dicks no matter what. Welcome to the world.
Ponytail will be fine and so will the kiter that was charged at.
All the lawsuit threats here, those are the biggest dicks on the water. If you can't handle it yourself then go home and watch tv.
I don't mind at all kiting with Windsurfers or windsurfing with kiters. It's all fun on the water. Let it rest. Rolling Eyes

bwd · Since 04 Aug 2007 385 Posts Obsessed

Nak · Thu Jul 12, 12 7:04 pm

First things first. This isn't windsurfers vs kiters. this is just one douchebag vs the world. I passed through the hatch a few days ago on a downwinder. I took a break near the hatch--well away from the swarm--and just laid back in the water. No fewer than three windsurfers cruised by and asked if I needed help. That's cool and that's the way most everyone is. I'd hate to see that vibe destroyed by some asshat hater.

Second. Petey boy has not apologized. He kinda sorta did for yelling, but justifying your actions and saying sorry is not an apology. (Shit, my kids knew that at 6 years old.) Even if it was, he NEVER apologized--or even faked it--for recklessly endangering the live's of total strangers. Nobody cares that he screams like a little girl at passing kiters. He can scream all he wants, I don't think anybody cares enough to do anything more than laugh at him. What is wrong is that he is apparently using his windsurfing rig as a weapon and starting his "war". This is no different than using any vehicle as a weapon and is criminal in nature. It's a bit scary that he isn't bright enough to realize that Washington and Oregon will indeed consider it their jurisdiction. He seems to think it's the law of the West on the river, and that has emboldened his actions. Therein lies the danger to the very cool community we have here.

Third. Sorry if there's a few out there that think I'm a dick for mentioning lawsuits. Actually, it's kinda cool to be the biggest dick on the river. Very Happy

But I ain't going home to watch TV. I'm the non-violent type--killing people sucks bad. Even if they deserve it, you pay for it for the rest of your life. And violence always has the possibility of ending in death. So the repercussions are going to be legal and monetary. If you can't deal with that, don't attack people.

Unfortunately, from Petie's own letter it seems likely he'll only learn about consequences by having them forced on him. That's really a damn shame, because nobody wants to deal with that. But better that than some asshat ruining the vibe for everybody else.

BTW, what Petey Boy did was wrong even if he got the right people. One, does that idiot really think he's going to get young adrenaline filled men to back down with his threats? Really? Is he really that stupid? Far more likely the violence would only escalate. Two, violence is never the right answer except as a last resort to protect life and limb.

I'd lean towards forgiving and forgetting and just say WTF, IF he actually owned up and apologized for his actions. He has not. He has justified them and kind of apologized for his little girl screams. Not a word about attacking innocent bystanders. That spells Douchebag.

WindLogik · Since 09 Feb 2009 95 Posts Hood River

Nak,

I think you and isobars need to meet up for a beer.

' Laughing

'

shred_da_gorge · Thu Jul 12, 12 9:14 pm

lewmt · Since 04 Aug 2010 182 Posts MT Stoked

Damn I love MT.

kenja · Since 19 Jun 2008 179 Posts Stoked

If I had a dollar for every time I had a windsurfer in my blind spot or in my landing zone when wanting to boost, I'd be a rich man. When you are going airborne, it is your responsibility to check. If you wipe out because you didn't check, you should be yelling at yourself, not others.

BeerKite · Since 29 Mar 2011 471 Posts Obsessed

"Final rant on some of the posts from the kite forum. For the individual that made the racial comment regarding my hair and my lost Jack Johnson CD. Jack Johnson is a no talent ass clown as a muscian but one bad ass surfer before he got hurt. As for my hair, GROW IT WHILE YOU GOT IT."
-PTP

Racial comment? Are you insane? Oh, never mind. Question answered.
Must be why I'm married to a Puerto Rican and got fired for defending the rights of an African American. Ponytail is way too tight. Alternate reality.

wakeup · Since 11 Sep 2005 328 Posts always Obsessed

ponytail dude is a d bag

Knot Kracker · Since 02 Jul 2008 130 Posts Clackamas River Stoked

I always wanted a ponytail! My father wouldn't let me while growing up (he was career military). Then I got sucked into an elite military unit and they liked "high'n'tights)! That went the same for business. So Pete, my "hairs off" for you - that is so cool!

I'm confused over two comments! Starboard Tack and "under the other person". I had understood that Starboard Tack has the right of way. It gets tricky when your on toe side with your left hand holding the bar, but I still figure it out. But I'm pretty sure that I'm right. Giving way is easier, and you can tell the skill level of the other sailor coming in your direction. With that said, not everyone is in TOP FORM while in the water or living, but everyone deserves to be treated fairly. Some riders are "Blind and Deaf", but don't wear it on their shirt. Blurry double vision along with lack of hearing seriously keeps me away from other sailors. And what does it mean to be under you when you near the ramp. Are you meaning downwind in your landing zone, in an area that you use to increase speed prior to ramping, or physically below you when your in the air? What is a good distance from the edge of the kite to the windsurfer? Another half length of lines?

Three times in the past two years while doing downwinders I have been "molested, or attacked", and one of those times by Pete. I don't purposely try to get in the windsurfers way, but being a "ground pounder" most of my life, I don't see the same ramp that he is going for. It shouldn't matter, he should still give way. When the group of windsurfers tack towards Oregon, I see a clear spot to avoid them on the Washington side. Oh oh, they turned around are heading back towards me. My normal course is to "hold my ground" and they'll surely go around me, but invariably one of them keeps turning towards me. This is no joke, I see their lips moving but can't hear what their yelling, I yell back for them to come closer so what their saying is understood. In the end I never heard what was said and I'm sure they are just as frustrated with me with lack of communication.

I think my next step is to stop in at the Hatchery parking lot and hang with everyone. I'm sure I can make some friends.

Communication is the key!

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

The setup at the hatch requires the polesurfers to blast across from the Oregon side on port tack to generate speed and huck their meat on the nice ramps on the Washington side

Starboard tack and the rules of the road might get u runned over - tho most everyone is doing their best to avoid other riders - which is impressive considering the numbers

Some polesurfers are older dudes who might not be able to turn their necks much to scope what's upwind but it really is the upwind riders resposbility not to interfere with riders reaching back and forth downwind

So Pepe was playing it safe to avoid the maelstrom and sail way the fuck out of the way of everyone - only to get harassed by Capt Ponytail

h2olm · Since 07 Jun 2006 124 Posts Stoked

"Some polesurfers are older dudes who might not be able to turn their necks much "

LMFAO!!! That is some funny stuff. I can't believe that they are up to 6 pages on this matter on iwindsurf, and we are not far behind! I was a polesurfer (and still am on occasions) and a kiter (dangler) for the past 7-8 years. If I go up to the Hatch and see it's packed, I go around. I kite from Rowena down to Dougs, and, if it's crowded, I move on. Go from Rufus to the Wall, stay out of the polesurfers' way. Why does this all seem so difficult?
I think we all do agree on one point. There are bad apples in every crowd. In the end, we all get what we deserve. Have some decency and respect for others, and it might just come back to you. It has been nice and windy and warm, and the next couple of weeks are gonna be going off in da Hood! Let's just enjoy and be thankful that we can kite/sail/SUP/whatever on the Great River.

strapless101 · Since 17 Aug 2009 82 Posts gorge

why not just rally a large crew and take over the hatch for a day, giving the ws'ers a glimpse of what sailing at the hatch will be like in 5 years when there's just a few ws'er screwing up the kite rotation.

realharry · Since 03 Nov 2008 31 Posts Oregon

I say we bring ponytail boy a beer and a hot dog and give him a big ole man hug. Cures everything. He's an ok boy and I bet he's learned something and mellowed out by now.
I'm going to kite the shit out of that place today. Shocked

pollywog · Since 07 Aug 2009 291 Posts Obsessed

The river is a common resource, no one person owns it. It's one for the lawyers but I don't believe that there is any legal prior use or traditional use law that would allow a person to "own" or gain jurisdiction over the resource, in this case the river.

A self-appointed vigilance committe to set rules and administer punishment made up of "respected" members of the community is ridiculus. The coast guard sets the rules for what goes on on the water and the sherriffs enforces them and that would be where it needs to go.

Sooner or later somebody is going to get hurt on or off the water so keep talking stupidly and making stupid threats because that way we'll get to that point that much faster.

Awe, now back to enjoying the resource that belongs to all......

Pepi · Fri Jul 13, 12 1:49 pm

wjb · Since 14 Aug 2007 223 Posts Nor Cal Stoked

PP (Ponytail Pete) probably just needs a little cheering up after dealing with kiters all day. Somebody should show him the way to Candy Mountain