Someone is going to be seriously injured at Backside

[bryanleighty]

I know it is going to happen .. and I feel that we've got to do all we can to prevent it.

I go there all the time and try like hell to educate those that I can.. but I tell ya.. last year this time I really think I recognized every single local rider. Nowdays I am happy to see one familiar face in the crowd.

All these Backside Skyway riders.. many seem to be past the super newbie state.. but just barely.

I cannot count the amount of times I see these folks trying to learn how to jump near to the BOAT OF DOOM.

Does anyone have any buoys we can tie up to the boat hull??? If not, I am going to buy a few this week and go out on the next super low tide and figure out a way to chain/tie/whatever to that mass of flesh eating shrapnel.

Think Ill put a few on different lengths so as to hopefully be visible in all tide levels.

Been thinking and talking about this for a while.. it has to be done. No one riding that area seems to have a clue about it. Dan and I were out there w/ a few others last season trying to dig it out. Its no f*cking joke. This thing will tear you to shreds if you get dragged through it.

I'll post when I am going out.. if there is a super low tide after work this week I'll be out there. Anyone want to help I'd appreciate it.

Once this is setup, I'd really like everyone to remind and re-remind all riders they see on the beach.

-Bryan

[invisible]

We also need to remove the impaler. It's a chunk of rusty metal, about the size of a milk crate attached to a long piece of something else just below the surface... problem is, it has two 3 foot long steel rods about 3/8" in diameter sticking straight out at a 45 degree angle pointing northwest. You cannot see them when you ride towards them.... if you hit them they are going to go through your chest or abdomen.

At high tide this thing is about 30 feet from shore in the lagoon area... right where you would do a high speed tack.

This is the scariest thing I have ever seen at BS. No idea what it is but it looks bad.

Over the last few days I have seen numerous people landing jumps towards that thing at high speed with no clue it was there.

http://www.flkitesurf.com/thing.jpg

http://www.flkitesurf.com/thing2.jpg

[invisible]

Does anyone have any buoys we can tie up to the boat hull??? If not, I am going to buy a few this week and go out on the next super low tide and figure out a way to chain/tie/whatever to that mass of flesh eating shrapnel. -Bryan

Are you talking about the big wood boat skeleton far northwest? Why not just take a chainsaw at low tide and cut all of the ribs off of it? I've never seen much of the submerged hull... I've undoubtedly jumped all over it.

[Skyway Scott]

Guys, I recommend not touching the (huge) boat hull without permission. That's been there forever and is considered by many to be a FAD (fish attracting device) and guys get bait/fish there a lot. I can almost guarantee you would catch heat if you tried to remove it. I think it's so big, it'd be close to impossible anyway. The bigger the better, is my opinion. How can anyone not see that! I can see it from literally a mile away. Those other things sound truly dangerous, because you can't see them.

[bryanleighty]

no Tom.. not talking about the huge boat ribs out past the channel.. anyone f*cking around that thing deserves what they get. Thats an obvious hazzard.
(I am sure Billy P has kiteloop/handlepassed that thing over and over...hehehe)

I'm talking about the boat #1 in your map.

i didnt even know about the impaler!!

i dont kite in that area that often.. but damn.. that needs to be checked out as well.. do you know if its movable???

the boat hull #1 is NOT movable. at least not by hand. would take dragging it out w a boat somehow to remove it.

but the LEAST we can do is clearly mark them.

[invisible]

Thanks Scott, hadn't considered that...

[bayflite]

on north winds it's EZ2get separated From the pack. Hopefully the riders have an eye on each other. Otherwise you get blown into the skyway channel.
The problem I see with that spot iz it's hard2 get downwind land support, so, water support iz pretty much all ya got. Help the poor bastard gettin blown downwind.
u could b next.

[robertovillate]

Tom,

Thanks for the map*** which clearly illustrates the hazards and why this is not a great spot, especially for beginners...and I agree with Scott...if someone messes with these hazards (although with good intentions) it could just make it worse by concealing the danger even more, giving people a false sense of security thinking it's all gone, and at the same time pissing off some fisherman...and lets remember that we aren't the only people enjoying the water around here.

***perhaps beginners can tape a copy of the map to their boards so they will know when they are about to get shredded during lessons or when they have just enough skill to really screw themselves up. lol

I still think bringing any beginner there is negligent...except to give them a first hand experience of where not to ride. However, everyone is entitled to disagree. I realize it might be convenient for some to go there, but is that really the wise choice?


The disturbing thing is that most posts I read about the place include some description of how sketchy it is, how someone almost destroyed a kite, had or almost had a disasterous launch or landing, almost got raked over the "impaler", etc.

Ride safe people...what happens to you effects most of us in some way or another.

[invisible]

Thank Eagle for the map... I only added the impaler to it.

As for ending up down wind at BS, your choices are to either swim into the rest area, or ride all the way across to the sand bars on the way to EB.

BS sucks, but I don't find it too bad if you get away from shore. If you ride in the area right near shore you are asking for it. The launch and landing are the most dangerous parts.

[Skyway Scott]

I don't have a view on the little hazards, cuz I don't ride there.
It definitely sounds dangerous. I do know that boat hull has been there as long as I can remember, and removing it would be difficult at best. It's so big, I agree with Bryan... anyone dumb enough......

[CrazyJay]

The IMPALER is an old leftover kicker that bill and I used to launch off of. The metal sticking up is the rebar used to anchor it. Unfortunately a storm took it out a few years ago and washed it near shore. We salvaged most of it but that piece is still there... hungry and waiting for a newb.
It it small and should be easy to remove if anyone feels the urge.

[Kamikazi]

Leave nothing but footprints...
Take nothing but....the shit you left out there.
Feel the urge

[toby wilson]

Be a skilled and smart enough rider to know of and avoid all possible hazards.
Or you shouldn't have felt the urge to ride there to begin with.
Everyone has been warned fair enough, ride at your own risk at the Backside. Period.

[bayflite]

"The IMPALER is an old leftover kicker that bill and I used to launch off of. The metal sticking up is the rebar used to anchor it. Unfortunately a storm took it out a few years ago and washed it near shore. We salvaged most of it but that piece is still there... hungry and waiting for a newb.
It it small and should be easy to remove if anyone feels the urge."



let us know when you to meet up to get that shit outta there!

[bryanleighty]

Be a skilled and smart enough rider to know of and avoid all possible hazards.
Or you shouldn't have felt the urge to ride there to begin with.
Everyone has been warned fair enough, ride at your own risk at the Backside. Period.

unfortunately, those on this forum are being out numbered by those that dont. riders see the all kiters there and assume its safe.

people are giving lessons there and that can only lead to folks thinking it is a safe location.

of course you know, I know, most all that visit this forum know that it has some serious hazzards.

difficult to avoid hazzards that are just inches below the waterline.

tides have not been favorable to go out there this week. hope to get to it before this upcoming NW wind surge.

-B

[CrazyJay]

let me know if someone goes at low tide... i will try to be there.
We are on baby watch now. Julie was due 2 days ago and it could be any day/hour now. If i can get free I will come down.
jay

[invisible]

The IMPALER is an old leftover kicker that bill and I used to launch off of... hungry and waiting for a newb.

hah

Ok, so it's a piece of shredding history.

Gonna be a daddy soon :)