3 years ago compared to now...

[invisible]

Check out the number of kites at East Beach in this video from 3 years ago ... this was a big day and it's amazing how many kites there are (I counted 8):

http://videos.floridakitesurfer.com/BigAirSmall.mov

Quiz:

How many kites will be at East Beach in 3 years:

A) 50 kites
B) 150 kites
C) Zero kites
D) Who cares chicks dig me.

[Adam]

im gonna go with B and D lol ;)

[Erick]

I would say A and D.
150 kites at EB = No fun + Danger.

[invisible]

At the current rate, we will actually have 200 riders in 3 years. My theory is that someone is selling kite boarding lessons for $25 on ebay, or kite boarding for dummies was just released for sale at Walmart. :D

[bryanleighty]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/201/521677072_93e86a417a_o.jpg

[toby wilson]

It doesn't really matter. It is just ludicrous to think that there would not be an increasingly large amount of new riders every year. Just think about it. If there is one rider and he shares his hobby with 2 friends every year and they do the same, the exponential increase would be huge. That is all that is happening. People adapt to change all the time in more than just kiteboarding. That is all we need to do, learn to adapt to the changes in the sport whether it be crowds, new styles, new equipment, etc.

Too much whining and complaining is done on this subject, I have been guilty of it myself in the past but...embrace the new riders as a positive thing and see the cup as half full...:)

[Erick]

[QUOTE=invisible;19843]At the current rate, we will actually have 200 riders in 3 years.

We might need an ATC at EB.

[E-Bone]

Old school sesh today at the Skyway.

Rolled up at 9:00 something, nobody there aside from some mangrove activity. Rigged the 15 Ion, grabbed the Glide, started cruising in pretty solid 12-15, still no one there 'cept the Bone.

Rode some more, still no one there. Worked on some new stuff (like peeing toeside), still nobody there. One lady pulled in and watched me ride for a while, then left.

After over an hour to myself in decent wind, it let up a bit and I put the kite down. Only then did other kiterz show up. Reminded me of weekdayz back in May 2005.

Despite all the new riderz, there are still some lonely sessionz to be had out there.

[amber]

this year we're around A. If three years down the road B really happens at desoto i have a feeling that C would be the following year with D falling close behind.

We'll take turns, go out on boats, start exploring new places, etc. it'll work itself out. my bet is that a lot of these people won't want to keep dumping money into the sport and people will come and go.

don't worry about the number of new riders unless they continue to be about 85% guys which puts the few of us girls in really good shape. Sausage fest for the rest of you. ;)

[JoshTaylor]

i miss going out to EB and knowing EVERYONE on the water and off, just by looking at there kite.

yet, we should have expected this.

oh well.. learn to live with it.

[amber]

well put josh.

[bryanleighty]

I rode lassing solo one day last week in solid 15 to 17 conditions for 2 hours...

Ive also been part of a 30+ kite invasion at EB ..

Ive had crappy times with 5 kiters out on the water and amazing times with 25 kiters..

we are DAMN lucky to have the choices we've got. always a few launches to choose from no matter what the conditions. When I was in Jupiter 2 weeks ago I saw the limited choices those riders have. they have ONE standard launch area .. other areas along the beach are widely frowned upon. Their launch area is TINY compared to something like EB. Maybe a bit larger than the launch at skyway.. not much larger.. but with massive shore break..

we've got it good.

keep it secret. :)

ya ya ya.. EB is the best place in the right conditions, but there are other places that are nearly as great and it aint too hard to get your ass upwind or downwind to create the distance you need.

but as josh said, the thing I miss most from last year is that most everyone on the beach was a familiar face. new rider would show up and most would watch with caution as they launched to ensure they knew what they were doing .. made it much easier to keep an eye out of for your fellow riders..
these days i feel lucky to know one of two people out there and I have no idea who should be avoided so i try to avoid everyone (best practice i believe)..

[invisible]

Pretty much... I'm glad to see people enjoying the sport because there is nothing else like it... but like Josh, I miss the small tight group. My post wasn't necessarily a complaint or "whining" as Toby said, only a sad realization.

I knew we had a lot more riders but going back and SEEING the difference between then and now is a shock.

Put it this way, Billy usually only shows up on the best days at EB. 6 kites in the air on a Saturday? I count more than that at backside on a crummy 9mph day on the way home from work!

I expect the growth to speed up too... like Toby said, you tell 2 friends, and they tell 2 friends, etc. Instructors are more available than ever and equipment has become so good that almost anyone can stay upwind.

If walmart can sell paintball guns, shotguns, and pistol ammo, they can sell kites. Could you imagine that? It'll happen eventually. Hey, at least they'll be cheap :)

[toby wilson]

I guess whining was the wrong word to use but this same topic has been beaten to death this year. That was all I was saying...

Recently I have tried to start taking the approach from the other side, thinking about how it would feel if I were thinking of starting to take up a sport, then reading the local forum and seeing how "welcome" I would feel after reading a thread like this and/or some of the others that have been put up this year (one by me)...

The growth WILL happen. Embrace it or lose. Like others have said, there are ALWAYS opportunities for us to have those sessions we used to have, and there are lots of POSITIVES to added riders yet we seem to always focus on the negatives. You will probably not have a hard time finding someone to ride with or someone to watch your back, soon there will be Wal-Mart GREAT VALUE brand kites on sale for $149.99 complete and best of all, you get to meet a bunch of cool new people that you never would have known otherwise...The past is just that...the past. I think growth is a good thing for the sport and like to live for today and the future instead of for yesterday...

[Optionryder420]

i miss going out to EB and knowing EVERYONE on the water and off, just by looking at there kite.

yet, we should have expected this.

oh well.. learn to live with it.

With you on that...

Now a days I don't know but 3-4 people at the beach. Everytime there are new people.

Watching some of them launch their kites I almost have heart attacks.

[invisible]

Agreed. I stop on the way home to take pictures of the chaos. Last time I stopped at the skyway, I was only there 15 minutes and I saw one person get injured, a few riders jumping someone and almost taking out another rider in the process, and right after I left someone jumped and landed on the beach.

There is no shortage of entertainment these days.... I just don't understand the fascination with jumping a line length from shore... seriously, if you are not Billy or Jayson, we are probably not impressed!

Ok back on topic... there are plenty of other places to ride so no big deal. Just don't ask me where they are!

[toby wilson]

LOL, why won't you tell us Tom...?

call me 941-284-0477

-T

[JoshTaylor]

Agreed. I stop on the way home to take pictures of the chaos. Last time I stopped at the skyway, I was only there 15 minutes and I saw one person get injured, a few riders jumping someone and almost taking out another rider in the process, and right after I left someone jumped and landed on the beach.

There is no shortage of entertainment these days.... I just don't understand the fascination with jumping a line length from shore... seriously, if you are not Billy or Jayson, we are probably not impressed!

Ok back on topic... there are plenty of other places to ride so no big deal. Just don't ask me where they are.

damnit, i don't impress you guys?

[toby wilson]

Nope.

Just kidding Josh, of course you impress us good buddy!!!

[invisible]

Yeah of course but you and Alex don't jump right near shore :) Obviously you guys are in the handle pass club... I haven't been accepted yet :(

Anyone who has seen Jason do his unhooked kite loop transition and land 3 ft from shore completely lit and hauling A$$ but in complete control knows what I'm talking about... the guy could do it with his eyes closed and it's cool as hell to watch. And then there's Billy... nothing more to say about that!

[TritonKiteboarding]

Yeah of course but you and Alex don't jump right near shore :) Obviously you guys are in the handle pass club... I haven't been accepted yet :(


so who do i send my application for this club, i can stick my mobes now 75% of the time, i just want to be accepted

[shogun1204]

Yup, I have been riding for a year in July. Funny thing is I remeber when I learned last July. I knew everyone that was a kitter in like a month. I could drive to Skyway, EB, Gulf Beaches, etc and knew who was riding before I got to the beach just by the kites in the air. By Feb I would go to Skyway and only know like 3 people! The rest I had no idea who they are!

Funny thing is I like to hit the spots for DP all the time! If you get to the beach at like 6 in the morning only people that are there are the people I know! LOL I have been to East Beach so many times on the weekend and had the 4 kites in the air until like 11. After 11 all the newbies, and people I dont know show up! I land my kite and watch the show then! (Kite Crashes, close calls, etc)

[JoshTaylor]

so who do i send my application for this club, i can stick my mobes now 75% of the time, i just want to be accepted
your in matt.

the wind gods have accepted your application.

[toby wilson]

LOL, Classic Matt!!! Glad to see you were 'accepted'...

so who do i send my application for this club, i can stick my mobes now 75% of the time, i just want to be accepted