FKA Kiteboarding Forums - Injury at Skyway

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- - Injury at Skyway (http://www.fksa.org/showthread.php?t=4512)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve-O (Post 22264)

So I don't see the confusion. Go to East Beach....less crowded....more space....safer spot.

better parking, more launch space, grassy launch space, showers right down the road, 3+ football fields of 1-2ft of water.....etc

Driving with Blinders....

Steve-O,

Understood that my view of this is way limited. I also understand the Skyway is not a beginner's spot. I was pretty intimidated being there and you of all folks know my noob + skill level. Still managed to get on that board for an astounding 4 seconds.

East beach would have been much better but I think the guy who bit the rocks would have found something else to get wrecked on.

I saw this as it's not where anyone chooses to teach; it's the idiots who get out into a place with no skills and no instructor that bothers me, add in the fact it's not a beginner's place, and you are asking for disaster.

It's not anyone's fault on that but the guy on the rocks is what I'm saying.

Randy teaching there has nothing to do with this accident; it just seemed to become a focal point that I think detracted from the fact someone who should not have been there was there on their own. My $0.02 on it.

Steve; by the way it's Roadancer (one d, one word) ;)
-Roadie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve-O (Post 22264)

Road dancer....I can appreciate your view, but remember you are new to the sport and your view is limited.

The concerns are this....the Skyway is not a place for a beginner. Many have been taking their chances there and finally someone got bashed. This is not Randy's fault and I don't think anyone is saying it is. There are some concerns that he is teaching there, but if his students are educated to use East Beach after their lessons then alot of problems solved. I have put myself in danger many times rescuing a new rider getting dragged into the rocks. I think people are just getting sick of it and many knew an accident was waiting to happen. Well it finally did.

East Beach is much more forgiving but many don't want to take the extra 10 minutes to get there. East Beach had half the kites that Skyway had Monday night and 10 times the room. It's a no brainer. East Beach pretty much works on the same wind direction as Skyway Northeast so the majority of kiters on this forum agree that new riders should go to East Beach. It is just safer. It has it's hazads, but nothing like the Skyway does.

So I don't see the confusion. Go to East Beach....less crowded....more space....safer spot.

Skyway was dead onshore. Proven that most accidents occur in this wind direction. East Beach winds were side to side onshore. I don't think this guy would have gotten whacked there. He would have gotten dragged down wind worse case with his kite landing into some trees and some scrapes. Not to say accidents don't happen at East Beach.

There is no way that accident could have been prevented, however, the local kite community is going to do something about it. It may take some time, but I am confident we will come together and create a safe kiting environment. It will not be full proof, but it will be a mixture of prevention and education.

If you take anything from all this, don't kite at the Skyway unless you absolutely have to and you can consistently stay upwind. It's just a really bad idea even if you are aware of the hazards.

Just curious, anyone know how this guy is doing?

Roadancer, the accident is not anyones fault, not Randy's or anyone else's but the rider who put himself into the situation. Even then, it may not have been something that was in the riders control to prevent, we don't know that yet because we have not heard his side of the story. What we DO know is what he could have done to prevent such a bad situation which would have been to launch at a more forgiving launch site.

What I think the majority of the riders here worry about is the EXAMPLE put forth by ANY instructor teaching at the Skyway (as a mentor to newer riders) using the launches which should be limited to more experienced riders as a place for teaching. I admit it, I myself am guilty of this as well with teaching my ex-girlfriend last season. The reason Randy's name was even mentioned above others is because he is the biggest offender of teaching at the Skyway and Backside.

But this season the launches are just getting too crowded to take ANY chances like this and the Skyway needs to be an intermediate level and above launch only going forward if we are going to keep it as a launch site.

Skyway is NOT a place for beginners...period.

Just my $0.02.