Unfortunately , the guys who take the liberty to teach in hobie beach , will do it anywhere and anytime, because at that point there are not led by conscious or responsible thoughts but simply by ca$h.
And in this state of mind, the concepts of riders community" safety", Liabilities risks " or just guiltiness" doesn't not even cross their mind ....
I'm still chocked when i see "self-made instructors" or even worst: certified ones(?) throwing their students into Bodydragging exercises with kids and bystanders right in their wind window , 30 yards from the beach in 1 feet of water , on a hot sunday ! as it can be in Hobie.
Being an instructor and trainer , that;s details we observe rigth away on a spot> where the danger can come from ? and it's sad to say in this case, it comes from guys supposed to set an example and teach the opposite.
So it can not work , cause you can be sure the same student will come back and practice in the same spot by himself , in the same conditions as soon as they get sold a kite...! likely be the same instrcutors ...and so on.
Basically, u must know that for a couple of hundred $$, some guys have no more respect than this regarding the fragile beach accesses we have for our sport.
What everybody should know mostly is that Hobie is a spot tolerated by "default " since there is no signs to forbid kitesurfing yet, but there were working on it 3 years ago, apparently they stopped the process , not for long i think.
But more than anything, as we warned before: if there is a kite involved in a car accident or just injured bystander at Hobie, we can expect the big Media cover and the definitive ban with a sign up right after , maybe extended to other beaches , depends how bad will be the incident . …
still we see the same behavior from every day’s can’t-happen-to-me riders .
The funny thing is we still have some cheap “hotshots riders” out there who are still thrilled by throwing the same-old-move-they-know to impress 2 fat chicks wrecked on their beach towels meanwhile he lands in between 2 other kids playing 10 feet away from the beach …yet the dude smile and already prepare mentally the next move he could boost…unhooked , maybe ??
So As Rick Iossi perfectly described about Hobie as a riding spot and to confirm Paul, Kent's, all of those riding here for long enough:
Riding on hobie is typically before a front ( warm or cold) when the wind veers to the S first, then SSW as the front lines passes over associated with squalls from heavy Rain and or Cummulonimbus, T-storms, etc,
So keep an eye and be ready to get back to shore BEFORE THE GUST FRONT HITS .
Next step, you still have to make your way through, rocks, trees , cars, pickup trucks, broken glasses, Cops, kids, dogs, bikes, joggers …then:
YES you can ride at Hobie, but must walk, launch & waterstart 50 yards ( 2 lengths of lines) from the shoreline. And stay out of the buoys at all time.
NO You can’t teach at Hobie , it’s cheap, dangerous ,disrespectful for the riders and bystanders and your students…and from the beginning, illegal.
After it’s up to each of us to apply these simples rules, which should not be a problem for whoever pretend caring for the kitesurfing community where we all ride.
If we all do and say it , only the bad ones should stand out. ?
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MIAMIKITEBOARDING - Miami's First School
Christophe Ribot
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