Sounds like you guys are off to a good start. Last year, we had a few incidents with the surfers off the water. They destroyed the interior of my 4Runner by squeezing transmission fluid through the small cracks I had left in my windows for ventilation. They waxed a windshield and broke a window of another kiter's car. We figured out who it was, but the law couldn't prove it. In any case, since then, we have talked to any visiting kiters and all local kiters at our spot about the rules of the water regarding the surfers. We do get decent surf, and with the beach restoration, it has changed the amount of beach, where the surf breaks best, and therefore where the surfers have the tendency to congregate. At times, they are all spread out, especially when they see us catching waves away from the big group. In any case, we never go through the line up, unless we are coming in and can't avoid them. Never jump upwind of them, and jibe well before getting too close. Many of the guys out there are really nice and are happy to share the stoke, yet a few others remain agro.
However, yesterday, a kiter who comes in town from Ft. Rucker, Alabama, decided he would be a total jackass. His name is Mark, was riding a 16M yellow Bularoo, and is originally from Peurto Rico. He has been kiting "for years, since the beginning days...." One of the guys surfing, was his buddy, however, the entire time he was riding, he was flying through the line up, spraying surfers, and snaking waves. The surfers were in a small area yesterday, and the waves were just as good a little further down wind. When it came to riding around the other kiters, he made it as though he had the right of way despite which tack he was on, rode right up your ass, cut you off, and simply did not give a damn. It's not as if he does not know any of us local kiters, as he recently dropped off his kite at the shop for repair, was looking for other gear, blah blah... but he never came up to our group yesterday. Instead, acted like a jackass and left. Of course, we are the ones who live and kite here all the time, and we are the ones who will have to deal any negative issues that are a result. Always the one bad apple!!!
Sorry, I kinda hijacked the thread with my complaints, but it's kiters like this who ruin it for the rest.
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