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Old 12-01-2013, 04:59 AM
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ricki ricki is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Florida
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Default Bystander Issues - New Access Threats

I heard from a lifeguard yesterday about an incident involving a new, older kiter and a 14 year old girl. The kiter had just launched on Friday with the girl to seaward of him. The kite stalled or was otherwise miscontrolled and fell to the water past the girl with a kite line going over her neck. Some contact marks were left from the encounter but thankfully no cuts. New kiters need to practice in areas far away from bystanders. Experienced kiters need to try to avoid having kites up to the windward of bystanders as much as possible. If the wind is unstable, kiters need to avoid having anyone in the kite fall zone. Beach jumping upwind of others is a real bad idea and likely to head to more closures. We cannot risk or afford incidents like this. Please discuss this with kiters at your launch.

Also, guys on downwinders particularly are riding within out of bounds swim zones, coming too close to bathers, surfers and causing complaints. This idiotic, inconsiderate behavior needs to stop before our kiting is negatively impacted. Stay at least 100 yards offshore if there are lifeguard stands present and avoid complaints in general. Heads up, use common sense and be respectful out there. Please pass this on at the beach particularly at main downwinder areas like Delray, Pompano and LBTS, we all have a stake in keeping kiting accessible.
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Last edited by ricki; 12-01-2013 at 12:28 PM.
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