Crossing the line!!!!

I don't see a problem with Steve's post either, Danny.
Also, I think we are all calling the swim zone that area that boats aren't allowed in. In other words, it's safe to swim in there without getting drilled by a Formula 1 boat.

Tom, for the most part, I haven't been on the sidelines in 8 years in terms of confronting problems out at the beach.
But in terms of calling cops, I will be watching that to see how it turns out. I have bias concerning police.

Sean, you would think that kiteboards are vessels. Seems like a no brainer, right?
To my knowledge, they have no classification yet.
I have asked several marine officers, coasties, you name it. They all said to me "I am not sure how a kiteboard is classified".
Do you have any idea how a surfer is classified, especially SUP? I don't.

It seems logical that if a kiteboarder is classified as a vessel, that we aren't allowed in the swim zones.
I think this stuff will become more clear in the next year or so.
At some point, someone is going to have to classify kiteboarders as something.

If anyone knows, it would be RickI.

[toby wilson]

Drama.

Pussy

[toby wilson]

Meow

Stop playing in the litter box

[toby wilson]

Just reminiscing about old times hanging out with you on the beach Tom...

Thanks for proving my point.

Posting on the forum is as useful as writing on a bathroom wall.

[ricki]

Do you guys know of any kiters in your area in law enforcement, i.e. police, sheriff's deputy, marine patrol, maybe even USCG, etc.? If so, having a good discussion with them about this and similar problems would be in order. After explanation of the issues, consider effective ideas of what they think could be done to help the situation and motivate responsible kiteboarding.

Government, interpretation and enforcement of laws and rules can be a complex and sometimes confusing thing. Throw in Admiralty Law and it becomes potentially more complex. In many jurisdictions kiteboarding is not looked on with the same level of concern or enforcement as is the case for numbered vessels. If we can keep things going, I believe it would be in our interest to work to keep things that way.

It comes down to what enforcement the authorities are willing to do. An authority engaged in kiting is already way ahead in the learning curve on many important issues. In the selective interpretation and enforcement of rules they may be able to interface with colleagues and other agencies in working out an effective response.

Authorities aside, Tom's idea or others about having a call list and group involvement when such incidents occur is worth looking into. Working to avoid the frequent "random indifference" problem kiters experience from larger groups of other kiters is a good goal. Physical altercations can lead to bigger messes and should be avoided. You need to bring pressure and valid concerns to the problem kiters in a way they can see and appreciate. No one likes major negative peer pressure. "Creative" application of valid pressure may help more so. There seems to be a practice in some cases of problem kiters confusing things saying "it wasn't me" "you misunderstand" etc. Having a few fair witnesses that are kiters with solid evidence can help to avoid confusion, intentional or otherwise. In bringing pressure to the problem kiter you want to take prudent steps to avoid bringing harmful excessive and overt pressure against the general practice kiting in general in the public's or authorities' perception, "i.e. out of control constructive nuisances" which we are not.

Talk on a forum can be a good constructive thing, if it leads to reasonable, prudent and in this case, group action. I would recommend continuing to resolve a realistic plan and doing it, as a group.

[Kiteboarding Tampa Bay]

That guy (or another one like him) was at IRB yesterday(green Switch 14,Flight Deck board) as was the "handrail jumper" kid, flying a 6m foil with handles.(blonde, about 12 or 13 years old)
The majority of us are safe kiters and very tired of inconsiderate and/or uneducated kiters risking our right to kite.The groundwork is being laid for something simple, effective and fair by Kite-4-Life, which promotes safe kiting and personal responsibility for one's actions.
www.TBKA.org is where local issues are discussed and decided (voted on).
*The north county guys will soon begin laying out guidelines for Sunset Beach, and Ft. Desoto is on the top of the list for south county, so let's lay out some basic and site specific guidelines and vote on them.
No more wasting time, let's get it done.

[Danimal8199]

TBKA,

The handrail jumper kid baffles me because I'm not sure what he is doing??? What his point? He's obviously not trying to learn kiteboarding and he is not doing anything fundamental...

Its just weird