FKA Kiteboarding Forums  

Go Back   FKA Kiteboarding Forums > St. Petersburg/Tampa Bay Forum > What's going on?
Connect with Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/rick.iossi
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-23-2009, 08:51 AM
kite-4-life's Avatar
kite-4-life kite-4-life is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 195
Default Cookin' Out at East Beach-Bring the FOOD! (4-4-09)

cool

Last edited by kite-4-life; 06-25-2009 at 05:12 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-23-2009, 09:37 AM
shogun1204's Avatar
shogun1204 shogun1204 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 359
Default

Awww good old East Beach. I miss the days of getting there at like 5:30 in the morning then riding till about 11:00. I would put my kite down, sit on the bed of my truck, eat my lunch, and start to watch my favorite show, “Kite Annihilation!”. I would chill out for like 3 or 4 hours, wait till the kooks got tired then head back out on the water. I can’t even image what it is like now, the last time I was there I think I recognized like 5 faces in the 100 or so that were there.

Hey Steve, went to St. George Island on Saturday. Had some pretty nice waves, and about 10 miles of deserted beach with a total of 5 kites in the air!
__________________
"Stop living for someone else, and start living your own life! It's amazing how things work out perfect."

RS
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-23-2009, 10:27 AM
LSUkiter's Avatar
LSUkiter LSUkiter is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: St Petersburg FL
Posts: 160
Thumbs down

I commented on the Fuel under the Spring season heading in the other part of the forum. I wanted to say something to the dude without the leash and letting his friend hold the kite without a harness. I'm kicking myself for not nicely saying something. Fear of being the "douchey noob" kiter correcting somebody else overpowered me. Not next time
Seriously, isn't rule #1 wear a leash and rule #2 is don't stand on the beach any longer than you need to with the kite overhead? Oh no, rule #1 is supposed to be use some friggin common sense, and don't put others in harm's way.
I told my girlfriend to sit back and watch the show. She got one

Last edited by LSUkiter; 03-23-2009 at 10:43 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-23-2009, 10:34 AM
conchxpress conchxpress is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: South Tampa, Key West
Posts: 244
Default

Sounds like it was an interesting day, Steve. Trouble is-kooks don't read the forum.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-23-2009, 11:37 AM
Unimog Bob Unimog Bob is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Parrish
Posts: 771
Default

EB Cookout.

Last edited by Unimog Bob; 03-30-2009 at 06:22 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-23-2009, 02:08 PM
Steve-O's Avatar
Steve-O Steve-O is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: largo
Posts: 1,043
Default

Oh Scott, how you are missed on the forum. It has been kinda boring around here lately with out you.

Ride on!!!!

For what it's worth, points well taken.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-23-2009, 06:04 PM
uchuche uchuche is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 37
Default

Happy Kiting from me three. (Tom)

Last edited by uchuche; 03-30-2009 at 04:51 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-23-2009, 06:06 PM
Steve-O's Avatar
Steve-O Steve-O is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: largo
Posts: 1,043
Default

I just want to go on record that I don't think it is a good idea to teach your friends how to kite. I do respect one's rights to do so, but I think seeking out a good instructor with experience is the way to go.

I remember my first bunch of lessons and I made a bunch of mistakes in the beginning. I learned from them and over time offered a much more productive and safer lesson. Teaching someone is like learning to kite. There is a learning curve involved.

There are certainly many kiters out there that could do a good job teaching there friends, but poor teaching is poor teaching certified or not. No leash, flying a kite out of control on the beach, putting others in danger? Putting words into Jim's mouth isn't going to solve the problem, but there is a feeling of frustration and helplessness by kiters and kiters that intsruct especially when dealing with such a reckless approach to teaching this sport.

I remember Al Lindsey helping a friend at EB. It was blowin hard and he launched her right on the beach. That kite came down full throttle inches in front of me. Had it hit my head I think it would have broke my neck. I think it was her first launch. I think Al had one of those moments "I won't do that again". This is the learning curve I speak of. An experienced kiter doesn't always make a good teacher just like a card doesn't insure good teaching either. Good teachers make good teachers. Good teachers learn from their mistakes and apply those lessons learned to the next one. Experience does have its advantages.

Newbs aren't going away. I for one during ground school instruct all my students to launch kites out in the water until they get the hang of it. If something goes wrong, is much easier to let go and recover, plus it doesn't put anyone in danger. I also instruct students to walk as far upwind or downwind of the riding area. With that said, part of the danger of kiting is not the kite, but the kiters themselves. Entanglements, bad launches, bad riding practices, the list goes on. It is easy as a kiter with experience to stay clear of a newb or someone in instruction. Most do so, but a lot don't. Can't we do a better job of using the space we have to keep it safe for everyone??? There is tons of room out there, but we all seem to ride and crowd in the same spot.

I know I am all over the place with this thread, but I see Steve's frustration and I can also appreciate Scott's viewpoints/rights as well. I am not too happy with insults on instructors however, but so be it....you have that right to insult just like everyone else. Anytime you take on a position of leadership, you risk criticism. It comes with the territory. I guess that is why alot of people just choose to keep their mouth shut. It is the easy way out.

For any instructors reading this, believe in what you do. Believe that you are the answers to alot of these problems in kiting and not the problem itself. There will always be critics. Listen and filter through what is valid and what can be thrown away. You do this because you love it and you want to give back to a sport that has given so much to you. Most don't realize how hard it is to try and make a living doing this. It all looks easy on the outside looking in.

Last edited by Steve-O; 03-23-2009 at 07:05 PM. Reason: Had to add more
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 03-23-2009, 07:08 PM
linhster's Avatar
linhster linhster is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Port St. Lucie / Fort Pierce
Posts: 65
Default

I do believe that both sides have very valid point here. Kiting safety affect us (kiters) all. Unsafe anything will cause all of us to LOSE our rights to use the facility. If we all focus on safety, then everyone will be happy. I guess the key disagreement here is how to implement safety. We need to focus on dealing with the ones that are not safety oriented. Let's not make rules where rules are not needed. We are burden with so much rules already in our lives. I know that there are many out there that do not use common sense, but let's focus on those folks and maybe guide them to SAFETY.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 03-23-2009, 09:22 PM
Wolfie's Avatar
Wolfie Wolfie is offline
Flaccid Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 182
Default

The good old days...oh well. Just wanted to say outside of the dispute about authority...

It is my opinion that when people are safe, whether teaching or not, no one cares and there is no reason to intervene. I think both parties would agree with this (maybe presumptuous). It is only when people are kooking out (teaching or not) that we have a problem.

I think that is the point missed. No Steve probably can not and would not question Scott teaching a friend, if he were being safe. But if any of us are being blatantly unsafe ( whether we are certified or not), I believe we all need to get together and get these people out of our spots.

I have gotten with 2-3 others before to do an intervention...the more obstinant a person is the more of us need to approach together. As to authority, I think if we all together feel someone is a danger, we probably could get the rangers to intervene...though I would still be hesitant.

Signs would still be a great idea, I still have that PDF file somewhere...just too broke to buy 10-20 myself.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:49 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.

Do not advertise outside of [COM] Forums.
Do not show disrespect for others in your postings.
Users can be denied access to this Site without warning.
FKA, Inc., it’s officers and moderators are not responsible
for the content of the postings and any links or pictures posted.

Report Problems by PM to “administrator” or via email to flkitesurfer@hotmail.com

Copyright FKA, Inc. 2004, All Rights Reserved.