kiteboarding lessons LBTS

[kitehi412]

Very productive workshop with the city commissioners last week regarding water recreation in LBTS. No restrictions or bans being talked about. However, all made it very clear...
No kiteboarding instruction will be tolerated. It seems that there is one individual determined
to continue teaching, jeopardizing our access. Any ideas???

[ricki]

Fortunately, the long list of restrictions that came very close to passage in 2009 have been abandoned, for now. Whether it stays that way depends on what we do in large measure. Complaints = serious problems for kiters in LBTS.

It seems like it may come down to kiters having access to ride responsibly or a very few, one (?) instructor continuing to violate ordinances and getting us all kicked out or severely restricted.

If you are OK with one guy having his way trashing all of our privilege to ride in a town with FIVE MILES of beach, do nothing. If you have a problem with one person taking away your privilege out of hand, let him know tactfully. He needs to find some other place to teach. Not just one or two guys but the lot of folks that ride there. Peer pressure is a powerful thing properly applied, some real hard cases have seen the light because of it. It is for his well being too whether he realizes it or not. He might want to ride there sometime too without paying or being tied in knots, right?

Also, people trying to learn need to develop kite control and land trainer kite activity somewhere else. It sucks but you heard the comments in the meeting. NO MORE kites slamming down on or near shore. Local kiters need to tactfully pass this on, ideally as a group. No one person should get stuck with being the kite cop. Going hands off has gotten us this far, time to pull together as a group and get this done.

Ignore this at the peril of your riding area, believe it.

Originally Posted by kitehi412

Very productive workshop with the city commissioners last week regarding water recreation in LBTS. No restrictions or bans being talked about. However, all made it very clear...
No kiteboarding instruction will be tolerated. It seems that there is one individual determined
to continue teaching, jeopardizing our access. Any ideas???

[kitehi412]

I think, fortunately we have a great group of concerned kiters in our area. Time 'to step
to the plate' and keep our free access.

[KiteLBTS]

City of LBTS is passing admentment to city ordinance spelling out, that: a. Ordinance 2011-04 SECTION 5-35 “KITEBOARD INSTRUCTION PROHIBITED ON THE BEACH”.

This is basicly the result of the January 25th, 2011 workshop which was very positive for all beach activities in LBTS, but there where multiple residents complaining about teaching at the beach by a local kiter, one resident of the Sea Ranch building stated that the "instructor" threatened him 'to beat him up' after securing the crashed kite on the beach, so it would not relaunch and hurt his near by grand kids.

I approached the "instructor" and asked him about the incident and that teaching should be stopped and got one of the dummest responses I ever heared. "Its like prostitution, they can't stop it"

This local rider who frequently uses the spot to teach kiteboarding does not have any kind of license what so ever.

Even most guys at the spot are against City ordinance regulations, we think this is a great move from the city to spell it out. "No teaching in LBTS". Sucks for a few who like to enjoy the area and get into the sport, but its for the best of the spot.

All local riders got the contact information for code enforcement and BSO.

We will have a meeting of the local riders in the next few weeks and we like to come up with an outline for local rules to preserve the spot.

[KiteLBTS]

http://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov...EG3-22-11.html

Click link for City Agenda

[ricki]

Thanks for the heads up. Amazing story too. I am glad local riders are getting dialed in on what it will take to keep access there. With enough kiters being responsible, these sort of problems should go away.

There is more to the ordinance than a ban on instruction unfortunately. There is also a ban of kiting within 150 ft. of bathers. It comes down to being responsible while anticipating and avoiding problems. Riding in light dead east days where it is hard to get offshore or with too small a kite or too small a board may mean going somewhere else just not riding here. They are also banning powered paragliding which is less of an issue for most on here. See below:

"Section 3 Amendment Chapter 5 Beaches and Waterways Article I In General
Section Surfboards boats or watercraft prohibited in proximity of bathers of the Code of
Ordinances is hereby amended and renamed as follows
Sec Surfboards kiteboards and windsurfing boards
prohibited in proximity of bathers It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to
use or operate surfboards kiteboards or windsurfinbgoards or to surf
kiteboard or windsurf er biouttl within 150 feet of a bather inside the
Watercraft Prohibited Zone as such is defined in Sectiont15epsk0e1beeassl
Section 4 Amendment Chapter 5 Beaches and Waterways Article II Beach
Regulations ofthe Code ofOrdinances is hereby amended to create Sections 535and536 as
72 follows


Sec535Kiteboard Instruction Prohibited on the Beach It shall be unlawful
for paersnon to engage in kiteboard instruction on the beach For purposes of this
section kiteboard instruction is defined as a person teaching another person to use a
board pulled through the water powered by akite or other wind power
Sec536 Aerial Launching and Landing Prohibited on the Beach It shall
be unlawful for anv person to engage in aerial launching or landing on the beach For
purposes of this section aerial launching or landing shall mean the launching or
landing of a lig der paraglider ghlaidnegr or other aircraft whether or not motorized
with a wing parachute or other means ofsuspension in air
Section 5 Codification This Ordinance shall be codified in"

http://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov...2-11/a101a.pdf

[ricki]

I heard a rumor that a local instructor sold a girl a 2002 C kite for $1400?! I have some brand new ones from 2005 that I don't think I could get $100. for! It had a hole in the leading edge bladder which he offered to fix for $90. per hour? No way this could be accurate, is there?

Accurate or not, I am glad the local guys are stepping up self-enforcement. Stuff like this should fade into the past soon.

[KiteLBTS]

Originally Posted by RickI

I heard a rumor that a local instructor sold a girl a 2002 C kite for $1400?! I have some brand new ones from 2005 that I don't think I could get $100. for! It had a hole in the leading edge bladder which he offered to fix for $90. per hour? No way this could be accurate, is there?

Accurate or not, I am glad the local guys are stepping up self-enforcement. Stuff like this should fade into the past soon.

Yes Rick, that happen. $1,200 for 2002 C-kite, $100 for bag, and $50 for the pump. Kite was in trash condition.

The famous 'instructor' pumped up the kite the next day to help, and one of the struts blew out, he replied that's her fault, she should never let anybody pump up her kite.

I felt sorry for the girl and fixed 3 leaking struts that day.

That just shows you the 'state of mind' of that guy.
He is the same dude that keeps on giving lessons, knowing the risk of getting kiting banned in LBTS, because of his actions.

I hope people reading more up on forums and pick the instructor and location more carefully.

I tried to talk to 'superstar instructor' but he just doesn't get it.

Since the talk with him does not work, I talk to his students to let them know that they can not learn at the beach in LBTS, and that the cops will be called shortly from people watching. I also encourage them to ask for their money back, and let them know that the 'instructor' has no license, insurance, or any documentation what so ever.

I suggest to the them learn at a school in Miami, and that they are more than welcome to ride LBTS once they are able to ride in the water.

Most people finish the lesson and do not come back.

A couple of us talking turns doing the prep talk, but we still hope more of the local riders whould step up and share the 'beach cop' experience.