another hobie day

[ricki]

Kent talked years ago about a voluntary ban at Hobie for the reasons you cite. It made sense then, still does particularly with the wild west indifference that has been so characteristic of the place almost since the start.

I tried to promote sea taxi runs out to Biscayne Bay for the last several years. There are so few easily accessible public launches in Miami. It just hasn't taken off for a variety of reasons. Too bad as the shore side list is still shrinking. When conditions are good out there, they're great and right in Miami. People just don't get it, maybe someday they will.

[troubleshooter]

Stilts taxi runs havn't taken off becuase who can afford to do it with the current prices. Given this year it would cost a small fortune.

In the Keys its $20. Thats affordable.

[greg meintjes]

With regards to the list of instructors, I would not pay much attention to it, we all know how bad PASA is when it comes to Admin etc, I paid the bill they sent me and renewed my insurance ,but I do not see my school up there .

Greg

[BizGuru]

I am still surprised there is not an affordable taxi in Miami, even $40 would be reasonable and with minimal advertising you should be able to fill boats. In this economy no one can run a boat with a captain for $480 per day?

[Ovidio]

Good job to the people that are concerned about the hot dogging on Hobie beach. I am surprised that most kiters do not get involved in policing the situation. We intervened a few times and got nothing but grief and frowns. Civility and manners are forgotten by a few reflecting on all the other kiters that stayed outside buoys.

Instructors teaching at Hobie in on shore conditions are to be blamed as well.

[kent]

Rick,

To be clear, I am not of the opinion that we need to agree to ban hobie any longer. I really like to ride this place. It offers access to 5-6 great riding spots that are fantastic.

I will propose that there should be no "feet in the staps" inside the buoys. I.e. at low tide riders should walk to the buoys before getting on there boards, or at high tide they should body drag to the buoys before "boarding". This is the easiest way to police and have it enforced. This would allow open access and would probably discourage the riding behavior that we saw on the weekend.

[ricki]

Thanks for the clarification Kent and your help over the years Ovidio. I totally agree, I think more self-policing among kiters in general is what it will take to try to preserve this launch. What about doing assisted launches and landing as close to the buoys as the water depth will allow? Having kites up near the beach has preceded all the accidents that come to mind over the years.

This may seem like an ax job but the reality is there have been tons of guys doing the same thing for a very long time. "a" just was caught on video and "b"'s kite going down came out at the same time. There have been dozens, hundreds of other cases over about ten years here.

This is a long term problem, guys with the skill and knowledge to stay outside but may not, compounded by all the newbies that shouldn't be there in those conditions made still worse by instructors giving lessons in the middle of all of this.

We need to get this situation under control to try to keep this place open. These same riding issues cause problems at other spots as well to varying degrees.

[patrickrynne]

There are two lessons I am taking away from this situation

1.) I like Kent's rule. "No feet in the straps" inside the buoys. Period! I will spread the word as I will likely be riding at Hobie a lot over the next month.

2.) I am going to get way more involved on the beach while I am there. The mistake I made in all of this is not walking over and challenging this behavior. Next time, I will.

it's time to get pro-active, and since there is a good chance I will be working at RSMAS and the AOML Lab, I really, REALLY want Hobie to stay open for kiting.

time to be motivated

-patrick