Time to get organized.. stop the b.s. and get some stuff done.

[TritonKiteboarding]

Originally Posted by popeye

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BTW, I did this not long ago with Scott and Bob at PAG and we were pretty much blown off and ignored. I posted our experience here, then it got real ugly, got roasted, but there was finally some positive change... then I heard it was back to square 1 a few weeks later. Hopefully that's not true, we don't ride there anymore.
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..... not true, 203 918 6637 since you dont ride here anymore call that number and get the first hand update.
-Matt Sexton
TritonKiteboarding.com

[amber]

okay. this is a VERY VERY rough sketch of this plan. We've been using it in the YMCA for many many years for keeping track of who's who and what level they are at.

Its basically a large pegboard with hooks in each of the holes. there will be a container of "cards" (not sure the details on this one yet) that you could write your name on in wet-erase marker or grease pencil. Here's a basic idea of the layout...

It won't let me send it big, so if you want to see it in better detail, PM me and i can email it to you...

There should also be an asterix on there that states something about always looking out for yourself and also your bro's...whether you/they are a great rider or not.

Originally Posted by TritonKiteboarding

..... not true, 203 918 6637 since you dont ride here anymore call that number and get the first hand update.
-Matt Sexton
TritonKiteboarding.com

Great, thanks.

[Unimog Bob]

I’m all for getting a cert card, no problem, but that doesn’t help spot trouble before it happens without adding some sort of visual indicator. I was thinking of colored wrist bands. one color indicates you are a proficient rider or better. Another color means you are proficient and also willing to help out and monitor. A third color would indicate I’m still learning and I’m open to suggestions. No wrist band gets you some questions and an invitation to qualify for an arm band. Either the monitors or the instructors could hand out bands. I also think some signage would be helpful too.

Bob

[amber]

there are problems with the wrist bands that i'm not sure how to address. First of all, what happens when i progress from a red to a yellow? Who decides? What if people forget their bracelet or from out of town. How do we know that one of the kite-police will be at all major launches all season?

If we had boards at major launches, we can keep track of how many people are there, and when they write their name on the tag, they can put "blue waroo" or whatever. So if someone arrives later, they can check in, check the board to see who is on the water and what level they are at. If someone is wearing a red bracelet, chances are that i will not be able to see what color it is until he is too close! The buddy board would not have to be "manned" all the time. That way if there's 5 riders at a launch, they can check the board when taking a break or arriving and see who they are riding with. Rules and regs can be posted on the side of the boards. Just some ideas. Staffing is a large problem for a lot of this and the boards are pretty much self sufficient. (we will need people at the beginning enforcing "checking in" but that would have to happen with bracelets as well.

[skempthepimp]

Lots of good ideas. I'd wear a wrist band or a colored kite leash or whatever and something definitely needs to happen. I'm in for a beer and a chat but not on Sat the 1st. Signs would be great and are worth discussing but I think Skyway Scottie is right; who do you ask for permission and what if they react by just shutting us down. It almost seems to me like we need to have some sort of organization or local club ( I don't know how to get around liability with this, but...) and when I walk up to someone with my cool club sticker or patch and tell you to get off the water and go to EB I speak with the support of every other member. To be a member you would have to pass an instructors' skills or certification test and earn your way in. Triton Matt, I think your energy is awesome and I think with the support you have with Eckerd and the support Eckerd has in the community that you could maybe pull strings to make some of your suggestions happen. We could even use some similar type of format from your club to starting an independent organization. I don't know but it's worth looking into. (PS. the air compressor idea rocks)

Skyway is without question an intermediate to advanced riding spot and if we want to keep it we need to grow some chest hair and keep newbies outta there. When I was learning I probably went to skyway 5 times to watch the sessions but I knew I had no business riding there.

It is also important for us to stress to newbies that not every windy day is a good day for them to learn. Riding one windy day in the middle of summer is not the way anyone is gonna learn. It took me 2-3 months to ride upwind consistently.

I saw that guy at skyway and almost said something the moment I arrived. I thought though that I saw him ride upwind a couple of tacks so I sloughed it off. Now I wish I would have because his monkey kite was a 12 m and he had it up b4 the wind came, which raised my flags since i saw 16 m's on the beach waiting for the blow to happen. But I only knew 3 people of about 25 out there and I ride that spot maybe 10 times or so a year, so I don't know if Joe Blow is a regular or not. But if we had an organization or some way to identify ourselves as non newbies then I think as a community we would recognize unqualified individuals b4 they even launch and avoid more accidents. If we avoid 1 accident then it's worth it.

Maybe the bracelets could be something like the following:

GREEN: less than a full year of experience
YELLOW: more than a full year of experience
RED: instructor or volunteer (someone expecting to be approached for help)

This eliminates any sort of qualification test... and everyone is labeled either beginner, experienced, or someone expecting to help people that day.

Generally anyone with a yellow band can help but the red bands are expecting it. When you feel you've had enough of being kite bitch for the day, you can take it off and put your yellow one back on.

If you don't have a band, you are assumed to be green.

Thoughts?

[amber]

I think that sounds like a definite possibility Tom. Especially the part about no bracelets automatically being green unless they prove otherwise. there would still need to be rules posted somewhere about this because not everyone reads the forum and there are some kiters that kite as a hobby (not a lifestyle like many of us). They're not around enough to keep up with the latest stuff so we'd need a way to get the message to everyone arriving at the launches. (including newbies)

However... people like Matt Sexton picked up kiting in a few sessions and has turned into a great advocate for the sport around here as well as one of the best riders in the Tampa Bay area. I would trust him with my life WAAAAAY before I would some Tom, Dick, or Harry who has ridden 5 times in the last two years or has taken more than a year to become competent.

There needs to be some other sort of qualifications that don't need to be tested, but described. If you look at the attachment i posted, you can see descriptions of 3-4 different "types" of riders and those can definitely be expanded upon (i thought them up real quick in the middle of work).

[inferno]

Originally Posted by popeye

GREEN: less than a full year of experience
YELLOW: more than a full year of experience
RED: instructor or volunteer (someone expecting to be approached for help)

If you don't have a band, you are assumed to be green.

Thoughts?

sounds ike a good idea, but not sure how well it will work...
i know some riders that have been kiting over a year but only get to do it everyonce in a while and are not extremely good at it yet, but then you have riders like josh (the ripper) that can throw more moves then 3 trick scott after only a month or two.....
2 cents

Yellow isn't a statement of skill. It means we don't have to babysit.

If it's obvious that someone can't ride, they are not given a yellow band.

I don't think a board with chips, skill levels, etc is going to work ... it doesn't identify the rider, and it requires a sign every 300 feet along a beach for clips rings, whatever. If I ride up to someone on the water during a down winder or something and ask them to hold/catch my kite, how do I know if they are a beginner? I can't go back and look at the register board.

The bands on the other hand can be done right now, without any major cost involved, and it's obvious even on the water.

Either instructors can hand out green bands to beginners (which I don't expect to happen), or everyone else can wear a yellow band.

I really expect only yellow and red to be used.

So if someone is wearing a band, you can safely assume they know what they are doing. If they are not wearing a band, and you don't know them, you can assume they are a beginner.

The real advantage of the band is to say "hey, you don't know me, but this band is telling you I know what I am doing so don't worry about me".

Of course the only way this will work is if everyone who has been riding for awhile is willing and remembers to wear the bracelet each time they ride.

Another option might be to do a single wrap of yellow electrical tape around one side of the bar.

This wasn't my idea, I'm just trying to refine it.