REAL BVI update

[RespectfulKiter]

This just in from a friend in Virgin Gorda in Regards to Real Kiteboardings winter trips, would rather be in bvi's than the mainland, thats for sure.

"My local beach on Eustatia Island in the BVI was invaded by 28 riders from Hatteras yesterday afternoon. Even though they had contact information for months prior to the flotilla, the riding party did not ask the caretaker for permission to be on the PRIVATE beach until the morning of. The riders are part of a 12 boat flotilla that has invaded the BVI for the next two weeks.
Riders from the flotilla were riding and attempting tricks (unsuccsessfully) right in front of an overcrowded and technical launch. The number of kites and the fact riders were oblivious to the local beginners on the beach created dangerous riding conditions. The lead boat of the flotilla anchored directly in front of the launch and created yet another obstacle and hazard an already overcrowded site. Our local kite school cannot teach lessons from the beach anymore because this flotilla is making things REAL dangerous. BVI RIDERS- Give this group room, they are reckless and inconsiderate of the locals..."

There's nothing worse than feeling disrespected at your local launch. Inquire for permissions and permits prior to staking claims on other peoples every day launches. Figured such a legally driven and business oriented group would have a little more awareness of this. Any Thoughts???

[BigR]

There's nothing worse than feeling disrespected at your local launch. Inquire for permissions and permits prior to staking claims on other peoples every day launches

Actions speak louder than words, they sound like they only interested in their own gain. Why can they not give the locals any respect? geez


Sorry to hear your spot has been taken away from you for the next two weeks.

[ricki]

Kiters visiting anywhere else need to be particularly concerned about access issues and act with care. Lots of Florida riders should be able to easily relate to this.

I recall things have been touchy regarding the private island of Eustatia for many years given the layout of the reef protected beach to the trades and how close it is to the Bitter End, Little Dix, etc.. it is the easiest and closest launch but it belongs to someone else with limited tolerance for disregard.

Went there twice long ago on our own large flotilla with the HiHo in 1998 and 2000. The second time I took kite gear along but did the windsurfing race in lighter winds at that location that day. Did kite around Beef Island and Anegada. Still, these issues should be common knowledge with informed and concerned kiters traveling in from most points. Didn't Rusty Henderson and others write a kiting guide to BVI assuming the deluge of bare boating kiters was going to expand in the future. As I recall it was well written and a good guide to getting some good rides in while working to avoid problems.

Visiting kiters need to be considerate and exercise care, especially those with large commercial outfits. I am not sure how open he would be to discussion, but Andy Morell, organizer of the HiHo for decades and a resident of BVI would be an invaluable contact for ideas and tips to avoid problems with a kiting flotilla. He tried to organize some HiHo kite events at other times of the year but they just didn't take off, this was a while back before kiters may have connected the dots between travel and prime riding. If he is still in the same trade, he operates a large liquor provisioning business in Road Town on Tortola.

Real is a large, well known organization which for a variety of reasons is under close scrutiny by riders all over right now. This would be a good time to try to regain some positive ground and improve how they might be perceived by some riders. Actions speak louder than words and pro operators should be able to anticipate problems like this a mile off and work to avoid them. It would make sense to have a care and work extra hard to not cause kiters and other locals to regret rather than welcome the business and substantial capital brought to the BVI by your group. With the Internet, negative reports can get back home and in fact travel worldwide.

[Greg]

Respectful, can you get any pictures of the flotilla in relation to the beach and the other kiters?

Comments on the internet are a dime a dozen, some pics of your claims would be interesting...

[wood]

I wonder if Real has USCG licensed captains on board these boats.

If they take passengers for pay without a captain on board, the boats could be confiscated (even if REAL was just chartering). Fines could exceed 10k.

Oh, yeah...the kiting isn't that good in most federal penitentiaries, where the "acting" captain could spend up to 6 months.

I know this is in the BVI's, but the boats are owned and operated by a US company.

[ricki]

Chances are most if not all the boats are from the Moorings or similar outfit. I suspect they are fairly touchy about credentialing. In the last HiHo I went to in 2000, there were about 18 cats up to 55 ft.. Aside from a few private boats, most I think came with captains and crew via the Moorings. I think to rent a boat from the Moorings as a private individual without a captain you have to show proof of appropriate US Sailing certification or captains papers. Catering to lots of package trips like this I would think Mooring legal would be all over requirements and waivers requiring licensed captains for risk management on trips for hire. Maybe wrong on this, but it makes sense.

[clamike]

Actually the moorings do not require a captain's license or sailing certificate to rent one of their boats for private use in the BVIs. I have personally been on 2 trips to the BVIs on private trips that did not have a captain or need a captain to rent the boat.
A paying charter would be different, and I am sure Real would have to work something out with the charter company. But knowing that Real knowingly and willingly ignores the captain's license requirement in Hatteras, I would not be surprised to hear that they were not in compliance with maritime law in the Caribbean.

[ricki]

Wow, I stand corrected. Just checked at it is as Mike said. I looked into chartering a couple of times a while back and recall the credential requirements that I mentioned. Even thought about getting the stupid US Sailing certificate. No longer needed obviously enough. Considering the insurance crisis at least in the USA, this is remarkable.


You Can Do It
No formal certification of any kind is required to charter from The Moorings. Qualification is based purely on your sailing experience.
Fill out our Sailing Experience Résumé to see if you qualify.
If you don’t know how to sail, we have captains and cooks available for hire or consider one of our Crewed Yacht Charters.
If you'd like to learn how to sail, visit our learn to sail page for more information.

http://www.moorings.com/Chartering.aspx

[clamike]

Most the boats for rent by the Moorings are privately owned and just operated by the Moorings, which is US based. The do have insurance built into the rental cost. I think they don't mind if their boats get trashed by amateur sailors, which happens a good amount, because they need to turn over their boats every few years anyway. What better way to buy a new boat than with insurance money from an old boat.
You hear it all the time over the radio, distress calls from people who found themselves in bad situations. The Moorings have rescue boats around the islands to respond to these calls because of their frequency.

[kite-4-life]

Quote from Real Kiteboarding's own website:
The downwinder was an unbelievable sight as 25 kiters zig-zagged their way through all the moored and anchored yachts.

That should do wonders for the image of kiters in the BVI...
Thanks, REAL KOOKboarding ,enjoy your trip!