NEW CRANDON PARK RULES

[ricki]

Things have been in transition at Crandon Park for sometime since we lost the ability to obtain liability insurance for kiteboarders. The park management has just supplied a NEW set of rules following discussions with the local instructors and the FKA. These rules have been placed into effect IMMEDIATELY by the Park Management.

The alternative to these rules is total loss of access.

We came VERY close to losing access and this program is for a trial period only. If we make it work, great if not, we will likely lose access.

All riders are required to supply written proof of PASA or IKO Level III certification when they register at the Park Office with NO exceptions.


The rules follow:


Kite Surfing Rules and Regulations
Crandon Park

• Kitesurfer must check into the Park Office prior to accessing the beach. A minimum P.A.S.A. or I.K.O. level 3 certification must be obtained and a copy will be kept on file. Kitesurfers will be issued a pennant that must be flown while kite is in use. A limited number of pennants will be given out daily on a first come first served basis.

• Kitesurfers must wear a helmet at all times.

• Kitesurfers will be responsible for maintaining a good working safety system.

• No kitesurfers will be allowed to set up on or near the dunes.

• Emergency personnel must have access to the entire beach. All kites, strings or boards left in the emergency alley are the responsibility of the rider. The County will not be liable for any damage caused during routine maintenance or emergency rescues.

• The Kitesurfer is responsible for any damage to the facility or beach.

• Kitesurfers are required to enter the open water thru the marked channel located between lifeguard stand North 5 and North 6. All riders must remain outside of the channel markers during their ride. No riders will be allowed to surf near the shoreline or on any sandbar or sea grass bed within the markers.

• Any rider may be asked by any representative of Miami Dade Parks, Miami Dade Water Rescue or Miami Dade Police to leave the premises if the rider has repeatedly disregarded any or all of the above rules.

• Any rider that has been removed form the beach will not be allowed access to the facility for an amount of time determined by the Park Manager not limited to an indefinite expulsion.


I have read and agree to follow all rules set forth by Miami Dade Parks and Recreation Department.


_____________________________ _____________________________ ____________
PRINT NAME SIGNATURE DATE



PERMISSIBLE kiteboarding times are as follows when the park is open:
Sept. 3 to May 19, Seven days per week
May 29 to Sept. 2, Monday morning through Thursday evening



NOTE:

In the past compliance has been voluntary, this didn't work well. NOW these rules will be enforced by registered kiteboarders, park personnel, lifeguards and the POLICE. Lets make this work guys if we try to ignore these requirements it won't go down well for any of us.

[ricki]

Contact a PASA or IKO certified instructor to see about obtaining Level III certification. Some instructors may offer a "moss back" certification program for experienced riders much as was done in SCUBA diving decades ago with the onset of certification in that sport.

A list of certified kiteboarding instructors and schools worldwide for PASA and IKO appear at:

http://www.pasakiteboarding.org/
http://www.ikorg.com

Some of the certified PASA and IKO instructors in Miami include:

Miami Kiteboarding, Inc.
Christophe Ribot
305-345-9974
www.miamikiteboarding.com

Sky Banditz International, Inc.
Francisco Escudero
305-947-8454
skybanditz.com

There are quite a few others in Florida and elsewhere. Please check the PASA and IKO directories for more.

Certification and manditory safety gear requirements have started at Crandon, other areas may not be that far behind.

[kitesurfr]

This is Chris Moore with PASA(Professional Air Sports Association). In response to the new Crandon Park policies, PASA would like to let everyone know that we are, "Here to help!".

PASA has three levels on Sport Participant levels, Levels One, Two, & Three. In short a Level Three kiteboarder can go upwind confidently and is in complete control, changing direction under power and at least working on their first jumps.

To join PASA, you simply need to either contact us or sign-up online. You will need a PASA certified instructor to verify your skill level. There are many PASA certified instructors in your area. Go to the official PASA website at: www.pasakiteboarding.org Look at the list of instructors, you can search the database by geographic region. Contact your PASA certified instructor and set-up a time for them to verify your riding level.

To join, simply log-on to www.pasakiteboarding.org and click on "My Info" Then click on "Sign Up" Sign up as a Sport Participant. After submitting your information. Completely close your browser and then re-open a browser and go to www.pasakiteboarding.org. Now log in with your new PASA username and password and you will have access to the complete site.

In the comments section, you will need to list the Sport Participant Level of Completion; 1,2, or 3 and the PASA certified instructor that has verified it. PASA will contact the instructor for validity and send you your certification card.

If you would like to become a PASA certified instructor, check out the website, www.pasakiteboarding.org for the upcoming Instructor Certification Programs(ICP). Dates are listed online and you can even sign up for the course online.

Keep in mind that your PASA Sport Participant membership gets you a one year subscription to Kiteboard Magazine, a discount on the FX www.ikitesurf.com membership.

If you have any questions regarding PASA, please don't hesitate to contact me at 252-441-4127 ext. 209 or directly by e-mail at chrism@pasakiteboarding.org

[ricki]

I just spoke with the Park Manager. Christophe and Francisco about how things went in Crandon over the weekend with wind and the new rules. From what I understand things went quite well. There weren't tons of riders but that is OK as the new system comes online. It must be nice to have a big chunk of that riding area all to yourself. THANKS to everyone that has been pulling together to make kiteboarding SUSTAINABLE at Crandon Park.

Certified riders are registering, picking up and dropping off streamers, using helmets, using the designated launch corridor and having a great time on the water at this flat water spot. I am impressed by what people are doing to preserve access here.

For those that may not remember, SCUBA diving went through a similar process quite a while back when certification came online along with manditory BC & pressure gage use, maximum depths, etc. on charters. People didn't like it, at first, but in time they got over it and focused on what is most important. That is preserving the fun and the ability to practice the sport!

Another idea (thought porovoking too)though, lets starting giving gov't officals free kitesurfing lessons, get them hooked and who knows, maybe they will close the beach to all BUT kitesurfing traffic

This is a good idea and one that we have been encouraging for sometime along with gear discounts. We need more folks from the public sector in kiteboarding. They can make strong allies for access in positions where it can count

[ricki]

I spoke to the Park Manager today. He told me the following:

The park has been unusually crowded perhaps due to the high cost of gasoline. Remember there are almost 2,500,000 people within Miami-Dade County alone.

They tried to have kiteboarding along with normal bather traffic on Easter Weekend. Due to the substantial quantity of people and encroachment on the launching area it was a major management problem for the Park and Lifeguards.

He told me as a result, they have gone back to the procedure from years past, allowing registered kiteboarders with helmets that sign in to ride Monday through Friday and NOT on Saturday or Sunday until after Labor Day Weekend (September 3?). Many will recall that this policy was in force for several years (3?) until things were relaxed a while back.

Riders still need to register, sign in and wear helmets. A complete listing of the rules appears here

He also told me that Miami-Dade PD will be recovering kites and bags left of the beach by folks coming in by boat on weekends and taking them to the park office.

[ricki]

The rules have changed and here is the latest listing:

Originally Posted by miamikiteboarding

TO KITESURF IN CRANDON PARK this 2008 2009 season:

YOU MUST BE REGISTERED WITH THE NEW CRANDON RIDERS CLUB
and get a streamer to attach on the back of your kite.

REGISTRATION REQUIRES :

- PROOF OF FULLY COMPETENT KITESURFER LEVEL 3
( IKO - PASA - VDWS - FFVL – BKSA …)

- IKO KITEBOARDER INSURANCE UP-TO-DATE
$78 / Year valid worldwide - online at www.ikointl.com
or $10 / Day on the beach at MKB booth

- PAY THE MEMBERSHIP FEE
$50 / Year on the beach at MKB Booth
or $10 / Day on the beach at MKB Booth

We allow a “Grace Period “ until October 1st 2008 to let all riders get their insurance Up-to-Date and Register to the Rider Club.
Pass this date we will start reinforcing the Streamer system.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT :

- By riding in Crandon Park, Kitesurfers agree to comply with the Rules, Riding Boundaries, and Swim Zones at all time. (see RULES SIGNS )

- The Corridor will be strictly reserved to go In & Out the beach

Good News !
- We made the lifeguards back their new tower away from the shoreline for safety reasons.
- Lifeguards will allow 40 Riders on the water IF KITESURFERS CAN STAY OUT THE CHANNEL delimited by a line of Yellow buoys soon. Meaning no more jumps or tacks or transitions just by the Shoreline !
The result is in our hands: Sacrificing few bad habits will allow almost twice more of us riding each weekends.

- Park Rangers, Lifeguards on duty, BNC Staff, and Miamikiteboarding Team may ask any kitesurfer to leave the premises after repeated violations.

NOTES:
- Riders MUST SIGN-IN THE DAILY SHEET at MKB Booth before going out.
- Yearly Members receive a Yellow Streamer for the season.
- Temporary Riders will get a different color streamer for the day.
- 15 min Level Certification Test are available with MKB Instructors.