VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

How about some major props for the guys who throw down their protricks away from the launch and chicks and cameras.

blackdogvan wrote:How about some major props for the guys who throw down their protricks away from the launch and chicks and cameras.

+1 - When I ride way up north of the kite school at Nitnaht and manage a decent jump I'm often laughing to myself - "...Holy shit! Even when nobody can see you a kite can still jump!!"

Teabag wrote:I dont get it and dont believe in it either. Not because someone is less good of a rider that he has to steer away... It is more about how new you are to a spot. Why the new guy should have priority? If I go to Italy, Thailand, Mexico, other parts in Canada or anywhere else, Ill take whatever spot left instead of trying to "fight for a spot" in the busy area or not... Im the new guy to a new spot, doesnt matter how good or bad the person is, I wont steal their spot. (even if I was a good rider)

Lets say that 3 or 4 persons have been kiteboarding at cook st regularly for the past 10 years in their own little area/tack where they always kiteboard, session after session, year after year... An "unwritten rule" develop and everybody respect it (they now have their own spot). One day someone try to push these guys out of their tack which end by them hitting the guy kite with their own kite... Well, why this new guy should be stealing their spot????????????? There is so much water space anyway. I believe its not how good someone is but how long he/she has been kiteboarding to a location. You have been kiteboarding for the past 12 years and move to a new location? Sucks for you but you shouldnt push away people from their "tack" or "spot" no matter how good you are and/or how bad they are. (when there is that much water space).

I am with Mr. T on this. It applies to alot of individual sports.

What is the point of a pro-trick if the chicks or the cameras cannot see

^too true

What is the point of a pro trick If you can not land them anyways.

AC wrote:What is the point of a pro trick If you can not land them anyways.

If folks could land pro tricks they'd be pros and we wouldn't be having this conversation...

Why jump if nobody is looking? duh.. unless you just want to Mary Poppins for fun while your learning. No need to be an ass just be safe.

As for Island Hwy driving. I just hate when I'm 8km over the speed limit in the rain and a Semi+Truck is passing me in the fast lane while cornering! geez those guys can beat it!

Hey friends, Canada is a free country. I truly believe that no one person has any more rights than anyone else when it comes to enjoying watersports on the ocean. Nobody "owns" a "spot" on the water. It does not matter how long or how often a person kites or windsurfs in a spot, they have no extra rights or ownership over that area. Anybody, kiter or windsurfer has the right to participate in their sport in any given area at any time. We all look out for each other on the water and hopefully do our best to stay out of each others way so that we safely enjoy our sport. When pushing the limits with jumps and stunts we should always make sure this is done with lots of clear area to do it. We should follow some basic rules of right of way.
We all share the water and look out for each other, end of story.

RIght on!!! I'll come fly a kite with you anytime. Agro leads to agro pure and simple. One guy might get childishly bullied off the beach cause he's new, and you can bet that he's gonna go on to do the same for others, creating the kind of world we don't wanna live in...we all want waves yes, but there's usually more than enough, and if we all Just Keep Calm, Ride fast, hard and safe, we'll all be good. Just no more loogies heh, cause if i see ya hawking a big one near my kite it's on...! ;0|

oh and btw, i'm about to patent a variation of what i just said above and get t-shirts made. lol.

Denmankiter wrote:oh and btw, i'm about to patent a variation of what i just said above and get t-shirts made. lol.

your success with that endeavor may hinge on how you spell that particular word....and if anyone can really relate to it

I am a kite newbie but a greying surfer ... can speak to the aggro in that arena. If you are new to a spot, if you approach with humility and show respect to those there before you, you will have no trouble in 99% of the world's surf spots. If you approach it with a lack of respect for both the people and the local customs, it will go poorly for you -- ranging from stinkeye to verbal abuse or worse. And keep in mind, in this situation it is YOU the new arrival that is causing the problem -- the crowd equilibrium was probably going smoothly before you arrived and it would probably continue to go smoothly if you didn't show up acting like a dick (or dickette, not to be sexist).

Yes, you're correct, "no one owns the ocean, man", and there's no law against you showing up like you are god's gift to the world and taking what you perceive to be your fair share. But there are unwritten social rules that govern communal living, in place for tens of thousands of years ... whether it's showing up at the traditional fishing spot, hunting grounds, watering hole, or as silly as the seats in that corner of the bar. If you are too ignorant or arrogant to follow social custom, then you ignore it at your peril. Don't be surprised when that peril arrives.

On the other hand ... if you respect the local customs, be humble, and be smart about it -- the world's riches will be open to you, and you will have a (mostly) smooth ride wherever you go.

[speaking for myself, I've surfed many of the world's most crowded waves, usually got enough to feel satisfied, and rarely had any issues. At the same time, the people i've seen have problem in the surf seem to have these same problems in ANY social situation they are in, from driving, to work, school, or whatever .... always complaining how "it's not fair" or how they were wronged in a variety of situations ... trouble seems to follow them around, and they generally don't recognize their own attitude is at the heart of it]

[kiting is interesting to me, as there really is no crowd issue most of the time, as it isn't a limited resource in most spots, compared to surfing. On a crowded surf day there are usually NOT enough waves to go around ... so you have to be aware that you showing up and taking some means someone else gets less. That trade-off will define how happy the crowd already there will be to see you arrive. If you are sensitive to that, as you work your way into the lineup, things should go fine....]

JuandeSooka, I love you !!!

"the crowd equilibrium was probably going smoothly before you arrived and it would probably continue to go smoothly if you didn't show up acting like a dick (or dickette, not to be sexist)."

Non kite related example:

A fisherman put 30 of his crab traps 2 meters beside 30 of Oscar's crab traps because "Nobody owns the ocean". Oscar doesnt like this and tell some "bad words" to this fisherman.
Is Oscar being agro? Or the fisherman being a dick?

Kiteboard related example:

Vik and Pastadude have been kiteboarding since 10h00. It is now 13h00 and they already kiteboarded all over the place, sometimes finding a new/super fun tack, but moving away from it only after 10-15 minutes because some people came in that tack, and there wasn't much place anymore. They are polite, humble and considerate so they moved away, in fact they have done that 7 times already since 1000am, it is getting busier.

Now they found a WiCkEd spot far from everybody else, it has been 5 minutes that they are there, and they think/hope theyll get that small 250 meters tack for themselve for an hour or two, it is far from eveybody else...

I just got into the water, and see that they are doing the same tack over and over since the last 5 minutes, there is PLENTY of space everywhere else but I decide to move in nonetheless under the pretext that "Nobody Owns The Ocean" (dick move from my part, can we at least agree on this?). When I say "I move in" I am not saying passing by, or staying only 4-5 minutes, but move in for good.

Pasta and Vik decide to stay there, we all share that wicked tack but its annoying because with 3 of us riding there is not much space anymore. I start crashing a couple of times, ruinning their quality time a little bit. Even though they are very considerate, they dont want to move this time because they already did (7 times) since the last 3 hours to other people. On top of that they know that I just arrived because it is the first time they see that matress (foil kite) on the water since this morning. They hope that this time I would be the one being considerate as oppose to them having to find a new WiCkEd spot once again. I crashed again and they give me a bad look and some bad words.

Is Pasta and Vik behavior considered as being "AGRO" ??? NO (if yes, well I agree with them being "AGRO" towards me and hopefully there will be more kiteboarder like them)

Is my behavior (stealing the spot they just found) being a DICK move?? YES (If no, because "nobody owns the ocean", well hopefully not too many people will get that attitude because fights are going to happen on the beach after every session)

Opps im starting to have sister syndrome, im out with that post.

Thanks again Juandesooka

juandesooka an Teabag nailed it. It is usually the ignorant newcomer who thinks that they have 100% equal rights that causes the probem. Like him I have surfed many of the premier spots that can get crowded and rarely run into a problem. The etiquette already exists, just follow it. There is a subtle balance between newcomer and skilll level. Usually the people with a high skill level are well aware of this and it is usually the lower skilled people that cause the problems.