Kitesurfing lessons as a tourist thrill ride could be done.

Firstly you need the right venue, like way out in the middle of the ocean somewhere.

Then you need to be properly equipped with the need of a mother-ship and assorted support craft.

And lastly you need the right kind of tourist.
The type that has a bit of spunk, and don't mind getting their digital camera wet.

No way!! Kiting as a potential 'thrill ride' for tourists is ridiculous!!! There is now way it should be used as a way of promoting the sport or for getting a spot of quick cash.

We wouldn't want to go around giving people the wrong impression of this sport, as in some places it already has been banned because of people who have already had proper lessons, but have had an unfortunate mishap eg lines rigged incorrectly luffed etc...

Kite surfing as a thrill ride for a quick buck is stoopid! Sure it could work, but the tourists who do take it up as a thrill ride would be easily hooked and hence going to buy gear and then ruining the reputation of the sport by injuring themselves or others.

Kite surfing is the type of sport where you need to have the proper lesson before you go out solo, its not like soccer where you can kick the ball round and when your done at the end of the day pick it up and go home...

Just a thought...

Galah, its not my job to name them, they know who they are and I bet a lot of locals in the areas where they operate know too, its up to them to choose to stop it.

I am writing an article for AKSA, hopefully they will publish it on their website, it is titled
Kitesurfing - What might the future hold.

Please add your comments here or send them direct to me at
kitepower @sydney.com.au leave the space out.

Its our sport we should take charge of how it is promoted and taught.
If we do nothing, expect to lose access to lots of top spots.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve McCormack

quote:

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Originally posted by GalahOnTheBay

Fair enough - I just thought if they were doing something publically and you were stating the facts there's nothing wrong with naming names.

So are you not happy about the low $ they are charging (that's called a market economy - see best kiteboarding) thier lesson safety (that's called free market and buyer beware) or the way they position themseleves to thier potential clients (that's called marketing)?

If I go to one of these "instructors" and say "hey dude, dont do that, you are ruining it for the rest of us" what makes you think he/she will listen?

If they are unsafe they sure, something needs to be done, but I'm at a loss to see exactly what can LEGALLY be done to stop these guys.

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Hi Galah
Its not my job to be the kitesurfing police. I have enough to do thanks.
If great numbers of people start to tell these operators their lessons and promotion of the sport is not cool they will have to reconsider.
If we as a community get the word out to potential newbies that kitesurfing involves excellent kite flying skills, so get some first with a trainer kite, and then get a real lesson from a real instructor who is interested in helping people to become kitesurfers, the majority of real lessons are conducted in the water with real kitesurfing kites.

This is not about smacking anyone over the wrist, all that does is make some people react and try even harder to do the wrong thing. It is not about "legalities".
It is about all of us communicating that kitesurfing is an extreme sport, and like R Naish once said it is not for 99.99% of the worlds population. For those of us mad enough to do it, lets make sure we retain access to as many places as possible, by taking charge of how our sport is taught and promoted!!!

Its just like good kite skill, take control, don't wimp out, you will get your ass kicked worse!

If we stick together and promote the real nature of kiteboarding we will get less couch potatoes and MeMe's thinking they can get into the sport after a couple of shonky, cheap lessons.

It is not about competition in business, that will go on without any help from kitesurfers, it is about inappropriate promotion and instruction of the extreme sport of kitesurfing.

People do not offer surfing lessons at Pipeline, nor do they run driving lessons at F1 events, nor would they let people beleive they are ready to race F1 after a couple of laps as a passenger round the circuit, etc, etc.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve McCormack

PS Keep the comments coming its all good and keeps this topic at the top

quote:

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And lastly you need the right kind of tourist.
The type that has a bit of spunk, and don't mind getting their digital camera wet.

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umm, are we still talking about kiteboarding here?

I dunno what your complaining about steve, seems a non-issue.

Surely if these tourists are being given dud lessons then you should make a written complaint to the governing body of kite teachers whoever that may be.

Better still address the issue with the local council, who have given the authority for them to teach in that council juristiction.

Originally posted by eightfootplus


I think this is a non issue, because the punters taking the lessons and then buying the kites are the same punters that would go and buy a kite without lessons and just have a go.

I think there is an issue, we live at the coal face, surely you all see people turning up at your spot who are a danger to themselves and others. You know, people that really should not be doing the sport. Having the sport promoted as something any joe somebody can do will increase issues at your spot, is that what we need?


Then there are the guys that just wont take lessons because they think they can learn themselves. This element is there in all accessable sports.

I disagree, there will always be people who try to do things on the cheap or the hard way. But we don't see people on the tall buildings and cliffs around sydney practicing base jumping or paragliding.

Most average punters would have a cheap lesson and get scared off.

To some degree I would agree, based on my extensive experience running a school. Most get scared off, because we try to keep it real. I am talking about lessons where people are handed a rigged kitesurfing kite, with no harness and just let loose with it.

I think that there is a good market for giving information sessions and have a go days to people interested in taking up the sport. this would give kite schools ample oportunity to stress the importance of having lessons and also let the punters see first hand why they need lessons. Perhaps lessons should be made rebateable on the purchase of kites so that it encourages crew to take lessons.

Those sorts of sessions are done, many businesses find them not very productive or profitable, but they can be done for sure. The problems occur when motives become dollar driven, rather than sustainability based.
Margins in kites are too low to do this, otherwise it would be happening on a broad scale already, and it is not.
Thanks for your contribution.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve McCormack

Regardless of what kind of kiteschool teacher (rogue or hero) taught the newbie,
the newbie can still screw-up when they go it alone on a crowded beach.

Newbies are human so they can make mistakes.
Experienced kiters are human, same deal for them.

Steve, you're paranoid about losing kite access to a certain spot,
due to some kite-freak kooking out bigtime.
(Something you have no control over.)

The future is sooo predictable, can't you see it ?
And there's nothing anyone can do about it.

But I'm still interested in your version of the future.

Lessons are well and good, needed etc etc, however there will always be a type of person who will enter a shop, buy a kite, not bother with lessons and away they go.

I dont believe that anything will change until kitesurfing is regulated, ie you have to reach a certain standard before you are allowed unaccompanied on the water. Even then we play with nature, nature is unpredictable, there will always be accidents despite how experienced you are.

Also being good/experienced at Kiting doesnt necessarily mean you are immune from accidents, **** happens, and maybe with experience grows complacency.

Here in perth i know of many kite instructors who are proffessional in their approach, and do a good job, yet to hear of a complaint about teachers/lessons here.

quote:

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Originally posted by waveslave

Regardless of what kind of kiteschool teacher (rogue or hero) taught the newbie,
the newbie can still screw-up when they go it alone on a crowded beach.

Newbies are human so they can make mistakes.
Experienced kiters are human, same deal for them.

Steve, you're paranoid about losing kite access to a certain spot,
due to some kite-freak kooking out bigtime.
(Something you have no control over.)

The future is sooo predictable, can't you see it ?
And there's nothing anyone can do about it.

But I'm still interested in your version of the future.

---

This is not about my local spot, there are a lot of locals who care about it now, and things are looking positive in that regard.

It is about a place like Currumbin, Noosa, the Passage at Caloundra etc, etc.

I just read this great article posted by Gav on another thread

http://www.ikiteboarding.com/kiteboarding/articles/the-wrong-cause.aspx

I am interested in the future, and I firmly beleive we can have a positive influence on the future of the sport.
Sure there will always be rogues, but the don't drop in rule is solid in surfing, so the don't BS about kitesurfing lessons and the inherent dangers rule should prevail and be created in this sport by us the kiters.

Cya and

Goodwinds


Steve McCormack

NO,
Don't take the thrill-ride out of the kite lesson !

Man, all you'll get for your money then will be the instructor's boring monologue.

there is still much to be said for experience gained by hearing stories about experiences from other, and seeing it happen first hand.

You won't live long enough to make all of the mistakes yourself.