Lessons and Beginner Safety at Sauvie

PieroPDX · Since 22 May 2006 109 Posts Stoked

Lessons should really not be taught right in front of the launch and landing zone at Sauvie. It's a potentially dangerous and unpredictable location with people coming in and going out.

I politely mentioned this to a guy teaching his young kids, and got attitude back. Shocked

The more people that mention this to those giving lessons, the more it might stick. If you see someone teaching a lesson right in front of the launch and landing zone, I encourage you to speak up and suggest that they teach upwind. It's up to all of us to keep things safe, and not just turn a blind eye to safety risks. Smile

jschenk · Since 08 Apr 2009 11 Posts New Member

Great point. Teach north of the beach its less populated. Also if learning try not to sit with your kite at 12 endlessly either on the beach or just off. One kite at 12 takes up half the launching and landing zone. Us extremely old school Sauvies guys used to learn above the beach and get out where people currently launch.

jschenk · Since 08 Apr 2009 11 Posts New Member

Great point. Teach north of the beach its less populated. Also if learning try not to sit with your kite at 12 endlessly either on the beach or just off. One kite at 12 takes up half the launching and landing zone. Us extremely old school Sauvies guys used to learn above the beach and get out where people currently launch.

sromano1995 · Since 22 May 2013 240 Posts Portland Stoked

Agreed with all.... 24m of lines and kite stretching North to South along the beach, in the water, is indeed blocking a substantial section of the main landing/launching area and it's not very cool...It is indeed much better to go away from the crowd and go to the North side. However, the beach North is a bit narrower and has more obstacles increasing the risk of kite damage for a beginner with marginal kite skills. So, if you are going to teach at Sauvie, make sure that the student spends plenty of time on a trainer kite... Once the student is ready to hit the water, have them body drag far enough so that when the kite crashes (and it WILL) it crashes in the water and not on some random child and/or person walking on the beach...There is no reason to try to stay in the shallows to learn (as the shallow part is VERY VERY short at Sauvie). It's better to go a little bit further out offshore to learn and safer for everybody...Sauvie is not like Jones, SPI, Cape Hatteras, or Hood River when it comes to learning in shallow water... If your student is afraid of not being able to stand then it's much better to go somewhere else than Sauvie... And if you apply this simple principle, then the North side of the beach is perfect to learn (and crash your kite) without interfering with the ins and outs of the more "advanced kiters"...

If you end-up drifting in the main area with your kite in the water, just be prepared for some proximity flying action and adrenaline rush...

One more thing that I have seen many times with beginners or people who apparently are at the early stage of their learning at Sauvie (but I am sure it happens everywhere): the red (or white) side of the bar should ALWAYS be on the LEFT hand (assuming the kite is properly rigged)... Sounds trivial enough but I have seen over and over people struggling to relaunch with their kite leading edge down and having flipped the bar because it "untwists" the lines... Funny enough I actually have seen people who can actually ride do that as well and wonder why they can't relaunch... I even had one guy argue with me that point because his kite was upside down, "the bar needed to be the other way"... Conclusion: if you are in the water in the main landing/launching areas holding the bar the wrong way, just be prepared to have somebody (like me) jump on you and turn your bar for you. It will serve two purposes: 1) prevent you from looping your kite on somebody on the beach... 2) to get you out of the way and end your misery of not being able to relaunch.

mtnbiker · Since 11 Jul 2011 39 Posts Wherever my camera leads me

Totally concur with these posts.

I don't think it's at all safe in the main launch and land zone to either a) teach beginner kiters, or b) stand in that zone with your kite in the air waiting for wind.

Both activities are much safer further upwind towards the can (trash can high atop pylon)...

Remember we regulars at Sauvies too often go out in marginal wind with really big kites. When a lull hits we are flying the hell out of them just to keep them dry and get back to that landing zone. Sometimes the landings are controlled crashes as the kites stall. It's not a good place to be needlessly hanging out with a kite up or to be learning/teaching when kiters are out on the water or launching.

Serge is right... There are not really any shallows to learn in here. To be safe, you need to go out more than 10 feet and it gets deep fast. That deep water and mellow side-shore wind is a great place for a competent beginner to hone their skills though, and we've seen and helped some pretty new kiters really make huge strides here this year.

Now all that said: If there is not enough wind to plane a board and we are all drinking beers and relaxing... A little beginner body dragging entertainment can be a wonderful thing. Smile

It's just common sense we need here right?

sromano1995 · Since 22 May 2013 240 Posts Portland Stoked

I think Hudson's post just made me think of a new tag line for the Sauvie kiting crew:
"We, Sauvie Kiters, like our kites dry and our beer cold!"

mtnbiker · Since 11 Jul 2011 39 Posts Wherever my camera leads me

Nice one Serge! Too true...

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2103 Posts PNW Bigfoot