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Wolcott's Ramblings

So here it is. Wolcott's ramblings. SBC Kiteboard thought it was a good idea that i had a little spot all my own on the site. do they know what their getting into? i was once asked by editor John Bryja, "do you know what the shift key is for?" after he proof read one of my travel stories. i explained that i am more of a builder of foundations if you will, not finished homes. im a Photographer, what do you expect....?

what should i talk about? I have been living in Indonesia for over 4 years now and have become a sort of social refugee from my home country. its kinda fun to be a stranger in a strange land. i can just pretend i don't understand what people are saying even though in my wife's estimation, i am equal to or less than a smart ass 12 year old with my indonesian language abilities. i can play the lost tourist card and act like i dont get. just sit back and laugh at all the shit the locals are saying about me, the dumb lost tourist...

enough about that. you want to hear about kiteboarding. well, first off... loose the straps! i never could figure out how to ride with them anyway, better i stick to my surfing background and just go surfing with my kite... what the hell are you talking about you may ask... well... im not sure... i told you i would be rambling....
we get a bit of wind here in bali for a few months but it is pretty crap compared to where i used to live in California. its pretty crap compared to anywhere thats windy enough to kite really. we are in the heart of our "windy season"..... and it has not been windy for almost 8 days now... im loosing my mind.... im sure you thought that after the first 3 or 4 sentences.

so whats new? well, I came back to Bali after being in California and the British Virgin Islands and ended up in the hospital with an emergency Hernia surgery... for some reason, most likely the hospital wanting to separate me from my money, i was told i had to stay for 3 nights in the hospital to recover from what in most places is supposed to be an outpatient kinda surgery... lucky for me... i missed almost all of round 2 of the stanley cup playoffs by coming down with Dengue fever on top of the surgery. what is Dengue Fever? a fun mosquito born virus that tries to kill you.. lucky me, i was already all checked in, so why not stay a while.... i had to stay 7 nights in the hospital when all was said and done . So essentially, my kite season was almost taken from me by a faulty abdominal wall and a virus infected mini vampire bite.... some how, i recovered enough to get on the water thanks to some hernia recovery tips from Sam Medesky. and by the way, im a life long LA Kings fan and guess what! we won The Cup!

im working on a few things for an upcoming issue of SBC kiteboarding. ill tell you a bit about it...

1st. im trying to track down the ever elusive Bear Karry for a feature length interview about why his hair is so red, and about music, and i think i will ask him about surfstyle kite surfing...

2nd. im putting the final touches on s story about a last minute trip i did to south west Australia with Reo Stevens, Ryland Blakeney, Kehai de Aboitiz, Brodie Adlington, and Sean Woolnough. it was a strike mission to intercept a huge swell and a great wind forecast. we had a blast 4x4ing the hell out of a couple of Jeeps and getting some amazing conditions and of course, paying way to much for shitty food. i love Australia

3rd. ill be bringing you another installment of Airvolution with Ian Alldredge.

if you have nothing better to do... check my facebook page out and like it.... if you like it... www.facebook.com/jasonwolcottphotography

im also roaming the randomness of twitter @wolcottphoto as well as he strands of the world wide web at www.jasonwolcottphotography.com

thanks for stopping by and check back soon.

What's the lightest wind you have kiteboarded in?

The butter flat water in this video makes it look less windy than it actually is. But the mirror like conditions got us wondering, What are the lightest conditions you are riding in, and what gear are you using?"

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The Hadlow Ultimatum - Does Aaron Hadlow's latest video profile sound like he is burned out on contests?

Does Aaron Hadlow's latest PKRA video profile sound like he is burned out on contests? Should Hadlow regroup and win back the 2010 world title from Kevin Langeree? Or should he do more lifestyle riding, video parts and magazine features to keep pushing the sport forward? Let us know what you think?

Preserving Your Kiteboarding Access

As you crest the hill you can see whitecaps all across the lake, it must be solid 9M weather at least. Anxious, you can feel the adrenaline start to rush as you get closer and closer to the beach. The same beach you have frequented for the past seven years. It is a rather nondescript beach, but it is perfect to kite from, easy access to the water and you can kite from South-west-north wind. The best part is that it is an hour from the city so you can make it there after work. As you get to the beach you don’t see a single kite in the park, strange you think. Yet there is a large group of kiters gathered in front of the park, the group is discussing the no kiteboarding sign
    Unfortunately this is not a fictional story, this just occurred to a kitesurfing beach north of Toronto in Georgina, Ont. The beach has been closed to kiting. To learn from this and protect your beach from being closed down here is some of the history that brought us to this point.
    Two years ago the local kiters started discussions with the local ward councilor for the area who was getting complaints from the residents that whenever it was windy they could not get into the park as it would be filled with kites, and that these same kiters would park everywhere in a frenzy to get to the water. The kiting community came up with some rules that we all agreed to, and ran them by the town and local ward councilor. It seemed to make sense for everyone. The rules were pretty simple. They were to keep the kites on one side of the park. Don’t rig more kites than you are using. Do not lay your lines out unless you are ready to launch. And park courteously. Over the course of time the local kiters, who became known as the grumpy guys on the beach, would try to educate other kiters on the rules. They would move kites that were up against the kids’ swing sets, and would gather up lines that were left laid out. We became known as the grumpy guys, as we attempted to police the rules and protect the park that is 10 minutes from our homes. In the end we failed.
    On a windy day, kiters would show up... park wherever they could (and get ticketed as the neighbours called the town), then blast into the park. They would ignore the rule that said use one half of the park only as locals would attempt to communicate to everyone that the beach would be closed if rules were not followed. The park which is 100 feet by 150 feet would have 40 kites on it... kites and lines everywhere! A mad rush as people trying to get their kiting fix. It seemed inevitable that the town would close us down.
    Behind the scenes, the local residents kept calling their councilor, who lobbied the local parks department and ultimately they were successful in getting kiting banned from this beach. A few lessons were learned here, the biggest one is that you can not assume you have rights to a beach. They can be revoked instantly.
    Most kiters are very reasonable, but few take the time to read rules when they reach a beach in a frenzy. What is the biggest change each of us can make when we kite? ASK ABOUT THE RULES WHEN YOU SHOW UP.
    As one of the grumpy kiters who tried to protect his local beach (and failed) I can tell you that I must have told the same story hundreds of times. About 50 per cent of the time kiters ignored the rules, stating that it is a public beach and I have no power to impose rules on them... after all they have just driven an hour in brutal traffic to get here, and the last thing they want is someone telling them they have to follow some rules.
    Contrast this with when a new kiter shows up an asks the rules. There is no confrontation, they are eager to kite, but don’t want to mess up kiting for themselves or anyone else. These kiters, once the rules are explained are the same kiters that now help educate others on why the rules are there and encourage others to follow. This also eliminates any contention with the locals riders who again, tell the same story hundreds of times a weekend. These new kiters tend to be welcomed in quickly and we get back to what we all enjoy, which is kiting.
    None of us like rules. We love the beauty and adrenaline rush of kiting, but we need some self-imposed rules or the local residents will police us with a less than desired result. So the simple learning is ask the rules when you get to the beach, be proactive in your community and help other kiters to do the same. This way we can stop more beaches from being closed.

Tell us what you think.

Is mandatory kiteboarder certification inevitable and/or desirable?

This topic has been the elephant in the kiteboarding room for quite some time. But with the sport growing rapidly, a few experienced riders are starting to ask questions about how to maintain kiteboarding's good safety track record, and in some cases improve it. Mandatory certification for new riders would be good for the schools, but would it be good for the sport? And more importantly is mandatory kiteboarder certification inevitable and/or desirable?

Beach Brands

Pssst... What to buy a kite?
by Tonia Farman
It’s time. You saved up the cash and are ready to go buy your first new kite. You’ve soaked up SBC product reviews, geeked out on forum gear discussions and listened to your friends rant and rave about their own gear. As if you made an announcement that you are ready to buy, you start noticing kiteboarding gear ads, offers, packages, and discounts everywhere you look. Even some dude at your local beach boasts he’s a rep, claiming he’ll “hook you up” with a deal from the back of his van. I call these shops-on-wheels “van brands.” But more about them later.
   Everyone wants your business, but not everyone deserves your business. This economy is bringing out some creative efforts from brands and dealers to sell product, which makes it a fantastic time to buy kite gear. That said, consumers need to know how to weed through the marketing hype and even the flashy low prices to make the most qualified and informed buying decision. Here are some tips:

Survival of the Fittest (Customer Service) Brands
There are more than 40 kiteboarding companies who want your business. In a challenging economy, who knows how long a company will be around to warranty your kite. Make sure the company whose kite you are considering works with a network of brick-and-mortar retailers so you always have someone to go back to you if you ever have problems. A strong retailer network shows a brand’s support of their customers through valuable hands-on product demonstration, education and service. Brands that deal with local retailers also support the local kiteboarding community and events.
   Secondly, ask about a brand’s customer service and warranty policy. The retailer selling that brand’s kite should know the company’s warranty policy. To take it one step further, a brand that truly supports their customers will stand behind ALL of their products for warranties. Customer service is crucial, especially if you’re new to kiteboarding gear. If a company doesn’t have it, move on.

Yeah, yeah, you’ve heard it before, but really… Buy from a reputable dealer!
Why does everyone assume that your local dealer will be more expensive than buying direct or from eBay? Local dealers want your business. Here are some of the many advantages of buying from a reputable local dealer:

1) The Service A full-service retailer should be able to walk you through setting up your kite, even if it’s just in the shop over the counter. Should any problems occur after purchase, the dealer should support you by providing some sort of solution—whether it’s offering a repair service to fulfilling a warranty.

2) The Relationship Most kiteboarding retailers are small enough to remember their kite purchase customers. Buy a kite from that shop and there’s a good chance your benefits as a customer will expand to other purchases and services.

3) Access & Influence Shops play a very active role in creating and sustaining safe access for you to go kiteboarding. As you pump up at your local beach, you probably have no idea that a local shop is working hard to develop and foster relationships with local authorities, parks, ports, coast guards, lifeguards, and townships to keep kiteboarding not only legal, but seen as a valuable economic driver in the community. Furthermore, when cynics or local authorities question kiteboarding safety and access, shops have an influential advantage in that they help fuel local economies by paying taxes and employing locals. This, in turn, weighs much heavier in an access battle than a van that drives up to the local beach pawning gear.

4) Keep it local Support your local economy. It’s the right thing to do, and it’s cool.
   You, the kiteboarding consumer, play a very important role in our sport. You are in the driver’s seat to affect the future of kiteboarding. When you’re looking to buy, be smart and beware. Avoid the “van brands.” The more “van brands” consumers support, the more service-based retailers that will end up out of business. When retailers go out of business, manufacturers lose their distribution, connection and support to their customers. The gear might be cheaper, but the outcome is costly for everyone. Don’t just buy off-price unless you are confident with the product and the level of service you will receive with it. Kiteboarding gear is a lifestyle investment. Purchase wisely and you’ll be happy and addicted for years to come.

Tonia Farman is the executive director of the AWSI and founder of KB4C.

It's your turn. Have your say. What do you think?

What's got your interest?

What would you like to see more of on SBCKiteboard.com? Exclusive Regional Event Coverage, Gear Tests Videos, Rider Profiles, Instructional Videos, Rider Videos, Advanced How To's, Beginner Tips? Let us know.

Does the kiteboarding industry spend too much time focusing on gear?

Since we first published Jason Stone's Op-Ed piece Final Thought: Sponsor-Rider Relations, has much changed? Compared to most other pro sports, Kiteboarding is a relatively small industry. Yet some brands are doing a good job of building the image of the sport, supporting teams of pro riders with travel budgets, free gear, and in some cases large salaries. What brands do you think are doing the best job of promoting and building a positive rider based image of the sport? Is it important? In these tough economic times some brands are trimming team budgets. Is focusing on gear development enough? Can that be done properly without a good quality pro team for feedback? What do YOU think?

Are Canadian kiteboarders screwed?

Transport Canada is about to make PFD use mandatory for all kiteboarders. What do you think?

Sign the petition! Persuade the Canadian Government to give riders the right to choose.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/kiteboard/index.html

Kiteboarding Cage Match: IKA vs PKRA

If you have been following the PKRA and the IKA saga on sbckiteboard.com you can't help but wonder why things haven't been going more smoothly. The Pro Kite Riders Association (PKRA) and the newly formed International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) seem unable to reach an agreement and it's not surprising given the circumstances.

Did IKA class manager Markus Schwendtner make a mistake when he and the IKA offically sanctioned the privately owned and run Kite Board World Tour (KBWT) before a deal with the rider based PKRA was reached?

Pro Riders have worked hard on establishing the high level of judging standards on the PKRA tour. Would combining the tour with the KPWT tour see years of hard work undone? Or would one bigger tour be better? Should the riders bypass the PKRA executve, and start working with the IKA, or should they lobby above the IKA and negotiate with ISF and establishing a new executive for IKA?

With the PKRA now sanctioned by the International Surfing Association does any of this matter?

Who's the most influential kiteboarder of all time?

[After about 25 posts we have no doubt who our readers vote as the #1 most influential rider of all time. But who would else you vote for in the top five?]

We want to know who you think are the most influential kiteboarders of all time. Who has influenced your riding the most? Is it one of the sports pioneers like Franz Olry, Lou Wainman, Robby Naish or Pete Cabrinha. Style master Andre Phillip or surf pioneers Ben Wilson, Felic Pevic, Mauricio Abreu. Maybe it's one today's hot young riders like Aaron Hadlow, or Kevin Langeree.

Who are your top picks and why?

International Kiteboarding Association: Unifying or Divisive?

The International Kiteboarding Association (IKA), recently sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation, is set to become the body that sanctions racing, speed , wave and freestyle world champions. Is the sanctioning of a kiteboarding association by the sailing world a good thing? Should the new association, the first step in becoming an Olympic sport, be recognized as the governing body for pro kiteboarding, or should the rider based PKRA retain that role?

Localism on the rise?

With the number of kiteboarders growing, local beaches are becoming as crowded as the major kiteboarding destinations around the world. Is localism on the rise at your local beach? How do you deal with the crowing crowds and increasing number of new riders?

Here is the SBC Kiteboard editorial about localims from the 2008 Summer Issue:

“I’ve seen some crazy shit in the past few days. I understand there is a learning curve, and we all were there once... but this amount of stupidity and lack of common sense, let alone prickish disrespect towards all other beachgoers has to stop!” —Smokey

This posting on a local forum sums it up perfectly. Kiteboarding is experiencing exponential growth and, as a result, some growing pains. The advent of safer high-depowering SLE and bow-style kites has some riders taking shortcuts in their progression. People are becoming self-sufficient riders faster than ever before, but as a result, they’re also missing out on a great deal of the mentorship that experienced riders took for granted in their learning curves. It was during this mentorship that most riders learned local beach etiquette.
   It is the etiquette aspect of the sport that increasingly has experienced riders shaking their heads in disbelief and, for the first time ever, wondering if there may be too many riders. Localism may even be on the rise as a result, and this would be a tragic loss for the sport. Growing crowds and congested riding spots are something we are all learning to live with. In many cases, they inspire us to set out and find new places to ride.
   That, to me, has always been one of the greatest appeals of kiteboarding—the search for new spots. I have spent countless hours scoping out new locations with Google Earth before making the expeditionary first strike to the as-of-yet-unridden location. Increasingly, I have been arriving to my next secret location only to find a crew of locals already ripping it up.
   “How are the conditions today?”
   “Any hazards to watch out for?”
   Having a friendly bunch of locals already on the scene makes riding easier and less stressful. The less busy the beach, the more friendly the locals, and the longer and more in-depth their responses to the standard questions.
   The beach I normally ride is becoming one of the area’s busier beaches. On the days I can’t visit somewhere less traveled, I try to answer visiting riders’ questions with the same enthusiasm I receive at the almost-deserted beaches. I will happily explain the launching and landing etiquette and the rules of the road to the newcomers. It seems we’ve all been doing this on a daily basis since we started kiteboarding.
   One thing I will not happily do (edit: I meant to say I still would but not happily) is explain the local beach etiquette to a new rider who has forgotten to ask anyone. I’m sure you’ll agree: none of us want to feel like a beach cop. Riders new to the scene should come over to us and ask about local etiquette before we need to go over and tell them what they’re doing wrong.
   Asking questions is the ultimate sign of respect, and it goes along way to keeping localism to a minimum. I am looking forward to asking and answering lots of questions this summer. — John Bryja, Editor