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Part of another thread dealing with these issues is reproduced below:

Originally Posted by greg meintjes

Hello Roberto,I see that you travel around to different spots to teach,and that you will be teaching in key west in the future and have taught here in the past,as a local kiter in key west, myself and the other local,s ask that due to the size and safety issue,s at smathers beach that all of your lessons are done in the backcountry areas, the same as the kitehouse does,as this is a lot more open and safer and will not cause problems for us at the beach.

For more info you should contact Nick or Paul at the Kitehouse tel
305 879 0549 asthey are the local school and can help you out or give you advice.

Thanks Greg

Originally Posted by robertovillate

Greg,

I appreciate your concerns...and I am well aware of the situation in the Keys. I taught for the Kitehouse last year and am aware of their set-up. I also taught for 7's in the past and we always did lessons offshore as well.

I agree that teaching offshore is the only way to go down there and I've never done it any other way. Teaching off-shore on the flats has it's benefits, however most people do not typically ride under these conditions after lessons, and sometimes they do not get the benefits of learning from a beach based kite school, which I prefer in some ways

Thanks for your input.

Originally Posted by greg meintjes

I do agree with you that most people will kite off a beach and not off a boat,all we ask is that in key west you follow our example in that even though at times we would like the convenience of teaching at smathers none of us do as this causes problems with the other riders as well as the obvious safety issues at this beach.As far as instruction for your students on beach set up and launching techniques go you could do what we do, and explain to your students how to do that,and that they should get extra help from the local,s or schools in their area on how to set up and launch at that beach.The main thing is that we just ask that out of respect for us and our launch area at smathers you do not teach on the beach.I will be happy to help you with any other questions.

Thanks Greg

Originally Posted by The Kite House

Just some facts for key west:

It is illeagal to to at smathers beach, codes enforces it.

You need a city licence to launch from any boat ramp to do comercial business or pick someone up from "anywhere" on the island, trust me years back they were hard on me. I welcome you to come back here, but teaching on the beach you can not and you will need a city licence and insurance. Been paying mine for some time now, and though i would like to teach with out paying it, its the law.

Other people have came here and taught for a season, they went to the city for a licence, you just need to show where you live ect...


Aloha Paul

Originally Posted by greg meintjes

I want you to know Roberto that my posts are not prejudiced against you or your teaching abilities, but are there to inform those instructors who come down here and dont know where they can or cant teach and as Paul said dont have a business licence from the city and a permanent address in key west.

May the winds be with you.

Greg