Promoting the sport?

I love kiteboarding. I love it so much, that I do not to promote it.

20+ new riders every month means nowhere to launch, land, or even park. Promoting the sport means 6 extra tacks waiting for a chance to jump. Promoting the sport means riding waaay out into the grass flats to find a place to learn tricks.
Promoting the sport means showing up to night ride where it used to be 2 or 3 of us, and finding 15 kites in the air.

I see so many people wanting to "promote the sport".

Are these people just retailers and instructors who are hoping to line their pockets with the money from new kiteboarders?

Are they people who just want to tell everyone in the world that they are a kiteboarder for 15 minutes of fame?

Maybe just to impress the ladies?

Maybe they just love the sport so much that they want to tell everyone about it?

But who loves the sport more?

Those who promote the sport or those who keep it a secret?

If you won the lottery would you tell everyone where you hide your stash?

If you found the best break on the coast would you start teaching surfing lessons there?

If you married a super model would you let everyone touch her a$$ for 5 bucks?

There is one good thing about promoting the sport... equipment. It gets better and cheaper. Tough call.

ASK12B1

[sparkyman]

Yep, I know how you feel. The Big Ad for Kiteboarding is the kite. The sport will grow especially in a very visible area like ours. I'm thinking $20 bucks for one cheek grab, both discounted to $35. A free grab after 10. The Bone is my Super Duper Model. Wonder if he knows I'm his Pimp Daddy yet? Shaka Somebody

[robertovillate]

Yes, it is certainly a dilemma.

Along with running my own business in the past I used to teach sailing and performance boat handling. The main reason was to put better sailors out on the water and on the race course. After a couple years of kitesurfing I decided to teach this as well...again for the same reasons I teach sailing - I was more interested in people getting good instruction and making the sport safe and fun for everyone, protect access privileges, etc.

I think that there is currently a fair amount of growth, however I think it will peak, and level off like windsurfing did. But I still feel that the better people are trained the better it will be for others.

As for the income from teaching, "lining our pockets" is a stretch: it's not that lucrative unless you operate like REAL and hire 15 coaches, pay the instructors next to nothing, and charge a lot of money with strict refund restrictions. But even then we are not talking high-finance. For example - out of the last 5 days here in Hatteras there was perhaps one day when REAL could mobilize and get some good teaching in. Believe me - I am certainly not doing this for the money. When you consider the gear, travel costs, housing costs, the good riding sacrificed, and the time and effort it takes to do 100+ lessons/winter...I'd be much better off financially going back into my previous business I assure you.

Do I want more riders on the water? Not necessarily, but I will never tell someone that they don't have he "right" to share the beach. I usually try to avoid crowds, whether teaching or riding, and I know that there are still plenty of places to go when other places are crowded. I hope this issue does not become similar to the surfer style territorialism, which I think will be unhealthy for the sport.

Ironically 5 or 6 kites can make certain places feel crowded sometimes. It is the conduct of the kiters, whether 5 or 30 of them, that really determines the "feel" of the place. I personally feel that there is plenty of room, even on a big day at East Beach, if people would only respect a few basic rules and principles. When I teach I try to instill this into my students, even encouraging them to avoid the crowded places and seek out other spots to ride, at least until they have enough skill to manage the crowds, know how to avoid issues, and how to react when an issue arise.

As the kite population grows we might have to become more creative...boat rides and boat launching? More down wind rides? Rider limits at each spot? - but would that be self-imposed or regulated by others? (not many people - including myself - want others regulating us)

It's probably not reasonable to make this sport exclusionary, but some management might be necessary.And you're right...on really good thing is that the gear gets better, and more safe, when manufacturers can justify the R&D costs. I hope the sport stays healthy and that people will continue to get good instruction and practice safe kiting so we can avoid inevitable(?) regulation and restrictions. We will all need to adapt to growth. I'm sure it has been done successfully in other spots around the world, so why not in Tampa Bay? It will just take a little more effort and a little more patience.

[bryanleighty]

i see both sides of the argument ..

and i have been at EB or skyway with 30+ riders, all of at least intermediate skill and all respecting the right of way and keeping the beach organized and its been an AMAZING day with tons of people having a great time.

i have also been to EB or skyway with 10 kiters and 5 of them new and 4 of the 5 ruining a lot of the day for everyone else.

i try to get some friends into the sport but i demand they get lessons and i send them to the people that have the skills to teach.

i "promote" saftey of the sport more than the sport. if that makes sense.

that said, i would like to see some kick ass commercials w/ kiting.. not sure why its not used more in advertising or movies or whatnot. its a great sport to watch..

[CrazyJay]

There is plenty of room for every qualified rider. We are unbelieveably fortunate in tampabay to have so many riding areas. Riders searching for glory or fame usually do not last long.

It is impossible and unjust to keep new riders from joining the community. The life changing experience every TRUE kitesurfer has is a revelation to be shared by all those who will appreciate it.

It IS the responsibility of the established riders to police the new riders on the rules of the sport until they get their bearings. This will ensure that we always have free access to our beaches. I have seen newbies corrected many times on their actions and most times they are grateful for the advice.

Kiteboarding is a gift and priviledge to ALL of us. Cherish and respect it.

[toby wilson]

Nicely put Jayson. I 100% agree with your post.

[bryanleighty]

so true Jayson.

everyone still remember the very first time you were up and planing??

i sure as hell do.

EB.

been trying to waterstart for what seemed like years.. probably days.. but.. whatever .. i was a slow learner.

i must have done something right and suddenly i am blazing across the water faster than i could have ever expected and thinking "HOLY SHHH**T THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING THING IN THIS WORLD"...

boom.

i wipe out and i am out by the sandbar and i stand and scream (i am not making this up) "BETTER THAN SEX!!!!"

of course that statement is debatable .. but.. i think my point is made.

Ohhh yeah... first plane holy crap! It felt almost illegal.

But I never intended it to sound like I hope to prevent people from having the RIGHT to kiteboard! I'm nice as hell to every new kite boarder we get and I'll help them however I can.

What I am talking about is that the first thing out of my mouth when a non-kiteboarder asks me about the sport it is NOT where to buy gear and get lessons (unless asked directly).

In 3 more years you'll know what I'm talking about...

Last I heard we had 60 new riders in the last 3 months (or something like that).

good thread. I have a vid rendering... so....

Let's just say I rarely mention kiting to a non-kiter and only brought one rider in, Donna. I personally could wait forever to see kiting in some dumb Hollywood flick or similar as it will probably bring people in for some odd reasons. Let's face it, it's a space limited, or at least affected, sport.
For me, the more people on the water all at once, the less fun it is. It just starts to become more of a kee track of and eye on all maneuver than a kiting session.

Once a person commits to trying it, they are on the team is how I see it.
I jmust admit though, I would prefer a smaller team, especially over the next couple of years.
That's not the wave though and the wave is impossible to slow down, so may as well go with the flow as best as possible.

[Steve-O]

Overcrowding in all aspects of life is something we deal with everyday. Crowded streets, restaurants, housing market, parking, airports, ect. Our world is not getting any bigger but the population is, especially here in this beautiful state we call home. The sport itself I feel drives the demand to learn it. Companies, shops, pros, mags, and yes local riders out tearing it up all help to promote it. As far as instructors, they wouldn't exist if the demand to learn it weren't there. We have seen a huge increase in the interest. At least a few people a day.

Teaching is a job like any other job. It is a way to pay bills, raise a family, and live from day to day. For most entering the sport, the instructor is the last step of many steps that got them into the sport.

Surfers have gone through this same problem but many years ago. Watch any historically based program of DVD about the sport and you will listen to old guys talking about the days when there were no crowds and they were the only ones out there. Well for surfers those days are long gone. Even isolated places throughout the world see crowds like never before. The theme in surfing these days is to travel and find secluded spots and the ultimate is to find a spot that has never been ridden. That alone is one reason that drew me to the sport. I was tired of sitting in a line up, waiting my turn. A half a day in the water may only equate to a few rides. Talk about frustration.

All I can say is it still doesn't take much effort IMO to find seclusion even in the bay area. I have hinted on this fact many times before. I can't remember the last time I rode in a crowd and I ride several times a week if not more. A small cheap boat can open up alot of doors.

Yes we are lucky that we have what we have (tons of accesibility). A defining factor of why the sport is growing in popularity...not to mention the impovement of the gear. I have always called this Hawaii in a bag. The sport of surfing is huge in Hawaii simply due to conditions, climate, and accessibility. I always had dreams of moving there or somewhere where the surf was more consisitent. Well my dream came true, and it came in a small bag and I didn't have to move....and it's even better than surfing....somebody pinch me. I feel blessed that I have this sport in my life. It has made me more active, healthier, changed my bad habits, and I simply feel better when I get out of the water than before I got in. It is the best form of therapy out there.

Great thread.