Third update: Saturday 2 16 08 5.15pm.
I just received and I'm happy to publish an email from David and Suzie Dorn of Action Sports Maui with a few more details about the hearing and I'm happy to publish it.
Hi GP,
Here is a recap of yesterday in Oahu.
We had missed the deadline to submit our testimony via e-mail or fax (the deadline was THURSDAY February 14th at 2:45) I think most people found out about this bill after 2:45 on Thursday. We found out we could submit our testimony in person so we had no choice but to fly to Oahu. David wrote a 13 page testimony regarding safety of kitesurfing and windsurfing on Maui, including photos. We phoned the Maui senators and found out there were no Maui based Senators on the land and water committee involved in SB2091. We were able to book the last 2 tickets for the 12:50 flight to Oahu. We received calls from frantic shop owners, windsurfers and kiters, that were panicking about the meeting, missing the deadline to submit their testimony and not being able to get to Oahu for the meeting. I told everyone to e-mail me their testimony and I would submit it in person. We arrived on Oahu at 1:40p.m. took a cab (no time to get a rental car) and rushed to the Senate building. We found the public information room at the Senate building where we were able to download and print all e-mail testimonies. We had to print 12 copies of each testimony. We had a giant stack of testimonies. We received e-mails from shop owners, professional sailors, a judge, international visitors, local kiters and windsurfers, and international and local associations. The meeting began a little before 3:00. Senator Clayton Hee began the meeting by stating that SB2091 was being deferred (delayed or put on hold). Senator Hee said he would not be hearing public testimony related to SB2091. David Dorn stated he wanted to testify. David Dorn's testimony stated that based on safety issues and the proven track record of co-existence with swimmers and surfers there was no need for this bill. David also stated this bill would affect hundreds of jobs, businesses and most importantly the entire community of windsurfing and kitesurfing on Maui. David told Senator Clayton Hee that we already have rules and local associations for the user groups and we all work together. David also was able to submit all testimonies that we received via e-mail.
SB2091 has only been deferred so it may come up again. Anyone who would like to have their testimony on file can send it to me at suziej@maui.net and I will submit it if SB2091 comes up again.
Thanks
David and Suzie Dorn
Thanks a lot to David and Suzie for getting on that plane and going to the hearing.
Ok, now that we all are a bit more relaxed, I think we should figure a way that things like these will not pass unobserved in the future. And to make this point a bit more dramatic, let me tell you the chronological sequence of the events that brought to this post, as I know it.
A Maui sailor owns a boat business and as such he's always checking all the new water related proposed regulations. One day (don't know when) he sees this proposed Bill and emails a friend of mine about it. This friend of mine is smart enough to forward it to me. I read his email at 6.45am on Thursday morning, sitting on the toilet during my morning ablutions (thank god for laptops and wireless routers). I had to be out of the door by 7am.
In 15 minutes, I go to the Senate website, realize the gravity of the proposed Bill, decide to make a post on this blog, email my testimony, start a thread on the Hot Sails Maui forum about it, send a few other emails to friends to call them to action, finish my ablutions (yes, I can multitask) and leave my house on time.
Around 11am I receive a call from Jeff (who was on the mainland), who had just read the post (because he saw the thread on the forum). I honestly had completely forgot about this, since I had been busy first and I was now getting ready to go sail.
We agree to call all the surf shops (I called a couple, he called the rest) in Kahului.
The two major surf shops I called knew nothing about it (at least the persons I spoke to) till my phone call.
And then I thought:"Wow... if I didn't take a poo this morning and checked my email in the meantime, all these people would have not known about this..."
I'm not trying to be credited with anything at all, just pointing but that what happened is pretty scary...
It should just not be possible that things like this almost get approved just because nobody knows about them!
So, windsurfing/kitesurfing business owners/employees or just simple wind/kitesurfers... let's all figure a way of being informed a bit earlier in the future. Do we only have to check that Senate webpage? Is there anything else to check? I don't know anything about how laws are proposed and approved in the States... is there anybody out there that can and want to take charge? Or just post a comment with the right procedure so that we can all be in the know?
Thanks again everybody for the help. And thanks iwindsurf.com for the nice present they sent me to thank me for the heads up they received from this blog.
Oh, I also wanted to add something else, but I forgot. Then I read Ward Churchill comment (number 37) and I remembered.
Every ocean user has the same right to enjoy their favorite activity. Unfortunately the room is limited, so we all have to share the same waves. Even though every spot is different there's a few general rules that apply everywhere: common sense and safety.
Here's some info for some wind/kitesurfers (no, dear Ward... we're not all perfect... there's plenty dickheads between us too...) who may not know or may know and don't care and with their behavior they fuck up everything for everyone:
1) surfers ALWAYS have priority on a wave. No matter how early a kite/windsurfer catches a wave, it's always the surfer's right to eventually drop in that same wave. It's the kite/windsurfer obligation to watch what the eventual surfers are doing and if one of them drops in, the kite/windsurfer should just ride the white water and don't interfere with the surfer's ride (and safety).
Personally, I even often encourage the eventual surfer about to go on a wave that I'm already on... "GO, GO, GO FOR IT!!!", so that he knows that I saw him and that I won't mind if he drops in.
2) if there's surfers out, dear kite/windsurfers... don't bloddy jump/loop/blast three feet from them!!!
Thanks again Ward, that was really important...
Here's a little clip from a recent session... how apropos!
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Second update: Friday 2 15 08 5.15pm.
The bill has been deferred. Cool... what does that mean? "Delayed, put off to later" says wordreference.com.
Too much opposition, too many opposing testimonies, too many good reasons not to approve it.
Thanks to everyone who sent emails, who made phone calls, who went to the public hearing. In the next hours I should have a few more details by somebody who went there. Stay tuned.
Let's keep the guard up, because the bill has not been rejected, but only deferred.
PS1. In the meantime, today I took part to a HUGE standup paddle surfing showcase organized by my friend Bill Babcock, editor of kenalu.com.
In six hours I tried 20 boards out of... something like 50. Check their website for the results and this blog for my very own personal report in the next days.
My back has never been so sore and I'm drinking the tastiest beer of my life.
PS2. In the past six days I had four 5 stars wavesailing sessions and two 4 stars ones. I don't remember a week like this in my whole life. I should post a mini report of each single one, but I got an incredible amount of stuff to post (and other things to do). Now instead, is the start of a week of light or no wind and great waves to surf. And next weekend there's even a south swell... life is great!
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First update: Thursday 3 15 08.
Ok, it's 2.45pm hawaiian time, so I guess it's too late to send testimonies via email (but if haven't done it yet, I would recommend to do it anyway!).
Thanks to all the people who sent emails and called other people to do that. Some of you also sent me the content of their emails (way more effective than mine... I wrote mine and this post at 6.50am and had to be out of the door at 7!!). Thanks for the comments too.
Let's not forget that the hearing is tomorrow Friday 2 15 08 at 2.15 in Oahu.
If you can, just get on the plane, go there and speak out loud. The more, the better.
Thanks again!
PS. I just had an amazing sesh at the outer reef at uppers... no surfers, no swimmers, just a bunch of kitesurfers but I'm alright with those...
PPS. I also just saw Alex Aguera catch the biggest wave I've see a windsurfer on at Hookipa: over two masts high. Too bad I was driving and couldn't take a photo of it... Took a bunch of Josh Angulo, though. Stay tuned for that...
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Just received an email from a friend (thanks!) that may REALLY mean disaster for the windsurfing industry/community in Maui.
Read this. For what I understand it's the Bill for an act (here details) that passed the first reading (here the history) and will have a public hearing on Friday at 2.45pm in Honolulu (Conference Room 414, State Capitol - 415 South Beretania Street).
According the first page I linked, there's the possibility to send tetimonies via email (testimony@capitol.hawaii.gov) or fax (586-6659 or 1-800-586-6659) at least 24 hours prior to the hearing. That's today Thursday 2 14 at 245pm.
If you read this in time, please send an email explaining that a law like this would mean a huge damage to the windsurfing related industry (shops, tourists), that in Maui is pretty big.
Please feel free to copy and paste the following text (that's what I'm going to email), if you feel like. Even better, explain your own reason for why you like or not the proposed bill.
For what I understand from the first page instruction, this MUST be the subject of the email:
Email subject:
Testimony to bill SB 2091 COMMITTEE ON WATER AND LAND hearing of Friday February 15, 2008 2.45pm
Email body:
A law like the proposed bill SB2091 would mean a huge damage to the windsurfing related industry (shops, tourists), that in Maui is pretty remarkable.
With a 200 feet limit, in fact, a single surfer on the break will virtually mean no sailboards on the break. And that'll be the end of wavesailing at Hookipa or Kanaha when there's waves and it's windy.
At Kanaha there's already the 11 o'clock rule (no windusrfing before 11am) that leaves plenty time to surfers to enjoy the less windy hours of the day.
At Hookipa there's already the 10 man rule (no windsurfing if more than 10 surfers in the water) that protects the surfers' safety.
A rule like the proposed bill SB2091 will not be fair towards windsurfers and kitesurfers.
Please, don't pass it. Thanks.
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57 comments:
To the State Legislature of Hawaii,
I am a resident of the state of Hawaii, writing to voice concern over SB 2091, Relating to Sailboards.
Passage of the bill as presented would mean elimination of sailboarding from virtually all Hawaiian waters where it is currently practiced, with grave consequences to individual freedom and to economic vitality.
Sailboarding and kitesurfing are practiced at a select number of suitable locations, for example, Kanaha Beach Park, in Maui County, and Ho'okipa Beach Park, also in Maui County. These locations present appropriate conditions of wind, waves, and access, that permit the safe and proper practice of these sports.
The majority of sailboarding activity in Hawaii takes place within a very concentrated area of just a few hundred feet, at just a few select locations like the ones mentioned. There are no other alternate areas available which present the proper conditions for practice of the sport.
In these locations, voluntary self-regulation and County Statutes are already in force to ensure that the waters are shared in a safe and harmonious way with other recreational users.
Passage of the bill would mean that the presence of just a single swimmer or surfer within 200 feet of these areas would require cessation of all windsurfing activity. This makes the proposed law unfairly restrictive and discriminatory.
As an added downfall, the law would have significant economic consequences, especially in Maui County, where windsurfing tourism and the windsurfing manufacturing and retail industries account for millions of dollars of annual revenue to the State and County. Restriction of windsurfing as per the bill would mean a decline in these revenues.
Please reject this bill, as its consequences are damaging and harmful.
Thank you for your consideration.
Name
Address
Hi Cammar!
Email sent!
I'm planning to get over to the islands next year. BUT, no windsurfing - no trip!
Are they seriously trying to shoot themselves in the foot?
Have there been any incidents between windsurfers and surfers/swimmers?
Best regards
Patrik ("Oåxen")
Sweden
Personally, I think that kitesurfing should be banned from any area within 1 km of any form of sentient life, and from any planet with intelligent life forms.
Saw this cross-posted on Boards.co.uk, then I posted it on bigwavedave.ca There have been several people respond that I know. I sent the following (as you will see, I didn't know about the swimmer thing as I rushed due to a meeting):
It was with great distress I read about the proposed legislation. I first visited Hawaii in 1990, and was planning to return again this year. At that time of my first visit, I was a beginner windsurfer and wasn't able to sail surf. Now my skills are sufficient to sail Kanaha, and perhaps Ho'okipa on a small day. I understand the proposed legislation to restrict any windsurfing or kiting within a 200 ft buffer of any surfer. This would essentially kill off any surf sailing on most breaks.
Windsurfing waves only works when conditions are much less than ideal for surfing (i.e., when its windy and choppy). I understand that there are already limits on sailing Kanaha, and perhaps other venues, before 11 AM, giving the surfers unhindered access to waves when they are likely to be best (before the winds generally come up enough for shortboard windsurfing or kiting). Surely this is sufficient, and the water can be shared in the afternoon?!
If this passes, I will not return to Hawaii, but instead go to other destinationswhich have a more sailor-friendly structure and culture. Many of my friends regularly visit Hawaii for extended vacations because of the surf sailing. I doubt they will continue to do so with other venues such as Baja offering similar conditions, cheaper living expenses, and a friendlier regime.
moreforce4 (I used my actual name on the email :) )
i just sent in testimony, this is riduclous.
Why now? Why now... :( Whe I finally have decided to go to Maui. When I finally have the economic possiblity, when finally the family agrees... sigh... First the rental-issues, then this.
Worst thing is that things like the rental-issue and this one created bad feelings between different parties, ending up in non-friendly vibes.
Email sent, now hoping it really will be rejected, so I can visit one of the places of my dreams...
This will have a bigger affect on places like Diamond Head where the wind is lighter thus more surfers in the water.
oh man. the final nail in the coffin for windsurfing. it's like swimmers and surfers are endangered species that need protection from the evil windsurfers!!!
time to sell all my gear. this is fucked...
Done.
God I live in the 200ft zone and will never get my feet in the straps both ways at this rate!
Has anyone told Robby Naish or the other multiple income bringers to this island? Glad to hear you have stupid politics too ~ fight!
The senator trying to pass this bill is Les Ihara. His email is senihara@capitol.hawaii.gov and his phone number is 808 586 6250.
Call him or email him do something.
Stop this bill from passing!
-Juan
I have emailed the committee, all the members of it, faxed my testimony, and also called all our local Senators (Baker, Tsutsui, English), who aren't on the committee but can exert influence.
I suggest you all do the same.
Our senator contact info can be found at:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/senate/members/members.asp
The members of the water committee can be found at:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/senate/comm/commWTL.asp
Steve Sussman
First TVAs and now this? No wonder real estate is plummeting on Maui.
Thank god I sold!!!
Thanks God I don't live on Maui!!
Sorry, we just don't like windsurfers.
GP, in case you did not know this, Uppers is officially part of the no-kite zone agreed upon by the Maui Kiteboarding Association in order to placate the FAA from banning kiteboarding entirely from the North Shore. On the MKA home page, there is a bulletin to discourage kiters from riding at Uppers, so that the precariously secured kiting access to other areas is not endangered - check it out for yourself.
I was at Uppers today, and, not only were some of the kiters - not all, some - being totally uncool (read: they were being dicks), but to top it off they all did not belong there, and they were in contravention of their own self-agreed limits.
Please do encourage them to keep going to Uppers, so that they are eventually banned entirely, when the compact agreement with the FAA comes up for renewal. It will be a good riddance, and not a moment too soon.
Even within the kiting community, the "old guard" is in dismay over the number of utter ass-wipes who are now flooding the sport.
You wanna know what this new law in the state legislature is all about? It's about kiters being dicks at Kailua and Diamond Head. These idiots do not give a rat's ass if they ruin it all for everyone else.
For a detailed explanation of the no-fly zones in Maui, click here.
Come to think of it, to paraphrase that notorious toe-tapper and self-proclaimed heterosexual, Senator Larry Craig, and, that inordinately influential bunch of sociopaths collectively known as the National Rifle Association, maybe it's not such a bad thing, if windsurfing is outlawed.
Why? Because, then, when windsurfing is outlawed, only outlaws will windsurf.
Not such a bad thing... I see great things ahead, for our sport.
From one day to the next a “law” like that could be passed, the public, kite- and windsurf industry and (pro) wave sailors getting maybe even unofficial info about that some days before. That’s bloody close to dictatorship, isn’t it ?
Next step they could prohibit surfing as surfers endanger the swimmers, they want to turn Hoo’kipa into a swimming pool. That's ridiculous, there’re enough other places to swim for tourist visiting the islands, I could imagine. But yes, 1000 swimmers visiting Hoo’kipa brings more money than 30 surfers. And swimmers are way easier to “handle” at the airport for example.
IMO the truth could lay in what gov. linda lingle says. How Annon 1, who is after 18 (!) years able to wave sail Hoo’kipa on a small day, proves, windsurfers are very ambitious and patient guys and might have some special character attributes which gov. linda lingle doesn’t like to see within their future “community”.
On the other hand the fact that some people are to incapable to share the water with others contributes to this bullshit.
At last Annon, I’d love if could could specify your comment, I just imagined being water tortured to admit that I am a windsurfer=outlaw…
Aloha Giampaolo,
just sent a mail.
I emaild them this. People who can, please show up, please involve lawyers.
To the State Legislature of Hawaii, writing to voice concern over SB 2091, Relating to Sailboards.
I am from Norway, and have been coming to Maui regularly enjoying the island and windsurfing and surfing. I am very sad seeing the development at Hookipa beach park, and now SB 2091.
I normally stay from 1 to 4 weeks, and I am planning my next week from 19-28 march 2008.
I rent cars/hotels/windsurfing & surfing equipment.
I eat out every day, go to movies etc.
I bring family and friends.
If this (SB 2091) gets passed, I will not visit the island anymore:-(
Kai Gilb
So if I lose my gear on a wave and have to swim for it, do I have to stay 200' away from myself?
Thanks for the river of comments and the quick reactions.
I only feel like clarifying that I wasn't encouraging kitesurfers to go to uppers. I was just showing my own personal attitude towards them: tolerance.
Saying things like "kitesurfers suck" or "kitesurfering should be banned from all planets" is the same as saying "windsurfing has been canceled" and shows the same kind of attitude that brings to Bills like this one described in this post.
I think kitesurfing is a great sport. And in 10-13 knots is a way more radical way of riding waves than on any kind of windsurfer.
Unfortunately a single kitesurfer takes a lot of room, way more than a windsurfer, but that's not a good reason to make them evil.
Sure, there's jerks that kitesurf. Just as there's jerks that windsurf and surf.
But for some reason I have never had a single problem with a kitesurfer on a wave. Not yesterday at uppers, not in hundreds of sessions in the last 7 years...
Most of my buddies, instead, hate them and constantly complain about them.
Mmm... could be the attitude?
Try smile at them, maybe they won't drop in on you.
If somebody goes to the hearing, please feel free to write a little report, I'll be happy to publish it on this blog.
sOrry wIndsurfErs, bUt thAts Life!
RiSt in PieCe
http://hookipagrom.com/
All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I'm fine. Time to dump my windboard and get back to surfing.
Quit all your whining, already! Just take up surfing. It's cheaper, requires less gear, more environmentally friendly, can be practiced in more locations in a wider range of conditions, and, as GP can attest, surfing has a higher proportion of teenage babes in cute bikinis.
I sent my $.02 worth in as well.
I am a surfer and hate it when wind surfers drop in on me but that is when I go get my gear and join them.I rarely have that happen.lets face it lower Kanaha is a zoo and isn't ever going to get better because it's so convient.It is definantly the best long board wave on this island until the wind gets on it. Who in thier right mind would want to sit out there and get sea sick for the chance to ride a crappy wave that would be delightful on another type of vessel. Hookipa is the same story but at another level. Both spots have showers and life guards in the event that somthing bad might happen.
Uppers and the out side reef are the future, but if you dont want adventure/ risk then be happy with your choice!Just try to smile ALOT,andYour going get dropped in on and pinched off your wave (their not surfers and don't give a damn about priority) Go back out side and get another one you might find a groove that is out of sink with the rest of the pack.If you choose to play at the same place at the same time that everyone else dose what should you expect.Intelegent people are going to get along and evolve.
See you on the outside reef and lets keep an eye on each other out there. It can be a bit spooky and there aren't any swimmers to stay away from except the ones that are swimming with there gear and I'll bet they will be happy to know that you are watching, even if you can't help.Aloha!
fatto gp. see you
Kelly Slater is right. Quit yer whinin.'
Just like Einstein said: "Survival of the Fittest!" Evolution is finally putting Windsurfing out of it's misery. Every time I go surfing on Maui, I see 80 year olds getting in my way windsurfing.
Seriously, what is the average age of a windsurfer, like 50?
it's 2:13 and this place is empty!!
Am I the only concerned windsurfer???
sent from my Verizon Blackberry
Like someone said previous, this act will affect places like Diamond Head much harder. There are always alot of surfers out (for some weird reason even when the waves suck for surfing) whenever we go windsurfing. This could effectively be the end of the birthplace of wavesailing for us windsurfers!!! :(
First time I heard about this bill. I sure hope that the windsurfing community in large here in the Hawaiian islands are aware and are acting on this crazy act of overregulation!!!! the hearing just started...won't be able to make it, but I sure hope that there are plenty of us there!
The Bill has been deferred!
According to Sen. Clayton Hee during this afternoon's Senate Committee hearing, there has been "an extraordinary amount of testimony in opposition to the bill", and the Senator who submitted the legislation requested the bill be deferred so "they can work on it".
A big Mahalo to everyone who took the time to email, phone or visit the committee members. Nice to know the system can actually work if we all get involved.
The Bill has been deferred!
According to Sen. Clayton Hee during this afternoon's Senate Committee hearing, there has been "an extraordinary amount of testimony in opposition to the bill", and the Senator who submitted the legislation requested the bill be deferred so "they can work on it".
A big Mahalo to everyone who took the time to email, phone or visit the committee members. Nice to know the system can actually work if we all get involved.
Till you kite, you won't get it. Kites need less space, less wind and less money than windsurfers. But you should be under 50 (years old) to participate, have a good attitude and enjoy a beer at the end of an epic session with your mates, without bitching about other people enjoying their sport on the water. I know a huge amount of kiters that fit into all these categories. Sounds good eh? Just ask me for more info!
'Just like Einstein said: "Survival of the Fittest!" '
Hey 'Sunny Garcia', that was Darwin, not Einstein. It would be nice if you take some time out off bitching online about other people having fun in the water and go to school....Besides, this legislature affected both kiting and windsurfing on Hawaii. Let's keep this catfight out of GP's blog please! He is all about peace and tolerance!
But serioulsy, I am glad I sent an email too. Together we can make a difference!
Marcos
...just heard a rumor from Oahu that it was a surfing/ lawyer that got pissed on a Kiter aka "Hunter" and wanted to get even and seattle this in a stealth mode without too much public involved...scary...
Rumor though...
Scary persons who needs to take one wave each.
Listen up, all you smart and perfect people, God's chosen ones... When the Universe sends you and your group feedback, in the form of the Hawaii State Legislature considering a bill to limit your activity, there are a few different ways that you can react.
You can say: "What's wrong with these people? Why are they out to get us? Why do they resent it so much when they see us having fun? Don't they know that we are perfect? Don't they know that we have an absolute God-given right to do whatever we please, wherever we want, anytime we choose? Why do they hate us so? Why do they hate our freedoms? They must be evil."
Sound familiar? This is what I see going on mostly on this blog's comments and on other forums.
An alternative would be to ask: "Is there anything that members of our group may have done or said that would cause other perfectly reasonable people to react towards us in a negative way? Have there been any incidents that would cause other people to view us as interfering with their own freedoms and their own enjoyments? For example, over the years, have there been repeated instances of collisions and or confrontations between kiters and beach-goers, or collisions and or confrontations between windsurfers and surfers, and so on, that lead others to believe that we endanger their safety? If so, is there anything we can do so that negative perceptions about us are limited, or reversed? How successful have we been at self-regulating and self-policing? Is there any room for improvement there?"
Tell you what, I don't see anyone anywhere asking these kinds of questions.
Cut to the chase. If I extrapolate the tenor of these comments, it's not a far stretch before someone just steps up to say: "Fellow windsport kooks, it is time that we topple the Hawaii State Government and replace it with a sailboarding/kitesurfing friendly regime! The 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy simply did not go far enough, and left some unfinished business remaining to be settled!" Let me be clear, for the benefit of any possible morons who might read this, and who might get the idea in their heads that this could be a good thing, or conclude somehow that I am advocating acts of sedition (yes, unfortunately, after seeing windsport kooks in action and hearing what comes out of their mouths, not to be mistaken with speech, I do believe that such morons do exist): I am not advocating anything here, just presenting a reductio ad absurdum argument to make a point, that's all. If you don't get it, bugger off.
The thing about history is that it always repeats itself, in odd and subtle ways, whether anyone remembers it, or not.
Ward,
thank you so much for your comments, it reminded me a couple of very important points that I wanted to make, but I forgot.
I have now updated my third update (at the end of it).
Thanks!
Aloha to eveery one that responded to this mess! Why dont we start swiming @ hookipa in the waves on big days that we are not good enough to surf and then call the cops because someone infringed on our rights!
It's good training!
We can be just like all the mainlanders with thieir covanances to protect them from thier neighbors that have encroched on thier envestments!
Or we could just find a way to get along and have monumintal seshons that no one cares about.
Shame on you for xxxxx with surfers when its good! When it's good for surfing give some space so we can all experss our selves!
There is some clearly definded surf edicate that everyone can understand.
Just play by the rules and we won't have these buracratit watch dogs breathing down our necks!
Sorry for the bad spelling w/out spell check I am lost! aloha
Anybody find a Mistral Beast or see it floating by? Separated near Ho'okipa, could be anywhere from Baldwin to Waiehu. White with orange stripes. Reward for return.
If you haven't noticed, there's also a Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7798190852
GP, thanks for posting that clip of the sailor and the surfer.
Could you (if you find a moment) post somthing about maritime vessel rules of right away and surfing edicate? I think
that alot of windsurfers/kiters have never really been in the line up so they are totaly in the dark. Perhaps they aren't really (jerks)thier just uninformed.
I have had some great experiances surfing and shairing the same wave with friends on sailboards it really is no problem as long as they are ahead of me and not cutting back. On those rare ocasions it's usualy margional conditions for boath of us.
deferred ?? i am not religious,but hey anyways
"thank *^& in God!!"
hay gp,
what happening with the hot sails old guy name "butch?"
i remember he always talking "hot sails" this "hot sails" that and sail kahana?
he drive the old vw van, you remembers he?
After all "Brainless" politicians doesn't exist only at the White House , it seems that you have them at the State of Hawaii too.
I've seen that local Hawaiians are everything but nice and friendly, the stickers on their monster trucks says it all ("You flew here. We grew here" and "Welcome to Hawaii...now go home").Perhaps local people have influenced them to come up with this genius idea.
They (politicians) simply don't understand that 60% or more of Maui’s North Shore economy is based on the windsurfing industry.
Fortunately there are a lot more places on earth without stupid and senseless laws, where we as surfers and windsurfers can co-exist in peace (Except for Kitesurfing that I agree it should be banned).
Since I’m a windsurfer/surfer, I’ve been 3 times in Maui and I was planning to go there every 2 years, but with stupid and idiot laws like this County project and another, already existing, that limits to 10 or 15 the number of people on the water. I won’t return for sure.
We still have South Africa, Cape Verde, WA, Baja, Canary Islands and my home spot Guincho , were every windsurfer/surfer is welcome
Pedro
Portugal
To all those windsurfers who think kiters should be banned and all those kiters who think windsurfers should be banned, and all those snowboarders, skiers, surfers, skateboarders, towsurfers, paragliders, mtn and road bikers and every other sport we all do. Quit f___ing crying about each other and realize that anyone of our sports could be banned overnight when I see shit like SB2091 and Superferry laws. Let's not spend our energies on each other but on our government which takes our freedoms away on daily basis.
Aloha Folks, I faxed my testimony in time but had no chance to go to oahu that next day.
Thanks to everybody else who actually did something, so the Bill got dismissed.
Keep in mind, that this bill can be back on the table at any time soon, and again without warning.
Everybody please get together NOW.
Check out this website: http://www.savewindsurfinghawaii.com .
Next time this issue comes up, they will submit all our voices straight to the senate - in bulk and in time.
We are not lossing precious time, and our voices will be heard.
Aloha, Ralf
Kula / Maui
No offense, but your choice of domain names is ironic. The windsurf equipment manufacturer, Windsurfing Hawaii, went bankrupt years ago.
So essentially, your website is trying to bring back the dead. Not cool. Do some due diligence next time. Or change the domain name.
It's bad juju.
I don't have a comment, I just wanted to be #50!
Glad to hear it is "deferred," but the thing I find most interesting about this entire subject is how "they" almost got this bill though without anyone aware of it, especially in the WS industry?! Luckily, we have the internet and forums/communication mediums such as blogs, content specific news sites, and email to voice opinions almost instantaneously. If this happened back in the 90s, windsurfing Hookipa may have been screwed. As others said, whether on the mainland, Hawaii, or your local spot, the eye of government regulation is always there, and people have to remain informed and aware. Our eyes are often lead off the ball with the influx of nonsense media (who watches Britney Hour on E!/Fox News, more than CSPAN?!); but when something like this which would have a direct impact slips as far as it did into the legislative arena...makes you wonder what else may have been missed on other issues?!
I wrote before that this bill is all about kitesurfers being dicks at Kailua and Diamond Head, and guess what, I was proven correct.
Now, I find it very ironic that kitesurfers all of a sudden want to "unite" with windsurfers, in order to protect themselves from the consequences of their own disrespect and disregard for others.
Windsurfing has worked hard to establish itself as a respectable sport with roots in the community. Windsurfing has paid its dues when it comes to access in Hawaii and elsewhere. Why in the heck would windsurfing want to "unite" itself with kitesurfing, a sport perceived as being practiced by a bunch of sociopathic hooligans hellbent on destroying themselves and everything and everybody else around them?
Kitesurfing is nothing but a boat anchor working as hard as it can to drag windsurfing to the bottom - and this bill proves it. In the public eye, the distinction between windsurfing and kitesurfing has become blurred.
What windsurfing really needs to do is to establish in the public perception a strong differentiation versus kitesurfing.
The public at large and the legislature both need to be made aware that windsurfing is NOT kitesurfing - the two are DIFFERENT in terms of equipment, in terms of demographics, in terms of safety, and in terms of impact.
And that, my friends, is the best and surest way for windsurfers to preserve access for their sport - NOT by blurring the differentiation with kitesurfing, but by reinforcing it.
Kitesurfers, dig your own grave, but please, don't ask us to lie in it with you.
Hey Pointius, Shut the fuck up!
Anon, it's Pontius, not Pointius.
What's the average age of the readers of this blog? Judging from the maturity level of some comments, I'd say around six!
Something extremely unfair was about to happen. This post, BY COMPLETE CHANCE (I thought about renaming it "the poo that saved windsurfing"), together with the tens of phone calls that Jeff must have done and the subsequent thousands of emails, pretty much saved our ass.
And now, instead of constructive contributions to finding a way of avoiding that something like this would happen again in the future (like how to effectively monitor new proposed laws), the only thing I find here is windsurfers whining about kitesurfers, surfers whining about windsurfers, abcsurfers whining about xyzsurfers... how depressing.
I'm over it.
Let me start posting some photos again...
Anyone remember that old satirical classic, "National Brotherhood Week," by Tom Lehrer? A throwback to a bygone era. With such time-honored lyrics as:
"All of my folks,
hate all of your folks,
it's American as apple pie."
You can listen to it here, or, in various other sound formats, here.
What does this have to do with anything? Plenty. "Just be grateful that it doesn't last all year."
PS. "I know there are people in the world who do not love their fellow human beings, and I hate people like that."
Hey, the fight isnt over. I just found ANOTHER bill trying to do the same thing. Check this out:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/docs/getstatus2.asp?billno=HB2222
Its a HOUSE bill similar to the SENATE bill as well.
-Marc
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