poor relative said...
Its popularity will kill it.
Can't see it being killed by popularity, though maybe seriosly restricted in some ways or in some areas maybe?
Visually, It just captures the imagination of people, in particular the young and the numbers just keep growing. You can't make it less visually appealling.
One proposal that I've heard about, is that windsurfers and kitesurfers may be legislated as recreational water craft, and in the future be required to obtain a Recreational skippers ticket, and that licence numbers will be mandatory on all kite's and sails. That this will enable officer's of the legislated authority to impose significant fines, which will end up in court if not paid, on any behaviour that contravene's the legislation. Issues such as dangerous behaviour, rigging and launching, not observing giving way to starboard, sailing/kitesurfing within restricted areas, etc.
My source, tells me this was an idea/option in a brain-storming session at a meeting of the concerned govt authorities. That less invasive measures were favored to be trialled first, these will be observed, monitored and measured, and that licensing with a punitive approach is a future option, if the less invasive measures fail. My source said this would apply to windsurfers as well as kitesurfers. Might reduce numbers in both sportz
So it's up to all of us guyz, it won't be just kitesurfers that get restricted and banned, windsurfers are being monitored as well.
We are all on notice, and I think Safety Bay is the trial zone, so any windsurfer that puts a kitesufer, fellow windsurfer, or member of the community in danger at SBay gets a black mark against windsurfers, and any kitesurfer that does the same gets a black mark for kitesurfing. But if you read between the line/s I think both sports will be legislated against no matter whom does what.
