Hay fellas, not really expecting much of a response from this but just need to get some hot air off my chest and maybe others may appreciate it. I’m fairly new to the kite thing but have been steadily progressing and have worked up to being quite a competent boarder. I’m currently living in the north west of England and one would assume with its seemingly endless stretches of coast it would be the perfect place for this kind of activity, but o no. The council has spoken. All they have allocated is one undersized stretch of beach where no static flying or jumping is allowed; there is a list of 36 regulations that must be followed. Also you can only fly there is you have a permit, the permit is free they tell you, but again o no, the permit itself is free but in order to apply for it you have to pay for insurance through them and join their club, as far as I’m concerned this is extortion and I may have to become a kiting renegade.

Thank you I feel better now

I faced a similar problem with a spot by me ( now developed ) They put up signs and threatened fines. I looked at the fine as still being cheaper than a lift ticket for skiing and A LOT more fun ! I never did get a ticket. Around here we have lots of people to make signs but a real lack of people to back them up with fines.
+ I loved the idea of being a renegade at my age :evil: You don't get as many chances when your older.

I say, GO FOR IT !!!! Decide if the fines are cheaper + or better than being a pawn. Challenge the ticket. If you are in a respectable spot and get a reasonable Judge you may get your way :bird: :bird:

Another angle to look in to may be the line that they lose jurasdiction. If your tide goes out far enough you may be in international waters ?

I think I might check with the folks on the Flexi forum or maybe its racekites that lists "current bans" to see what's gone on in that area or get in touch with other locals.

From what I've read you UK fliers take kiting far more seriously than we in the States and I'm thinking you have the potential to ban kiting on that entire spot if you disobey - then not only will you loose your beach, you'll loose the support of your fellow fliers.

Personally, I'm glad we're not regulated over here and don't need to deal with insurance and clubs and all that crap but whereas you are more organized over there you may want to be mindful of how far reaching the ramifications are for the community when one kiter disobeys.

It does suck. I run a boxing club for kids locally and the number of parents who dont want anything to do with it because its 'violent' and state that 'this society is in enough trouble without me teaching them how to beat each other up' is depressing.

What Im trying to say is, people will always act on the first bad news they hear, and will seldom admit to being wrong. My adivce, fly anyways, you pay council tax...

Cheers for the feedback fellas part of me was thinking I may get told that’s just the way it is so live with it but now I think I’m gona have to go for it full hog, I’m thinking It may be worth my while getting a race kite, maybe something like a Yakusa then the rangers would have a tougher time catching up with me, Last time I went out I was chased along the shore by an old mark one land rover and with me flying a 2.5 pepper I wasn’t gona give him much of a problem. Love the bit about getting into international waters (snowbird) may have to look into that, we do have a long tide, anyway I’ll try and get a vid next time, me V the man

Snowbird, i'm 26 in less than a month, is that to old

You can NEVER be too old to be a renegade ! :evil:
Maybe it's just how things played out. I kind of bypassed the spirited days of snowboarding and skateboarding. It feels good to be back pushing peoples perception of what is and isn't extreme again. 26 is a great age. You can afford to get the gear you need and are young enough to push it to the limit !

I agree fully with the suggestion you consider your local kiting Community when pushing the rules. I may have been wrong :o telling you to go for it ! We had all but lost the place I used and development was on it's way. Policing of those small issues is not a priority here but I get the impression it's very different in the U.K..