Spit rigging area

[telus022420]

There have been complaints of kiters jumping and almost hitting windsurfers on the beach as they walk their board along the shore near the honey hole.

How would the windsurfing crowd feel about moving the windsurfing rigging area to the southern end of the spit?

Pros:
Away from the honey hole and Jumpers
Quicker access to the wind
Easier to come in.
Will not have to cross kite lines with rigged gear.
Away from the dog area/tourist.
Shorter distance to the riverside?

Cons:
Longer distance to the turn-around.

[babymama]

I think the windsurfing rigging area is very small and limited as we speak. Moving the gear and control it in medium to high winds through all the kites and their lines is also very challenging. Most imoportantly, and dangerously is the broken, un-even stairs to the river. Every time I go up and down those "stairs" I am afraid for my ankle, and for my gear. It is very dangerous. It would be great if the same carpeted luanch was built for windsurfers only.

[C36]

I like the idea and even contemplated doing it last summer, as I really don't like the 'pardon-me, excuse-me, watch-your back' walk back and forth through a field of kites while being buffeted by the wind. I think it would make the passage easier taking your yet to be rigged gear out to the end of the spit. That location also would have access to river of estuary side once your gear is rigged.

Thanks for asking.

[Tony360]

Any OSRs from 3rd? Looks like a few 10 m kites up but the airport sensor says 11 knots?

[LeopardSkin]

I always rig at the south end of the spit anyhow. My favorite spot is near the top of the stairs. I don't know why I'm the only windsurfer who does this.

At low tide, I rig on the sandbar at the tip of the wooden pier.

Just carry your gear in one trip "Hawaiian Style." It's the same method of carrying gear at Doug's Beach.

[8mdude]

Works for me. I am versatile.

[max.spock]

I think the windsurfing rigging area is very small and limited as we speak. Moving the gear and control it in medium to high winds through all the kites and their lines is also very challenging. Most imoportantly, and dangerously is the broken, un-even stairs to the river. Every time I go up and down those "stairs" I am afraid for my ankle, and for my gear. It is very dangerous. It would be great if the same carpeted luanch was built for windsurfers only.

Agree! "Stairs" are extremely dangerous and should be fixed/covered..Moving the rigging area to the tip of the Spit sounds like a good idea to me..

[Whalepuke]

Whatever....it works fine the way it is. Launching in the river is sketchy stairs or no stairs. Sometimes there are kite knobs who park their kites in the path to the water for windsurfers. But there are knobs in other sports too. Let's leave the rigging area where it is.

[Whalepuke]

If it matters a couple of us are thinking of riding a slightly bigger board and sail from Nexen and avoiding the gong show aka the spit.

[Brian C]

Many of us, including me, have already made the Nexen move because of the friendly windsurfing crowd there, lack of river-mouth deathchop during tide changes, and small number of kiters. The disadvantage is lighter wind so you need to rig one size bigger and use a floaty enough board to be comfortable slogging back dead downwind when the wind drops. The upside of that is that it allows you to cruise the whole bay rather than be confined to the river mouth, and it's free!

I still go to the Spit when the wind is too light for Nexen, but usually you can get out to the windline if you use the right gear. Overall I prefer Nexen but I can understand why flat-water freestylers keep going to the Spit.