Is WingSUP against the law in my harbor?

[kwhilden]

Hi All..

So I often SUP in King Harbor, Redondo Beach California.  I am getting into Wing SUP, and unfortunately the harbor has a law against windsurfing.  It's written thus:

(d)  No person shall operate any non-motorized surfboard-like vessel of any length, propelled solely by a sail and with a mast which is required to be held upright by the operator to sail, within the harbor.

So what do you all think... would I get hassled if riding a WingSUP?  There's clearly no mast. But I doubt the harbor patrol would be able to tell the difference between wing SUP and windsurfing.

What if I kept a paddle strapped to the deck, so I'm not "solely" propelled by wind.  Would it even work to paddle a SUP with a wing attached too? 

Thoughts and advice welcome. This is the closest place to wing near my house. 

Kevin

[PonoBill]

Well, clearly they were lawyering to enable sailboats and exclude windsurfers, so yes, you can wing. You have no mast, and I'd make a fake boom for the wing using a paddle. I've done it before, works fine, it's just a little more clumsy than using just the shaft for a boom.

I'd print out the reg and keep it with me. The reason the regulation is written with the language they used is to be specifically exclusive (the fuckers). Until they convene to rewrite it, you're gold. And if you wanted to screw with them a little, when and if they decide to exclude you, get the windsurfers to protest the entire exclusion. It's a city property, I suspect the city council has to meet to change the regulation. That's when the fun can start.

[surfcowboy]

Dude, go to Belmont and Cabrillo. Why make harbormasters and boaters hate wingers, right?

The issue will be the speed. You won't foil til you're over the speed limit. They say no wake zone but speed is why they don't let efoils rip through the harbor either.

90% chance we will meet in the water. I promise I'm not a jerk lol. But please don't be the guy who starts the bans on winging in SoCal because you aren't willing to drive a little. Also, you only need to do it for a while and then you can go to the beach once you get things dialed.

DM me and I'll give you a list of places to go where you will get better wind and have way more fun. There's an amazing wing crew growing here and we'd love to welcome you. That'll be easier if you're not the guy on the news fighting to ride a spot where we're not wanted when there is better water not far away. 

Either way, hope to see you soon in the water. Good luck!

[kwhilden]

Yes I know Cabrillo and Belmont are much much better places to sail.  But I am a member of the King Harbor Yacht Club, and I want to be able to ride my board from my club. 

You're right that foiling will break the speed limit, but I could also just wing on a standard SUP. 

Sailing dingy's are used all of the time from the club, and I just don't see any significant difference between a sailing dingy and a sailing SUP.  Do you really think that bans on wings are a likely possibility? 

[surfcowboy]

If you're discussing reasonably I'm sure you'll be fine.

As to bans, ask the kiters, while there are strong reasons kiting was relegated to a few places wings risk getting lumped in just because it's hard to differentiate between craft and easier to say, "no guys standing on boards with a sail" or whatever.

Up at Castaic Lagoon a couple of guys went to the manager of the lake and demonstrated the new sport (only do this if you're good lol) and got them to approve it as long as a PDF is worn.

 But the difference between this and SUP is that it is 100% powered and you really don't modulate your speed much (you can but it takes experience.) So I could see wings being a serious traffic problem if there were more than a few in a harbor. Also, beginner wingers are basically speed bumps for boats.

Let me know if you need a few capable and presentable wingers to show off the sport. I am NOT one lol but I know a few. 😅😆😂

[PonoBill]

Damn, the voice of reason shows up while I'm having fun inciting mischief.

[surfcowboy]

Haha. Pono, your description of ripping across the river is one of my first memories of hearing about wing foiling. I've experienced the same thing, get on, get up, and gooooooooo