Pimp Yo Kite - The Kiteboarder Magazine

Shop Talk: TIKI BEACH EAST
Name:
Neil Hutchinson
Nickname:
The Marlboro Man
Age:
36
Location:
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Year’s Riding:
8 years
Website:
tikibeacheast.com
Neil at his desk.
Lens: Jerry Smith
How did you get into the kiteboarding retail
business?
I started kiteboarding in Fort Lauderdale eight years
ago with my good friend Chris Kjos. Shortly after,
he opened up a school/shop where I would help
out with lessons when not traveling and competing.
Chris recently retired and I did not want to see
kiteboarding at our only launch be jeopardized, so I
bought the school/shop and Tiki Beach Watersports
was born.
What is the kiteboarding scene like in your
area?
Kiteboarding in Fort Lauderdale is like being part of
a big family. We have all levels of riders here from
beginners to full on pros. Even when it is not windy
we all hang out together and can be found every
Tuesday and Thursday nights at the Treasure Trove
for “Kite Night” cocktails.
Are there any rules or regulations kiters need to
be aware of?
Fort Lauderdale is a very populated public beach
with lifeguards and our riding area is only 500’ wide
until you are 100 yards offshore. If you can’t go
upwind comfortably this is not really a spot to kite
unless you are taking a Jet Ski supervised lesson.
The lifeguards are actually now required to write a
report every day stating how many kites were in the
air, how many infractions occurred and submit it to
the city officials.
How does your shop support the kiteboarding
community?
The kiteboarding community here is now actually a
club. To join, you need to be able to go upwind and
pay $20 per year. In return, we provide unlimited
iced water, air compressor, keys and valuables storage,
hammocks and monthly organized parties.
We also offer free lessons to all local lifeguards.
What tips can you offer visiting kiteboarders
who want to hook up with local riders and kite
in your area?
Tiki Beach is located in the heart of Fort Lauderdale
directly on the beach two blocks south of Las Olas
Blvd in front of the Oasis Café, or meet the crew on
a Tuesday or Thursday evening one block north at
our local sponsoring bar The Treasure Trove.
A bird’s eye view of Tiki Beach. Lens: Jerry Smith
What is the best way for people to check the
forecast and current conditions in your area?
If you plan to ride here bring all of your gear as the
wind can be anything here from 10-15 knot sea
breezes to 30-40 knot frontal winds. Typically the
best time for wind here is in the winter, November
to April. In the winter, look for cold fronts traveling
through Florida. The summer is hit or miss but feel
free to call the shop for an update.
Where do you think the industry is headed?
The sport is growing at an extremely fast rate and
due to gear development, it’s getting safer and easier
to learn every year. This is good, but can lead
to a false sense of security. Sure you can depower
many kites 100%, but if in the hands of a beginner,
if something goes wrong, you still have that size
kite in the air in strong winds, which can be very
dangerous. You still need three kites.
Internet sales have also grown over the last few
years and have helped many kiters get into the
sport, but this has not been so good for shops that
are normally the local school. Many online buyers
have tried to teach themselves which can lead to
disaster and potential closure of a site. If we start to
lose local shops/schools, kiteboarding will become
anarchy with less access to lessons and no organization
trying to protect the privilege of kiteboarding
at some beaches.
Competitions have started to become much more
rider and spectator friendly due to new disciplines
like BoarderX. If you can go upwind and jump a
little, you stand a chance of doing really well. This
will help take the sport in another new and fun
direction attracting more to our family.
WIndcult.com. Lens: Alexis Rovira
Cool kiteboarding t-shirts are often few
and far between but The Kiteboarder
came upon a new company that we think
you will be stoked on. Kiteboarding
addict and contemporary artist Jay Brockman
has created a new tribal graphic
t-shirt and website called Windcult.com.
Northwest kiters can thank Seattle
Kiteboarding Center for pioneering and
opening a new snowkite area at Stampede
Pass in the Watertown area, just
an hour from Seattle. Starting this winter,
SKC will be offering snowkite lessons
with snowmobile support. Experienced
riders can also enjoy the diverse terrain
offered at this site, but access is available
only by snowmobile. For more info,
weather conditions and forecasts, see
gokiting.com. The Center will continue to
do water lessons at Magnuson Park on
Lake Washington when weather conditions
are conducive.
Julie Simsar recently joined the Misultin
Zone International Team in Italy.
She will be representing Misultin Zone by
competing on the KPWT, and traveling
around the world. Misultin Zone is an
Italian designer brand originating from
Lake Como. Misultin is actually a fish that
swims in Lake Como. Paolo Gioni is the
International Team manager, and actively
supports kiteboarding and all extreme
sports. Julie is super stoked on her new
clothing sponsor and proudly wears her
“Misultin, the only naked fish” logo.
The Kiteboarder not only prints and
distributes the best kiteboarding mag on
the planet but also publishes a family of
action sports calendars. Available this
November, be sure to check out our 13month
wall calendars featuring images
from the kiteboarding, tow-in surfing and
surfing worlds. Thekiteboarder.com