Contact   Imprint   Advertising   Guidelines

GKA Tracing Stickers

Forum for kitesurfers
madworld
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 544
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2013 8:52 pm
Local Beach: Never never land
Style: Cruising
Gear: Rich peoples throw aways.
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 36 times

GKA Tracing Stickers

Postby madworld » Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:04 am

https://www.global-kitesports.org/gka-tracing-stickers/

New Tracing Sticker Program Launching Summer 2021
At its core, the Global Kitesports Association’s main objective is to continually ensure that kitesurfing has safe practices through the development and implementation of equipment standards. Our goal is to maintain beach safety and access for kitesurfers around the world. As head of the GKA, Jorgen Vogt has been working tirelessly in the development of what may be some of the most important safety standards for kitesurfers to date–tracing stickers.

Tracing stickers have been developed in response to the countless complaints that the GKA receives regarding kitesurfers and rescue services. One of the biggest issues regarding kitesurfing beach and water access is in having a collaborative relationship with water safety and government rescue services. In recent years, the complaints received have come to a head and the GKA has taken action to maintain beneficial relationships with governing bodies.

The main issue is floating kites in the worlds’ oceans, without kiteboarders attached to them. This poses a significant problem for rescue services because a floating kite signals a downed and potentially lost kiteboarder. Authorities do not know if the kiteboarder is swimming helplessly in the ocean or lost at sea and therefore comprehensive and expensive rescue missions are launched. Rescue operators may waste countless hours attempting to track down the “lost” kiteboarder and resources are squandered when the identity of the potential victim goes unknown for extended periods of time.

Unfortunately, and more and more commonly, complaints are also brought forward to the municipalities and the police and some of these authorities consider banning kitesurfing as a result. This problem could be easily solved, if the rider’s name and telephone number were attached to the kite. In that instance, the rescue service could then call the rider and discover if they are already back on land or indeed in need of a rescue mission.

This simple solution will help keep kitesurfers more safe as well as enable a better and more sustainable working relationship between kitesurfers and rescue services around the world.

As a result, the GKA has worked with kitesurfing manufacturers to coordinate the roll out of the GKA Tracking Sticker. Kite brands have collectively decided to put a waterproof sticker on any new kite onto which the owner can write their contact details. The sticker can be easily removed from the kite in case the owner wants to sell the kite. Stickers shall also be available at dealer stores.

GKA Tracking Stickers Bullet Points

GKA Tracing stickers shall be added to each new kite. Stickers shall also be available at each kite-shop.
It is important that the stickers are placed at the same spot on the kite to make it easy for the rescue team to find it. The best placement is the middle of the leading edge. It is planned that brands will print a “frame” for the sticker on the front-tube to make a clearly marked location for the sticker placement.
Slingshot is now the first brand to produce its new models with the printed sticker placement frame. They will also be providing a sticker in the kite bag for usage by the customer as recommended.
Stickers can be produced by each brand individually or ordered with the company Tramontana.
GKA Tracing Stickers can be ordered in packs of 100 pcs here: https://www.tramontanagrafixx.com/gka-stickers/

Feel free to contact the GKA for any questions regarding the Tracing Stickers.
EMG_Sticker_GKA_01_final-300x178.jpg
EMG_Sticker_GKA_01_final-300x178.jpg (27.88 KiB) Viewed 912 times

User avatar
Toby
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 50345
Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2001 1:00 am
Kiting since: 2000
Weight: 95 kg
Local Beach: Cumbuco, Brazil
Barra do Cauipe, Brazil
Favorite Beaches: same
Style: Airstyle
Gear: Rebel 2015 18
Brand Affiliation: None.
Location: World (KF Admin)
Has thanked: 832 times
Been thanked: 2365 times
Contact:

Re: GKA TRACING STICKERS

Postby Toby » Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:33 am

great idea I must say.

Makes sense.

Guess many should be available during the Kite Masters in Germany, mid of August, since it will also be a huge demo event.

SMJ
Frequent Poster
Posts: 346
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2020 11:29 am
Kiting since: 2040
Gear: Cabrimha, Core, Flysurfer, Carved, Naish, Duotone, Ocean Rodeo, Slingshot, Liquid Force, Lift, Spleene, Mystic, ION.
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 59 times
Been thanked: 79 times

Re: GKA Tracing Stickers

Postby SMJ » Fri Apr 09, 2021 1:32 am

Or this...
Attachments
Sharpie.JPG

Floating around
Medium Poster
Posts: 100
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2019 12:00 pm
Kiting since: 2000
Weight: 82kg
Favorite Beaches: Lake Garda
Style: Lawn mower
Gear: Nobile infinity foil
Gong strutless
Flysurfer Peak 4
Groove Skate
Kauper Falcon
SAB foil
Brand Affiliation: None
Has thanked: 12 times
Been thanked: 6 times

Re: GKA Tracing Stickers

Postby Floating around » Fri Apr 09, 2021 7:58 am

Nice.Bit of rider education would be good too, if you lose a kite call the local authorities with the details. To many stories of kiters being found safe at the pub....

User avatar
iriejohn
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 2618
Joined: Fri Dec 18, 2015 11:04 pm
Weight: 80kg, 1.78m
Local Beach: West & East Wittering (UK South Coast)
Style: Make it up as I go along
Gear: Bars, Kites
Twintips, Directional
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Noviomagus Reginorum
Has thanked: 554 times
Been thanked: 284 times

Re: GKA Tracing Stickers

Postby iriejohn » Fri Apr 09, 2021 8:06 am

How many previously unreported floating 'orphan' kites are reported every year? Tens, hundreds, how many?

Just put one of these stickers on your gear, been doing it for years. If/when you sell your gear just remove the sticker, no need to try to remove marker pen / Sharpie writing.

www.sea-id.com
The price is £1.00 per label plus £1.00 for each variation of layout or colour. Shipping is £2.00
GKA trying to solve a problem that's already been solved.
These users thanked the author iriejohn for the post:
downsouth (Fri Apr 09, 2021 7:33 pm)
Rating: 3.03%

downsouth
Rare Poster
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2017 4:20 am
Gear: Dice , NEO , Bandit Razed ....
Brand Affiliation: still working on that one .....
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 8 times

Re: GKA Tracing Stickers

Postby downsouth » Sat Apr 10, 2021 6:48 am

A brilliant invention from the Ivory tower


Return to “Kitesurfing”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot], bittersvolcom, bragnouff, bshmng, crosisca, DanielorDani, Exage, Google [Bot], grigorib, jjm, Kemperman, Pitu, plasma180, PullStrings, purdyd, rnelias, rStorms, tonester, Windwarrior and 438 guests