wavehogger said...

Conditions - 18-25 knots - side on
Pinarroo - Perth

*Post Edited*
Summary: There was a kite accident at Pinarroo - the incident was posted since safety must be our no 1 priority as kiters and also to provoke possible suggestions from concerned kiters of how to improve safety for all...and 2ndly to keep our beaches open.

AKS has now shown their character and is leading the way to improve just that - thumbs up to them!

Please support their suggestions even if it means walking a bit futher north or south of the point.

I've noticed that Wavehogger (author of this multi-page thread) has edited his initial post. ^^^
His original accident report has been slashed down to a single sentence:
"There was a kite accident at Pinnaroo." ^^^
That's it. lol.
All the details have been censored.

Kitehard promptly went into damage-control when this accident was posted.
He quickly reached for his scissors and promised to cut 5 metres off the strings to minimize power-spike from over-steer.
Then thru frustration he made empty threats to turn the Point into his private kitedragging school beach if folks didn't get out of his face.

Dude, kitesurfing is risky business.
An accident was inevitable.
My sympathies to the victim.

the thing is nstructors have always tried to stay as far south as possible when teaching on land as nth of the point is wind shadowed. Problem is everyone lately has decided to go right up the beach to set up.

To crispy, that extra 15 to move is not always possible as most likely another instructor is already operating up there. Remember you guys were all in their shoes within the last 2 seasons pretty much.

Haha abesy that is rich coming from the number one offender but your right.

Hi Chris,

The area we are talking about is purely for launching and landing. We will not be teaching in that area. 50m may be a bit of overkill, but we do need a nice amount of room if two kiters want to rig at the same time and to allow for someone landing at the same time.

It is not a land grab at all, this is purely for the benefit of kiters outside of the school. The school may also use the area to rig and launch, but must then, same as everyone else, once the kite is up, move to an appropriate area further south, or maybe the instructors will choose to start further upwind in the first place.

Don't worry, you aren't losing anything, just gaining a safe launch and land corridor for all to use. It also allows the guys that launch boats a clear and easy access to the water without them running over lines. Not to mention the council tractors that come and go earlier in the day before you get there. Everyone gets the grumps when their lines are run over so we are just making it better and easier for everyone to have a great day.

Perhaps a little more than the width of the driveway is all that is needed, but seeing as the width of the drive is less than 10m wide and most peoples lines are 25-30m, it seemed prudent to allow an additional margin for error.

We hope you like the changes, it will be better for all!

If you want to come and discuss the ideas that were floated at yesterdays meeting which you obviously missed, come and have a chat with me, Todd, Pezza, Tim, Zach, Paul and Adi, Caroline, Ed, or the girls teaching for us that were at the meeting. It was a unanimous decision and brought up by the pinna locals who attended the meeting, not me.

Cheers mate,

KH

Thanks for clearing that up for me Darren. As long as the area is used for its intended purpose i think its a good idea and should work well.

Cheers, Chris.

Bigwavedave said...

It's so hard to take anything waveslave says seriously when he has a dick in both ears!

ZING! Winner with that call

WOOHOO

We have just returned to sunny, cold UK following a great holiday to WA. We spent most of our days at Pinnaroo Point with the AKS crew and local kitesurfers. We had a great time both kitesurfing and socialising with beach buddies we have befriended over the last year.

To Darren and all the guys we now know, thanks very much for all your help, encouragement and fun.

We have kited in many worldwide destinations and consider Pinnaroo Point to be a great place to kite in a safe and friendly environment, thanks to AKS; Darren, Ed and local riders. You don't travel 14,500 k for nothing!

You are all so lucky to have such a great place to kite amongst friends and professionals. Please think of us breaking the ice off our boards before getting in sub-zero seas!

We look forward to seeing you all again next season. Paul and Adi.

It seems theres a lot of angry people in this forum. And there's a simple solution if you don't like whats going on at the beach.....go to a different one.

The exact reason I kite at pinaroo is because of the culture that has been created by darren and AKS. There's nothing better than going to pina having a nice kite and sitting with the locals talking and having a laugh.

In saying that I have had two incidents in a year (In that year I've kited most days in summer and at least once every two weeks in winter). One incident someone didn't check my lines and it was launched with a line over the wing tip. As soon as others saw something was wrong I had 5 people chasing my kite and 2 helping me to get it detached.

Second incident was just last week as I checked all around preparing to boost there was no one in sight. Out of no where someone came and crashed into my kite as he was overpowered. I then let him have a piece of my mind.

I've had my board saved a few times and watched the regulars save so many boards and kites. There are a lot of people who will keep watch if they see a kite down making sure the person is ok.

I have never ever had a problem with people taking lessons as I know what to look for. Red kite = stay away. A big problem seems to be assumptions. There's no one behind me, there's no one down wind if I jump, that person has the ability to stop/turn. I often experience people kiting way to close because they think they have it all under control.

Mostly I do want to say that the kite school are so careful and dedicated. Even though I stopped having lessons a long time ago they are still teaching me new tricks and improving my kiting.