I'm hoping my family can come to play in the sand while I'm out on the water. With a sun sensitive wife (Lupus) we need a sun canopy or shade with room for a couple of young kids to play. I'm generally out on 15-30knot winds. Has anyone come across shelters that can cope with that sort of wind?

I built a house

Leave them at home, they and you will be grateful.

All chicks say they want to wait on the beach whilst you kite until the reality of it kicks in,.. 40 degrees, sweating, getting sand blasterd by 30knots,... you'll never hear the end of it. Sun shade or not its still fuct. I love the beach but you wouldnt catch me sitting on it 2pm mid summer.

And that post was more??

There's some really cool beach wind breaks they sell in Portugal, bought one whilst there but luggage was overweight on the way back so had to throw it out. Have since used a spare kite

Simplest might be the camping gazebo type. You would need to not use the legs on the windward side so that edge is on the sand. It would still be an effort. Ive used a tarp with windward edge buried in the sand and adjustable tentpoles propping up the downwind side.
A fair bit of effort. Last season a bought a beach shelter which is like a small tent and pops up and down in one action. Its great for keeping the sun off but wouldn't work in windier conditions.

www.kogan.com/au/buy/komodo-beach-shelter/

Something like this would be a nightmare in anything over 20 knots. It would just blow away. Possibly with ya kids inside it.

TylerS said..

Plummet said..
As other have said. 20+ knots is a no go for sun shelters and kids on the beach for any extended time.

Side note. You might have some luck if you can find a location with a groin or some form of beach obstruction that blocks out the wind for a portion of the beach. If they can hide behind that they might last a bit longer.

In truth you are far better off leaving them at home and blazing for a session.

Thanks mate,
Most often my spot is 13-18kn so it might just be possible and we could use the shelter for other beach trips on pleasant days as its more frequent gig.

thanks everyone. I'm happy for other ideas... I vaguely remember some of the kite companies using those large domes with 4 corners arching over huge cutouts. The other is the Lycra tents which my cope, especially the four pole option which leaves the materially essentially horizontal with minimal vertical edges. Have a great summer folks!

I totally agree with most, wife/girlfriends say they want to come and watch but reality is that it happens once (or maybe even chicken out as they walk down the path to the beach). If they do make it down, best they just have a long sleeved shirt and a hat that's tied to their head. Even if you get a barrier against the wind, the same cycles around the leeward side.

Lycra shelters also don't work. I bought one just for normal (no wind) days at the beach with kids but with a small puff of wind (less than 5 knots) it starts warping, flapping and falling over.

if the wife and kids want to watch you in the water, I'd say take up normal surfing in the morning before the wind picks up!!

Think about it
15 - 30 knts' pump up a 14 ' 10 '8 quiver on the beach
now to the family it looks like you've set them up some colourful beach shelters and makes you look like a caring parent
Where in fact your covering your arse for a decent session

If you do set up a sun shelter style gazebo in 30knts, just make sure your wife wears a leg rope attached to it so you don't lose it if it blows over.

I got a sportsbrella XL Not sure if you can get them in Aus but they are pretty cheap in US on amazon. i've had mine up in 25+ knots easy. Doesn't go anywhere. And it's biggg.

I've got one of these, and its great. Super easy to put up/down.

coolcabanas.com.au

Its got for up to about 22kts and then it starts to lean over. Sometimes you get spots behind dunes that are sheltered from the wind and its fine for even more.

orac said..
we've got one of these, work up to a point. recommend them for sure.
www.neso.com/collections/tents

You've gotta be kidding - ridiculous price, would not withstand 10 knots, went back to store the same day I bought it :-)

rgeo said..
I got a sportsbrella XL Not sure if you can get them in Aus but they are pretty cheap in US on amazon. i've had mine up in 25+ knots easy. Doesn't go anywhere. And it's biggg.

These are awesome - 8ft. Had 1 that lasted 5 years. Just bought a new one on fleabay $150.