This was written after playing chicken with other kiters and poleys over the Christmas break, and as a reply to all the threads about rules on the water/leaners/Euros/whinging and how even the experienced screw up.

When you're on the water a STARBOARD tack - ie with the wind coming over the right shoulder - has right of way. It's a basic rule of the sea.
Those on port tacks - heading out to sea in a SW'ly at Dutch, heading 'in' to The Pond, heading towards Ardross at Melville, heading to Penguin at Shaolwater - should drop their kites or bear downwind a bit, if a poley, if faced with those coming at 'em on a opposite tack.
My dinghy instructor said the rule comes from the Vikings when their longships had steering oars on the right side of their sterns. This made them less manoeuvrable compared to a ship on an opposite tack coming towards them.
The steering oar of the port tack ship would have been on its leeward side and 'digging' deeper into the water, allowing the ship to bear away from the wind/oncoming vessel faster.
"Port" comes from the ships tying up with the steering oar-less side facing the wharf to protect the primitive rudder.
Or is this just a yarn spun to keep novice sailiors quiet?
Now could someone please explain how that affects the arcane rules waxheads apply when you take the kite in the surf?

alverstone said...

heading 'in' to The Pond... should drop their kites or bear downwind a bit...

Not to break balls man but if you spend 5 mins watching at the Pond you'll see the way the rotation works and the stbd rule doesn't fit with the geography. The upwind kiter (nearer the beach) has right of way so he has room to throw a trick. The rotation goes E to W. Once you reach the shallow end of the pond you turn and bear downwind to give way to kiters coming in who are about to throw down. If you take a stbd tack close to the upwind side, and try and insist by yelling "stbd" you're screwing it up for everyone and you're going to get a talking to about spacial awareness.

My $0.02

What are "Vikings"?

We just did this alverstone:

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/General-Discussion/Chat/Basic-give-way-rules/

so what if safety bay isnt the only place to kite? ^^ btw poley is on port tack. evil poley.

alverstone said...

ApatheticEnd said...

alverstone said...

heading 'in' to The Pond... should drop their kites or bear downwind a bit...

Not to break balls man but if you spend 5 mins watching at the Pond you'll see the way the rotation works and the stbd rule doesn't fit with the geography. The upwind kiter (nearer the beach) has right of way so he has room to throw a trick. The rotation goes E to W. Once you reach the shallow end of the pond you turn and bear downwind to give way to kiters coming in who are about to throw down. If you take a stbd tack close to the upwind side, and try and insist by yelling "stbd" you're screwing it up for everyone and you're going to get a talking to about spacial awareness.



My $0.02

Oops. I get your point, stand corrected and withdraw The Pond from the rule - it's a 'special' place for 'special' people - Alverstone.

KIT33R said...

We went to a lot of trouble at NSWKBA to prepare this "Code of Conduct" for safety on the water. Hope it helps.

http://www.nswkba.com.au/coc

The following below is taken from the Code mentioned above.
Thanks!!!

The following Right of Way guidelines should be adhered to when Kite Surfing: (courtesy of WAKSA)
There is no absolute right of way - All parties should take any action necessary to avoid a collision.


When two riders are on opposite tacks and there is a need to alter course to avoid collision, the port tack rider (left shoulder forward) shall alter course and/or kite position in order to keep clear of the starboard tack rider (right shoulder forward) who should maintain the same course and speed.


When two or more riders are on the same tack with kite lines overlapped, the upwind rider(s) shall keep their kite high and the downwind rider(s) keep their kite low.


When two riders are on the same tack and are not overlapped, the rider behind shall ensure the rider ahead is aware of the rider approaching from behind.


Never deliberately manoeuvre into a right of way position so that it interferes with another water user. If you are behind another kite heading into the beach, turn early to allow the lead rider plenty of room to turn. Always check for other water users before water-starting, jibing, relaunching a kite or recovering a board.


A rider shall not jump if there is any danger of possible collision with another rider.


When wave riding, the first rider on the face of a wave has right of way. This may override the starboard tack rule. Give way to surfers even if they drop in on your wave.


Give way to surfers and other water users when in the surf, at all times.


Do not tack out through a surf break that is occupied by surfers.


All riders should be aware of and abide by all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.

I think maybe this thread needs clarification for noobs (?)
Do what you do at the pond. If it is all kiters out, do what you do. Who cares.

However, if there are others out at a 'mixed' spot, yachties and windsurfers will assume that kiters know about starboard having ROW, and that the kiters will comply.

A noob reading this would think the rules don't apply to them. No, they may not apply at the pond as it is different, but pretty much everywhere else they do.

And waxhead rules about "first on wave owns it" still apply no matter if you can do 50m runs thru the break

CRUZIN said...

the pond should be no different, one set of rules/guidelines, starboard has right of way then everybody should know what the other is doing, its not that hard

Hey that is what I was going to say but I'm trying not to upset the kiters

Based on Ray Finkle rules...if the ball isn't held laces out you will miss wide right every time.

If you run into someone blame Dan Marino.

if everyone turns right then theres no problem!...

alverstone said...

This was written after playing chicken with other kiters and poleys over the Christmas break, and as a reply to all the threads about rules on the water/leaners/Euros/whinging and how even the experienced screw up.

When you're on the water a STARBOARD tack - ie with the wind coming over the right shoulder - has right of way. It's a basic rule of the sea.
Those on port tacks - heading out to sea in a SW'ly at Dutch, heading 'in' to The Pond, heading towards Ardross at Melville, heading to Penguin at Shaolwater - should drop their kites or bear downwind a bit, if a poley, if faced with those coming at 'em on a opposite tack.
My dinghy instructor said the rule comes from the Vikings when their longships had steering oars on the right side of their sterns. This made them less manoeuvrable compared to a ship on an opposite tack coming towards them.
The steering oar of the port tack ship would have been on its leeward side and 'digging' deeper into the water, allowing the ship to bear away from the wind/oncoming vessel faster.
"Port" comes from the ships tying up with the steering oar-less side facing the wharf to protect the primitive rudder.
Or is this just a yarn spun to keep novice sailiors quiet?
Now could someone please explain how that affects the arcane rules waxheads apply when you take the kite in the surf?

Sod off if your upwind raise your kite. Downwind lower your kite and bear off slightly. Next thing you'll want us to get a licence to have fun

i should have asked where the relevance is.
check your calender, its 2012.

alverstone said...

tgladman said...

What are "Vikings"?

For real? Oh well, here goes ....
They are the Scandanavian 9th century equivilent of FIFO mine workers. They would get on 90ft longships from Denmark, Norway or Sweden and raid/rape/pillage parts of England, and France, after their compatriots settled Iceland, discovered Newfoundland and traded as far as the Black Sea. Big hairy blokes with helmets with horns on their heads who fathered all those blonde backpacking lovelies with scantanavian bikinis who distract you from holding an edge at the beach.

PBR said...

Based on Ray Finkle rules...if the ball isn't held laces out you will miss wide right every time.

If you run into someone blame Dan Marino.

finkle, einhorne. einhorne, finkle....