Hi all!

Just to let you know that a beach user group has been set up for kiters who do the downwind runs past City Beach to Scarborough or Trigg, or who just kite in the area!

If you enjoy using the coastline in the above area, or care about access, or would like to meet other local kiters, please send us a PM so that you're officially (and socially) included.

We now have a dedicated email address and this Seabreeze ID (similar to Leighton Kiters).

We have the full backing of WAKSA as a beach user group and will be updating you on events and developments!

Hello good luck with your efforts I support your pro-active stance there are some pretty interesting things going on at times particularly in the brighton area

One point I think that needs clarifying
1. Stay away from surf lifesaving flags; keep at least 50m upwind and downwind and stay at least 200m out to sea.

The point stay at least 200m out to see, I assume refers to travelling downwind past flagged areas?

One point worth considering - if your passing through the brighton area common sense says you dont cut straight through the middle of all the people already kiting in one particular area but observe the fact that people are doing tacks and incoming on a wave/swell ready to start ridinng a wave?

My 2 c good luck

Brilliant stuff.....looks like there are now local user groups at Melville, Rocko, Leighton and Scabs......Metro getting covered pretty well!

With WAKSA support for incidentals like printing brochures, then we as locals are on the way of getting the info. about our spots out. As far as I am concerned, the Touros, Blow Ins, what have you, all really want to do the right thing. Dick heads are the minority who will be less and less inclined to screw up when they know the locals are united on what is the agreed upon protocol. However, it really is up to the locals then to set the right example and crap on people doing the wrong thing.

I've always believed that it is the locals who will eventually do what is required to protect their spot. However, we must not forget that if WAKSA is to support these groups then the locals should be WAKSA members also. I have thought that if AKSA funds are pooled to get a good insurance deal then the surplus should go back to supporting local user groups, esp. if they have good WAKSA representation.

And let us make it a habit here to always help each other out when launching and landing, esp. in the Metro area. In a way kiting IS a team sport esp. if we want a friendly safe environment to kite in. Perth is our kiting Mecca and it is great to see the enthusiasm from lots of new people to keep our spots open and safe.

Coolo

when im sitting in the pit goin right i wont be trying to avoid contact with some goofy just cause he thinks he has right of way, you can bash that up yer ass!!

Count me IN.

(Grey hair)

Everyone! This is great! We now number 13 overnight. Keep those PM's coming!!!

Yes, it is 200m out to sea in around the flags, to avoid swimmers, have a safe buffer zone, etc. This rule applies to all water craft and is nothing new, just publicising it better.

NB: A bit more history on the guidelines - at the meeting and after, which some of you were there for - it was agreed that we have a pared down basic version.

Comments noted about surf rules / wave right-of-way / courtesy amongst downwinding kiters vs out-and-back kiters. I think we can develop these but 'the basic guidelines should remain clear and simple' was the consensus at the meetings. OK?

PM us if you would like minutes / discussion details please, or just to find out more about us.

Great Idea!!! Count me In!!

tgladman said...

i'm all for some guidelines, sounds great, just a question about in between the groines at city beach, sometimes there are a lot of swimmers/ beachgoers/surfers in the area just north of the northern rockwall (this is quite a small area), therefore my mates and i launch just south (in between the groines) of the northern rockwall where there are no people. should we consider not launching from here in the future?

Yes please - it was a SLSC request .

I have seen the small crowd north of the northernmost groyne too - probably sheltering from the wind!

Is it ok for you to launch just downwind / north of them in a SW seabreeze? Normally a long clear area of beach there.

If clear, the sand area between the sea wall / steps / shower and the start of the groyne has also been used to launch. Just look out for the information sign in the middle of that patch! Then enter the water clear of other users, to the north of the groyne.

Cheers! Thanks for supporting the guidelines too - please help to educate others (as friendly kiters) as required

herbyburger said...

when im sitting in the pit goin right i wont be trying to avoid contact with some goofy just cause he thinks he has right of way, you can bash that up yer ass!!

I second that herby

Noice.

Get on board and help keep the peace/access for your area.



Also - obviously it's pizz easy to make smart @rsed jam up ya freckle comments regarding the above guidelines. But they are simply that guidelines.

Lets face it Wave Heros there is rarely anything in the Perf Metro that resembles an actual wave, with a coherent section, so it get ya hand off the love stick and use a bit o' common sense and courtesy ay Closeout Kings.


Getting groups like Leighton, Mullaz and now Scarbs along the coast can only be a good thing and a big step forward for all users for sure.

Tops.

We're 29 now!

C'mon... can we get to 30?

Would anyone object to amending the guidelines (see original post) to include 'swimmers and other people*' in the 50m 'stay away zone'? Not just saying 50m from the SLSC flags?

*There are a whole list of other safe kiting guidelines which we can point to on the WAKSA site but there seems to be several mentions by kiters in the area witnessing kiters going too close to swimmers and kids on the beach - so perhaps a specific mention is needed.

Possibly also a note to be courteous to other fishos / surfers / windsurfers / other kiters to avoid collisions and disrupting their enjoyment? What do you think?

Darwinism perhaps.. I wouldn't be game. But then again a swimmer takes up approx 1-2 metre radius of space wheras a kiter (showing decent safety by stayin the distance of the lines) 25-50m radius.

So who is hogging the space then?

Kiters freak right out at the mere thought of being excluded from a few beaches but then expect swimmers to only enter the water in a handful of spots spanning mere metres on a long stretch of coast? Er.. How's that again? The traffic should be enough to deter most swimmers but most people in this world go through life with blinkers on really.


In a more serious answer to your Q? Gracey I reckon (as I have said many times) we should all be landing 50m south of the walkway instead of (conveniently for smoov pack up and exit) at the walkway.

Why do we land there? Convenience/lazyness.

Why does the distant relative of Charly Darwin swim there? Convenience/lazyness.

We are all lookin for the same thing; a quick easy get in and out for our fav pastime. Diff is we are the hazard not our Darwinian friend.


Showing consideration and voluntarily moving our land spot 50m south would be a great step in fostering relations in the area I reckon. Most likely it would result in less freak-out moments that may end in a complaint from Joe Public.

ScarbKiters said...

We're 29 now!

C'mon... can we get to 30?

Would anyone object to amending the guidelines (see original post) to include 'swimmers and other people*' in the 50m 'stay away zone'? Not just saying 50m from the SLSC flags?

*There are a whole list of other safe kiting guidelines which we can point to on the WAKSA site but there seems to be several mentions by kiters in the area witnessing kiters going too close to swimmers and kids on the beach - so perhaps a specific mention is needed.

Possibly also a note to be courteous to other fishos / surfers / windsurfers / other kiters to avoid collisions and disrupting their enjoyment? What do you think?

I would say it's more realistic to make the exclusion 25m from those in the water. The length of the lines seems ok? 50m - although ideal - can be tricky along the downwinder stretch.


EDIT: Ultimately treating the other water users with respect is the go. Respect includes realising how intimidating it can be to be virtually motionless (and feeling helpless) as - what, for all purposes appears to be - an adrenalin junkie comes throttling at/around you. Not a cool feeling and one that most kiters would not like to experience.


I have seen 1st hand tools treating kids n parents as a slalom run (dunno who the uber nob witha chrome dome on an Octane is?) and literally zig-zagging between them 5-10m max apart in waist deep water. Soooo stoopid and selfish. A swimmer heading out into deep water in heavy kite traffic is obviously a bit diff but the Octan Uber nob takes some beating for tool o' the decade.

herbyburger said...

when im sitting in the pit goin right i wont be trying to avoid contact with some goofy just cause he thinks he has right of way, you can bash that up yer ass!!

Looking at Jays profile, it doesnt look like he has issues riding right, or left handers.

Perhaps you got the conversation mixed up with the gay dolphingripping private conversation you had going on with your mates in the other tab, which in reality, you do go right and left handed?

bennyboost said...

jay said...

What about Rule 4. "any one attempting to ride a right hander (on a SW wind) shall give way to a rider going left. Opposite applies on NW wind"

Not my fault you can't ride a wave upwind. Before we invent a new rule, try sticking to the generally accepted unwritten laws. But Ill write it for you anyways:

Basic Wave Sailing Rules

1. Anyone picking up a wave first has right of way.
2. When two riders catch a wave at the same time, the one closest to the peak has right of way.

Benny, everyone knows that riding upwind is way easier than rider down wind on a wave. No skill needed to park your kite and do the 'bowel twist' as waveslave puts it.