Hi Guys

I am in St Kilda next week on a course and was going to kite in the evenings. I noticed its ESE wind all week. Can you still go out at St Kilda or should I leave my stuff at home.

I know its crowed out St Kilda before all you smart people just say leave your stuff at home. I have 8 year experience and SAKSA insurance so shouldn't add to much to the crowding problem.

cheers
Marcus

St kilda will be gusty. Do you have a car? Will adjust my suggestions based on it.

^^^^^ wind forcast looks like a solid 20-30knt ESE - E from arvo onwards
stkilda is kite able but chances are kite will fall on your head

Marcus,
st kilda is kiteable so you should be fine as long as the forecast doesnt change. I think monday should be good, it would be nice to see a fellow SA rider, so let me know if your heading down there.
-Wilfred

altona is full of sea urchins so beware , but still a great spot

Yeah there pretty bad , had a hand full of them last week , after stupidly putting my hand down to steady myself after a crash , still love it down there lol

winter said...

And season is officially open with a cabrina in the trees today at Altona

Better than in the power lines.

koma said...

winter said...

And season is officially open with a cabrina in the trees today at Altona

Better than in the power lines.

Actually, it was in the power lines

Saffer said...I think we should ban cabrinha's from altona. These guys will be the death of kiting in Altona.

Any idea what happened? Launching overpowered? Self launch gone wrong? Someone out on a 12m when the wind was gusting over 30?

No doubt another "accident" that could have been avoided but wasn't...

It was spiking to over 30kn late yesterday afternoon so that 12m would've been a handful even with it's 110% depower.

And another view.


Are the clowns who sell these kites warning people not to believe the hype about how much depower they have? I agree with Saffer, if you own a 12m and you weigh 75-90kg then anything more than 20ish knots you should seriously consider coming down a size. Besides, smaller kites are **** loads more fun.

superlizard said...Granted, accidents can happen to anyone, but FK off from altona main beach if you don't know how to kite responsibly. I'm confident kiter but even 9 meter kite was too much yesterday.

I was out on an 8m yesterday and at ~85kg i was pulling depower as it spiked over 30kn. Most of the riders i was around were out on 9's or 10's and were approaching survival mode when a solid set of gusts rolled through.

I guess it's just that when a new kiter asks for a one kite quiver for Melbourne they're almost always recommended a 11/12/13m kite depending on their weight. I know when i was inexperienced i had no issues in not putting up a kite if i thought it was too strong for my ability and distinctly remember more experienced riders saying "you'll be right" despite me not being comfortable with the conditions for my experience level and equipment. If everyone had to learn on near zero depower kites like the old '03 C-kites it'd probably give people a better ability to judge wind speed and power.

I think the influx of inexperienced riders had a lot to do with some St Kilda schools recommending people head to Altona for the SE'ers. Sure, the conditions are right but the margin for error is substantially less than at St Kilda where the run-off from the waters edge to and serious danger is closer to 100m (tree's and road) compared to Altona's average 5-15m.

A warning to inexperienced kiters:
Just because someone else is out on the same size kite that you've got, if it feels like stronger wind than you're used to, play it safe and either wait for it to ease off a bit or just sit this session out. Better to wait for tomorrow than be in hospital and rehab for a month.

Does anyone know whether the person in question was a beginner or an experienced rider?

Someone is running lessons there as well. Anyone know if they have permits for altona??

Is it adviseable to recommend noobs kite near the pier end where there is slightly more room downwind and chance of someone helping them out if it turns to ****? Wanted to say something to a couple of guys but didn't want t sound territorial or anything

if your on about kssaltona they dont teach from the main beach at altona they have a completly different spot for this reason

and yes they do have council permits

as for the st kilda shops coming over i have no idea if they do ?

Saffer said...

markey said...

if your on about kssaltona they dont teach from the main beach at altona they have a completly different spot for this reason

and yes they do have council permits

as for the st kilda shops coming over i have no idea if they do ?

Thanks. Good to hear they haven't gone with the altona main beach as their teaching area.

well im pretty sure kiterepublic are teaching there then. A few instructors out on the water on sunday with 'team' written on their back

^^^^ no it was DEFINITELLY lessons... and not just lessons but a mass lesson. ANd it didn't seem like it was run by a local shop or crew. There was like easily a dozen noobs dressed in white trainee tops... not sure how many trainers they had... but a scary sight... Haven't seen this before at Altona...

First issue here - you are not supposed to kite close to the pier at all, but i suppose authorities don't really care now that the weather has been cold and not many people on the beach. But once we get hot weather and the beach full of people especially around the pier, this could get really ugly...

second, altona is already too congested, so i seriously doubt regular kiters (notice i'm not using word 'locals') will be willing to leave the beach for several kite schools. One lesson at a time and out of the way of other riders is acceptable and been always happening anyway...