Hi !
Today I went down to ricketts (north) to teach windsurf to my girlfriend on flat water.
Someone came and told me that we were not allowed to windsurf there because it's a marine protected area ...
I sometimes go to ricketts south (in front of lifesaving) when it's westerly and nobody never told me that windsurf is forbidden down there ???
Are there any special rules during summer ?
cheers
what?? tell the guy to go jump mate he is talking through his arse. thats why you see 50 windsurfers there on a windy day. Parks Vic would love to band windsurfing but they have not yet at ricketts. it will happen tho, Parks vic wreck all our fun.
Technically we are not as it is a marine park, I have never seen it policed though.
I don't really see the issue not as if we are damaging the place.
Officially we are not allowed to sail in the marine park area. Ricketts south is definitely inside the marine park. I don't know about Ricketts north as I never sail there, but I suppose it is too.
Windtechno, I think you are quite wrong. I talked to a Parks Vic official once at Ricketts and he told me they tolerate us and the kiters as long as we don't do bad things, like running into swimmers etc. So behave 
Not sure if Beauy Yacht Club is within the boundry. I think the Northern end of the marine park starts just South of the Club, that is where the first yellow mark is.
Officially we are not allowed to sail within the marine park. However as Ddevil said it has always been tollerated. I have sailed there for 25 years and never seen it Policed by Parks Victoria.
I suspect it was a Care Bear dogooder that told you that you were not allowed to sail there. Then probably let his poodle crap on the sand !!!!
By the way, I stepped on a syringe there a couple of years ago. Maybe Mr Dogooder should do something about that.
I stand 100% corrected.
The Yacht Club is within the Park, it extends as far North as Quiet corner which is opposite Fourth street.
Under the "restrictions" section on the Parks Victoria website there is no mention of restrictions to Windsurfing or Kitesurfing.
So I was was wrong which is great .It means we can enjoy this great spot without any concerns.
And just to add another take to this discussion.
It appears that most of the water we sail in at Rickketts South (in front of and East of the Lifesaving Club) is a no boating zone.
So they can spank you for sailing there.
That’s completely wrong, the marine park only stops fishing nothing to do with boating, sailing or windsurfing.
It has actually been brought up at a rickets point 'friends of the reef' meeting that windsurfers should be stopped from walking on the marine grass there but it's not banned.
technically windsurfing at South Rickets - where we all sail on a westerly and a SE is banned as it's a no boating beach and if the cops turned up they could fine us all..
The lifesaving club there isn’t stressed and won’t bother us, for years I patrolled there and whenever a W or SE picked up I would just put my harness on and go out sailing with my lifeguard shirt on!
anyway let’s hope they don’t push that point anytime soon!
Yep, you are correct and I thought I corrected myself in the previous posts.
Just to set it straight this is from the Parks Victoria website
What can people do in these protected areas?
Commercial and recreational fishing will not be permitted in the Marine National Parks or Marine Sanctuaries, nor will other extractive or damaging uses such as aquaculture, exploration drilling, oil and gas extraction, dredging, or waste disposal. Access for recreation, tourism, education and research within these areas is generally unrestricted, although subject to permit in some instances.
Yes
Swimming, snorkelling and SCUBA diving
Research, filming and photography subject to permit
Boating (including motor boating & yachting)
Anchoring a boat (though care should be taken)
Surfing and wind-surfing
Bird, dolphin and whale watching
No
Any form of fishing (both of fin fish and invertebrates)
Collection or removal of shells, coral or any other cultural, geological or biological item.
Removal or disturbance of marine plants and animals
Exploration / extraction of minerals & stone
Waste and ballast discharge
Aquaculture
.
Ricketts South however is a no boating zone
they should worry more about cleaning out all the plastic bags and general polution and sh#t , rather than a fin scraping on a very ordinary, boring reef... hmmmmm
