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General Gear Reviews Newbies The Hookup Foiling Lost & Found WA NSW QLD SA VIC TAS

DangerousDave

46 posts

DangerousDave

WA, 46 posts

1 Feb 2004 9:48pm

Hay guys,
I have been told that melville beach is better than pelli point for beginners due to less turbulence and being not so crowded.. Is there usually a few people there? I am wondering if it is better to go there or to Pelli Point, as I would prefer to have some other kiters around for help/advice as I am a newbie

(I have had lessons with Ian Young)

gasman

320 posts

gasman

WA, 320 posts

1 Feb 2004 10:48pm

Both Suck big time.

Suggest you try Leighton.......better fall off down wind, and not too much chop.

DangerousDave

46 posts

DangerousDave

WA, 46 posts

1 Feb 2004 11:51pm

Oh really? Where abouts is that exactly? thanks,
Dave

finn mccool

100 posts

finn mccool

WA, 100 posts

2 Feb 2004 9:49am

dont know bout leightons yet but i'm a starter and prefer melville to pelican point. reckon its a lot safer and real easy as its almost always just a bit onshore and has a long shallow run downwind. always kiters there when its Ok and all very friendly and helpful

- FINN X

PaulG

92 posts

PaulG

WA, 92 posts

2 Feb 2004 1:27pm

I Sail at Melville during the week after work because it's close to where I live. It's a great place to learn and a safe place to sail at any level.

Lots of beach and plenty of water down wind.

airhead

814 posts

airhead

WA, 814 posts

2 Feb 2004 1:45pm

I second that...

Leighton is NOT the place to learn as there are too many other beach users and swimmers for the inexperienced. The only

airhead

814 posts

airhead

WA, 814 posts

2 Feb 2004 1:45pm

I second that...

Leighton is NOT the place to learn as there are too many other beach users and swimmers for the inexperienced. The only problem

airhead

814 posts

airhead

WA, 814 posts

2 Feb 2004 1:45pm

I second that...

Leighton is NOT the place to learn as there are too many other beach users and swimmers for the inexperienced. The only problem with

airhead

814 posts

airhead

WA, 814 posts

2 Feb 2004 1:45pm

I second that...

Leighton is NOT the place to learn as there are too many other beach users and swimmers for the inexperienced. The only problem with any river location

airhead

814 posts

airhead

WA, 814 posts

2 Feb 2004 1:45pm

I second that...

Leighton is NOT the place to learn as there are too many other beach users and swimmers for the inexperienced. The only problem with any river location is

airhead

814 posts

airhead

WA, 814 posts

2 Feb 2004 1:45pm

I second that...

Leighton is NOT the place to learn as there are too many other beach users and swimmers for the inexperienced. The only problem with any river location is the gusts...

airhead

814 posts

airhead

WA, 814 posts

2 Feb 2004 1:48pm

don't know what the $%#@ happened with that previous post

Keysey

109 posts

Keysey

WA, 109 posts

2 Feb 2004 1:55pm

looks like you have a stu-stut-stutt-stutter problem Airhead. The river sucks its gusty as hell and will take you twice as long to learn there. You can not beat the steady breeze of any ocean location. My local would be ideal. But i cant tell you where it is as it is already cluttered with to many beginners!!!.

Only kidding. Woodies is the Shang-ri-la of kiting spots, Shallow water, Flat water, onshore winds so that you dont lose youre board and it even has some fun little waves when the wind cranks

owieb

158 posts

owieb

WA, 158 posts

2 Feb 2004 4:15pm

I have to agree that the river does suck a bit with the wind. I've spent many an afternoon down there waiting for something to happen, only to come home and find that it's been blasting on the coast.

I also found the river (i was over at lucky bay) to be very crowded with little room for mistakes.

It was good to learn there as I don't think I could have learnt on the ocean, but I wish I'd had a bit more confidence to get off the river sooner.

I'm now on the ocean and having a consistent wind has progressed my kiting no end.

Plus having a few waves to contend with has made my riding come together much better.

browneee

114 posts

browneee

WA, 114 posts

2 Feb 2004 8:23pm

you shouldnt even be kiting at leighton beach.......you must stay at least north of the foot bridge........do you want to get us band from that beach area totally....

regards BROWNEEE

pjgold123

24 posts

pjgold123

WA, 24 posts

2 Feb 2004 8:48pm

The river is gusty and swirly, but the one thing that does teach you is kite skills, also a great place test fly new kites.
If a kite works well on the river it will be sweet on the ocean

.

Cheers
Pete.

Captain Goodvibes

92 posts

Captain Goodvibes

WA, 92 posts

3 Feb 2004 9:29am

IMO Melville is OK to learn at but very unforgiving due to its proximity to the road (Really bloody close)I have seen some ugly stuff there where things go wrong really fast and there is only approx 10-15 mtrs between the shore line and the road.

allways launch assisted here, ride safe and dont come near the shore

If you can hack the chop and are beyond the absolute beginner stage (riding but not holding ground)between city beach and scarborough there is 4 k's of unobstructed beach no rocks bins etc good parking just watch out for kite crazed dogs!!

Enjoy

ianyoung

649 posts

ianyoung

WA, 649 posts

3 Feb 2004 12:36pm

As Brownee points out, Leighton is banned to ALL surf craft over summer months south of the pedestrian railway overpass - read the signs and don't get us banned from there permanently!

We had to pay to get a special permit from City of Freo to use Port Beach for the start of the Rotto race!

Cheers,
Ian Young
www.flysurf.com.au
0414 716 812

Dan Anderson

95 posts

Dan Anderson

WA, 95 posts

4 Feb 2004 9:49am

Melvile is the best place to learn in the local area. Andy,John,Dale, me and many other advanced kiters learnt there. We owe melvile for the kite skills we have now. Plus its really really SAFE in a seabreeze. Remember never drink and kite

Beer Bong

350 posts

Beer Bong

WA, 350 posts

4 Feb 2004 10:23am

Hey Ian/Brownee,

Before I pound my head against the wall, is it futile to let City of Freo know that the "north of footbridge" rule seems wrong? Last Saturday morning during that gale, the area between the clubhouse and the footbridge was deserted, yet north of footbridge was jam packed with families and dogs. And that's the general pattern of a normal seabreeze day. Have you already had this argument with them?

Clive

airhead

814 posts

airhead

WA, 814 posts

4 Feb 2004 1:42pm

I've also kited the area between Port and Leighton in the past as this is generally guaranteed free of any beach users (except walkers) in a seabreeze. Don't kite there anymore though since recent warnings

Seems a waste...

larry

13 posts

larry

WA, 13 posts

4 Feb 2004 2:30pm

I agree, the section just south of the footbridge is definitely the safest section on the whole beach. Dog beach is an obvious nightmare. Body boards, surfboards and foamies are 'surfcrafts', and they're everywhere. I don't know what's best, break the rules and minimse danger, or abide by the rules and be ready for precarious situations.

Saying that, Melville is definitely safest, hence more enjoyable...

browneee

114 posts

browneee

WA, 114 posts

4 Feb 2004 4:44pm

them's the rules i dont make em, i just try to ride by em.

i agree with you, however i've been out north of foot bridge in 15 kts and leightons has been packed (beach go'ers), the rest is quiet. I think its has its days.

regards BROWNEEE

Keysey

109 posts

Keysey

WA, 109 posts

4 Feb 2004 8:22pm

I have always until now gone out just 100 metres south of the bridge, it is the best spot!!. Since all the negative publicity latley and the being more responsible message given at the latest waksa meeting, i will reluctinly start going north of the bridge.
I might just go there on high wind days though as its crowded as on light days.

Allan

DangerousDave

46 posts

DangerousDave

WA, 46 posts

4 Feb 2004 9:18pm

Well I would like to report that I went down to melville earlier in the week and it is a great spot.. I was having luffing dramas, due to not knowing how my slingshot depower system worked and having it set at fully depowered the whole time. I now have downloaded the manuals and realise why the kite kept luffing and scaring me silly. A nice older guy helped me rig the kite but was unfamiliar with the depower system also.

Melville regulars -if you see a red white and blue slingshot 11m down there with a skinnyish guy, that's me

Zac

91 posts

Zac

WA, 91 posts

7 Feb 2004 11:22am

Well Dave, you had me interested in this Melville place so I had to just give it a go and my opinion is this! its dangerous cause its close to the road, its very gusty due to the way the seabreeze comes from the ocean and over the land at Melville, back down to the water and there you have it, the wind is rolling and inconsistant by that stage.
I would agree its a great place to learn your depowering setups and way you deal with gust etc, good to learn your water relaunching but the way it causes your kite to luff is not good, my kite did it and I saw about three others luff, thats when other beach goers may get injured.
I kite alot of down winders from City Beach to Scarborough and I would say the best place for someone to learn would be in the middle at dog beach, just north of the Floreat drain, as someone mentioned before, you may get the odd dog barking at you and carrying on but at least its not a ranger!!!
All the best!!

Kat

145 posts

Kat

WA, 145 posts

7 Feb 2004 11:59am

gday....yeah i reckon check out a few of these spots, specially woodys and melville river, once ur comfortable at one of these locations you should be rite! i had my lessons with ian youngs kitesurfing place too and have been down to woodys and i liked it better there because of consistant winds and no gusts compared to river....its all a matter of finding the place u like best, i recommend woodys

-Kat

Kiteboy

30 posts

Kiteboy

WA, 30 posts

8 Feb 2004 1:37pm

I am also just learning and find that if your willing to travel a little then Rockinham offers some great safe places to learn. (Safety Bay and around the corner where Jason / FullTilt teaches) They are a real friendly bunch and offer heaps of advice as long as you are aware and carefull. It gets constant wind and mistakes only cost you a long walk back up the beach.

DangerousDave

46 posts

DangerousDave

WA, 46 posts

8 Feb 2004 5:55pm

I think I will give woodies a go, even though it's a bit of a trek, I have been very frustrated both times I've been to melville due to my kite luffing and there not being enough wind to water relaunch etc. Yesterday I spent an hour untangling/untwisting lines, only to ditch the kite in the water after getting a little messy, (very close to another kiter as well which I feel like an idiot about) and then was unable to water relaunch because the wind wasnt strong/steady enough.

When it comes to woodman's point, which seabreeze graphs are indicative of the wind down there? I'm guessing the rotnest / swanbourne graphs would give a reasonable idea?

westozwind

1419 posts

westozwind

WA, 1419 posts

8 Feb 2004 6:37pm

If you want to get an indication about what's going on at Woodies, the Garden Island graph is the best.

DangerousDave

46 posts

DangerousDave

WA, 46 posts

8 Feb 2004 7:39pm

Thanks WOW =]

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