If you are on a wave I would expect you to consider Wave ROW rules (No dropping in, etc). If you are in clear water I would expect you to give way to paddle powered craft.

But - I think you should use your discretion. If you have a speed and maneuverability advantage, not to overexploit it and take every wave, just as a paddleboarder will do with conventional surfers. There are enough waves for everyone.

JB

i'd say the surfer has right of way everytime.

you are a powered vessel and he is not.

he is a swimmer.

oops... must remember to read things proper in future.

i'm still thinking paddle has right of way over kite.

In general...

Power gives way to sail, Sail gives way to human power.

There are many exceptions. In a restricted channel everything gives way to power. In Syd Harbour everything gives way to ferries.

Some people use the tonnage rules (give way to bigger (or sturdier) craft).

JB

Plus sup paddles work great as spears / battle axes when dealing with pesky kiters

SUP has right of way in my opinion

Sailcraft (boats, poleys and teabaggers etc) all should give way to other - less mobile - water users I reckon.

How many surfers do ya reckon are gonna put themselves in the way of a fast moving kiteboarder though?


I do feel sorry for the poor buggers in the Perf metro who are trying to grovel onto a 2 foor mush and have to contened with (frankly) plenty of w@nker selfish kiters snaking, dropping in and generally intimidating them as they sit pretty static just hoping to get one decent wave for the arvo. As oposed to us kiters who (spesh on downwinders) get 50-100 better option in a sesh. Ordinary and no wonder there is so much angst and animosity towards kiters (even though I reckon at least 50% do the righty).

Gorgo said...

In terms of avoiding people .... everybody should avoid everybody else. In practical terms, the kiter has more power and manouverability so they should use it to avoid others. Conversely a short boarder can duck dive some pretty respectable waves so they need to be prepared to do that to avoid a problem.

In terms of who has rights to a wave ... the first person on it irrespective of what they are on.

In terms of wave hogging ... wait your turn no matter what you are on. You can jump in if the person in turn is not going to make the wave and you can do it without forcing them into something nasty.

Wot e sayd.. er.. mostly.

I still reckon it is p!ss easy for a kiter (with waaay more speed than a paddler) to snake a surfer/booger/desperado to the take off every time, thereby grabbing (in their own feeble mind) the justified slot.

Still if the kiter is doing the righty (truly) he/she shouldn't be even close enough (25m or so) up wind of a surfer for there to be a conflict in the 1st place. Then again in the real world..

Kites have no rights-whether in the water, on land-or life in general.

Have you seen those car stickers "Justify your existence"??

+EDIT+

sorry, they have rights to be exploited on Youtube for spectacular accidents!!

Gestalt said...

shark said...

Kites have no rights-whether in the water, on land-or life in general.

Have you seen those car stickers "Justify your existence"??

+EDIT+

sorry, they have rights to be exploited on Youtube for spectacular accidents!!

what about hot kiters in bikinis?

point taken-they can also be exploited on Youtube but only if they are female.

Kiters have no rights, they are the prison equivalent of a kidder fiddler, right at the bottom...

i was kitesurfing on my own practiceing jumps and direction changes not bothering anyone out of harms way when a surfski sets himself up in the middle of my run then hands out death stares and arm waves like he is upset that im there i kept 30 plus metres away at all times and had been in that spot for 2 hour 2-3ft waves Question who has right of way [}:)]

au_rick said...

shannon8888 said...

i was kitesurfing on my own practiceing jumps and direction changes not bothering anyone out of harms way when a surfski sets himself up in the middle of my run then hands out death stares and arm waves like he is upset that im there i kept 30 plus metres away at all times and had been in that spot for 2 hour 2-3ft waves Question who has right of way [}:)]

difference is, you can take his rego number and lodge a complaint.
In WA, jetskis must stay away from swimmers and surfers and give way to sail vessels.

Obviosuly there's debate about whether a kiter is "sail powered" mainly by the yachties who don't want their speed records taken by kiters :)
For my money, kiters give way to paddle surfers (even the SUP'ers), jetskis should be banned (unless towing surfers) and tow surfers should not tow into any break that is being paddled into.

Au-rick, he was talking about a surfski, not a jetski.

The ones causing problems are probably new to the sport and new to that type of environent. The other sports you mention have been around a lot longer and more of the people doing them know how to do it responsibly. It's like kids in a skate park. When you've been skating a while you know where it's safe to stand and can see the lines other people are taking and stay out of the way. These new kiters just need to learn. In a few years many of the wankers will drop out and the ones left will be easy to get along with.