Canberra kiting on Lake Burley Griffin

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ausdude64cds
ausdude64cds
VIC
39 posts
VIC, 39 posts
29 Sep 2007 1:02pm
Can anyone put me in contact with a local in Canberra that kites...just wanna do the righty and find out if there is "no go" zones and best places
My mobile is 0418375052 Smitty.
NSW, 4382 posts
29 Sep 2007 1:15pm
quote:
Originally posted by ausdude64cds

Can anyone put me in contact with a local in Canberra that kites...just wanna do the righty and find out if there is "no go" zones and best places
My mobile is 0418375052 Smitty.



Yeah Smitty
The whole of the Lake is pretty much a no go zone for kitesurfing, it might be a bit better with a bow/high depower style kite, but there were lots of problems when people tried to kite on it with C kites.
The winds are just generally too fluky and gusty.
Better to drive to the coast.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve
azza
azza
1338 posts
1338 posts
29 Sep 2007 9:06pm
I spent about an hour driving around the lake (gear in car) on my last visit to the ACT, there are a few reasonable launching spots... but... and it's a big BUT... there is a whole lot of shore that is just down right BAD. Most of the lake is either banked by stone wall or has trees right to the shoreline, and in a lot of cases both. Then there is the bridge, fountain, museum, gallery, carillon, etc, etc.

Basically what it boils down to is, a mess of potential trouble.

I've spent a fair amount of time kiting on inland lakes, and have learnt first-hand how fickle and unpredictable inland winds can be... you need lots of contingency landing spots, and even have to be prepared to downwind to the other side should the wind drop/swing (and it will, at the drop of a hat)... Lake Burley Griff' just wasn't designed for kiteboarding. It's a crying shame, but a fact of life.

The only "good" sailing there is in a dingy.

Now, of course, the "look at me, look at me, my balls are out" crowd will say "go hard or go home, that lake needs doing"... but Burley Griff' is one man-made dirt hole that has some serious neighbours, like www.afp.gov.au/ and they aren't likely to be very helpfull getting you and your kite untangled from that big funny houses' www.aph.gov.au front yard. And then there's that misserable $^&* that wont share anything with anyone, let alone a decent launch spot www.seabreeze.com.au/Members/Profile/Details.aspx?member=waveslave OOPS sorry, I meant www.pm.gov.au (it's hard to pick 'em apart really ).
sink cut
sink cut
NSW
105 posts
NSW, 105 posts
29 Sep 2007 11:50pm
There are quite a few canberra kiters and they all kite on the south coast most weekends. I have kited LBG and ginninderra a few times, and even had some moderate fun and throat infections- east basin in a W and copshop ginninderra in an E. Problem is you must be Very experienced!!!! wind does not just gust NESW but up and down aswell -suicide on a C kite. my mate (not a beginner) had a 50m 8ft high loft and by some fluke missed the concrete pilons and landed in the water. Your better off driving to the coast!

If lake george fills up again you'll be in luck- It has the most reliable wind in NSW. consistent and solid after work 15-20kn 4 days a week (but no waves and stinks like cow poo) .
NSW, 4382 posts
30 Sep 2007 8:36am
Nicely put by the man who screws fear!

Regards

Steve

The coast is so much better.


quote:
Originally posted by azza

I spent about an hour driving around the lake (gear in car) on my last visit to the ACT, there are a few reasonable launching spots... but... and it's a big BUT... there is a whole lot of shore that is just down right BAD. Most of the lake is either banked by stone wall or has trees right to the shoreline, and in a lot of cases both. Then there is the bridge, fountain, museum, gallery, carillon, etc, etc.

Basically what it boils down to is, a mess of potential trouble.

I've spent a fair amount of time kiting on inland lakes, and have learnt first-hand how fickle and unpredictable inland winds can be... you need lots of contingency landing spots, and even have to be prepared to downwind to the other side should the wind drop/swing (and it will, at the drop of a hat)... Lake Burley Griff' just wasn't designed for kiteboarding. It's a crying shame, but a fact of life.

The only "good" sailing there is in a dingy.

Now, of course, the "look at me, look at me, my balls are out" crowd will say "go hard or go home, that lake needs doing"... but Burley Griff' is one man-made dirt hole that has some serious neighbours, like www.afp.gov.au/ and they aren't likely to be very helpfull getting you and your kite untangled from that big funny houses' www.aph.gov.au front yard. And then there's that misserable $^&* that wont share anything with anyone, let alone a decent launch spot www.seabreeze.com.au/Members/Profile/Details.aspx?member=waveslave OOPS sorry, I meant www.pm.gov.au (it's hard to pick 'em apart really ).


ausdude64cds
ausdude64cds
VIC
39 posts
VIC, 39 posts
30 Sep 2007 12:23pm
Thanx guys i saw a Sonic out there 2 weeks ago in front of the boathouse resturant..........i have Sonics 07 11mtr and 06 14 mtr
i appreciate the tips........where is the closest decent spot from Canberra ?????
lovey
lovey
NSW
177 posts
NSW, 177 posts
30 Sep 2007 2:29pm
North Broulee - just had 2 sessions in 2 days where the wind here was 15-20 NE and everywhere else on the coast was W/NW - go figure.
ausdude64cds
ausdude64cds
VIC
39 posts
VIC, 39 posts
2 Oct 2007 5:45pm
Im new to Canberra area and im looking for kiting buddys to share costs/knowledge for kite trips to coast or other decent spots please dont be afraid to txt me if your in the area Col Smith 0418375052
waxhead1
waxhead1
VIC
172 posts
VIC, 172 posts
2 Oct 2007 9:56pm
Hey Col,
Sorry to say but the winds have been really good to us back here, hope it works out for you, catcha PS Keep studying, no time for kiting anyway.
mucil
mucil
4 posts
4 posts
5 Oct 2007 12:38am


Hey Guys,

Just Joined the forum.....been using the wind graphs for quite some time though.

Just Met Smitty down the lake today while I was kiting there. He mentioned that he had posed the question about LBG on seabreeze.

Just to let you all know. I've been kiting on the lake for close to three years now. Don't let all these previous comments scare you off. I started with C kites on it, must say that there were a few hairy moments but when I added 5th lines to my bar setup it made a hell of a difference. Been riding waroos now for about 2 years and the lake is very do-able....and can be heaps of fun......I regularly will get out 2-3 times a week now. Must say I'm totally addicted to this sport. I am lucky in that I work 5 mins from the lake and when the wind is up I am usually able to take a 2 hour lunch break.. Was out the other day when it was gusting to just over 35knts ( very rare ) and had a blast.

I'm amazed that more people don't join me. In the past two years I haven't seen one other guy kitesurfing on the lake.....I know of one guy (gnicolle) but was not there to witness it. I do kite quite a bit down the coast and that is definitely preferable but have had just as much fun on the lake.

The main difference with the lake is that the gust range is much larger than the coast.....Only when its reasonably cranking will I use my 9m waroo with my UG flx 132....Mostly I will use a ply board that I made that is around 143x40...so pretty big....This gives me much bigger range.....Almost compulsory for LBG...Still have fun on this thing though.

Wait....just remembered gnicolle took some shots of me once so here's some proof.


http://picasaweb.google.com/mattnkt/2007_09_Kiting_LBG/photo#5117503653415041250
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