Hey all, I'm a Canadian moving to Melbourne for 7 months (Aug-Mar) and started kiting here in Canada this year. I'm wondering what the typical kite sizes are (I'm 195lbs/88kg, I ride a 16m, 12m and 9m Liquid Force M80 C-kites)? What are the typical winds during this time of year?
What kind of wetsuits do people wear? I have a full 4/3 wetsuit and a 2/1 shortie... should I bring both?
Does everyone use directional boards (I have a 140 cm Liquid Force Element)?
Where is the best place to kite (St. Kilda)?
Any advice anyone can offer would be appreciated. Beer's on me...

Kitegrom pretty much summed it up!

Zanzibar, great links...
Beer's on me if there's no wind!
I'd much rather drive an extra ways than try to kite somewhere where's there's too many people (kiting or otherwise). Usually worth it.
Here in Ontario we sometimes drive 2-3 hours to find a good site with the right wind.

Hi mate,

Depending on what your doing in melbourne work wise, you may find that ducking down the bay after work during the week is great (light till 8:30-9 if the wind lasts), sure enough there are a few people around (packed at St Kilda) but then on the weekends you can travel to either side of the bay (2 hours approx) to hit the ocean surf or some great inlets.

If your keen, I'm in a group of local kiter's, kind of a club but not very official, anyway all good people and we meet after work and go on weekend trips away, tell each other how good we are, etc etc so if your looking for some tour guides you can come and hang with us and we'll show you around. Thats goes for anyone else whos interested (and kite obsessed)... PM me.

quote:

---

Originally posted by hookworm

.... rape dogs ......

---

Never been there, never will now.

Hi all!

I'm also quite new to Melbourne and would love to join some other kiters here. Will somebody kite on Altona Beach on Tuesday afternoon or somewhere else? Should be good weather and the forecast is about Northerlies (offshore). I won't kite there alone, so is there anybody else?

Looking forward to see some of you! My number is 0431371188!

Andi

Hey matto,

thanks for the advices. I noticed that in Altona there only few metres of shallow water, so I won't go there in this wind. Unfortunately Rye is too far away (I don't have a car yet, poor overseas student ;-), but weekend seems to be nice for the westerlies spots.

Will anybody be there?

Andi

@Plow: yeah, i've already realized that its crap to go to Altona on northerlies. And westerlies spots I mean beaches on the east side of the bay like St. Kilda... But thanks for that!

Anyway, where I'm from we only have gusty winds, so it will be the paradise for me here ;-)

Anybody going to St. Kilda on Saturday?

Cheers!

Or just driving arouind the bay for a scenic tour trying to find where the wind is actually blowing.

Luckily it was blowing in Rye (3rd time lucky)