As an ex-windsurfer, surfer, and wave kiter, I understand everyones frustrations. He has the most fun wins. Remember guys, its only a wave. When a windsurfer is heading out and climbs over a wave he goes backwards and downwind losing all apparent wind as they cant sign their rig. Give them room, and most guys will show total respect. Windsurfers are scared crapless of our lines as they should be, Ive not had any hassles out there with a little understanding. Great point at the lefts just off Eddie Island, we can kitesurf them, they cant as they will snap fins off.

Goatboats, Mals and shortboarders have been doing the same stuff for years, and there is a level of understanding with the 95%'ers. Call them for it nicely if it happens more than twice. we all need to tack out the back.

^^^ yeah that would have been me Eppo lol

I think there has been a good dialogue in this thread, which is nice to see

I do know what you mean, even though I understand how the windsurfers do it the stallers have been giving me the sh!ts at south passage too.
If we all stick to "first on the swell owns it" it works sooo well. Next rule obviously is if you cant tell who got it first, then upwind / closest to peak has right of way.
If you pick a bad wave, don't let it pass under you and stall for the next one if somebody is already on it. Windsurfers are particularly guilty of that one. On a busy day like Saturday there will be somebody on the one behind you.

Likewise though, kiters can do short runs.... but just because they can doesn't mean they should turn onto a wave that somebody is already on.
That happened to me so blatantly at S.P on Saturday - as in the wave was damn near vertical and I am 1sec from making the drop and a kiter turns onto it. Like WTF? If he was a windsurfer I'd have yelled out and just bottom turned around him, but if he is a noob then suddenly we are both down with lines around us blah blah. So I gave up best wave of the day for safety ... I just hope now he doesn't think what he did is OK as I didn't scream at him and line him up.

Many times I also made my outside turn when I was farthest out, and after a few seconds 2 kiters and 3 windsurfers turn right next to me - obviously we will then all compete for the same swell so what's the point??? - they only had to delay ther outside turn for 2 or 3 seconds.....

Anyway top fkn marks to Getfunky for asking about local rules ...... 1000 ppl a year don't.

Mark _australia said...

^^^ yeah that would have been me Eppo lol

I think there has been a good dialogue in this thread, which is nice to see

I do know what you mean, even though I understand how the windsurfers do it the stallers have been giving me the sh!ts at south passage too.
If we all stick to "first on the swell owns it" it works sooo well. Next rule obviously is if you cant tell who got it first, then upwind / closest to peak has right of way.
If you pick a bad wave, don't let it pass under you and stall for the next one if somebody is already on it. Windsurfers are particularly guilty of that one. On a busy day like Saturday there will be somebody on the one behind you.

Likewise though, kiters can do short runs.... but just because they can doesn't mean they should turn onto a wave that somebody is already on.
That happened to me so blatantly at S.P on Saturday - as in the wave was damn near vertical and I am 1sec from making the drop and a kiter turns onto it. Like WTF? If he was a windsurfer I'd have yelled out and just bottom turned around him, but if he is a noob then suddenly we are both down with lines around us blah blah. So I gave up best wave of the day for safety ... I just hope now he doesn't think what he did is OK as I didn't scream at him and line him up.

Many times I also made my outside turn when I was farthest out, and after a few seconds 2 kiters and 3 windsurfers turn right next to me - obviously we will then all compete for the same swell so what's the point??? - they only had to delay ther outside turn for 2 or 3 seconds.....

Anyway top fkn marks to Getfunky for asking about local rules ...... 1000 ppl a year don't.

Yeh that was happening to me, by a certain kiter. Right up my ass, I go to turn and bang there he is, which was a dangerous at the very least and then he would turn as well! When I ride behind someone always keep a distance and adge slightly downwind and kite kept low so when they arc their kite back over (assuming they don't do a downloop), it is out of the way.

Hey mark I was the guy on the black rebel 8m on a CB wave, how'd i go, did you see me doing the wrong thing??

Also this starboard tack thing confuses me...now put it in my words in reference to main break. When heading out to sea you should give right of way someone cutting back in to line up for a wave. Hence heading out to sea cut downwind a little, that is what I was doing, but the favour wasnt being returned at times.

Yeh dave at woddies said it was howling, not where we where.

Hey that chick with the kite trajectory problem was that the German girl on the North Evo? She was out at main break now and then as well, staying on the shoulder but right in the way of the guys tacking back out.

Dude we should have caught up! Yeh hitting eddies next time!

Hey does anyone ever kite out the back of the island north of south passage. Used to do the old paddle across, walk across the snake infested island, then paddle another 300m out for a surf in the younger days. My bro and I were contemplating it, but wind was too patchy - actually the truth is we are old buggers and starting to feel it after a day of kiting. Sad but true.

Hey we went up to wedge as well, what time where you there. You weren't the guy trying to toe that surfer on the waves were you??

eppo said...



Hey we went up to wedge as well, what time where you there. You weren't the guy trying to toe that surfer on the waves were you??

Sat 12 - 3.30. My mate was surfing, but I wasn't towing him!

eppo said...


Hey does anyone ever kite out the back of the island north of south passage. Used to do the old paddle across, walk across the snake infested island, then paddle another 300m out for a surf in the younger days. My bro and I were contemplating it, but wind was too patchy - actually the truth is we are old buggers and starting to feel it after a day of kiting. Sad but true.

Hey we went up to wedge as well, what time where you there. You weren't the guy trying to toe that surfer on the waves were you??

Yeas I have its a crazy wave when its big, and as you know the left is a little inconsistent as it breaks on bubbles of reef. Its only for the seriously experienced as if things go wrong its a lnong swim in and your gear will be dead on that reef. Ive snapped 3 boards out there, Id like to do it next time with a jetski for backup as its hard to push yourself when your alone. And yeah mate Perth was howling, check the thread on the Best 7m TS review, I uploaded the graph!