Melville - Wonderful to watch

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poor relative
poor relative
WA
9106 posts
WA, 9106 posts
12 Jan 2008 9:50pm
I had forgotton how great it is down at the river.

Not only are there really entertaining acomplished riders (Hamish, Damo and Bonny were ripping today) but there are also a huge majority of "not a clues" or even worse "a little bit of a clue"

One guy had a green foil, he was a disaster waiting to happen, the "no clue" category. He was told not a good place not a good day, so the guy packs up and goes up the road to the park. We saw him rigging up and untangling lines as we went home!

There is no such thing as people getting out of the way or quick jibing or honking downwind instead they aim for you or just stop, park the kite at 12

There was another bunch today too......made me laugh. RRD kites, surfboards and mates teaching mates......beautiful. These guys were upwind and storming through everyone on their venture downwind. Predictably a kite came down almost taking out another person.

......and as for the buoys, well not one person that was there today, long timer, newb etc paid anyt heed to the buoys.


Its a great spot. Maybe someone will die soon.
MartyJ
MartyJ
QLD
95 posts
QLD, 95 posts
12 Jan 2008 11:19pm
<insert sound of circus theme>
Knickers
Knickers
WA
257 posts
WA, 257 posts
13 Jan 2008 1:13am
Hmmm... i like kiting at Melville cause its convenient for me, and I try to stick by the "rules" as published on the website, and any new rules explained to me on the beach, and be courteous of the other beach and water users, it pisses me off when a lot of others dont. Newbs might not know the rules, I usually direct them to the website to check it out. Some of the old hands, who I dont feel brave enough to say anything too, just dont seem give a toss (including those involed in making the rules from what I understand). I have seen a number of pedestrians, interested bystanders and new kiters sh#t scared by some of the antics at Melville in the last few months.
Which is why I go elsewhere when I have the time, or go late when most everyone else has gone home.

Had a great stress free session all arvo today at Shoalwater, only wish it was the same happy vibe at Melville each time I kite there, because it has HUGE potential. Only takes a few dimwits to muck it up unfortunately.

Off my high horse now...
Skinner
Skinner
ACT
55 posts
ACT, 55 posts
13 Jan 2008 2:06pm
Bravo, well said.

I found it frustrating as it was too convenient, but driving to Rockingham or woodies from Vic Park (i used to live there too) after work was not a viable option.

Sk

Knickers said...

Hmmm... i like kiting at Melville cause its convenient for me, and I try to stick by the "rules" as published on the website, and any new rules explained to me on the beach, and be courteous of the other beach and water users, it pisses me off when a lot of others dont. Newbs might not know the rules, I usually direct them to the website to check it out. Some of the old hands, who I dont feel brave enough to say anything too, just dont seem give a toss (including those involed in making the rules from what I understand). I have seen a number of pedestrians, interested bystanders and new kiters sh#t scared by some of the antics at Melville in the last few months.
Which is why I go elsewhere when I have the time, or go late when most everyone else has gone home.

Had a great stress free session all arvo today at Shoalwater, only wish it was the same happy vibe at Melville each time I kite there, because it has HUGE potential. Only takes a few dimwits to muck it up unfortunately.

Off my high horse now...


dave......
dave......
WA
2119 posts
WA, 2119 posts
13 Jan 2008 1:25pm
Good to see you out there poor relie, and all the old crew who say the river sucks then come back for more
Come down to the kite-cross carnage carnival, its on every weekend when gusting 12-25 knots.
poor relative
poor relative
WA
9106 posts
WA, 9106 posts
13 Jan 2008 1:50pm
Yeah it was a lot of fun.
I forgot how much fun the river can be.

Might even head there today.....
kitecrazzzy
kitecrazzzy
WA
2184 posts
WA, 2184 posts
13 Jan 2008 4:57pm
kite jam was awesome to kite at because everyone could understand what people intended on doing and gave room for them/bailed. it was really a display of how well it works without beginners. [also kind of insane having to watch the airways all the time as well] although i stuffed up once when both me and damo where being kind and letting each other have the flat section ending with both of us missing out, i would attribute it to never kiting with people that understand what others are intending on doing.
dachopper
dachopper
WA
1806 posts
WA, 1806 posts
13 Jan 2008 11:11pm
aaah yes.... all too familiar, I noticed that there were 3 kites leanning in the ride zone thisarvo.... I feel like putting a sign up saying beginners that way...I mean how can they expect anyone riding to do any tricks when if you give them room, they keep walking upwind untuil there is none.... and im sick of cutting in on them to do tricks but have resorted to it so that maybe their "instructors" can get the idea without me having to give lectures
poor relative
poor relative
WA
9106 posts
WA, 9106 posts
14 Jan 2008 12:55am
I almost got killed by a red RRD slamming into the sand barely inches from where i stood.
It was quite a special river moment.

Can't wait to go back and do it all again tomorrow, in even windier conditions.
KAOS69
KAOS69
WA
1012 posts
WA, 1012 posts
14 Jan 2008 9:26am
relli ,has a point there are people what to learn the right way and than there is the guy on the black and silver fuel at leighton . who is such a great kiter he feels the best place to learn is out the front of the surf club on a packed sunday beach in 25knts on a 13m with a reel leash keeping the board close to his head just in case he can get near the board to put it on , but if not he'll just drag it like a sea anchor . once he is in ankle deep water the body draging starts but only to find that the kite is out of control in the 25knts and it would be safer to crash it in a crowd of sun bathers but did not realize after it cleaned up a few beach goers that there was not many who able to help as they where running for there lives. after all that fun he managed to hot launch it straight into waves to see if he could damage some swimmers before he could tell this mates he had been kitesurfing . so melville don't think you have all the fun come spend a day at leighton and you to will know where kite hell is . i would say lay- lay is on borrowed time thanks to those who have no respect for anyone .
campers
campers
WA
66 posts
WA, 66 posts
14 Jan 2008 12:53pm
KAOS69 said...

relli ,has a point there are people what to learn the right way and than there is the guy on the black and silver fuel at leighton . who is such a great kiter he feels the best place to learn is out the front of the surf club on a packed sunday beach in 25knts on a 13m with a reel leash keeping the board close to his head just in case he can get near the board to put it on , but if not he'll just drag it like a sea anchor . once he is in ankle deep water the body draging starts but only to find that the kite is out of control in the 25knts and it would be safer to crash it in a crowd of sun bathers but did not realize after it cleaned up a few beach goers that there was not many who able to help as they where running for there lives. after all that fun he managed to hot launch it straight into waves to see if he could damage some swimmers before he could tell this mates he had been kitesurfing . so melville don't think you have all the fun come spend a day at leighton and you to will know where kite hell is . i would say lay- lay is on borrowed time thanks to those who have no respect for anyone .


I was watching this guy too. He had crashed his fuel on the sand and was trying to self launch it just upwind of a couple on the beach. I hobbled over and helped him launch, then he stalled it and crashed again almost ontop of them.
I had only just noticed him at this point and he didn't have it board leash attached then otherwise I would have put his kite down and said something. Eventually his kite deflated mid-air which put an end to it.

It was interesting to watch for a while. I did my knee kitelooping last weekend
so I was just down there keeping an eye on a mate who is just starting.
mrbonk
mrbonk
NSW
483 posts
NSW, 483 posts
14 Jan 2008 3:55pm
Every time I see the 'go it alone' or 'mate teaching mate' types, I cringe. Apart from the obvious dangers, their progress is also a lot slower from what I've seen where I am.
Knickers
Knickers
WA
257 posts
WA, 257 posts
14 Jan 2008 5:08pm
Interesting, I dont often get to Leighton, but I was there yesterday with a couple of kitechick girlfriends on the way downwind to Cottesloe, and all 3 of us were cringing watching these guys. If they had asked us for a launch (which I think they were eyeing us up for), the answer was going to be "NO!". We would have assisted a landing request, but with an accompanying lecture I think.

Just like Melville, only bigger beach for things to go wrong on.

We waited just long enough for the wind to pick up for a safe launch, and cleared off as soon as possible, just to get away from this crap! We had a great arvo after that.
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