Newbie WA kiters beware...

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General Gear Reviews Newbies The Hookup Foiling Lost & Found WA NSW QLD SA VIC TAS

laurie

NSW

3904 posts

laurie

NSW, 3904 posts

13 May 2005 3:07pm

A mega strong cold front is approaching this weekend .. if you've not been out in winter winds then a warning .. they are completely different to WA's usual stable summer seabreezes! This front is an "intense" system, so winds will be full on.

Be especially on the look out for dark black clouds approaching as they will contain a mega rain squall where the wind can pick up 5 to 15 knots.

Winds will increase in speed and the direction of the wind will rotate (N, NW, W, SW) as the front passes through. Sometimes, what was a sideshore may end up an onshore wind in a matter of minutes.

Would be great to get input from others experienced with in winter sailing...

Stay safe...

365 posts

ADS

WA, 365 posts

13 May 2005 1:19pm

Good Points Laurie
If in doubt, give it a miss and kite another day
Ads

kiterdan

680 posts

kiterdan

WA, 680 posts

13 May 2005 1:24pm

Check the rain radar before you leave. Sometimes you can fit a kite in between rain squalls (watch out for these bastards). Consider giving it a miss if there is not at least a 30 minute break between rain clouds.
If the clouds are pretty consistent (i.e. uniform cover), you can score some very good kite sessions. Just remember to come in as soon as the black clouds start to approach.
On the odd occasion you can kite on a NW when there is not one cloud in the sky (a day before the front actually hits). I found that these days can be nearly as consistent as a summer seabreeze. However the wind can die so don't venture too far out.
Lastly, check the graphs before you leave paying particular attention to Rotto and Garden Island. If theyre really up and down, its not worth it.
If you get caught in a squall dont be a hero. Use your safety system (test it too). Better yet, come in before it hits.
Cheers
Dan

Kitehard

2782 posts

Kitehard

WA, 2782 posts

13 May 2005 1:42pm

G'Day all,

Laurie is right on the money, noobs should be a bit wary of winter winds. Especially the winds where showers, heavy clouds and days that aren't "pleasant looking".

Of course there are other wintery days where you can get decent breeze without the showery stuff and instead enjoy a bit of sun on your face, these are the more preferable days for beginners.

As Laurie says, the dangers are winds suddenly shifting onshore from side and increasing in strength. I was at Watermans Bay yesterday morning and the wind was cross on and about 5-7 knots when a dark patch of cloud and rain approached. The wind increased from 5-7 knots NW, to around 30knots W, and absolutely pelted with rain for approximately 20 minutes and then cleared and went back to around 10 knots NW again. The front approached very quickly and left as quickly.

had anyone been out flying a kite, the potential for an accident would have been very high.

When kiting Winter in WA, keep your eyes on the clouds and rain all around you and watch for the sudden increase in winds indicated by white caps in isolated areas.

Good winds and safe kiting,

Darren Marshall
Australian Kiteboarding School

jan

1119 posts

jan

WA, 1119 posts

13 May 2005 2:01pm

ive found that the cooler southerly air flows that follows after a front are more predictable and a lot less gusty than the nw'ers preceding the front

leski

NSW

661 posts

leski

NSW, 661 posts

13 May 2005 4:25pm

good idea to post this Laurie.
You could almost have post a similar one on the windsurf forum. I know the dangers have nothing comparable with kitesurfing. But the first fronts are always tricky for newbies/summerguys. It is pretty important to be aware that your local spot will look nothing like the usual nice summer afternoon day.

gls

284 posts

gls

WA, 284 posts

13 May 2005 4:54pm

My view it is very unwise to go out in between the fronts. I did exactly this last year, 30 minutes after a front had gone through, and the result was a lofting accident that broke my neck.

One accident can spoil your whole season. Winds can be very unpredicatable people.
Graeme

gasman

320 posts

gasman

WA, 320 posts

13 May 2005 6:41pm

Be very conservative with your kite size, make sure you have some depower up your sleeve, and don't go out unless you know your quick release works.
Oh.......have fun

gruezi

3464 posts

gruezi

WA, 3464 posts

13 May 2005 7:15pm

Hi Graeme...I didn't know winds had personality like people

Nick

gls

284 posts

gls

WA, 284 posts

15 May 2005 10:14am

Haha. Yes gruezi, winds are like women ;)

laurie

NSW

3904 posts

laurie

NSW, 3904 posts

15 May 2005 7:25pm

Well, the weekend just didn't pan out the way some might have hoped (for Perth wind heads anyway) - no gales or even strong wind.

Turned out the only thing newbies need to be aware of this weekend was how to unfold an umbrella!!

waveslave

4263 posts

waveslave

WA, 4263 posts

15 May 2005 5:50pm

I had an enjoyable kitesurf on saturday. No complaints from me.

Kitehard

2782 posts

Kitehard

WA, 2782 posts

16 May 2005 8:38am

Hi y'all,

We were probably lucky the squall came thru early this morning coz if anyone was out yesterday and it had come in during arvie hours, we would have been smudged.

Maximum gust at Rotto was 77 knots at 5.58am this morning.

Anyways, anyone keen for a kite today?, might see yas down there if so. Might be better early rather than later while it's still cranking and the surfs up.

Later

gruezi

3464 posts

gruezi

WA, 3464 posts

16 May 2005 5:52pm

Boy was my timing off ....you and the gang must have had a gas out there today

Newbies have a long way to go, next time....it really is a matter of persistance though.

Watching the guys out there today was a real inspiration....I'll plug on[:).

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