Tuesday at Wanda was one of the better days of the season for wavesailing, except for one problem, 2 or 3 kiters decided that they would ride in and through the line up at the same peak that sailboarders usually ride. Wanda is a big beach with heaps of area upwind for kiters. One kiter who used to windsurf had the common sense, respect and decency to go upwind where the waves were a bit smaller and keep out of the way. But unfortunately a couple of other guys made a point of hanging around in the pack of sailboarders. The guys in question are relatively competent on flat water but are useless in the surf and just got in everyones way. They kited in and out and caught waves but never even made a decent attempt to try to do a turn.

Kites and sailboards just don't mix in the surf. The surf was a decent size and about 18 to 22knots cross shore. In these conditions sailboards are going down the line at speed and looking for sections to smack, ..... while the kiters are going 1/3 the speed and trying to avoid any breaking lip.

So if you are any of these guys or know who they might be please ask them to stay out of the area where sailboarders have riden for over 20 years ..... especially until you can ride at speed and make use of the waves.

There has for some time been an understanding at Wanda that in southerlies kiters stay downwind near the end of the Green Hills carpark and in in nor'easter they stay upwind near the end of Green Hills carpark.... and well away from the flags infront of Wanda surf club, which by the way one kook managed to drop his kite right in the middle of.

Kiters are the new kids on the block and take up a lot more room than sailboarders and should respect and understand that it is their responsibility to stay away from were sailboarders have sailed since the dawn of wind sports.

WHy cant everyone just SHARE the water, stop with the freakin "im a local so therefor have more rights than you" attitude.sure sailboardings been around longer than kiting, but that doesnt mean you have any more rights to the water, get over it.

Jefferson is right, In the surf sailborders and kites dont mix. The same as surfers and sailboarders dont mix.
And this crap about the surf being for everyone is wrong. In a surf zone mistakes can kill or maime so there has to be a certain amount of understanding amongst the users of each individual break. In a lineup a kiter making a mistake could take out quite a few people. And i totaly agreed with beatimg the crap out of people who are stupid anough to get in the way in an area where they obviously are not wanted.

The 'pecking order' is a long established surfing phenomenon that creates some form of control,
within the chaotic world of waveriding.

However, polesurfers are no longer the only 'sailors' who ride waves now.
Skilled wavekiters have taken their place in the pecking order and at times rule the break.

The kook kiters new to waves need to know their place in the scheme of things,
in other words, they have to pay their dues.
They need to kite downwind of the main peak, ride the shoulder maybe,
stay out of the fucn way.

When their skills are sharp, and they know the drill,
they can join the queue for waves.

Regards,
waveslave

I agree with waveslave.
Up north, the guys new to waves stay on the shoulder of the wave while still ensuring they have right of way. If they stuff up at least theyre not in the wave zone about to get smashed nor are they in the way of anyone who is on the next wave.
When I have been kiting up north, there have been no arguments or concerns raised cause everyone gives each other respect. If someone is on the wave first (or the most upwind rider), then no one should drop in kiter or otherwise.
At the same token, why go where its crowded?? Its something I can get my head around...wouldnt people rather go where no one else is and have th whole place to themselves??? Sometimes there is only 1 break so that is fair enough, but this beach is supposedly kilometres long!

All I am saying is it is a big beach and it would be very easy to keep everyone seperate and happy. Use some common sense guys. 2 inexperienced kiters in a pack of 15 sailboarders will make for 17 frustrated water users.

Also, I think these discussions are valuable to everyone because it helps give people who just 'don't get it' a bit of incite into how other people think.

If there is one break and you know what you are doing then it is fair enough for everyone to share. Newby kiters need to understand that decent sailboarders travel down the line real quick and need room away from the peak to land arials etc. Kiters in Sydney are very new to the surf and there are only a couple who are competent enough to actually utilise a wave for what it is. The rest should keep away from crowds at least untill they are competent.

Ben, mate re read my replys.

Ben
I suggest you read Jef's original post old son
"Kites and sailboards just don't mix in the surf."
This is a load of bollocks. Providing right of way rules are respected we can all share the resource. If a kiter has the skill why not share the primo spots?
We don't need some agro windsurfer telling us where we can and can't kite. Everyone deserves a level of respect if they give it

Don't you recognise an olive branch when you see one Ads???

I totally agree with Jeff on that one. It's a pain in the arse kiting with sail boarders, your paths cross all the time, they ride different angles to the wind, they cross close down wind of you. I'd rather kite with 6 other kites than 2 other sail boarders.

But I don't wanna fight about it. If you wanna kite with sail boarders, or container ships, it's your call mate.

Using that logic kook poles shouldn't get in the way in the flatwater spots. Its all about sharing and im sick of this surfer/windsurfer inferiority complex or wateva. Kiteboarders arent telling other water users to move its the other way round. We just want a peice of the water just like them and some poles think they own it. Its shared,im happy to have sessions with poles around doesn't fuss me.

The whole point of the original post was to point out that unskilled riders wreck every ones day when they just go in and out taking up waves. If the surf is small and crap I really don't care how many kites or sailboarders are on the same stretch. Kiting has brought a whole lot of new water users that just don't get it when it comes to riding waves.

This is not an us against them post. Both sports are great and there is a time and place when they both excell and a time and place when they are both crap and look quite gay. But people who are not yet competent at either just get in everyones way. If you can't ride a waist high wave properly, what are you doing at a crowded peak with over head high sets coming in.

It is not us and them, there is no suggestion of a sailboarder v's kiterboard sport riot at Cronulla, no kites will be burnt on the beach... some of you guys need to relax and take a point for what it is. Use common sense and try not to ruin other peoples day because you want to hang out with the crowd.

If it was just another crappy day I would have never made this post. Good days on the east coast are too few and far between to waste.

Hey Jefferson from your first comment you sound like a right old boy!!! maybe you should quit and go to looking after your flowers in the garden cuz you seem to talk a right load of s**t!!! the waves are for everyone no matter how good they may be everyone has a right to enjoy the waves so make abit of room for the kiters

quote:

---

Originally posted by JEFFERSON

The whole point of the original post was to point out that unskilled riders wreck every ones day when they just go in and out taking up waves. If the surf is small and crap I really don't care how many kites or sailboarders are on the same stretch. Kiting has brought a whole lot of new water users that just don't get it when it comes to riding waves.

---

really, only in waves? I would say that this happens in flat water too, but maybe you know a flat water spot where everyone shares properly?

how about we all just grow up and learn to share?

"Kiteboarders arent telling other water users to move"

oi Spacemonkey, it was only a short time ago that you actually started a post whinging about how swimmers get in your way and how they should f**k off.

Can't have it both ways son.

Anyway, Jefferson's message is simple and spot on. If you don't know how to ride waves properly (and maybe ask an independant judge in case you are living in a dream world where you are a world champion), stay out of the phucking way because its simply dangerous and gives everyone the sh!ts.

I don't have any problem sharing the water with other competent sailors/kiters/surfers/dragon boat racers.

Brian, you sound like you must be the author of 'How to Win Friends and Influence People.'

(Insert dripping sarcasm here)

Referring to your moronic, 'If you aren't getting hurt you're not kiting hard enough' post on the impact vest thread also.

You sound like a right young boy with 3 or 4 loneley cells rattling around in your cranium.

Looking forward to seeing your name in the 2006 Darwin Awards you (self confessed) legend.

quote:

---

Originally posted by grumplestiltskin

just a simple query ...

I get the whole, if your a kook keep out of the way, thingo, BUT if you are constantly sent to the crap area of a break how will you ever learn to handle the good surf?????
You have to get in there sometime!

---

Jumping in the deep end is a darwin award type of way to learn anything isn't it?
Jefferson is just saying, there are a few klm's of beach at Wanda, there is no need for inexperienced kiters to be mixing it up with experienced wave sailors or kitesurfers, it is dangerous and dumb.

Same thing happens on flat water with kiters and newbies. It is quite common to have to talk to someone about the basic rules of flying amongst others.

Jefferson, if the people causing a problem don't get the hint by talking to them at the beach, maybe give me a confidential call and I will see what I can do to get the message out there, we know virtually everyone who kites in southern sydney.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve McCormack
Kitepower Sans Souci 95296894