www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18475

quote:

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Originally posted by user
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However,I rarely have any problems,because I try to plan ahead.

If I am leaving the beach,I time it so it does not interfere with other riders.
NEVER EVER force right of way!If the other kiter follows a different rule,or does not even know there are rules,it can get ugly!

Most importantly,the most common situation is two riders heading straight at each other.Upwind keep your kite high,donwind keep kite low.

If you are concerned about right of way rules etc.just give yourself,and everyone else plenty of space.

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I think this is the most sensible way to avoid collisions.
Good on you user!
Now the problem is: how can we convince everybody to follow this rule?

PR and Greenleader,

so if



gets me



then I can



as long as there is no





xxxxx

User,

The rules are designed to avoid accidents and are a generic overlay for all situations. I agree that they look confusing but only if you look for the worse situation in each scenario. Is your glass half empty all the time???

Sailboards and Kites are different craft and have different needs, kites need more leeway when going down the line because they cannot quickly stop or change direction like a sailboard. Sailboards need priority going out because they are sometimes underpowered and have no choice when trying to avoid a breaking wave section.

Rider leaving the beach should have right of way because if you force them to stay on the beach with their kite at 12 o'clock and in possibly gusty winds, then you are setting them up for a possible lofting accident which could be prevented by allowing them to launch and get out into the relative safety of the water. Ever tried keeping your kite at 12 at Lanes in Maui where it is cross off and gusty like you read about. Some waves are reef breaks far from shore where this has no effect.

And you are right, the kiter on the beach wishing to enter the water should stay there and give way while someone else comes in so that then there can be two kites on the beach in the air, both in close proximity and both in gusty wind.....not!

The kiter going out through the surf is powered and has options to turn around and change direction easily, whereas the kiter on the wave has no such luxury in big surf.


The last rule is clear "Avoid accidents at all cost regardless of who has right of way" This is common sense. I didn't make these rules up, they were devised by IKO many years ago and I believe in them and I teach them to my students, and also to the instructors I have taught, all 130 of them over the last 4 years. Your attempts at debunking these rules does nothing to creat uniformity in the community. If everyone sticks to the same rules and exercises common sense, respect and common courtesy, we will all have more fun and be safer.

Exercise the above and I wish you good winds,

quote:

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Originally posted by ianyoung

Yeah lets all just drive down the road on any side we feel like - I'm sure I can keep out the way of that semi ... if only I had some idea of what the hell is is doing!

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Try driving in most parts of SEA... Fiji is also a brilliant example of "who knows the rules".

quote:

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Originally posted by Kitehard

User,

The rules are designed to avoid accidents and are a generic overlay for all situations. I agree that they look confusing but only if you look for the worse situation in each scenario. Is your glass half empty all the time???

Sailboards and Kites are different craft and have different needs, kites need more leeway when going down the line because they cannot quickly stop or change direction like a sailboard. Sailboards need priority going out because they are sometimes underpowered and have no choice when trying to avoid a breaking wave section.

Rider leaving the beach should have right of way because if you force them to stay on the beach with their kite at 12 o'clock and in possibly gusty winds, then you are setting them up for a possible lofting accident which could be prevented by allowing them to launch and get out into the relative safety of the water. Ever tried keeping your kite at 12 at Lanes in Maui where it is cross off and gusty like you read about. Some waves are reef breaks far from shore where this has no effect.

And you are right, the kiter on the beach wishing to enter the water should stay there and give way while someone else comes in so that then there can be two kites on the beach in the air, both in close proximity and both in gusty wind.....not!

The kiter going out through the surf is powered and has options to turn around and change direction easily, whereas the kiter on the wave has no such luxury in big surf.


The last rule is clear "Avoid accidents at all cost regardless of who has right of way" This is common sense. I didn't make these rules up, they were devised by IKO many years ago and I believe in them and I teach them to my students, and also to the instructors I have taught, all 130 of them over the last 4 years. Your attempts at debunking these rules does nothing to creat uniformity in the community. If everyone sticks to the same rules and exercises common sense, respect and common courtesy, we will all have more fun and be safer.

Exercise the above and I wish you good winds,

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Well,in answer to your little dig,my glass is definately half full !

Thats why I dont have(touch wood) any "right of way" problems.

Biggest problem out there is the rider that thinks he owns the place and tries to force right of way.I have learnt to give these types a wide birth.You know the type,think they are ****hot and just full of themselves.Much like you

Oh,and when I kite Lanes,I dont have any problems at all !Mostly because everyone out there knows what they are doing.

Anywhere else,especially places with easy access,beginner friendly etc. you have to be carefull ALL the time.
I just assume that any other rider is clueless,and may do something unpredictable at any time.

And then to complicate matters further there are still the 'old school' kiters out there who use waves as ramps to boost off, especially in spots where it's often a poor wave anyway and not really worth trying to ride.

This gets especially tricky when someone boosts of a lip having checked there's no one on a surfboard behind them, downwind of them, or coming in toward them (as we all know, surfboard riders aren't as manouverable on their boards and regardless who has right of way they can't move as easily) and then a waverider further ahead of the jumper spots a swell, decides to turn onto it without looking behind them, and starts coming toward the jumper, right in the jumper's line of landing, while the jumper is still up in the air. This often results in near misses as the booster can't change tack mid-air and the surfboard rider (often strapless) can't swing their kite back out the way easily as they'll get flung of their board. Either way, the waverider often won't give up the wave anyway, even if a collision is close.

I've found as both a booster and waverider, depending on the conditions of the day, that it takes a lot courtesy and attention by all riders to all other riders pursuing varying styles in wave locations, as the circuit of the wave riders (make your way upwind, ride down the line, make your way upwind etc.) is very different to the circuit of a booster (make your way upwind, boost off a lip landing in the wave zone still, work your way upwind etc.)

Jess

quote:

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Originally posted by thearcmancan

the rule clearly is wrong

the proper rule is anyone on inflatables should give way to there good friends riding arcs, this just makes sence so much easier because now u will see the better riders riding more on the really good kites while inflato people sit on the beach waiting hahahahahahaha

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OK. Lets stop all the frivolous crap.

The Rules are simple.
#1----Rider with boardshorts OVER wetsuit has right of way.

#2----Rider with full length kitepants has right of way over riders with boardshorts.

#3----Rider in speedos MUST give way to ALL other riders.

#4----If two riders of similar status ie. both with boardshorts over wetsuit,are heading straight at each other,local rider has right of way.

#5----Absolute beginner crashing and burning all over the place has right of way over everyone.Ignore this at your own peril.

#6----Old gnarly dudes like me have total right of way. If you dont yield,I will take you out!