Updates for racers tomorrow:

I was thinking of running the preliminary races tomorrow to win a start in the final race at the end of the afternoon where the 6 fastest racers of the earlier races will go head to head in a mini fleet. This should add a little incentive to the mix. Please stay close to the start area for instructions.

Each race shall have 4 competitors in each heat. So this time, we will require 4 riders to start in each heat, this will allow us all to get more racing done, be much more fun and will be more spectacular for onlookers.

After you finish your race, can you return the board as soon as possible to the start area so others can grab the board for their next race. Thanks!

I intend to introduce some of the AYF racing rules into the mix tomorrow. The rules we will introduce are fairly obvious but are going to be necessary as we start running larger fleets. Here are the rules, maybe not rigidly enforced tomorrow, but they will be when we start racing for real next week.

1. Right of Way.
Starboard tack has right of way on two kiters approaching on opposite tacks when on a collision course. In other words, if your kite is on the right side of the wind window, you have starboard tack and right of way. Port tack rider passes downwind or tacks to starboard.

2. Buoy Room.
When two riders are approaching a buoy with an overlap of part or all of their kit, then the rider being sandwiched between the rider and buoy may call "Buoy Room" with which the other rider must allow room to make the mark and pass without fear of collision.

3. Touching a rounding mark.
If you make contact with any part of the rounding buoy or flag including anchor rope, you must re-round the marker buoy again without touching it.

4. False Start - Crossing start line early
If you cross the line early and are called back, you must re-round the start line buoy downwind and re-start. If more than one kiter cross the line and the starter decides on a general recall, all kiters will return behind the line and a new start sequence will begin. Signal to return to the line is the start flag waved back and forth.

5. Start Sequence
We will be using a simple start sequence from tomorrow. The start line shall be between a floating marker buoy with orange flag positioned a couple hundred metres off the beach and a white with blue text AKS Vertical banner (feather) at the waters edge. The start signal shall be a Yellow Core Flag which will be held aloft when there is 1 minute to go before the start. When the flag is dropped, the race begins. Flag waved back and forth indicates general recall.

6. Shore room
Two kiters on starboard tack heading towards the shore on an upwind work. The windward kiter is keeping the more downwind rider from gybing/tacking due to starboard tack advantage once the other rider changes tacks. The rider closest to shore may call "Shore Room" which should force the other windward kiter to change tacks and allow the rider closest to shore to tack away before running aground.

7. Collision penalties - 720 Rule
Collisions should be avoided at all costs. Should a riders kite touch another riders kite on the upwind leg, the responsible kiter shall carry out two kiteloops/downturns and then continue before the upwind marker buoy. If a riders kite touches another riders kite on the downwind leg, the rider responsible shall perform two back rolls before the next marker.

8. Protests
Protests shall be lodged within 10 minutes of returning to the beach and shall be accompanied with a cold case of beer to be distributed amongst all racers as we all judge on the protest. If we are hot and thirsty, protests will be encouraged at the end of racing


Some AYF rules will be appropriate, some will not work, so we will try not to clog the game up with too many rules, just a few to keep it fair as it gets more competitive.

If you have any thoughts or would like input on this post, please feel free to reply, nothing is set in stone and it is after all, all about fun.

Cheers, can't wait!

KH