Hi all

Was anyone taught this as part of their lessons, eg starboard has right of way? I certainly wasn't (I know it anyway but that is beside the point).

While I think we have our own unwritten rules (upwind kiter flies high), there are other water users apart from kiters.

Yes I was taught, but I also was the nerdy student that bought the Kiteboarders Handbook while I was doing lessons, just to be sure

Someone posted this great video a couple weeks ago



I now send it to all my students and other schools should do the same, especially as it's not promoting any brand or business and is very universal.

It's not easy for students to get a good grasp on the right of way rules especially if when they finish their lessons they are not comfortable on the board yet... Even if you tell a student what the rules are 10 times there is no garantee that when they are up on the board for the first few days/weeks that they will be able to pay enough attention to their surroundings... That's why a video like this helps they go back to it and start making sense of it as they get more comfortable on the board.

Any newbie who doesn't look too comfortable and in control should be given the right of way. Most experienced kiters quickly forget what is was like to be learning with people around and give no respect to learners, kite way too close to them or kite right in their wind window... Which often makes the newbie panic and crash their kite into the more advanced kiters...

It's a bit like if you drive in the blind spot of an L plater on the freeway... He knows and you know he should look in the blind spot before changing lanes, but chances are he won't and therefore you should stay away...

Christian

Loftywinds said...

Freddofrog said..
Hi all

Was anyone taught this as part of their lessons, eg starboard has right of way? I certainly wasn't (I know it anyway but that is beside the point).

While I think we have our own unwritten rules (upwind kiter flies high), there are other water users apart from kiters.

Did you ever get taught how to walk past other pedestrians on the street?

Goes without saying.

Is this guy for real!!

So should a practical self rescue! Met a guy who ditched his kite as he'd only been taught the theory and couldn't execute it!

most kitesurfers sail don't they ??

kitingtopher said..
most kitesurfers sail don't they ??

f*ck no, after kiting why would u want to sit on a boat? defiantly looks boring...

Freddofrog said...

loftsofwind said..

kitingtopher said..
most kitesurfers sail don't they ??

f*ck no, after kiting why would u want to sit on a boat? defiantly looks boring...

You can drink beer on a boat...

Fill a camelbak with beer and you can when Kitesurfing

Jimbobfredjack said...

Freddofrog said...

loftsofwind said..

kitingtopher said..
most kitesurfers sail don't they ??

f*ck no, after kiting why would u want to sit on a boat? defiantly looks boring...

You can drink beer on a boat...

Fill a camelbak with beer and you can when Kitesurfing

I'd like to see how that goes after being shaken around - froth spraying out of the nozzle

I too was taught rules, already knew them from sailing but learnt the kite specific ones. I also teach the rules myself.



Dunno what happened with the quote there :s

cbulota said..
Someone posted this great video a couple weeks ago ...

Can someone please explain why the rider entering the water at 1:34 seems to be giving way to the kiter on the water even though the caption says the opposite, ie rider entering the water has priority???

Freddofrog said..

cbulota said..
Someone posted this great video a couple weeks ago ...

Can someone please explain why the rider entering the water at 1:34 seems to be giving way to the kiter on the water even though the caption says the opposite, ie rider entering the water has priority???

I've heard of this rule but I don't get it.

Can someone please explain why the person entering the water has right of way?

The main reason for this rule is that the person about to water start has no where else to go and is blocking anyone from coming back to shore close-by anyhow and if the person coming back to the shore doesn't give way it could easily result in a kite tangle or collision.

Unless the rider heading into shore is on a wave in which case the rider about to launch should have fly their kite the the shore side of the window to allow the wave riding kiter to milk their wave...

This would also include riders doing the "straight" downwinder in the shore break who should either head out to sea or wait for the wave riding kiter to fiinsh their wave and head back out.

Everyone should give way to the wave riding kiter closest to the peak or the one who chased the swell from furthest out back.

Even I can figure out that one. Surely it comes from the days of board attached to feet, sitting on arse and bum dragging or getting bounced a bit as you enter the water with a bit of power in the kite - you have to get going at that point as you are almost at point of no return. But the guy on the water can turn, or get out of your path in a multitude of ways.

Less relevant now of course but the rule has stuck, and it has to stick else everyone gets confused.

Nobody has right of way ever. The only right you have is to see, anticipate and avoid.

The reason you should give room to someone leaving the beach is that they are stationary, at risk and in the way. As a moving kiter you have speed and power and room to move so you get out of the way and let them get going.

Similarly, if you are safely on the beach and out of the way then you keep clear of the water's edge until there's a break in the traffic.

The video illustrates one of my pet hates at 1:50. Sneaking up behind people. The launching rider has checked, the area could be clear so she proceeds to launch. Meanwhile some clown decides to come in to land directly behind her.

The same goes for riding directly behind somebody and blocking their turn. What do you think they're going to do? Right all the way out to sea? Or ride straight up onto the beach?

theWaterBoy said..

NickT said..
The give way to the guy leaving the sure I thought only applies in the surf as it's more critical for them t to time their run out.

...Unless the rider coming in is on a wave... Someone riding a wave always has the right of way. You need to stay out of their way... the same way that you would paddle into the foam ball if you were paddling out into a breaking wave that someone was riding.

And don't be aware of where your kite is - when you are waiting for the wave riding rider to finish his ride, fly your kite over the beach FFS.

also who has right of way the downwind kiter or the in and out kiter, sure the in and out kiter might be on the wave earlier but technically the downwind kiter is further upwind? I have experienced both sides following a wave in from far out only to have a downwind rider ride up on it from the shore break and riding a wave downwind only to be boxed in with nowhere to go by a in and out kiter? we need to make up a rule for this one