Hey mate,

What's your name? We're probably related.
I'm from Hobart but have never kited there and doubt I ever will. A good mate of mine Steve Harwin is over here at the moment but will be heading back to Hobart on Xmas eve.

From what he tells me he averaged about 6 days kiting a month in summer. The wind range is big, erratic and unpredictable, I think he had a 10, a 13.5 and a 16 and has also kited with 6m and 4m kites.

Popular spots are Dorans and down river from Dorans, and the causeways at Midway Pt.

There are only a handful of guys doin it in Tas and no where that sells gear. Robbie Gough is the best of them apprantly.

I'll tell Steve about this thread and he can probably answer in more detail.

Cheers

B

Hey there,
Steve here are Ben promised...

Yep, Tassie is erratic. The summer sea breezes are not garranteed like they are in WA, hence I am over here. I will be heading back there for Jan and some of Feb, so if you are there then too we should hook up for a sesh. The best guys to talk to when you get there are Andy Sharman and Iain Feild...both are instructors and Andy owns X-Sport (http://www.xsport.com.au) and sells gear.

The best place in Tassie is Marion Bay (about 45-50min from Hobart near Dunalley/Copping/Bream Creek...if you have not been there it is a huge lagoon with a big sand spit protecting it...flat water for kms! There used to be horrible three pronged stakes sticking out of the sand that were about 5cm under the water at high tide...you can imagine that made kitiong there a bit dangerous...after three failed attempts by me and numerous by others I managed to pull em and now the spot is world class...when the breeze is in.

Around Hobart you can kite at Dorans Rd (17-22knots on a good day and on a gusty day it can reach 28knots in a sea breeze... Tassie sea breezes are not that steady!). I like going at Cremorne in the lagoon (about 25mins from hobart and 5 mins past Dorans). There are oyster beds in one spot, but I have never had any probs with them...low tide can be a tight on space but there are usually only two or three of us out there...we launch from the Gellibrand Rd side. The breeze is bit steadier there about 18-21knots on a good day, but it is often light (15-17) for most of the arvo... so a 16m is handy for your quiver... I have one, the same goes for most spots actually...the sea breeze sometimes only really kicks in a 4pm. There is a great spot down a South Arm on the inside of the neck, but I will have to show you how to get to that one (or one of mates can take you if you get there before me...). We sometimes kite at the Sandy Bay beach point (near Prossers Resturant), but that spot is not as popular since one of my mates got his kits stuck in a tree and was killed trying to fly it free. We also o off Tarrona high school, it is also a great spot to start a river run downwind to Sandy Bay beach (about 5 or 6 km down the river), which is sometimes a good options when it is marginal. I have heard that Parks Beach at Dodges Ferry is also good.

So, the perfect Quiver for Hobart is a 9,12-14 (I have a 13) and a bigger kite like a 15-17. Most people ride their 12-14s most of the time, but if you wanna make the most of summer have a good ranges coz you never know whne the sea breeze will stay at 15-16knots all arvo. I have both directional and twin tip boards as I like to ride the waves and swell on my directional, but a twintip will suffice.

Hope this helps. Obviously you can call me if you want to chat or get in contact with some of mates. 0415183424.

I first saw Kite Surfing in Durban in 1999 and was saving up for my first kite from the moment I saw dudes riding the waves near the river mouth.

Cheers
Steve

thanks for all the info, do you drive a hilux, i think that i met you in perth maybe a year ago !!!!

marion lagoon is defn the go, although do you access it from the inside, cause its a fair walk down that beach !@!!!!! to get there from the beach access and bone yards

i think ill get a 8.5, 13.5 and 16.5 from the wipika indy for the 2 bigger ones and matrix for the 8.5. Ill be back in easter for a 2 week holiday and not returning permanently till 2007 sometime

i used to windsurf at cremorne lagoon, and dorans so remember all the waiting, just didnt remember the wind strengths

cheers

Tim

Very true about the East Coast Ben,

I did not mean to leave that out. If I could I would live on the east coast or better yet Flinders Is! I have had some awesomes sessions on Scamander Beach and at Orford. I have land on Flinders east coast and i have some amzing kites there too (I have had the 3sqm out there aswell...it was a bit scary that day.....

I will try and hook up with you next time I am in Tassie Ben.

In answer the Marion Bay access question. There is a sand track up the inside that ends about 1km from the tip of the spit. I launch there and then either kite there or kite up the to mouth and ride the end of the spit where the dune is lower, you can also hit the lagoon mouth for some pretty decent swell (not breakers) if you are keen. I am keen to try Boneyards too, but when the waves are on the wind is off.

And no, I am not in a Hilux, I have only been in WA since May.

Your suggested quiver is about right methinx.

Cheers
Steve

No worries Tim, I'll be happy to have someone to go kiting with at Easter. I live in Coles Bay, but own the Bakery in Bicheno (Blue Edge Bakery) so if anyone comes to the East coast of Tassie and wants to know where to go kiting, just come and ask for me, there are miles of pristine white empty beaches with plenty of wind to play on. I am going on the Monkey Kites Great Australian Downwinder for two weeks in January (can't wait!!!) so I will have quite a few new kites to play with when I get home so if you need to borrow any at Easter it would be no problem 12-13 is pretty right most of the time though.
Cheers Ben
P.S there are some really cool spots to ride waves near Rheban point, great setups all up and down the coast really!

Yeah the swanwick river mouth is sweet in a southerly, like a big playground. I kited their on Monday nice shoulder high waves with the tide going out you can jump all day. Look me up at Easter then
Cheers Ben

I'll be moving to Burnie (NW Tas) middle of next year. Anyone kiting over that way? Pretty keen to check our Morawa - sounds a blast

Ill be in Tassie for easter, and wondered if any tassie people wanted to buy my old kites, im sure that there isnt much gear in tassie so its a good opportunity

I have an
04 Airush lift 12m - $300
04 Cabrinha Nitro 17m - $350

anyway, if anyone knows of anyone who needs kites to learn on or bash around in Tassie, give me a hoy on

[email protected]

quote:

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Originally posted by windnkite

has any one kited/windsurfed around Primerose sands/Carlton beach or 7 mile beach? what are the conditions around there? is it worth kiting around there or just stick with marion bay?

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I've kited at 7 mile a couple of times, and over the back at 5 mile too. It can be ok if the winds in the right direction.

Give Andy Sharman at X-Sport a ring in Hobart he stocks most of the major brands Cabrinha, Naish, Airush etc. 0428500041 or Sam on the North Coast for slingshot Gear. 0438144438.

Regards
Ben Kearney
Coles Bay, East Coast

P.S. I have a couple of 2nd hand kites and a board for sale at the moment if you are interested.

Hey Ben,

I sent you an email too and it didnt work.

What board are you selling, if you havent sold it by easter and its like a twin tip of 'normal' size eg 39x135 or similar, can i rent it off you for easter time. Im bringing a 14m GK Sonic with me to tassie, so should be a blast, just cant afford the weight of a board as well from South Africa. 5kg of excess costs like $600 or something ridiculous.

Cheers,
Tim

Hi Tim I hope its as good at Easter there has been heaps of wind lately 3-4 days a week. Should be 3-4 kiters in town at Easter a new record unbelievable! I have sold the board I had but I will have 2 new boards so we should be able to sort something out for you.

Cheers Ben

Great week on the east coast of Tas! Southerlies at Swanwick on Friday and Sunday and now Tue and Today Nor Easters and more nor easters for the next three days and surfs coming up too! Hee Hee I love it! shame theres no one else here to kite with! Cannot wipe the smile of my dial. The locals think im on drugs!
Cheers Ben

I've been having some fun on north coast bout 3 days a week, loving those easterlies. Got a bit of a crew together kiting out of Launy now (Bout 4 or 5).

Been getting a few mates into it and a couple of them are after s/h gear.
If you've still got that 12m lift loose fin then give me a call.

By the Way Stanley's still on for the 8th and 9th April.

Nick 0400 352134

That's a sad story Loose Fin, maybe their email is down and they don't even know it....can understand that calling from SA is a bit inconvenient.