WA
5 posts
My first post :)
Yesterday morning we decided to make use of all the wind we could and went to Melville.
The wind was gusty and the seabreeze graphs show that the wind was mostly around 20knots with gust up to 27 ish.
I had managed a few water starts and cruised along a little way. When I went to do another one and looked up at my kite to see that it had drifted upwind of me. All of could think of at the time was that the wind didn't suddenly drop and i would have a kite landing awkwardly behind me or on my head.
Is it just because of the gusts that the kite did this or am i doing something wrong? Is there a way to adjust the lines to stop it from happening?
Both myself and the other person I was with had the same problem during our session.
Any tips would be great.
1421 posts
In gusty winds the kite can surge to the edge of the window and it's momentum can carry it past directly overhead. It may not have been going much past overhead if you didn't get slack lines and the kite drifting down into the powerzone.
The way to stop it is to have enough tension in the steering lines to act like a brake and slow the surge.
QLD
2070 posts
Another way to describe what terminal is saying is to keep your bar sheeted in (back line tension).
Also helps if you try to avoid keeping your kite at 12, try alternating from 10-2 until your ready to start.
QLD
699 posts
This is quite common. In my view, you went out in too gusty winds and that range (over 5knots from average) is gusty where the wind 'punches' the kite around. It's not unusual for the kite to literally fall off and yes, it could have hit you, tangled you around with the lines and slice our head off!! Only kidding! ;)
Check the conditions just before you go out and check the gusts to be no more than 3 to 4 knots, for a beginner. Also start with the kite about 50% depowered and adjust accordingly in the water. You'll get the 'sweet spot' eventually and should be ok.
WA
237 posts
Melville is the worst place to learn for a beginner.
Iv been going there pretty regularly since working in Perth, i love it for the scenery, nice flat water and iv met a couple of guys there who i go kiting with now.
but for a beginner, its gusty - there's huge wind shadows that suddenly come out of nowhere, there is 0 wind in the first 30m of water from the shore. That said its waist to chest deep for a good 200m.
I was there that day and i couldnt believe instructors were still teaching in 25+ gust.
If you can try going on the ocean, more solid wind, leighton is most likely the closest from melville but im no local so ask around what the go is.
