I'm relatively new to kiting (i.e. can't even get up on the board yet) and want to get as much practice in as possible before the next season arrives.

I know (or at least have been told) the winter is not suited to beginner kiters because of squalls, gusts, wind blowing the wrong direction, etc, etc. Therefore, are there any locations around Perth that can be kited in relative safety throughout the winter?

My main aim is to be up on the board and changing direction so i'm not wasting time when the improved conditions begin next season.

Locations towards the Northern suburbs would be preferred as I live about 40mins North of the city, but I am williing to travel to Safety Bay, for example, if the conditions are consistent throughout the winter.

Cheers for any advice

Maybe not what you want to hear Craig but the advice you have been given is sound. If you read your post, you will agree that just as much as the lack of kite and board skills, you have a lack of local conditions and more importantly, a lack of meteorological knowledge.

Here's the way I see it. Many people grab their gear and go 'kiteboarding'.. a much smaller percentage are actually 'kiteboarders'...
It is vitally important to understand the weather. Without a really good understanding of all aspects of the weather, you really are at its mercy - especially in winter.

Everyone on here will understand your enthusiasm to get going, however an injury sustained (to yourself or third party) through an ill informed decision could end your kiting career before it starts - or at least set it back massively. You could even get a beach closed too…

To quote you, don't look on the learning experience as "wasting time". All of your experiences with a kite are invaluable and ultimately are what help you make safe or unsafe decisions on any given day.
In hindsight, the days you spend learning are likely the ones you will look back on with the best memories; the day you cracked that board start, first time you didn't lose ground downwind, etc...

You will not find a safe and accomplished kiter who does not have a very good understanding of the weather. I'd start there if I were you.

Drop into one of the two kite shops in Scarborough (AKS, Woodys) and ask a few questions, you'll learn a lot and it could save your bacon..

Patience, although rarer with every new season, is priceless. Stay safe!

you can actually improve all the skills required by going down on any of the fantastic winter days and watching

rickwindt said...

I started kiting beginning of last December. The learning experience was an absolute blast through the summer! Yes there were some frustrating moments but noticing progression in your board starts or going upwind makes more than up for the frustration!

I am now comfortable going upwind and getting some good transitions in. However I still will not attempt to go out in winter on days like yesterday.

Don't think of the learning curve to be wasted time. It is great fun!!! and in my opinion it would be a lot more enjoyable in summer because you will feel more safe and there will be more people there to help you out when things go pear shaped...

I can't wait for next season to starts on my backrolls and better transitions!
May I ask you, when did you start? and were you able to get some lessons before the end of the season?

I had my last lesson (set of 3) around March, bought some second hand gear and got out a couple of times mostly practicing kite control and body dragging. unfortunately I've not had much experience with getting up on the board, hence my enthusiasm to be out in winter.

My first winter came after I had only just got moving on my board. I only went out with experienced kiter mates who could supervise me and teach me about frontal kite skills. More than often I asked questions and just watched from the beach but after a while I got it sussed and scored a few great session.

Don't be overly keen and rush it when ever the white caps are out. You can still learn heaps without getting in the water, like your first few lessons. When all the planets line up there are still the occasional epic days from now on. Never go out without an experienced buddy, or further than you can swim, and always wait for fronts to pass. If it starts to get really gusty keep your kite low and if you see a big black front in the distance don't mess about and get back to the beach and your kite landed asap.

here's a good bit of advice. if your kiting and all of a sudden all the experienced guys haul arse to the beach and land.... so should you.

Hi Craigu,

There have been a lot of sound replies above and you seem to be heeding the warnings, I'd just like to add a few comments which may be of interest.

Winter winds are definitely kiteable when you have the experience. Gaining the experience takes time to develop your understanding of the feel sight and sound of what's normal and what's not. Often you see things which, without experience don't ring alarm bells when they should. Looking to see what kites others are on is not necessarily accurate. Some very experienced kiters can hold very large kites down in extreme winds. Look at Ruben Lenton on his 9m in 40 knots for the most obvious example.

Westerly winds although steadier than frontal winds are not only difficult to get off the beach as a beginner, but also tend to make the ocean extraordinarily choppy. Anyone who has kited Pinnaroo in a strong Westerly will attest to the pounding of the knees in the chop and that getting a small patch of water to load up for a jump is almost impossible. On days like this it is actually more fun not to kite.

Frontal winds are so unpredictable even when you know what you are looking at, that as a beginner with little experience you barely stand a chance. The unpredictability and gustiness of the wind make the kite fly very erratically and will most likely leave you wondering if your lines are trimmed right or that it may be something you're doing wrong. At the early stages of learning, this doesn't progress your kiting and can in fact set you back a bit.

A better bet is to grab a trainer kite if you have one and spend the time flying it to death. It will ingrain into your body the feel and sight of how it all works, if you are getting on the board, grab a skateboard and head to an empty car park by the ocean and practice controlling the kite as you roll along. You can practice going upwind, downwind, cross wind and managing gusts. It's not exactly the same in terms of the board, but the kite side is identical.

DO NOT USE your inflatable kite for land practice as you will destroy it.

Bottom line is, don't rush it, accident potential goes through the roof learning kiting in winter. Instead, watch You Tube video's, watch the Progression DVD's, fly a trainer kite, hang out with other kiters and watch what's going on. When the wind comes back in September/October you'll be miles ahead and ready to smash out a serious progression session with knowledge and some skills.

A Winter on crutches wont help your kite progression.

DM