why is it when your out riding in sweet clean waves with your mate and another random, that you still manage to get cut off, snaked and dropped in on.

learn the right of way rules if ya dont no em.
check it.
http://kitesurfingschool.org/rules.htm

cheers

Josh,

Checked out the site and they are using the old windsurfing guidelines for waveriding.

There appears to be 2 schools of thought: windsurfing rules - Incoming kitesurfer to give way to outgoing kitesurfer and the surfing rules - the kitesurfer riding closest to the breaking part of the wave has right of way over all others

I reckon kitesurfing should be the same as surfing. Here's my take on it

1)(Incoming)Closest to the breaking part of the wave - who is upwind of the other rider has right of way over all others

2)(Outgoing) If you have just ridden a wave you should blast back out the back and not muck around in the surf zone - leave it clear for down the line riding

Needless to say, there is no absolute right of way - All parties should take any action necessary to avoid a collision.

Check out the WAKSA right of way rulesfor waveriding.
http://waksa.org.au.86.aspwebhosting.com.au/info.aspx

What do people think of the windsurfing versus surfing right of way rules?

Russ

quote:

---

Opposite tack rule: A wave sailor coming in (surfing the wave in) shall keep clear of a wave sailor heading out (jumping the wave).
Same tack rule (on the wave): All wave sailors shall keep clear of a wave sailor in front of or nearest to the peak of the wave (the breaking part of the wave).
All kitesurfers shall keep clear of all surfers (surfers are less manoeuvrable than kitesurfers).

---

I looked at these rules and I don't really agree with them. I admit having had a background in sailing I understand the sailing rules, however wavesailing / wave kiting I fully believe that surfing rules apply. Surfing rules are as RussC says, when you are on the wave nearest the critical section you have right of way, when you are finished surfing the wave you get clear of the surf zone and head out for another turn in.

With surfing on a kite naturally we have a greater area that can be covered, therefore there may be many critical sections on a wave, especially on shore, therefore 2 kitesurfers riding on one wave need to provide enough room for safety and abide by give way rules.

I disagree that if you are comming in surfing a wave you should have to give way to someone coming out, it breaches all the surfing rules.

He on the wave has right of way.

we have some general rules for our local crew just for fun which sets up different rules for wakestyle and wave comp.

www.southcentralkiteboarders.com/comp.html

Checked out the southcentral wave guidelines. I think you guys have got it right.

Here's some more on wave riding judging criteria. These criteria look to push the standard and boundaries of waveriding.

The objective is to reward progressive kite surfing and introduce a reward system based on demonstrating variety of repertoire and linking maneuvers together, still in the critical sections of the wave, in a seamless flow of power and speed.

1. A surfer must perform radical controlled maneuvers in the critical section of a wave with Speed, Power and Flow to maximize scoring potential.

2. Innovative / Progressive surfing as well as Variety of Repertoire ( maneuvers ),will be taken into consideration when rewarding points for waves ridden.

3. The surfer who executes this criteria with the maximum Degree of Difficulty and Commitment on the waves shall be rewarded with the higher scores.

4. All kite riding styles are to be scored equally no matter the wave riding style/ board style or kite style or line length used.

5. Unstrapped riding will be rewarded as requiring higher skill. Where 2 riders ( 1x strapped- 1x unstrapped) achieve the same score in a heat. The unstrapped rider will win. In the event of a strapped rider getting a higher score in heat than unstrapped rider the highest score will win.

Thanks for the comments Russ

I suppose one of the aspects of this is the question

'what constitutes a wave'

does a 1 ft bit of slop mean you have right of way, if you were at Kent coming in on a 1 ft line which is feathering off shore and carving it up you would expect that the other kiters give you room to ride it, but would this apply to a messed up 1 ft onshore wave that hardly looks like a wave? or is a wave a wave? and thatis it

I think the latter

A wave is a wave and you are on it

the only exception is always giving way to other water users


JMO

Do we need to look at different areas being treated differently- down south is definitely waves, but henley or semaphore I don't think are. You need to have somewhere for everything.

true the area of riding changes things, but no matter where u r there are some basics to follow.

such as:

not jibing in front of someone.

not dropping in down wind, and then pinching way upwind.

and not being a ****en spastic.

if your out riding in waves, i dare say you no what your doing so try and ride with a brain, in stead of a strapped on wide brim hat.
cheers

I agree that rules create grey areas but they are not rules as such more some sort of guide for people to be educated by. Knowledge of how it all works will help people to know what to do in the different situations they find themselves in.