Well that was fun! Far out - I have Rabdo in my arms today from trying to hold on to my 12! Way too overpowered in the end there.

I always wonder about this. Being dragged around by a 12m in 25+knots.

Maybe I see things a bit differently, but I would have thought it would have been a much more enjoyable session by changing down a kite size (or two) more towards the right kite for the conditions.

I realise the kites these days have more range - but....... Over the last couple of weeks there have been a number of days with CRAZY winds forecast (and the charts during the day proving the point - ranging from 15kts to 35kts) and people have been out on 12's.

Do people not realise the smaller the kite the more fun it actually is. 25+knots and you could be having an epic kiteloop session on a 7m.

Sorry to hijack your thread....

Probably holds down a twelve the same way as every other 75kg bloke who reckons they use their 12m in 15-30knots.

Fully depowered
Jellyfishing
Kite constantly at 12 whilst riding
Standing upright and barely edging

Kazan said..

Remember a kite is nothing more than an aeroplane wing. Given the "right" wind conditions and the speed of the wind under your kite, you can be lofted very quickly, very easily.

Good point K-Dog. Did you see the article in KitePower email about the same thing? They were saying that the biggest trick the kite companies ever performed was to rename the 'trim' strap to 'depower'. This is because when you 'depower' the kite, you're not actually taking the power out of the kite, you're just trimming it. 12m depowered kite in 30knots still has the power of a 12m kite. If you get hit by one of those infamous Altona gusts, it's going to loft you into something.

Altona = 0 room to f*ck up

harry potter said..

Probably holds down a twelve the same way as every other 75kg bloke who reckons they use their 12m in 15-30knots.

Fully depowered
Jellyfishing
Kite constantly at 12 whilst riding
Standing upright and barely edging

Poo stance.

Yeah, I think people are genuinely concerned about the well being of other kiters on this forum. Hence the volume of support. Altona is a 'High Risk area'. If it was a road, there would be speed cameras and sign posts up. It seems to catch out one or two unsuspecting kiters a year... hence the heightened show of support on this thread.

I'm not sure the relevance of the ocean knowledge has on bay winds... but I'll take your word for it.

Forcetwelve said..

I agree - it's a dangerous spot. I've seen a few accidents there. I'm only in my second year but the things I see people doing amazes me sometimes.

My point on the weather side of things, is I believe if you have spent a lot of time in the ocean you are pretty aware of when a southerly change is about to hit, seabreeze is coming in etc.

It actually amazes me all the posts I read on here about incidents and accidents at Altona. I've been kiting just on 4 years and kited at Altona for the first time just a few weeks ago. Could not believe the amount of people I saw pumping up kites near the tree line, then launching and landing as close to the grass/trees as they possibly could.

I pumped up my kite closer to the water. Walked in the water and had someone launch me. Gave me room for error if anything went wrong. Same thing when landing. Stayed in the water and got landed closer to the water than the tree line. The problem is not Altona itself being dangerous. The problem is simply people doing stupid things.

In terms of the 12m discussion. I'm on a 12m Vegas and 25 knots is absolute maximum I'd go out in on that. As soon as it starts gusting over 25 I'm pumping up my 9. Natural Selection I say. Go out on a 12 in 25-30 knots and you deserve to be in the Trees IMO.

No feeling worse than getting jumped on when all you are trying to do is share the stoke and we can totally understand it. I think people are just very protective of Altona and rightly so - it gets crowded, there's more and more people learning on main beach, kites go into power lines and trees, we have a Libyan who put his kite into a tree and gives illegal lessons in front of everyone for 25 bucks, not to mention the 2 guys who will never walk again... Meanwhile you got good guys like Steve who are just trying to hold it all together and keep the spot safe.

So sorry if people are being a bit protective but you have to understand where they are coming from.

On a semi-related note I was out last year at StK in a WSW that was gusting 20-27, and I was on my 7. Guy came in on his 14! So excited and stoked and couldnt stop talking about how he hadn't been out in forever and just had an amazing kite and he didn't care that he was overpowered, etc etc etc. That guy was one of the two that got in the accident, the one that smashed the windshield and power lines at Altona and was in the coma for 5 months. Woulda happened less than 3 months after I had a chat with him that day.

Forcetwelve said..

Cheers chino. I'm the biggest ambassador of safety first and don't want to be the next accident forum thread that's for sure.

But yep, that'll be the last thread from me on here. Looking to share the stoke not spread the negativity.

Forcetwelve - I don't bother posting much in here either, just a reader. Way too much agro. There's some much more friendly kitesurfing clubs around. PM me if keen.

Forcetwelve said..

Cheers chino. I'm the biggest ambassador of safety first and don't want to be the next accident forum thread that's for sure.

But yep, that'll be the last thread from me on here. Looking to share the stoke not spread the negativity.

Or just say how much fun you had and provide as little as detail as possible so no one can pick flaws!

"I kited at a location. With wind. With a kite. And a board. It was fun for all."