Hi Kiters,

Well I have now had my second season kiting and having an absolute ball.

I simply love the sport and also know the risks that go with it hence my post and question to all kiters beginners and professionals. (Kiddy pool Pro's)

I find it staggering the things i see on St Kilda beach and the incidents which are often unnecessary and not to mention dangerous. I have had body draggers run through my lines and so called experienced kiters launch my kite not knowing which way the kite should be held.

With the sport becoming increasingly popular and room fast running out due to beginners etc, my suggstion is to enforce a license to all new people entering the sport. Or to go even further and say everyone with a kite should be tested on the safety and correct methods required to fly a kite. This in turn protects beach goers as well as the kiters themselves.

The Kite schools should encourage these practises and then the beach becomes a safer place for all of us. It is simply to easy to give someone 2or3 lessons and then they feel they are ready to handle a 12 meter kite and gusts / other kiters / launching / landing ......etc etc

Thoughts?????

How is having a license going to make a differnce? Tthese insidence happen because west beach is full of people learning. Not everyone kites at st kilda anyway. The only way its going to improve is if less people start kiting or the school teach elsewhere but st kilda is the safest and best place to learn near the city. Bad idea

Have you driven on our roads? They give out licences on the back of cereal boxes!!! Just because you have a licence for something doesn't mean your any good

There really seems to be no clear direction from the so called governing bodies. They should be prominent on boards like this, not be almost in hiding in case they will get flamed.
As said there should be some sort of briefing at least.
At a minimum the lesson cost should be including a membership to at least the state body to cover insurance.

The state bodies need to be out there, for god sake this is a sport that is going to be in the Olympics, advertise it as that rather than like happy hour down at the pub.

Right now it seems that everyone is all over the place like a madman's crap and safety is a thing you are taught at lesson time and realistically as a passing thought to get it out of the way.

Until such time that people are moving in one direction there will always be trouble with peoples self interest in safety terms.
I wonder if anyone has thought of going to a local yacht club and actually talked to them about their thoughts ( especially now Olympics are in the picture ) and organised some sort of info night on safety and boating rules or even if they were open to having a section for kiters ( separate club but annexed to the yacht club), be some sort of organised group rather than a rabble.

How many people out there know that red is port and what ever colour they put on the bar on the right is starboard and know the rules behind it all

Like we don't live in a Nanna state already, you want to make it worse. If you can't handle the heat of the St kilda kitchen, get out of there.

Don't bring your policing/ licensing opinions here because your are kiting in crowded areas and can't handle it.

I also skateboard, you want me to get a licence for that too? what about riding a bike? How would a licence do **** except give an easy way to penalise and fine you.

What an annoying bloody suggestion, you were probably **** after your first lessons too, so whats the solution, no licence for you?

I don't think licencing kiters will fix the problems occurring at St Kilda.

Talking with a few other guys that kite there more than I do, we think there is a case to be mode for having a "beach marshall" to keep an eye on proceedings, tap people on the shoulder if they are doing (or have done something) obviously dangerous.

Some people are rocking up and "self learning or teaching their families" which can be quite unsafe - hot launches, powered kites crashing etc. Proximity of kites to other beach users is a big safety issue. Someone without the skill to handle a kite safely shouldn't be flying one near anybody else.

I have seen this on other beaches (e.g. Hampton and Brighton) but its not so common. Much better signage is also needed to designate kiting zones for kiters to stick to and other beach goers to exercise caution in.

Something needs to be done there, otherwise its only a matter of time before someone get badly injured or worse by an errant kite and/or its lines - for which there will be consequences for us all.

The main issue with a Beach Marshall is who should it be and what powers would they have? Someone from the SLSC could do it - but they would have know about kites - and they are volunteers. At St Kilda over summer it would nearly be a full time job.

Maybe the Council could pay the wage? Maybe schools operating there could pay a levy? Or run a roster where one of their instructors/operators IS the Beach Marshall?

They may also need to do more than just provide advice. If someone persists in serious dangerous behaviour they need to be able to take action to stop it before someone gets hurt.

Perhaps they could just call the Police - which they should probably do in the event of any serious injury or death anyway.

Instead of a "Beach Hitler" or clubbies why don't we just hire natural selection. Who would want more stupid rules, the only people who would pay any attention to them are the people doing the right thing. Let's get work cover to look into it, that would be a big help look how much safer they made stupid people feel at work.
A clubbie tried to take my board off me years ago, didn't work out so good for him [}:)]

WeirdEd, a woman beachgoer was knocked out cold recently by a kite crashed into her, so serious accidents are happening already. A couple of serious complaints to local councils are likely to cause serious consideration of regulation, even bans.

If/when there is a death the Coroner could make more recommendations about leglisation - probably changes that would not suit kiting.

Sticking your head in the sand doesn't make safety issues go away. They are happening around us - right now.

For example, I saw three dudes flying a 12m kite in gusty offshore wind on the beach at Inverloch. We were going to suggest they were a hazard to themselves and other beachgoers close by. Then one got lofted and spanked. Landed hard and didn't move for a while. They packed up and left.

I am having a good laugh reading this post, cheers

Peter, the safety issue is people with no clue wandering around who might get hit. It's their right to use the beach but they have no clue that sunbathing in the launch/land area or taking pictures of noobs trying to waterstart is a potential hazard. Signs might help.

I am not putting my head in the sand, I just don't want the "Beach Marshall of the St. Kilda turd lagoon" to tell me what to do and what not to do. The kiters, even the noobs, know the risks of lines, errand kites, etc. and if they find it unsafe they should go somewhere where it's safer. I have been hit and tangled three times by someone else (helmet helps, btw) but I still go. If you want a safe sport, there is plenty to choose from: lawn bowling, hacky sack, etc.

Imagine how cool the surf culture would be if someone had implemented these weird ideas...

To salt and crew,most people dont want to have licenses and rules and etc.But as Peter has stated,accidents are happenning which need to be avoided.If the kiting community doesnt pull its head out of the sand and get its act together then the local council and etc will do it for us.
If anyone saw the news tonight ,a kite surfer had to get rescued after crashing with a sailboarder.Again good publicity/bad publicity.The police might be asking why were you out so far without a bouyancy vest on and etc.This is how regulations get put into place.Again do we turn a blind eye to what happened or do we look into fixing the problem to avoid it in the future.
The surfing community weird ed does have rules(how un cool) .They have a one man on the wave at a time rule.If you take off closest to the breaking section, then the wave is yours.Simple,this rule is global.I have seen people break this rule and seen what happens back in the car park after.Yes the surfing community brought this about themselves.

Weird Ed have you heard of Surf living saving clubs,have you heard of swim between the flags ,surf outside of them.OOOPPPPPPs.

MG1976 said...


SALT - perhaps stick to skateboarding if you don't have anything intelligent to add. Thanks for wasting readers time with your stupidity that only destroys the longevity the sport.

Longevity of the sport, what do you u know. 2nd season... stay out of the area left of instructors and you'll find everyone is happier.

No need for licenses which is the most horrendous concept i can think of. while it can be annoying now and then its more about sheer numbers not in nay way something that any form of licencing or policing will cure.

As i said, if you can't handle the heat....

Wierded,

Peter, the safety issue is people with no clue wandering around who might get hit. It's their right to use the beach but they have no clue that sunbathing in the launch/land area or taking pictures of noobs trying to waterstart is a potential hazard. Signs might help.

I disagree. I have seen people hit by kites while walking along Melbourne beaches outside kiting zones (which are still draft and not even signed yet after 2+ years). That is not the walker's fault. Its 100% the kiters. Its similar to trying to learn to drive a car without instruction, crashing into another car, then blaming it for being there!

I am not putting my head in the sand, I just don't want the "Beach Marshall of the St. Kilda turd lagoon" to tell me what to do and what not to do. The kiters, even the noobs, know the risks of lines, errand kites, etc. and if they find it unsafe they should go "where it's safer.

I disagree. There are people doing things with kites (including fathers with their children) who clearly don't understand the risks and dangers. I told one mother to get herself and her young children away from her partners kiters (where they were hanging around near the kite and lines) with him about to hot self launch it. This was 2 years ago at St Kilda. She moved them away. There could have been a serious injury or death if she didn't. A friendly beach marshall could tap a kiter like this on the shoulder and give him some tips on safety.

I have personally now witnessed several incidents like this, including newbie kiters crashing their kite among swimmers between the flags at Hampton. Either we get proactive about safety, or it will be done "for us" nanny-state style by politicians and local government.

What would you prefer?

Personally, I prefer not to be outside the boat pissing in.

We need clear signage on the foreshore AND beaches for designated kite launching zones at all locations.

I think its time for a beach marshall at St Kilda - the best option could be for the schools operating there to provide someone to do this on a rotation basis.

Any miscreants putting others in danger who refuse to take advice from such a beach marshall should be referred directly to the police before they kill or main someone.