Just woundering if anybody could give me some tips on the right wind direction, wind speed ,tide ect. With a 10m kite
Cheers trav

Travymac said...
[br]Just woundering if anybody could give me some tips on the right wind direction, wind speed ,tide ect. With a 10m kite
Cheers trav

Sw-east works, wind strength depends on your level, mid to high tide is best but you can go out the back and play in the wind swell on low tide.
Drop by KSS if you have any questions on where to go.
64 bylth street in altona.
Saffer is talking about one location in altona (which is the main one). There are some really safe spots to kite in altona so drop by the shop.

KSSALTONA said...

Travymac said...
[br]Just woundering if anybody could give me some tips on the right wind direction, wind speed ,tide ect. With a 10m kite
Cheers trav

Sw-east works, wind strength depends on your level, mid to high tide is best but you can go out the back and play in the wind swell on low tide.
Drop by KSS if you have any questions on where to go.
64 bylth street in altona.
Saffer is talking about one location in altona (which is the main one). There are some really safe spots to kite in altona so drop by the shop.

Thanks mate, I will. Pop in during the week

Amazing. I thought Saffer was raising some really solid points. Kind of sad really. Standby for this comment to be deleted.

Just to add my perspective (which is really pro or anti Altona for learners, just my experience):

I distinctly remember when I was not a beginner, but not very good*. Conditions were good and I was tacking back and forth fairly merrily. As the wind was dying I was struggling to stay up wind, so was getting pushed further and further into a corner with rock wall one side, and trees the next. As I was trying to tack out, I was just waiting for the kite to snag a tree,... I think in reality, I was much further away than that. But if I had more experience, I'd have self landed the kite on the water a good distance from the beach and gathered it up and waded to shore.**



* - Note, I'm still not very good.

** - which I did on Sunday as I was over powered.

suniboy21 said..

SaltySinus said..

Just to add my perspective (which is really pro or anti Altona for learners, just my experience):

I distinctly remember when I was not a beginner, but not very good*. Conditions were good and I was tacking back and forth fairly merrily. As the wind was dying I was struggling to stay up wind, so was getting pushed further and further into a corner with rock wall one side, and trees the next. As I was trying to tack out, I was just waiting for the kite to snag a tree,... I think in reality, I was much further away than that. But if I had more experience, I'd have self landed the kite on the water a good distance from the beach and gathered it up and waded to shore.**



* - Note, I'm still not very good.

** - which I did on Sunday as I was over powered.

*I*
=

Hmmmm... good point. I clearly had a lot of extra vowels, didn't I? I won't do it again. I have learned my lesson. I is sorry.

So does the kite company with the big signed van have permission/permits to teach off the bank at apex park?? I thought Steve had exclusive permission.

dp89 said..

So does the kite company with the big signed van have permission/permits to teach off the bank at apex park?? I thought Steve had exclusive permission.

Kite republic got a permit too

Alright I'm learning remember..... Where is a safe spot?

KSSALTONA said..

d

Travymac said..
Alright I'm learning remember..... Where is a safe spot?

Drop into the shop and I will point you in the right direction.
Once I have done the map I will chuck it up.

Moral of the story - Dont kite at main beach. Go to Steve, get a map and some advice, don't get lessons that involve fishing the instructor's kite out of the tree.

You'll progress faster, be happier, and find the more experienced locals much more willing to lend a hand.

So many rules and regulations in Vicco. Argghhh. Kills the sport really and it seems to have become now the pasttime of nepotists where beginners or 'noobs' are just wasting space. You guys need to ease up on the DON'T KITE HERE OR THERE approach. Yeah, yeah, i know why you do it, but you should approach it with some loveeeee guys.

I am a beginner and went out at Altona for the first time yesterday. I had fun and built some skills but have a few observations.

When I got to Altona and saw so many kites out, it freaked me out a bit and I nearly left my kit in the car.

The first thing I did was talk to one of the locals asking "is there an area that is best for beginners". I was told "no, it is all good ... its best at high tide". So I headed for what looked like the least crowded spot near the yellow marker at the east end of the beach. If I had received the advice that Apex point (west end of the beach?) was for beginners I certainly would have taken the advice.

I was a bit disappointed to see so many people self launching and landing their kites. There were so many people around, so why would you do it? One bloke crashed their kite into me and the passing mother/children/pram. No harm done, but why take the risk? He was clearly no beginner. Why didn't he ask me for help to land? and it was low tide so there was heaps of room to do it further from the pedestrian path.

I don't understand why people say in this thread Altona is best at high tide? With the low tide yesterday the beach was so wide. Perfect? And there is still plenty of shallow water compared to Mentone or Hampton where I have been sailing in the SW/W.

I kite at Altona all the time and all the people I know at Alton are nice and ready to help. I always self launching and If the winds are not 20 knots I will self land. It is easy to self launch. cheers Jose

Sea urchins suck too! If your a beginner be mentally prepared to step on them. Stick to St.Kilda until your tacking. Why? because your guaranteed to crash badly and when you do you want deep water. A lot of beginners are drawn to the lovely wave free shallows of Altona and after an hour they have sprained/dislocated/broken an ankle,knee,arm,neck. If your a beginner at Altona you need a very experienced rider with you, who's not kiting.

But have fun where ever you go!

The muscle beds are far worse at altona. Plenty of guys required stitches this year because of them