Hi folks,

The old vexed qusetion of right of way rears it's head again.

I have noticed City Beach getting pretty crowded (well relatively anyhoo) lately.

The rule for RoW as far as I know is starboard tack has priority. This is fine until you get into a situation where you have gone into the waves in shallow water and are attempting to turn so as to exit and get back out again and there is some eager beaver right on your tail thinking I have RoW cause i'm starboard... Great plan genius but where is the 1st kiter supposed to go? Up into the dunes maybe??? [}:)]

I have had a few near misses lately (nothing to get too worked up about as I usually play it safe and abort if there is likely a squeeze for space). However I have seen this scenario played out to others at CB more times in the past few weeks than in a couple of seasons combined.

I had a quick chat to a couple of guys that I saw doing this several times recently. There were Austrian lads and were ok with the suggestion to give way to those coming out of the surf. They were from a flatwater background and had only been in town a week or two. No-one had mentioned the bad form in cramping the kiter in the surf before.

For the record I usually give way to anyone leaving the surf zone (port tack) and on the open water return to the starboard priority. I pretty much expect the same also. For most folks this is fine. Every now and then some water hog comes along but such is life. It is just not smart at all to sit behind someone with nowhere to go.

Anyone else find similar happenings this season??

After counting to 10 many times ...

... the word is "anyhow"

kitecrazzzy said...

your going back out through the zone?

Yes.

CB is not a 'one break' location, so there is not a zone as such. There is piddly little waves all along.

The day I chatted to the two tourists one was repeatedly following a kiter in right behind them. The 1st kiter would be almost on the shore, flip their kite around to head back out only find a bloke steaming straight at them and go "holy mofo!!!" and radically swing their kite back toward land/punters etc. [}:)]

I watched this for about 30 mins and was surprised the tourists hadn't put it together that they were causing stress for the kiters they were stalking, as the shocked stalkees were stacking, losing boards, getting dragged up into the shallows and generally not happy. On that day there wasn't even more than 6 kites up, and plenty of free space, which made it even weirder to be putting either party into a nowhere to go situation.

The two guys were competant/intermediate kiters and very receptive. Especially after a gentle suggestion they were likely to encounter very aggressive kiters if they kept at this habit. They just had been used to very crowded spots (so probably didn't think they were in anyone's comfort zone) and flat water.


PS trevor1: Anyhoo is a bad habit picked up from a lovely Canadian ex-flame. I'm sure it is not as bad as turning to find you have a stalker gunning you down Now go take a laxative...

When in such a situation surely a cranked downloop speed run downwind and a tight jibe will get you out of it?
try it next time.

My new look is a tribute to Cory. He's my new special hero.

poor relative said...

When in such a situation surely a cranked downloop speed run downwind and a tight jibe will get you out of it?
try it next time.

Ummm, I am so lame that I still have never watched a kite DVD and haven't tried a downloop either... I also have only ever tried missionary and didn't get laid until 36...

Ok that last bit is a crock but I am lame (and I hate being stalked) [}:)]

going in to bat for one Euro mate at CB. this is becoming a very busy set up beach for downwinders and we all love the place. and some guys just like to kite there and not go down wind... each to their own.

now the guy i'll back here is some what different from all of us... he's visually impaired to point he see his own kite at a clouded blur.... FREAK OUT BLIND MAN KITING HOW DANGEROUS... wait up he can do s bend to blind can you? i have talked to him about being cautious when approaching the beach and he is doing all he can...
so if this is the guy stalking you fret not he leaves Sunday.

cheers and good wind and happy kite communities.
Pos

WTF??

I have been on the wrong end of the flexidude couple of times (flexiguy not really giving way on the starboard or port). Just figured he wasn't a real sharing kinda guy. Not major close calls and nothing life threatening just a bit of lost ground. Like I said I usually give ground rather than lose a limb (especially if on a downwinder what is the point?) but seriously if he is that badly sighted - good skills or not - then he is quite a liability to all around him.

I don't want to be the bloke that says you can't play in the sand pit but crikey, if he doesn't even realise he has rooted someone's kite then that is not acceptable. Hmm tough one, kinda glad he is splitting town though...

Anyhoo hope some of our Euro friends have read this thread at least so there is a bit more awareness of the surf protocol.

Learn to downloop, as it could be argued that they are on the wave and have right of way.
downloop hard, go downwind fast your out of the way then.
Win Win
You get out of the way, guy behind enjoys his wave.
Simple eh?

[ridiculous suggestion]
is it possible your not assertive enough? if your not a beginner you may be well trained in the art of kite fighting, the idea is to put your kite in a position that gives no risk to your kites well being yet could chomp the other kite to pieces. [or just take the wind out of the canopy and make it fall out the sky]
once your kite control is down to the extent that it is easy for you to do it can be your favourite weapon in the battle for air supremacy
[/rediculous suggestion]

RobinFuel said...

Well it is not only the Euros that have to watch out.
A few weeks ago some guy with a Flexifoil (Red/green/yellow) cost me 2 lines int the break at city/floreat beach. Just said sorry and went on with his downwinder. If you are reading this, you owe me a set of lines dude.
This guy was on my ass all the time and when it went wrong he was so close behind me that our kites hit because his kite was above mine.
Just give eachother room, especially in the surf, is that so hard?
Robin

just like to note there are a few rasta flexi's ATM, me being one. Couldnt have been me in your case Robin as i wasnt in town, but must say if the kite on ur aviator is the one you use (the red, white and blue fuel) you were doin some booya kiteloops on tuesday between floreat and the drainpipe.
Looked sick!

Yeh it is getting very buusy, and i admit we all get a little excited when racing down the line of the 1-2 footers. We just need to keep an eye out for each other, which I think was the original intent for this post.