Fairly new to the kiting scene on the Gold Coast. Jason from Byron Kiting was my instructor. I learnt to kite on the Train bank on the Gold Coast. I got through my kook stage pretty fast and was in awe of the windsurfers making high speed passes where I learnt to kite. Now I can make way up from KFC to the train bank I got seriously faded by a windsufer and had to drop in to stop a collision. There was plenty of room for both of us he tacked back agressively in front of me . Now I find out it's supposed to be a no go zone for kiters , due to unwritten law. How the fark did this come about . Plenty of Pole Dancers still launch and sail from KFC.

Who would police this?

Kite wherever, we do these sports for fun don't we?
Show respect to other water users and the respect shall be reciprocated.
If they give no respect, then game on: keep the kite low and steal all the poley's waves.
Some poley's think that because they are the 'grandfather of wind sports', they deserve their own spot or the best waves of the sets.
Nup, free-for-all I reckon.

Hi Guys

I think this situation has been exacerbated by the recent work on the new boat ramp. The local speed sailors have been forced to try and tack up in the shallows to get to the bank (train). Its very hard/potentially dangerous to do the GPS related activities (competition sailing) when there are kites hard against the train sand bank and the chaps tend to get frustrated easily. It only takes one or two kites to effectively close the run as its very very short (compared with other teams around the country that have longer runs). I think the confrontation is unnecessary and agree that you should be able to sail where you want but I think if it were at all possible to avoid the train when there are fast moving GPS windsurfers (these guys are hitting 35 knots in 18 - 20 of wind) i think the status-quo would be achieved.

I've been there when unpleasantness has been around and i think it just ruins everyone's day and brings us all down. Maybe the work at the train will be completed soon and we can just all have a good time :-)

Happy sailing

Curt

Select to expand quote

tilldark said..
Hi Guys
Its very hard/potentially dangerous to do the GPS related activities (competition sailing) when there are kites hard against the train sand bank and the chaps tend to get frustrated easily.

Competition sailing Potentially dangerous to the other water users?
Then why are they still trying to do it there endangering other public water users, and getting frustrated???

Surly high speed competition sailing should not be done in a spot that is dangerous to the general public??

I mean, the people who organise a horse race dont do it in the middle of a public park.

Kurt makes some good points but banning kiters from an area is just wrong. Separating us from them is stupid. It's not 1985 Johburg. Or even 2010 Coronation Beach Geraldton.
Kiters should always bareaway downwind of windsurfers, but saying kiters are separated is like saying local surfers only, or no groms. Just coz they were their first shouldn't give entitlement.

Over the next 3 months we are holding our national strong wind yabby pumping competition along the train bank,
No windsurfers should be in this area as it could be potentially dangerous to you, we are very pretentious and get frustrated easy, if you follow these unwritten laws staus quo will be achieved.
Thanks for understanding.

Happy sailing and pumping.

Yes, it's an unwritten law
Keep out of their spot or some of them will try and run their massive board through your ankles . Your choice really, insist on sharing the spot or choose life!
We've got a similar place here in Perth. It's the domain of the pole dancers - sometimes you see the whites of their eyes as they track straight for you