Anyone keen to head out in our around mentone/mordialloc? Newbie here still learning the ropes and wouldn't mind someone to get going with. Still lacking a bit of confidence so wouldn't mind the pointers and the watchful eye.

Enjoy but stay well clear of the no boating areas especially at Mentone...

Select to expand quote

Jacob1982 said..
Anyone keen to head out in our around mentone/mordialloc? Newbie here still learning the ropes and wouldn't mind someone to get going with. Still lacking a bit of confidence so wouldn't mind the pointers and the watchful eye.

The no boating zone is in front of the Mentone LSC, yellow pole marks it and there are signs near the beach too.

Beach is narrow there so assisted launching and landing is the go.

Other than those two points, Mentone is a nice spot.

Chat to other kiters on the beach, let them know you are still learning. They should keep an eye out for you.

Come down to Chelsea if need be dude, great bunch of guys and always willing to help

I'm in for Chelsea for a change! I have only tried Rosebud and St Kilda :)
Where at Chelsea do you normally meet?

Select to expand quote

VicMoo said...
I'm in for Chelsea for a change! I have only tried Rosebud and St Kilda :)
Where at Chelsea do you normally meet?

Chelsea youcht club

Sandros right
Good bunch of blokes at Chelsea, have hit mordy east of pier as well!
Will start Inverloch and rosebud trips, maybe some downwinders when Sandros ready

Select to expand quote

joelz87 said...
Sandros right
Good bunch of blokes at Chelsea, have hit mordy east of pier as well!
Will start Inverloch and rosebud trips, maybe some downwinders when Sandros ready

Lol, yeah give me another 5 decent sessions and I think I'll get there haha

Select to expand quote

Sandrino said...

VicMoo said...
I'm in for Chelsea for a change! I have only tried Rosebud and St Kilda :)
Where at Chelsea do you normally meet?

Chelsea youcht club

I wana blame the spelling of this to auto correct on iPhone but honestly, that one was all my bad. YACHT club lol

Select to expand quote

Sandrino said..

Sandrino said...

VicMoo said...
I'm in for Chelsea for a change! I have only tried Rosebud and St Kilda :)
Where at Chelsea do you normally meet?

Chelsea youcht club

I wana blame the spelling of this to auto correct on iPhone but honestly, that one was all my bad. YACHT club lol

ahah no worries, I'm a foreigner. Youcht still sounds good.

Ey guys,

planning to go out tomorrow? I will be finishing work around 4pm so I wouldn't mind joining you!

Select to expand quote

VicMoo said..
Ey guys,

planning to go out tomorrow? I will be finishing work around 4pm so I wouldn't mind joining you!

Hey buddy,

Where exactly are you planning to kite in Menton tomorrow?

Cheers

I was not thinking necessarily Monton, wherever it's kind of beginner friendly for a westerly. Maybe Chelsea or Sandringham?

Chelsea is behinner friendly man il be there today. That's our usual spot there or Watkins street Mordy just depending on wind direction

If the rain holds off I will try to be at Chelsea around 5.30pm!

I've started testing the beaches on the east coast from Mentone to Chelsea as my work offices have recently moved to this side of town.
Normally i'll drive the extra distance and leave early to ride Altona, but seeing as though East coast beaches are closer, i'm curious get all of your inputs to the conditions at each of the beaches, Watkins St, Gnotuk Ave, Chelsea Yacht Club.

Does Watkin's St get much protection by the peer in North Westerly winds?

Anyone out at Chelsea ? Any good?

Yeah man Chelsea was pumpin around 3-4ish then died off. Had the 8 out was sick!

Missed the window (again)!!!

I finished work at 4pm and it started raining so I didn't even try...

just a word of note, yesterday there was plenty of wind but not suitable for beginners

it was frontal winds, not a seabreeze

frontal winds can be gusty and have huge wind strength changes - not ideal conditions, especially if direct on shore

www.seabreeze.com.au/graphs/vic_yesterday.asp

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Major-Incident-Gnotuk/?page=1

I was thinking the same thing as Ice. Yesterday afternoon was not beginner kiting conditions.

Even the forecast would have told you that.

Any beginner would have had thier arse handed to them when the front came through - see below.
It jumped from 13 knots to 40knot (45 knot gust) in a matter of seconds.

So no Sandrino, you didn't "miss the window again" - you just got lucky... you're still alive for Christmas!!!

Select to expand quote

ice said..
just a word of note, yesterday there was plenty of wind but not suitable for beginners

it was frontal winds, not a seabreeze

frontal winds can be gusty and have huge wind strength changes - not ideal conditions, especially if direct on shore

www.seabreeze.com.au/graphs/vic_yesterday.asp

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Major-Incident-Gnotuk/?page=1

Ice,

maybe dummy question but how do you differentiate seabreezes from frontal winds when you are on the beach?

consistency and distance between gusts, eg : 20 gusting 40 is an indication not to go out where as 18 gusting 20 is perfect.

Select to expand quote

VicMoo said.


Ice,

maybe dummy question but how do you differentiate seabreezes from frontal winds when you are on the beach?

Spend a couple of hours researching and understanding how to read wind forecasts. Always check the forecasts before or at the beach.

www.seabreeze.com.au/Help/Weather/How-to-read-wind-forecasts_8522689.aspx

Vicmoo,
As a general rule in Vic, be wary of Westerlies,
They are the worst of the frontal winds, they're never sea breezes and happen to be onshore at the beaches discussed above.
Risky Shiite and definitely not for beginners

A seabreeze is a thermal wind that develops by the land heating up faster than the sea which creates local low pressure on land. The air then moves in from the sea to equalize that low. A seabreeze is characterized by slowly building southerly winds (typically from 2-4pm on a sunny day) which vary very little in strength.

A frontal wind is a cold front moving in, displacing the warmer air. It is characterized by sudden changes in wind speed, often with massive shifts of wind direction. You can see the squalls on radar if you do you homework before going to the beach (see Meteye or baywinds.com.au). If you're already on the beach you'll see dark, low hanging clouds approaching and most of the time they look nasty and give you enough time to come in unless you hang around for "one last tack".

Don't mess with frontal onshore winds. I once got kicked in the nuts by 45kts winds in St. Kilda. Had fun in 25 kts and suddenly I was hanging on for dear life with my 8m kite on the water at the edge of the window quickly approaching the beach because I insisted on that "one last tack".

Always worth keeping an eye out on avalon/point wilson wind meters as any W-SW front will hit there first.

Usually strong squalls/changes have low dark cloud so can be easily seen, but this is not a hard and fast rule. Yesterday's had quite a bit of rain so would have been visible.

Also you can see the approaching front with the whitecaps, strange as it may seem the front often moves slower than the speed of the wind behind it.

Having said that I froth for these kind of days especially in winter where you have to kite between the squalls, or in the squalls.

Best to not go where it is directly onshore, greater chance of being lofted. Which pretty much rules out most of the East section of the bay.

Also keep an eye out on your local when conditions change, what the beacon says may be far different to what happens at your beach.

Nuff safety advice.

Select to expand quote

ice said..

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Major-Incident-Gnotuk/?page=1

for a moment I thought this was this week, until I read what kite was used an 03 slingshot. Does anyone know if/how this guy has recovered?

Select to expand quote

HighzaKite said..

ice said..

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Major-Incident-Gnotuk/?page=1

for a moment I thought this was this week, until I read what kite was used an 03 slingshot. Does anyone know if/how this guy has recovered?

It was near the end of summer in 2006. I didn't know him but my understanding is he passed away...

Select to expand quote

MrTwist said..

HighzaKite said..

ice said..

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Major-Incident-Gnotuk/?page=1

for a moment I thought this was this week, until I read what kite was used an 03 slingshot. Does anyone know if/how this guy has recovered?

It was near the end of summer in 2006. I didn't know him but my understanding is he passed away...

Laurie Goffen survived www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/laurie-goffin-gnotuk/