Hi all,

This might be a controversial topic but thought I would throw it out there as I feel that things are going to come to a bad turning point at this spot in the near future.

I personally feel that whilst there are surfers in the water, kiting on the main section on The Spot is hugely irresponsible and dangerous. I have a bunch of reasons regarding safety and also why surfers should get priority here, but was interested to see how everyone else felt without getting on my soapbox.

Cheers

I agree .
that is the rule of thumb around the world in my experience.
surf until it's too windy , feed , chill .empty lineup.....then kite .

Put it this way . If it's 40 knots in August with a 6 m swell . I will kite it.Not to many surfers out there then if any at all.
As the burbs start to form a future city around yanchep . The Agro will get more intense and the stink eye will get like Scarborough.
Sounds like a dick head summer spot !.
The good news for the surfers is that the motorised surfboards will be in full swing within 5 years pissing them off and the kitesurfers will simply down wind to the next un crowded spot.

Where is 'The Spot'?

Between Yanchep and Two rocks off Two Rocks road. In recent years the council have made a sign and made it easily accessible so i'd imagine the locals aren't too happy.

Surely the few local blokes who kite the Spot and Leemo's regularly aren't the issue though?

Why is this even posted as an issue? There are no real problems at The Spot.

Easy to kite the section upwind and the beachy, just stay away from the centre where the surfers are. Most surfers disapear when the wind starts cranking anyway.

Threre are a couple of grizzly surfers that yell abuse even when you are 200m away, but I think it just adds to their mental stability if they can rant at some one who isnt paddling around next to them

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SugarQube said..

Threre are a couple of grizzy surfers that yell abuse even when you are 200m away, but I think it just adds to their mental stability if they can rant at some one who isnt paddling around next to them

Probably the same ones that were doing the same sh1t 15 years ago.. Or the next generation that copied them

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SugarQube said..
Why is this even posted as an issue? There are no real problems at The Spot.

Easy to kite the section upwind and the beachy, just stay away from the centre where the surfers are. Most surfers disapear when the wind starts cranking anyway.

Threre are a couple of grizzy surfers that yell abuse even when you are 200m away, but I think it just adds to their mental stability if they can rant at some one who isnt paddling around next to them

Like I said SQ, things are starting to get a bit on edge since the end of last season. Some crew will try it on for size and kite through there whist people are surfing, but oblige with a friendly thumbs up when waved downwind. However, a few repeat offenders will kite amongst the surfers and will then actually try and spray or circle people when they are waved downwind with plenty of Gufaws.
Regardless of "grumpy locals" or surfers can't share etc, I'm sure everyone know the potential for serious injury when someone drops a kite in the lineup, gets washed in by a set and then the kite powers up and/or death loops, or even just a collision when coming over a little lump and not being able to see someone paddling out. I have seen the first instance happen personally and this competent kiter was very lucky the surfers were all further out from him at the time.

If there is a reasonable swell running the spot handles the sea breeze (surfing wise) up to about 25 knots, infact I'd said it would be the only surfable wave in a 40km radius in those conditions during summer (and if you don't include Trigg point the closest wave would be in Mandurah), hence why I believe surfers should have priority there.

Don't get me wrong, I kite there (badly), I surf and live in Yanchep but your sadly mistaken if you feel that there is no potential issue here with the way some people are behaving. Let me reassure you that I have no interest in any finger pointing or aggression but sadly I know some people don't feel the same way and any sort of conflict won't be good for either party.

Nah, cant imagine kiters spraying surfers there,

Population is changing up Yanchep with the road going through and cheap real estate, long time crew will have to get used to influx of other surfers, I have often kited up there for days in a row not seeing another kiter, if its a problem for surfers to see the odd kiter they have a personal problem.

everything else probably gets sorted any way. a friendly word is probably never disrespected, throwing punches will maybe incure assault charges

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SugarQube said...
Nah, cant imagine kiters spraying surfers there,

Population is changing up Yanchep with the road going through and cheap real estate, long time crew will have to get used to influx of other surfers, I have often kited up there for days in a row not seeing another kiter, if its a problem for surfers to see the odd kiter they have a personal problem.

everything else probably gets sorted any way. a friendly word is probably never disrespected, throwing punches will maybe incure assault charges

I think you're missing my point SQ. No-one is fazed by kiters in the general area, only concerned with kiters that put other crew in danger needlessly.

It's also got nothing to do with the influx of people in the area which had been steadily happening since the 90's so there's nothing new there. Like you said, there's heaps if space to kite so why do it amongst the surfers.

My post is only regarding kiting through a crowded line-up which includes launching in the keyhole where everyone paddles out after a run around.

Yeah looks like I dont get it, sounds to me like you are making out there is a problem when there is none

Quite the opposite, I don't want any problems out there, hence the post.
Enjoy the rest of your season SQ.

youve got all morning to surf the best waves (with all the kamakazie kooks) before the wind then when its blowing let others have some fun too,
works at alot of better breaks than spot so live and let live, waist high cross on slop is not worth getting worked up about.

tend to agree with SQ, think posting this here is probably going to attract more attention, next minute new kiters into the surfing game are googling the spot and will be there.
Last time i was there it was actually a local kiter being the knob, kiting straight at me and my mates, we waved and said hi, got sprayed and death stares, snaking, dropping in, getting in our way when we were about to ride a wave, general uncalled for nusiance riding.
Note, there were 2 surfers out, we stayed at beachey then moved up when they came in. and are all competent kiters with a surf background so know rules.

Look i see in a way what you are saying here with the topic, and agree if surfers are out at that spot, etticate should be had and they should get to surf it as they have been for years. there is plenty of fun at the beachey till the reefy blows out.

There are 10 billion more problems here in the local city beach to trigg run. problems i see are:
kiting close to kids
kiting close to people in general
kiting close to surfers
kiting close to flags
fishermen
kiters thinking they can just pop off the back of a wave and jump on the next without looking behind and ending up snaking the person that went out and got that wave
yelling at non kiters
kiters taking off from beach when clearly there is someone right in front of them about to drop into a wave to ride
kiters turning but not looking behind first
people on strapped boards jumping right where people are riding waves

i know WAKSA do a fair bit to keep us going, but beach patrol, surfers, people in general are all watching and ready to pounce. i think things like this should be emailed direct to WAKSA and WAKSA should be constantly posting on this well read forum things like this:
general surf rules
general kite rules
zones to watch out for
people, surfers and non powered get right of way over kiters. etc.

not trying to point fingers, but like DJMWA i want to keep kiting so we worry that kooks do silly things that jeopordise this. lets work together as a community to keep it going.

The problem here is not just kiters ,but its overcrowding from everyone .If you live in the city you have to share .Nobody owns beaches .If surfers dont want other water users around them then what are they doing living in the city!.Its not hard to get a 4x4 and go do a north of lanos run up the beach and find a great surf spot with know one around you for miles.I do surf aswell as kite surf I also SUP, kayak and snorkel.
All these sports are about having fun on the water finding the next location and having a sense of adventure.

If its blowing 20 knots in the afternoon when surfers have been out all morning surfing then its time to kite.
I know many places to go kitesurfing in Western Australia ,but my rule of thumb is to keep distance which is just about impossible through Scarborough ,Trigg and places like the spot and that is because there is to many people trying to use the one location.So if you cant handle crowds dont go there!.Thats for all water users!

Everyone wants to make there own rules up and forget the fact that we have to share and use etiquette.That etiquette has to come from every water user.

On the road there is a well documented road rules.
Unfortunatly on the water everyone wants to make there own rules !.

Been a great read, thanks to all who took the time to contribute without just going for a troll.
I am a little surprised about the focus on sharing however. My only concern is the safety aspect of dropping your kite in a crowded lineup and/or collision.
Hope everyone got a session in today, I was a little "under the weather" so to speak.