Theres a couple of guys who regularly sail at wellington point who have reached a new low.

Two of my friends (male and female) were there on saturday and both complained about the behaviour of a particular bunch of guys. It might be time to remind people of a few simple points.

1. Buzzing within meters of crashed beginners (or anyone else including me) in the water is not funny or cool. Its dangerous.

2. Making sexual gestures towards female sailors and swearing your heads off like a bunch of idiots is unlikely to make you look attractive. Especially when she is a better sailor than you. My male friends wife was on the bank and witnessed it all and said it was disgusting. Especially around all the families having picnics. Good way to advertise the sport.

3. You are unlikely to break 40 knots in a 15-20 knot wind on your 7.5m sail so why not just calm down a bit.

I've been nearly hit myself by one of these guys on the eastern side of wello when there is kilometers of ocean for everyone to give people a wide berth. If someone comes too close to me again without good cause there's going to be words on the beach. I would suggest if you have a need to show off your technique there are better ways. Such as learning to turn around for example.

I'm sure there are a few club presidents who frequent this site and it might be a good time to remind people of some common courtesy.

Martin
ps - this is not a rant about speed or slalom sailors in general - most of whom are good sailors who give the beginners a wide berth or better still... offer some encouragement instead of harrassment.

Martin,

I guess I can be included in that group of louts, but I didn't see anyone buzzing beginners- yes the channel got a bit hectic at times.

I dont actually remember actual beginners being there- the guy on the ezzy? I didn't rate as a beginner, rather not big enough sail.

Remember those guys you are ranting about sail with eachother every day, they race with others in closer proximity so probably do not realise they are upsetting anyone without it being raised at the time. Personally I dont mind sailing close to others, for some reason in recent years it freaks people out but then there are less crashes into others now, that said because I know it freaks people out I only sail close with others I sail regularly with (& who arent going to crash in front of me).

Regarding the disrespect towards women- I shall apologise for him now . No offence is meant from any of us, if it was us. Please PM me & i'll raise it with the person involved. Swearing etc? Are you kidding, no more down there than normal people. Families having picnics? Oh the maori's who had plenty of their own colourful language?

Better sailor? Your friend is a great sailor no doubt, much respect to her for that- aside from her being a nice person maybe that is the reason some of us say hi to her (not all of us want to jump into bed with any female we see). But considering some of that group are amongst the top speed & slalom sailors in qld I dont think they are lacking of skill. Maybe you can't see that or maybe the comment was meant to be inflammatory like the rest of your post.

Windsurfing is our release, we can be as uncalm as we like so long as we aren't breaking any laws- if you dont like it STAY AWAY! I'm all for windsurfers being good ambassadors for their sport but cmon, i've been around plenty of other sports with much the same thing going on- except if anyone is offended there they walk away or raise the issue at the time.

Kilometres of ocean, except at low tide so how bout you paint a better picture- I had a 47cm fin in, not a 23cm fin- kinda limits where you can sail.

Club presidents? Maybe you should sail with them a bit more if you are offended at our actions.

I dont see this as an attack at slalom/speed or whatever, but the fact that you raised it twice . No I see it more as 1 or 2 people that have come to a spot, kept to themselves & then taken great offence at the actions of the majority. If you chose to not be so insular & actually said hi to some of us then you would have found out that many of us are more than happy to assist.

I look forward to a chat on the beach, it will do more than slinging s*** on a public forum. I dont think any of us look like we would've bitten your or your wifes or anyone elses head off (I'm ugly, not scary ), and raising your concerns at the time would achieve much more than whinging about it later. Maybe by having that chat you & your companions might do what the rest of the sailors on that day were doing... having a laugh.

10 out of 10 for sticking your hand up MK now suggest you guys move on both have valid points

They sound like kiter wannabes

Must remember to bring my handbag next time i am at wello.................just make light of the matter chaps!

post the video !!! we can form a jury

I'm merely putting my hand up to say I sail in that group & give me the details so it can be addressed.

Since this is going on a bit behind the scenes...

To spell it out for the few people that misunderstood-

in no way am I or have I condoned sexual harrassment. As I said, provide me the details & I will raise it with the person/s concerned. Yes there are 1 or 2 that go over the top at times, and my point was we disapprove of their actions in a light hearted manner (none of us are there to be a parent or start a dispute with someone else).

I didnt witness the incident & have received nothing further.

Swearing wise- yes we ALL (not just wello "group") should be a bit more mindful of who is around. But as I pointed out, I dont think it was excessive.

All of the rest of it I stand by as stated- the post was inflammatory & discredited all of the regulars on slalom gear that day.

Yes we are a (large) relatively tight knit group but are/have been very welcoming to new comers, I guess that can be a little intimidating. I do understand that some individuals in that group (myself included) can seem a bit intimidating but it takes nothing to say hi & then you will get an actual gauge of someone.

I feel this is a hit & run affair by Martin. It only took some communication on the day & all of this would be a non-issue...
- a group of sailors wouldnt be scratching their heads going who, what, was it me? Really the day was pretty normal & good time had by all that I saw.
- a group of sailors wouldnt be wondering who martin was & how in not knowing him that he acknowledges a group as wello regulars.
- particular sailor would have been advised it is illegal to park in trailer bays & it is wise to move in order to avoid a fine from the police.
- particular sailor would be advised that it's a little dangerous to slog repeatedly across the channel at low tide as those on slalom gear cannot avoid not sailing in the channel until the 2nd last beacon.
- Martin would know whilst 40 knots wasnt achieved 33 knots wasnt a bad effort in 15-20 with a 7.5

Martin & co took offence on the day for something that happened. I take offence to being associated on a public forum with events by being part of a group & my choice of gear on that particular day.

I think the point has been missed a bit.

I deliberately didn't identify anyone. To your credit MKseven you have identified yourself. Whether you are responsible for the things i've mentioned is up to you to discuss. I don't even know who you are.

I was also quite specifically not generalising about people using speed or slalom gear. Of the 15 or so people who I see regularly sailing at wellington point on that sort of equipment there are about 2 or 3 who go too close to people in the water. Everyone else is mindful of/capable of giving people room which suggests its not entirely related to the length of your fin.

I mentioned it so they could identify themselves and perhaps have a bit of a look in the mirror. As for suggesting that a young lady who's been wolf whistled at for half an hour comes up and says hello to break the ice. Thats a bit naive.

Hows this for an idea. Why not go up and introduce yourselves and say sorry at the same time.

I go back to my original points.
- sailing close to beginners or anyone else in the water is not a clever idea. Do it to your mates by all means, but leave the rest of us out of it.
- there are better ways to encourage more women into windsurfing

Martin
ps - this is not an isolated incident. Similar stuff was going on on easter monday as well.
pps - mkseven. this is not directed at you as an individual. It was your choice to out yourself.

Martin, I recall one day of wolf whistling at your friend however it wasnt windsurfers, it was a couple of young guys further up. That would have been around easter monday-ish. I thought it was windsurfers initially also but it turned out to not be.

I should add that forward loops or vulcans or whatever your intended jump crash move is probably shouldnt be done in channel or in front of channel. Dunno if that affects how close guys are sailing to you.

Anyway i've tried to play nice here, if you wish to continue attacking the wello 1 or 2... could be anyone refer to shane's comment

Martin ,

For what i know there has been no SEXUALL HARRASMENT by any windsurfer to a windsurfing chick down at wello so that is a load of crap maybe you should learn how to turn around !!!!
Maybe that chick should come down and point to the bunch of guys that did that to her and we shall see the out come of it , it will be very interesting to see!!!!

And about slalom guys getting to close to other sailors , well let me give you the good news SO DO OTHER WINDSURFERS , and i have never heard a complaint and the reason why is that we who sail at wello are all a tight group and respect each other on the water so thats why there is never a problem...

And about the whistling and howling , for what i know i only saw one ladie down there with her husband "apparently your friends" no one for what i know said anything to them!! and while we were all on the water then the other windsurfing chick rocked up , she comes down to wello very often and i garuantee that none of us windsurfers whistled and howled at her at all and especially for half an hour , we have more commen sence than that.

And yes there is yelling of excitment on the water to other mates as we are sailing and it will never stop so get over it ....

And about swearing , tell me who doesnt , did you by any chance here that day the people that were picnicing close to us, maybe you should pay closer attension.

Im appauled that this has been posted on sea-breeze so its actually you giving a bad name for windsurfing.

And by the way feel free to introduce yourself next time your down there and then we can exchange a couple of words!!!

and to get to the bottom of this , which i know you have got completely wrong

We shall see aech other shortly i hope...

You are unlikely to break 40 knots in a 15-20 knot wind on your 7.5m sail so why not just calm down a bit.

Whats that all about what you have written above , are you trying to prove something , for what i see it is totall nonse and mate dont post garbage on the net it really doesnt make sense.

And also what is mentioned that we did not understand your statement , let me tell you we can read write very well and now we really understand whats goin on!!!!!!

I suggest if you want to reply to this topic you have my e-mail through sea-beeze because this is getting out of hand and its putting a shame to all of us who sail down at wello which we have nothing to do with...

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Really no- one is going to win on this one- reality- no individual is going to feel comfortable to approach a "tight knit" group he feels is out of order as far as behaviour is concerned- and the idea that he is going to go up and introduce himself to people he feels threatened and offended by is just simply not going to happen- better to just say enough is enough- perhaps some people were out of order, perhaps others mis-took what was going on- let it just go and disappear into cyber space.

It should be noted that the lovely ladies of WS are free to make sexual gestures to me!

Select to expand quote

hitch said...

post the video !!! we can form a jury

Or a lynch mob

As for the remarks and gestures at Wello.
I for one when living in Manly and sailing the area, have only experienced the people at wello to be considerate and polite and helpfull, including when I severely injured myself sailing last year. excited at time are they.. yes!, but never rude or inappropriate.
cheers
Climber

This all seems like it is getting out of hand as most serious things that get discussed on the forum or by email seem to.

The accusations are fairly serious and so I hope they are a case of mistaken identity - with the wolf whistling etc - As a community we need to be doing all we can to encourage female (and all other) sailors to the sport.

I know a lot of the sailors at Wellington Point and in my experience they have always been courteous and polite (as most windsurfers seem to be) and I find it hard to believe they would be involved in unsafe practices on the water as we all know how quickly things can turn fatal when there is a body of water involved.

As I was not there I cannot vouch for anyone but let's just all take a step back and make appropriate changes to stop any further agitation of the situation and get back to the fun of sailing. With winter fast approaching WP will be the only venue available so we will all be in each other's pockets and we should try and make sure everyone is made to feel safe and accepted if they choose to sail there.

Scot Farley (President Windsurfing Queensland)

That's a good message.