Hi I'm a windsurfer and there are often kiters at the breaks where I sail.
Just wanted some advice for protocol/manners when passing. How close can we pass?
Is it a problem to fly your kite higher as we pass (as seems to be the usual way things happen when windsurfer is downwind)?
Anything else I should be aware of? (other than that windsurfing is gay and i should get a kite etc etc. boring.)
I want to improve the stoke on the water between all wave riders so a little education will help.
Thanks!
When kites pass other windsurfers/kiters the rule of thumb is upwind kite high downwind kite low.
That being the case then you can come as close as you like.
However not all kiters seem to be aware of this basic rule which can lead to 'complications'
Personally if i turn up at a spot and there are other kiters out i watch for a while and make a note of who i should avoid/stay upwind of. They are easy to spot
As PR said.
The kite is high if we want to go upwind of someone.
Low if we are going down wind
I try to pass sailboarders on the downwind side it seems to make them happier.
Please don't play the bear off game MY kites low and I'm bearing off even though I'm on starboard tack so the Sailboarder bears off. That just being annoying!!!
If the sailboard is passing downwind don't get to close and make us move our kite to dead vertical as we lose power and may be force to jump you
Nice to see Windsurfers with a posative attitude out there.
Personally I get a bit nervous when a windsurfer gets too close down wind of me, just in case a big gust comes through. I have been riding toe side and a poley has come up from my blind side fast and gave me a start. I know you should always look before jibing or anything though but distance is always a good safety measure. I try to give Poley's plenty of space too.
So can an experienced kiter fly the kite high quickly without upsetting his/her ride? For example if they haven't seen the downwind windsurfer till the last minute?
(i'm not going anywhere with this, just thinking of scenarios where i'd like to be better prepared).
"Lifting" the kite too quickly may boost the kiter and send them down wind anyway. That's my experience, but I would rate myself an inexperienced kiter. Unfortunetly we don't have special high visibility n00b wetsuits, so I'd assume everyone is inexperienced until it's proven otherwise.
If you can't make eye contact with someone and you think a collision is imminent, or fairly possible, then you should gybe and get away from them.
Never ride behind and just downwind of anyone. You are blocking their escape route and chances are they will clean you up when they gybe.
Kites are generally far more manouverable than sailboards and we can make room for you pretty easily provided we can see you.
Hey Leech 
Just adding a bit of a twist to the helpfull information...
Unfortunately there is in every sport, dis-curteous people will do as they please - kiteboarding included. Though we try our hardest to emphasis right of way, it is still much Safer to make a definate heading change (not minor deviation) to show this type of person your intentions... as they may not actually know any rules thus there actions.
Also NEVER test who has right of way as fully powered kitelines can cause serious injury 
As mentioned above, watch for a while - they stick out like dogs B#lls & keep clear of them, unfortunately 
.
We try our best for the good of all beach users
Yes it can be safe to be quite close downwind when the kite is high. As long as the kiter is not a learner, you would be unlucky to get taken out.
It is no hassle at all to get the kite high enough to go over the height of the mast.
I'm aware windsurfers are uneasy being close downwind of kiters, so if it will be close, i go downwind quickly so they can go upwind of me. If i were a windsurfer it is what i would prefer.
It’s the same as the road rules, they are there so everyone knows what everyone else is going to do.
Unfortunately a small minority choose to ignore the basic rules on the road as well as the water.
The right of way rules should be addressed at the lesson stage for kiters and sailboarders but this does not seem to be happening. I don’t recall getting much info during my kiting lesson’s even though the info on safety and kite control was very good.
Peer pressure is sometimes the only way to fix issues like this, let people know what they are doing wrong, do it nicely though, it’s not hard.
One thing that’s been forgotten in this debate is the transition from the beach to the water and back. This is a high risk time for kiter’s and the normal give way rules should be suspended. Give people the room they need to get safely on and off the water.
Given the circumstance of two kiters about to cross in close proximity (no one is obviously upwind) some basic principles apply.
Kiters have the advantage of being able to determine the skill level of the other kiter. If they are deemed competent someone will have to give way; To signal their intention they either put their kite high and (sometimes) edge harder (causes a bigger spray for 2 seconds or so) or they put it low and (sometimes) throw a bit of back spray (spray goes upwind). If it is a packed spot and a collision is imminent both kiters will change direction/stop or very quickly lose ground down wind (by method of down loop or something else). This only happens when other factors are at play such as a downed kite in the mix. Competent kiters can stop very quickly.
If it is believed that the other kiter is a beginner the competent kiter will go for the upwind pass or stay away from them.
Generally beginners go down wind for safety reasons. Kiters will also generally go down wind of a windsurfer out of good will in the belief that windsurfers are **** scared of kite lines near them. Also the spray from a close passing kite hurts.
Competent kiters are drastically different to beginners hence the reasons for avoiding beginners and taking note of them (so you can remember to stay away from them)
To answer the question; you can pass as close down wind of a competent kiter as you like but they would never expect you to do it!
Another way round it is to communicate.
Talking goes a long way over a cod beer or two in the car park after a mint session.
By making friends, having a chat sharing a beer you could probably iron out heaps of little issues and gain a better understanding of whats going on or how things could be better.
Most kiters like beer.
It's not cod beer, but almost as good. A Northern Brown Ale from the home brew shop, I just bought these babies home on Monday. 
edit: yes, that is the full box set of James Bond in the background.
