This is Altona related and I know it should go in the vic forum but clearly people don't read it or this wouldn't be the 4th accident in 4 days. Clearly people have money to burn on powerline repairs or trashed kites.
4 kites into trees or powerlines in 4 days with 3 days left to trash another 3 kites and trash some more powerlines. The residents must love our ongoing interruptions to their power.
Yes, another one into the powerlines today with a rider ending his day in an ambulance although he was probably lucky to get away with trashed bar and only a probable concussion with some serious bruises and scratches. He hit the concrete wall pretty hard. The ambulance hadn't even left and heroes were still pulling their jumps 5 meters from shore or hogging the shoreline so no one could get out. If you were riding along the shoreline and wondering why people kept getting in your way, ITS BECAUSE YOU WERE RIDING WHERE EVERYONE LAUNCHES AND LANDS, DOUCHBAG!
Catch a wakeup or kiting will be banned at Altona.
4 Down and a few more to go and the locals will have the beach to them selves again 
yep saffer i agree. i posted a related thread in the vic section.
apathy and amused bystanding is no longer good enough.
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=62457
how are these bad crashes happening? are they jumps gone wrong? or when people are launching and landing?
I know there isnt much space on the beach there, but no reason why you cant launch while standing in the water, its less than knee deep at high tide
This is sad and frustrating to hear. Why can't people get it right?
The kiting community is obviously doing something wrong in the circulation of rules and guidelines.
Not everyone is going to be registered to seabreeze or have the initiative to go online and look up the rules. So what do we do for these guys?
Perhaps shops can start distributing pamphlets to anyone who buys something (or even just comes in to browse) which include the rules of kiting and why they are important.
Unfortunately in such an extreme and unpredictable sport there are extra measures which need to be taken and meticulously adhered to. That's just not happening at the moment.
Something needs to be done and it will be done quicker if we stop relying on our KSA's to do it all for us.
Well, if we lose Altona, that would be pretty much a catastrophy.
@cliffor: I don't understand either why people don't launch standing directly at or in the water. It is safer and does not cost any extra effort, so why not do it? Even if you are confident yourself, you don't necessarily know about the person launching you.
I just had such an experience recently: Dude was holding my kite totally wrong with no tension on the lines, then just threw the thing away without me giving the signal -> Kite drifted straight downwind.
@Saffer: I guess I will never find out why everyone is dicking around in the launching and landing area, but overall I am fine with that. The first 5 minutes of tacking upwind can be a bit of a hassle, but then I got a big area all to myself. 
i wander if the responsible parties are liable for all the costs of fixing up any issues caused by power lines... getting the electrical company or fire brigade there... i think they should be fully responsible and charged with all costs... Then people will think harder what they do when on the beach.
Second suggestion - install a set of thin wires running through all the threes parallel to the main street, one above the other spaced around half a meter apart... obviously starting above human head height. Any kites going towards the street power lines will end up getting caught in these, and they should be thin so that they are not noticeable.
KnutH - i had the same thing happen - a kiter - totally clueless how to launch or even hold the kite.
There is no other way, but introducing compulsory licensing system... that would filter out at least some... or at least it will force everyone to learn to kite before they actually kite...
Idiots!
Just yesterday one arrogant twat was hovering his kite a couple of meters away from me whilst I was packing up on the grass! I made several 'head taps' to indicate that I would be happy to help him land. He totally ignored me even though he would have to be totally blind to miss me and proceeded to try to self land.
Obviously not as good as he thinks he is as he totally lost control of the kite (which unfortunatly missed a nearby lamp post) and nearly took out a jogger.
Said individual is constantly riding within 5M of the shoreline and has shouted at me a couple of times for daring to ride within 50M of him. I have also witnessed said individual riding THROUGH a group of swimmers.
He rides a North Rebel.
Junglist that would be a black 14m rebel.
I had an argument with the same person on Sunday for the same reasons.
KnutH & Superlizard - i had a similar incedent a few years ago... with me now only letting people i know launch and land my kite. And sure, i sometimes come across a little rude at times.... but i am comfortable with my selflaunch/landing and only have myself to blame if i wreck my gear... its also my life on the line....
I love to ride at new spots and with different crew... but our group of kiters allways ask a local for the local rules and tips.... thats obviously not happening down the road at Altona...!
licensing is an interesting one.
Thing is that once you license you open a HUGE can of worms . Because a kite is classed as a sail vessel does that then mean "all" sail vessels must have a licensed operator, plus as it is it states in the boating handbook that kite boarders must wear a pfd at all times, does everyone?
Perhaps they can go down the PWC line of licensing and create a totally separate area for kites, once they do that registration of kites will be needed as well. At least that can easily id someone. We all know how licensing has stopped idiots riding those dont we?
But you know what will happen dont you. Even if you are an experienced kiter you will still need to sit the license or at least attend the safety course.
Buy far the best option in my thinking would be the "local" kiters and by that i mean kiters that actually pay council rates (sorry to all those cross council blowins) to the council meaning they live in the municipality, get in touch with the council and let them know your thoughts
The Hobsons Bay Council listen alot more if they know you can help vote them out at an election.
Do a pamphlet drop and a bit of an info session with the local residents living on the beach (BBQ ?) also include the ppl that walk along the beach also, explain that you are indeed aware of the misfortune many have had with kites and work with them to get bigger signs, info pamphlets on safety concerns even the thumbs up or pat on the head signals to hand out to kiters that show up in that area, of course all this could be done under safety. maybe even talk to the local cops as well.
Once the residents and kiters have a bit of a LWG (local working group) go to council united and ask for things like info pamphlets to be able to hand out and at least something on that pathetic web site the council has.
Its alway easier to get councils to listen if you can show that you have put a process into place and that you are working on the problems and want their help.
Just a thought.
that's pretty good approach too teako... i would provide my full support if we can get organized enough to do it...
at the moment it's like a circus down there... EVERYBODY get in, create a mess, then pack up and move to another spot... then leave locals (whom i actually never seen cause any incidents during my time there) to loose their local spot ...
I think most of the responsablity comes back to the retailers....
A mate of mine just picked up a brand new PWC from the shop with no licence and no idea how to ride one.....
The same goes for kiting shops... the amount of dudes that just wonder out of shops, down to the beach and CAAAANE themselves would be a very large statistic.
sounds good. I'm happy to support in any way required. If you need someone to design the pamphlet, i can do that. Send me the info you obtain. We'll have a chat with other locals and see what we can do... i know Simon was already talking to council... but the more guys we get to support the cause and regulate behaviour, the better i guess...
OH well - looks like the southerly is ON. Off to Altona.
Wonder if it is going to be 5 in 5. Maybe we could get the PERFECT week 
Didn't see any trouble last night.
Only issue was the stink from the water.
I can still smell it on me now.
Fecal,
i measured your speed on your first tack as i was driving back... ~45 km/h...
Im happy to help out with pamphlets/speaking to residents or whatever needs to be done. Im a local in the area and while Ive only started kiting in Jan this year it seems most of the guys down at Altona have been really friendly and helpful and Im yet to experience too many issues down there. Would hate to see the beach banned for kiting .... Its nice being able to drive 3km down the road and go for a kite!
They will NEVER learn, thats why they are douch bags!
I had a rant along the lines of this some time ago, where admitedly i made some comments which were "localist" and i will address later.
However the crux of my post was regarding not just the fact that long time locals are being forced further west due to overcrowding, but the fact that more and more unneccesary incidents are occuring, both "accidental" and the result of "sheer f#$%ing stupidity". More of the later i would suspect though.
These 4 incidents are just the tip of the iceberg with relation to what has happened over the last say 4 weeks. Incidents ranging from dickheads not knowing or ignoring the basic rights of way, to being just a complete fu@#wit and hassling a 60+ y/o kiter on the water, WTF?. Unfortunately it seems more people are coming off the water pissed rather than stoked.
But it gets better, whooooaaaa dude extreme kiting school rocks up, with rubber lentil clones intact, good kiters for sure no doubt, but what do they do?? One decides to just land his kite and put his fU@#ing lines around my neck, they also decide it's ok to wipe out and leave thier boards floating around while they chew the fat...sounds petty but, try kiting towards Apex in the arvo, with the sun in your eyes,you dont want to be collecting a floating board. More so being a school THEY... SHOULD... KNOW... BETTER.
So why are so many incidents happening here? as i don't fully buy the "accident" apology.
These guys "on the whole" are buying their kites and getting their lessons from "somewhere", maybe, and i am winging it here, as an alternative or addition to licensing, before rubber lentil jnr can pick up his new whizbang dominator penetrator purple headed custard pumper pro kite, he needs to produce proof that he has passed a basic kite fundamentals and safety awareness course, either on line, in store or on beach from an accredited,traceable, trainer, before he can get his or hers sweaty little hands on their....bar. If little ol rubber lentil rocks up to the beach with his colour coordinated board, kite, boardies, wettie and baseball cap and no "ive passed my kite course" badge stuck to the back of his harness, then maybe a kiter in the know could "tactfully" have a chat to Rubber about the do's and dont's of kiting. Furthermore, who is auditing the kite schools to ensure they are teaching the correct safety and rights of way etc? Perhaps a form of traceable quality assurance system is required here? If they have this, and they still behave like a-holes, there should be a waiver on the license where it is acceptable for them to be bludgeoned.
As for localism..i know i don't own Altona, never said i did, never will, however, as far as any comment of me going elswhere if i don't like it...why the f#$%k should i? My mates and I have been using this beach without hurting or pissing anybody off for near 15 years, why should i go elswhere because some ignorant co#$head feels he neeeds to put his lines around my head or practice bar passes amongst kids swimming? In most suburbs i believe the council owns the nature strip, now if i rocked up out the front of your place, dropped my pants, and dumped the remnants of a big dodgy kebab out front every night you wouldn't be happy now would you? no, and i suspect you would either want to kick my arse or show you some common courtesy, even though YOU DO NOT OWN IT, it is where you live, eat play etc. Same for Altona, as "locals" we do not want to have kitesurfing banned here, because of a few douchbags, nor should we have to travel elswhere due to same.
Commonsense, courtesy, goes a long way.
Perhaps i should say, welcome to Altona, respect it or Fu$% off.
There are two problems at Altona:
1. Inexperienced kiters who don't know any better
2. Experienced riders like Mr multi-coloured Naish Torch on Wednesday kiter giving everyone dirty looks for getting in his way while he does F16's 30m from shore in front of the light poles near the pier or where everyone is launching trying to prove that his kiting ability are so vastly superior to everyone else that they should get off the water while women line up to get his telephone number.
1. is generally ignorance and can easily be solved through education from other riders
2. is generally arrogance (and seems to happen more often in predicted SE where StK is unkiteable) and frankly I'd be quite happy to see these kind of riders f&ck back off to what rock they climbed out from.
The problem with trying to educate #2 is next week they're back doing the same thing because they don't give a **** about anyone else.
The biggest irony is the west was supposed to be the rougher side of town, but all the Altona locals I've met are the most friendly and considerate kiters I've met.
It is WAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY past your bed time Uncle Doug! you better get to bed. Gwen; It's way past your bed time! You good thing you. Now you better settle down and get to bed and thats all!
You ozone thing you.
Saw this topic and thought I would add my recent Altona experience. I was setting up on that 30-35 knot day a few Saturdays ago in the zone where everyone launches/lands, kites everywhere as per usual with space at a premium.
Whilst pumping up my kite I noticed a rider adjusting a kite that was previously unattended 5 meters up wind of where I was setting up. I thought to myself, surely this guy is packing up or taking a break and not setting his kite up for a self launch, especially because I was only a few meters away and would have happily launched his kite for him. Next think I know I, bam, he's self launching his kite basically 5m directly up wind of me...
Since when is self launching considered safe within 5meters up wind of someone / something? Especially in high winds??
Self launching for me is very controlled and deliberate, in stronger wind especially self launching is predictable. I also think theres a difference between launching close to beach goers and other kiters, if its just other kiters that are in the area then if something does go wrong they know how to react. Also most kiters have situational awareness of other kites in the area.
However if your doing close to beach goers...I'm sure everyone knows what can happen.
Wow ! You guy's have some serious problems down there,but it sounds like the same craziness I saw last Sunday at St Kilda,about 500 meters down the beach from where the Titles were held there was this guy 11 meter Fuel, self launch in amongst people sunbaking on the sand,then this bloke deciedes to kite right along the shoreline, because it was so onshore and not strong enough he was having real trouble, all the time flying this thing over swimmers, kids playing in the sand,and a little cafe,where patrons were telling there kids to get off the beach,for fear of being taken out by this bloke.I don't know any loal rules down there,where to swim and kite, but this was guy obviosly knows no "kiteing rules and regulations" Maybe your pamphlet drop should include St Kilda also!
