Today i went to Shearwater for a ride, the wind was about 24-28 knots, really gusty and unpredictable, there were a few experienced kiters in the water... but for my surprise there was an instructor and a beginner having a lesson there... irresponsible?? maybe, but what really pissed me off is he was standing with his student right in the middle of the launching and landing zone, not with a trainer kite but with a full 7m or 8m Naish the wind was really gusty he was just standing there teaching the student on how to control the kite and most of the time the kite was on the edge of the water with the lines fully stretched across the launching zone... Every time i was coming back to tack out again, i was nervous about that kite sitting there on the edge of the water... not knowing when that student would swing around and get my kite tangled on mine...
i stepped out of the water and kindly asked the guy to move a bit downwind from us, as it wasn't really safe...
he turned to me all agro, saying: I know what i'm doing, i know the safety rules and YOU shouldn't be coming so close to the beach anyway...
I said to him i'm just asking you to move a bit downwind that's all...
He kept insisting he knew all the safety rules and he had the right to be there...
I know everyone has the right to be where ever they want, and i also know shear is a known area for learners, but again people should use good sense and thing about it for a little bit when choosing the best places to learn... and when to learn... 25kt gusty winds are way too dangerous for any learner to be in the water or even worst in the sand, don't matter how big of a kite it is... you can get hurt...
And even if you choose to be there teaching at 25+ knts you shouldn't be in a place where you put other kiters at risk... luckily nothing bad happen today, but that guy was there all day on the same freakin spot in the way of everyone that was launching, landing or just tacking in and out...
If the guy had i bit of respect for other kiters when i asked him to move downwind, instead of lashing back at me, he would've just say sorry and walked 10m down the beach out of everyones way, simple as that... as an instructor you should be setting the example on how to respect other kiters and not like you are the king of the beach...
Stop whinging, just because an instructor is teaching a student in gusty conditions doesn't mean its unsafe. Students are likely to go out in gusty conditions once they finish their lessons and its good for them to get experience in those conditions in a safe and controlled environment.
Your nervous about getting your kite tangled with the student? Why the hell are you coming in close enough for that to happen anyway? Kiter on the beach has right of way, you would have been at fault if a collision occurred.
You asked the instructor/student to move downwind? Why don't you move downwind or upwind?
If you ever been shearwater you would understand what I'm talking about, there is enough beach upwind and downwind from the launch area for instructors to be out of the way of other kiters (as I've seen many instructors doing)... And when it's too crowded like today there is not much space in the water to be going upwind or down wind every one picks a line and tries to stick with it so every one can have some fun...
It's not the point of being gusty or not it's the fact of being onthe way of everyone else when you have the option of going Down Or up a few meters specially when someone asks you... I
If someone toke the effort of getting out of the water to talk politely with the instructor about what's happeing he should be polite enough and move down a bit and not act like the king of the beach...
And again I'm not concerned about rightaway I know kiters on the beach have rightaway, but as we all know students are unpredictable they do silly things as we all did when learning... So why give it a chance when you can avoid it by asking the I structor and the student to move downwind a little bit... It does't hurt to ask... Everyone enjoys the day, the kiters the instructor and the student without any stress...
So if you think about it it's not asking much is it?
Cheers and safe kiting
The instructor sounds like he was there teaching before you got there - why dont you just tack upwind or ride downwind? Theres heaps of room at shearwater to ride as you say.
Have some respect for people. Just cuz you can already kite doesn't give you the right to own the beach.
Im sure you wouldn't tell learner drivers to get off the road or go drive on another road when they are in your way.
Seriously, you can kite just simply go around an instructor there! I've been teaching there for 6 years!
Deal with it, everyone has to learn somewhere.
And it seems shearwater is great for learning and full of learners. Go kite somewhere else if you seriously don't want to deal with kooks learning.
I had to turn around about 20 times yesterday just as i didn't want to get too close to people trying to get up and ride for their first few times.
Not to mention avoiding crashing falling kites, plus trying to help a guy in the middle of the channel that snapped his saftey line on his cab kite. The guy was struggling to get back in.
Dave was not doing anything wrong in my eyes.
I know myself when i've done lessons there in the past, it can get very frustrating as an instructor when your trying to do the right thing but kiters just love to test how close they can go to a student!
Totally wasn't gusting over 25kts!!!! And there is nothing wrong with teaching there, also nothing wrong with having a student on a 7.5m kite!
From the way you are talking about the crazy gusty wind there yesterday, why did you even bother to go out then. Oh that's cos it's wasn't gusty or crazy at all. I'd say it was one of the better wind days at shearwater, well as good as it can get there anyway.
So don't whinge about it, you had to learn there once upon a time aswell remember, cos i do remember watching you learn there aswell.
See ya there again today maybe. Wind was great for shearwater yesterday! I had a ball on the new 10m Naish Park! Might i add that that kite rocks!!! Loved it. Oh maybe that's why i didn't find as gusty as you. My kite was better LOL! Just joking with ya.
I really dont understand your point, your experianced enough and should know that you can move.
XX angie
I no it can be frustrating if they are teaching in a deticated launch/land zone. how do you get in or out if they are in the way with unpedictable skills. ive seen kites get tangled and the instuctor just laugh and say i love chaos on the water.
I stay well away from beginners its commen sense really. you can just turn 30m earlier. 25knots on a 7.5m would be perfect to learn in if the instructor is commited to teaching not making money.
cmon he has a very minor point im not knockin instructors but if there is a dedicated/or launch/land zone where everybody does that, launch and #iss off, its the same every where.
It seems even if not designated people being like flys to poo, sheep, all and me included launch land in similar areas cos threre's people to help, with instructors or not people seem to think its ok to teach/learn kite skills in these zones, it aint ok
daniel why did you have to go so close coming back in every time, i dont think Shearwater is a pond, move
Not knowing the details of this area I am not going to slam the rider or the instructor. A lot of people are very quick to take sides though.
Has anyone asked the instructor why he was teaching in that exact location. I bet there was a good reason. Instructors don't stay that way by being stupid.
Maybe there is a clause in his licence that restricts his location. That's what happens to us. Was there downwind obstacles? In 25 knots you need more downwind room during a lesson. There's a lot to consider before you slam someone on an anonymous forum.
The original post was a bit irresponsible and the issue should have been dealt with person to person. Forums like this just get out of hand and innocent parties get slammed with no recourse.
So there!!!
Desperate times must force people to teach in amongst the experienced kiters at the Gold Coasts most popular flat water riding spot.
The students must find it difficult to concentrate with all the potential string tangling action going on around them when clear beaches are not far away.
Just an observation.
Maybe there's no permits for the clear beaches?
On the Sunny Coast there is only permits granted to teach at 4 0r 5 locations. All of them are high density kiting spots.
Sometimes there's more to it.
In the interest of safety and the wellbeing of all, most professional kiting instructors on Botany Bay teach from boats in deep water. This provides plenty of room for students to learn in a safe environment away from the distraction of other kiters.
I agree with daniel kron - it is inconsiderate to other kiters to teach in a launch landing zone. Beach lessons should be well away from other kiters.
Ha i read this topic and had to laugh!!!!! Shearwater is where people go to learn to kite on the gold coast i have taught there for over 8 years on or off, hell i think i might have even taught Dankron there!!
I love how quick people forget about when they learnt, do you remember Dankron? i do!!
Dave is a great teacher, he is one of the only teachers on the gold coast to have a skippers lic to take people out to the sand banks he also has more teaching cred than nearly anyone else on the goldy at the moment. He is a super nice guy and is more than happy to go out of his way to help anyone out, i have people everyday come in to the shop and talk about how nice a guy he is.
Unfortunately for learners and teaching on the gold coast there is not much room and very few good place's to do it, so for the guys with more experience give them some room or go and kite some where else if you don't like it!!!
Jacko
Dankron i know dave and if he told you off then my guess is you deserved it, just suck it up and move on!!!!
If people know shearwater then they know there is no real upwind or DW area, there is a small bit of sand and then water so unfortunately the launch and land spot are the same as the teaching spot pretty much. I am sure just because you asked him to move you might have thought it was a good idea but maybe Dave was thinking about the safety of the student? if he did go DW this could have reduced his DW clearance which could have jeopardized the safety of the student. So maybe before you go and try slamming some one on the forum you go and talk to the guy in a more professional manner and find out the real reason it might even save you making a arse of yourself?
Jacko
People like you should be banded from this sport, you guys are the problem, respect and consideration for people around you is the first thing, always, and this is part of being kitesurfer.
Fiketto: Are you kidding mate?
Angie says she went out of her way to dodge kooks on 20+ occasions, and even rescued somebody in the same session. ...and you accuse her of laking respect and consideration? What are you talking about?
As for daniel kron's original complaint. If you weren't being such a hero and having to ride so close to the shore (so everybody can admire your skills, no doubt), there wouldn't be a problem.
Dave is a sensible - level headed bloke, with countless lessons / satisfied students under his belt. If he was rude to you , then you must have been acting like a tool. (not unlikely considering that you got straight on the internet to bitch about him) I am sure Dave would have made a valid assessment of the conditions to teach in the safest spot on the day.
Show a little tollerence for the instructors working on the beach - they are under enough pressure to keep their beginner safe, to make the beach safer for everyone in the long run. They shouldn't have to worry about show ponies who are to "hard core" to turn around 30m from the beach!
shoulda told all the windsurfers standing around and the 3 little girls playing on the beach there yesterday to leave to as they were in the way of me trying to walk my kite from the carpark to the water.
Paulio's sausages were a real danger to, its hard enough having 200 meters of grassy launch area without the extra dangers of snags.
Guys, lets get over this. Everyone is fighting over nothing.
On Sunday I noticed the instructor moved 70m up the beach and all was cool again 
I really dont understand why people get so heated over the simplest things.
Funny how the initial post was very reasonable from a poster that has no vested interest in the sport other than fun and those with a vested commercial interest start jumping down on him-just because you're looking to make a buck, whether as an instructor or otherwise-does NOT give you any particular rights over those just in it for the fun.
Lighten up.
Hey all,
I was actually out on Saturday, well upwind of this incident. I haven’t ridden a kite in about a year as I have been overseas. I think I need to remind some people how lucky we are to have such a wicked coast line to play around with. The whole reason people get hooked on kiting is because it is such a fun sport! Next time you get the ****s because someone cuts you off, take a second to appreciate how lucky we are to be involved in activities like kite boarding and live in Australia!
In regard to the massive dig at Paul and Angie, I don’t know the guys well however every time I have seen them on or off the water over the past 3 or 4 years they have been nothing but great ambassadors for the sport.
Cheers
I also think this topic is done to death now, so on a lighter note how good is the Corona looking!!!!!!
Dan maybe if you knew how to go up wind then this would not be an issue :) I know a good instructor in your area i think his name is Dave, he should be able to teach you upwind and safety when it comes to kiting....
ps I hear your country has good kiting
seeya
i kite there . but didnt see the incident
its a great spot for learning
that means there is heaps of learners there.
learners need lots of room to launch and then untangle there lines .
if the instrutor was in the safest lanuch zone then i think he was making it harder for other learners to riglaunch of the beach then get blown down wind to then do the walk of shame.
couldnt he and student launch then move like an experenced kiter should ?
its just a question? all instrutors ive seen there do it well ,btw.
Instructor's first duty of care is to the student.
Dave sounds like an experienced instructor. Give him the benefit of the doubt.
We all had to learn somewhere.
I can't believe that someone kiting would actually leave the water to tell an instructor on the the beach where he should be teaching his student. Every kiter knows that you should stay at least two kite line lengths from the beach for safety reasons. At least, that is what Dave taught me almost six years ago on Botany Bay. Needless to say Dave's a top bloke. Daniel Kron, i think you need to try to develop your tack so that you can turn a little quicker; maybe 50 metres from the shore, that is if you're worried about beginners and kite instructors cramping your style. There is plenty of beach and water for all of us. Its common sense that more experienced kiters needs to allow and even give way for instructors and beginners. Once upon a time we were all beginners!
