Windsurfers at Lancelin

I was out on Tuesday at South Passage at Lancelin in the waves. It was blowing around 25 knots and was excellent conditions for both kiters and windsurfers.

There was about 20 windsurfers on the break and one other kiter. A mate and I kited out to get into the waves which we had been doing every day. We had been on the same break earlier in the day when it was less windy and the three of us out there were having a blast by outselves.

Because the wind was up and the windsurfers were out I was astounded at the level of abuse that my mate and I were getting off some of the windsurfers.

My mate and I had done at least 20 years of windsurfing before we got into kiting. Kiting has now taken over our lives and we are happy to go to our old breaks and carve up the waves.

I could not believe what went on, I was very angry and disappointed. There are two basic sets of rules, one is surfing rules as who gets the wave and the other is boating rules which determines which sail craft needs to give way. The windsurfers giving the most lip did not seem to know either of these sets of rules and were placing themsleves in the wrong spot then blaming other people for their lack of knowledge and skills.

Eventually they won, my mate and I left because it just was not worth taking **** over. We had a house on the beach and could go out when we wanted to the following day.

Since I have been kiting I can not believe how easy it is in the waves compared to windsurfing. At south passage on almost every run there was at least one but up to four people getting washed over by the waves. It was a wave/slalom course .

Never had a problem there, but if the swell is not up to sort out the punters, 20 windsurfers takes it to the limit, with every one getting desperate for a wave.
Try back beach instead half way up to the club house, you can see from the beach,
has got a few sand bars just more fun with out the agro.

Hey

You are not alone. Lancelin is renown for attitude from Poley's, especially one particular gent who runs a school there and seems to think he is the sh1t.

Was there about four weeks ago and said individual decided to give my (non kiteing) buddy a mouth full whilst I was out for a kite. Funny but he did not seem to want to approach me in the same way when I got back in [}:)]

I think his name is Weener, or something like that

Cheers

C

No disrespect to ya mad... but in your 20 years of surf adventures surly you would have been more than capable of dealing with a few insults thrown at ya ,sounds like you wanted to mix it up in a zone where the mix was not right and you should have known better.

Mads this gradually increasing and tedious 'battle' between kiters and windsurfers is nothing to do with the fact that a Kiter is a different craft, or newer sport, it is very simply the fact that a Kite is a huge pain in the ar$e to have out on the water when you're windsurfing. When powered up the kite's lines are 20m+ and not knowing his intention you normally have to veer upwind or downwind to avoid him. You have more than 3 or 4 guys out and it's a complete nightmare. I've sailed Gnaraloo with 30 sailors and it was fine, I've also sailed it with 10 sailors and 2 kiters and it was a disaster. These kiters were both pretty good so it was nothing to do with inability or lack of respect it was do with the fact that a kite is 20m long. It adds an extra dimension that windsurfing doesn't have and takes up valuable room. If a Kite could be vertical the entire time or it's lines were < 5m there would be no problem. This is not some pathetic surfing territorial war, this tension exists because Kiters cannot really co-exist (in waves anyway) with windsurfers. I'm not talking large numbers of Kiters, I mean any number of kiters. I've sailed Lano with 50+ sailors, including large number of gumby Euros, but that is a lot more manageable than having 2 or 3 kiters out there. In 16 years of sailing in WA, I've witnessed maybe 2 or 3 minor incidents of agro between windsurfers, but now that Kiters have appeared on the scene agro has increased 10 fold. Kiters need to take responsibility for this and they need to understand why a poley is getting p*ssed off in the first place. I would never think of windsurfing out at Trigg point, even if there were only 2 surfers out, simply because I know a windsurfer can't sail a break with surfers there. And thats the way I see poleys and kiters. I'm struggling to understand why you and other Kiters seem oblivious to the fact that it's problematic having you out on the water? And I'm pretty disappointed in your attitude, considering you're an ex-windsurfer. You should be doing your utmost as a ex-poley to improve the reputation of Kiters and try and ingratiate, rather than alienate, yourself with windsurfers.

What are you suggesting Zed? That kiters should be diplomatic enough to not rig up and go out at all spots or breaks considered windsurfing spots? Does that leave anywhere in WA or the world we can go?

As a kiter I am **** scared of kite lines and what they can do, so I understand wind surfers must feel worse. Unless I know the person, and their ability I am always nervous when I pass close to a kiter.

Well it's a difficult situation. The solution is segregation. Different sailing areas. Or even more radical different sailing times. In Hookipa they have a rule that if there are more than 10 surfers out you cannot windsurf there. Thats an example. Although in reality that's not a working solution as apparently there are always 10 guys out! But I can't see how this can be resolved. It's not as simplistic as Windsurfers 'understanding' Kiting or people having respect etc. I like to see Kiters out there on the water ripping it up and I've sailed breaks where there seems to be an unofficial understanding between the two, where the Kiters kite a bit further downwind & the poleys upwind, but as I said I don't see how it would be possible to have a break shared my large numbers of poleys and kiters. Mads mentioned he was copping abuse and there were only 2 Kiters out! Even if the poleys were tuggers, it just emphasises the fact that even a few kiters can have a really detrimental effect on Windsurfers. What on earth would it have been like if 10 or 20 Kiters were out there? Theoretically then have as much right to be out there as Poleys, but in reality it would be a complete and utter nightmare.

It would be great if a few more Kiters would be a bit more understanding of the issues involved here and try and find ways in which they can Kite with Poleys agro-free. Where I normally sail, we rarely get more than 3 or 4 Kiters. The place cannot handle any more than this, irrespective of whether or not they are kooks or experienced Kiters. 4 is the limit. What I'd like to see happen with this particular spot is a gentlemens agreement that if you kite out there and there's 4 guys then you have to wait until someone leaves before you can join in. That doesn't seem particularly fair, but the way I see it, it's the size of the kite thats the problem so therefore the Kiters should be the ones making the compromise.

OK see what you mean. What are the restrictions for Kiters at Lano? Are they banned from main break?

Polesurfing ,,, Kitesurfing.....
For two boardsports that are so similarly wind-driven.....
they couldn't be more different.
But regardless of the mix,
crowd-sailing in waves is a fine balancing act bordering on chaos.
Simply put,
Poleys generally dislike kites in the break.
But if there are no kiters riding on the day.....
they will focus their hatred on each other instead.
Poleys have been known to eat their young.
lol.

I was out yesterday at south passage. No real problems, keep an open mind and respect each other. Watch out for windsurfers trying to water start on the inside! the wind was light so its not a problem on a good day. A couple of kiters were forgetting to look over their sholder before turning!