Brien said...

Firstly I think pole boarders stick very strictly to the basic rule of first on the swell has right of way. Even a second or two in most peoples mind gives them priority over you if they are downwind of you.

Also, a lot of these issues come about because kiters tend to want to ride waves in a huge variety of waves that even other kiters struggle to know where they are going or what section they are wanting to hit. It is safe to assume that a sailboarder wants to hit the closest lip down wind of them or if they are less experienced at least do there next turn as close as possible to it. However, what a kiter does will depend on his experience, board type and overall surf knowledge. I sail and kite and (apart from one particular knob who gets in everyones way intentionally) I never have any issues if I am the only one kiting with a bunch of sailors, but as soon as you throw in a few kiters on strapped surf boards, little directionals and god forbid, twin tips, it just turns into chaos. If there are too many kiters on the water I will take my pole board because I know it will be mahem on a kite and not even worth riding.

There are massive knobs in both sports and it really pays to get to know who they are and just try to avoid them.

Chris6791 said...



Good one Chriso,
Is there a Beryl working @ IGA in Lano ?

Chris6791 said...





Thing is Chris I'm may be wrong but I think the polies are generally not trying to stall ( although sometimes I wonder), they actually mechanically stall and need to wait to build up apparent wind or some swell or both. Hence again why farqen bother. But back to the point, from what I saw most of them were had no choice. Maybe I'm naive.

I agree by the way, I keep my speed consisten when there are numbers in the water and whatever comes my way comes my way, then back out again. Thing is my consistent speed before I hot the wave, got me in trouble in the first place.

Chris6791 said...

Ahh Beryl, an old dog teaching a young pup a few tricks

Eppo, not suggesting all the poleys stall for a better wave, it happens occassionally, I'm not a die-hard wave rider and only go out to MB and SP when it's a quiet day but you do see poleys stalling for better waves occassionally.

Similar thing happens on the flat water circuts, someone in front of you will trash a jump, instead of re-launching their kite and getting out of the way downwind ASAP some will go deeper in and try another jump to make up for it, or try another one on the way out, ruining it for the next one or two on the circut behind them.

As far as 'line-ups' go, I think the problem stems from kiters and poleys running their loops on different lengths and approach/exit angles. 10 kiters might run a wave circut with say 50 metres betweem each rider, poleys through necessity might need 100 metres. Unless kiters joing the same circut and spacing as the poleys there is going to be a clash. On a quieter day I don't see a problem with a kiter sneaking into the line-up and occupying the wave between two poleys, but only if it doesn't interfere with the next poley on his run in. On a busy day on the waves I probably wouldn't be out there and in the way, but I can only see it working if everyone sails the same circut, you go out the back and don't turn in until you are the furtherest one out, and you don't stall for a better wave once you are on final approach.

Mark _australia said...

(1) Inefficient? I use a 5m when you are on an 8m - so dunno what your definition of inefficient is.

Mark _australia said...

the queuing has everything to do with being thoughtful.

Reflex Films said...

its a very dynamic situation when you mix different craft, different angles with different rules and dynamics

look at bolt on shore wave set ups vs cross off

In cross off:
You get wave speed plus wind = massive apparent wind as soon as the wind goes cross to cross off -

Any on shore angles and you get windspeed minus wavespeed = less apparent wind

and then you have different versions of the rules as interpreted by different personalities

Kites in general are more mobile than sailboards in 16 knots and under

However this is changing as a ton more wave sailing windsurfers are now getting bigger gear. A larger wave riding windsurf set up can be as or more mobile than most kites.

And in fact flat water racing boards with big heavy sails smoke them in 6 -12 knots (but dont jump for diddley) - although kite racing has evened this up- the boards are very similar looking to scaled down windsurfers

At spots like NW desert or margs you have to go a long way out to pick up waves - using the "rider who picks up the wave first gets priority" rule - which tends to be the rule at these a grade set ups
- the sailboards 6th gear of top end speed in chop (not in flat water - kites smoke sailboards there) often means that windsurfers can easily stick with fast moving swells (i'm talking 5ft plus waves that tend to move real fast in open seep water)
whereas some but not all kites get bounced by the chop and can sometimes fall off the back.

There are no simple answers to this i am afraid as you mix hypermobile fast accelerating kite / surfboard set ups with sailboards that tend to stall out a little more (although not when the wind is good) - the best approach is to try and take the aggro out of the situation by getting a culture together of people having fun on the water and spreading the wave count around - its happened in Surfing which is not as aggro now as it was in the 90s

I used to kite a lot and there are days when i am sure the Kite / surfboard would be so much better - usually cross on lightish wind with waist to shoulder high waves






Yeh man goos points but a little more detail than my brain can handle this morning. But it helps when kiting in different wind and swell conditions.

I agree with talking and understanding each other, I have pieced together this info with my experiences at lancelin, greenhead, coronations and even scabs, and I actually totally get why I have been so bloody uncomfortable when polies are in the water, but I'm good now and will adjust.

Surf lineups are not getting better man, they are getting worse and now chuck in SUPS. Obviously you surf in a decent spot so keep it to yourself.

And mark I agree, waveslave will **** stirr, he's actually not a bad bloke and I've kited with him, he is mostly considerate to the flow, but give him an opportunity and he will push ya buttons man. Lol.