Can somone please explain to me how my safety is protected when it's blowing 25 knots and I'm sailing in from the 200 meter limit and I've had no opportunity to rest because it's too taxing to start and end each run at 5 knots and yet for the last run, when I'm completely stuffed, I'm expected to stand upright and adjust my sail so as to limit my speed to 5 knots?

Please don't let this get ugly. Please don't let there be a day when a couple of guys in a rubber duckie head out onto the water when it's blowing over 15 knots to lay down the law. Please let common sense prevail.

"The council wanted to make the area in front of the sailing club for swimmers only". Did they actually say that? I'm no rocket scientist but I would imagin that the existence of a sailing club at the beach would indicate that people are sailing there and have been doing it for a while. I could be wrong. My hope in relation to common sense is beginning to fade.

I give up. How much does a playstation cost?

You want to try sailing at Pookipa now Steve, its a joke. What was the consultation process with WV? Did you get adequate time to respond or did they just ignore the WV submission?

A couple of us are going to take things up with Parks Vic given they have just ruined one of Melbourne's best spots by rezoning the area north of the pole a 'Swim Only'.

No problem with the long standing 200m/5knot rule but it looks like windsurfing has been treated unfairly compared to kite boarding who have had their two main spots deemed a 'mixed' area. No reason why we can't all co exist but this is regulation gone wrong. I feel for the Dendy St sailors who look even worse off.

Its impossible to make the moved post without a tack and guys missing the mark on the way in were getting constantly harassed by the life savers.

Who have WV been dealing with on this issue? I will be good to know who to avoid as they clearly have NFI, oh wait the department has probably been recently/conveniently restructured in pursuit of improve efficiency LOL

D

It's time to take some action and start lobbying to change these regulations. I suggest WV hold a special meeting ASAP to see who's keen to help and divide up the tasks so we have a unified approach in dealing with surf Lifesaving clubs, parks Victoria, local councils, members of parliament and the relevant ministers - whatever it takes to see commonsense prevail and our sport survive in the bay.

Fletch

WIndsurfVic said..

FletcHuz said..

It's time to take some action and start lobbying to change these regulations. I suggest WV hold a special meeting ASAP to see who's keen to help and divide up the tasks so we have a unified approach in dealing with surf Lifesaving clubs, parks Victoria, local councils, members of parliament and the relevant ministers - whatever it takes to see commonsense prevail and our sport survive in the bay.

Fletch

Windsurfing Victoria will be hosting an open meeting with our fellow windsurfs and local stores to discuss the current PV changes, our concerns and propose a course of action with set tasks.

The meeting will be held at the Sandy Hotel Wednesday the 26th Feb 2014 from 7pm. Some of us will be there around 6pm for dinner if you would like to join us before hand.

Let's all get behind this - don't just sit back and think it'll be right! The police are shutting down the best windsurfing spots right now - we need to stand up and do something before it's too late or windsurfing will be totally off limits at:
- Elwood (Pookipa)
- Dendy St Brighton
- Ricketts Point
- Mentone
- Bonbeach
- Olivers Hill Frankston

and probably others but without the spots above windsurfing in the bay is over so stand up be counted and contribute

Fletch
SHQ Boardsports

Can't believe virtually all our best windsurfing spots are now no-go.
Swimming-only areas now disrupt most of our main spots: Pookipa, Dendy St, Ricketts, Frankston (Oliver's Hill), Williamstown and Altona!

We lost out big time here and certainly need to ramp up representation on this issue, but need to be fairly objective.

Having worked in public sector for almost a decade now, the key thing is to pull Parks Victoria up on breach of their own primary mission objectives (http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/about-us/who-we-are/vision,-purpose,-values):

One of their primary objectives is:

"To deliver better opportunities for people to use their parks and waterways"

While they may have had token intention to follow this, in creation of "Shared wind sports" areas, through a mix of inadequate planning and consultation from their part and also insufficient representation from windsurfers, the result is an outcome that actually breaches this objective.

A key thing that has been overlooked is that most of the "Shared Wind Sports" areas have been designated in popular kite-surfing areas and are highly un-safe for windsurfers due to over-crowding and shallow rocky reef (e.g. north of Dendy St). They're likely to push these Shared Wind sports areas as their argument, but as we've seen these are inadequate, restrictive and unsafe.

Another oversight, regarding Pookipa, is they've extended the Swimming Area to include the main drain, which is likely to promote significant public health and safety issues after heavy rain. It is quite rocky around the drain too. While they will say EPA Beach Reports cover this issue, I still think a planning decision to put a swimming zone in a stormwater outflow area is inappropriate.

Their main principles come into question:
We recognise the fundamental role of natural environments to human health
We plan and manage places to support use by all abilities and a diverse community

Their motto "Healthy Parks Healthy People"? Perhaps more "Restricted Parks Unhealthy People"

I'm coming along Stephen, this is just insane.

Acker said..

Can't believe virtually all our best windsurfing spots are now no-go.
Swimming-only areas now disrupt most of our main spots: Pookipa, Dendy St, Ricketts, Frankston (Oliver's Hill), Williamstown and Altona!

We lost out big time here and certainly need to ramp up representation on this issue, but need to be fairly objective.

Having worked in public sector for almost a decade now, the key thing is to pull Parks Victoria up on breach of their own primary mission objectives (http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/about-us/who-we-are/vision,-purpose,-values):

One of their primary objectives is:

"To deliver better opportunities for people to use their parks and waterways"

While they may have had token intention to follow this, in creation of "Shared wind sports" areas, through a mix of inadequate planning and consultation from their part and also insufficient representation from windsurfers, the result is an outcome that actually breaches this objective.

A key thing that has been overlooked is that most of the "Shared Wind Sports" areas have been designated in popular kite-surfing areas and are highly un-safe for windsurfers due to over-crowding and shallow rocky reef (e.g. north of Dendy St). They're likely to push these Shared Wind sports areas as their argument, but as we've seen these are inadequate, restrictive and unsafe.

Another oversight, regarding Pookipa, is they've extended the Swimming Area to include the main drain, which is likely to promote significant public health and safety issues after heavy rain. It is quite rocky around the drain too. While they will say EPA Beach Reports cover this issue, I still think a planning decision to put a swimming zone in a stormwater outflow area is inappropriate.

Their main principles come into question:
We recognise the fundamental role of natural environments to human health
We plan and manage places to support use by all abilities and a diverse community

Their motto "Healthy Parks Healthy People"? Perhaps more "Restricted Parks Unhealthy People"

Some good points Andy - I presume we'll see you there next Wednesday - you could be the one to save windsurfing in Port Phillip Bay ;-)

SpaceCoyote said..

Hey Guys,

Involve KBV and kiting community - we are all affected by these zones. Strength in numbers.

Hello all. I'm sure the kiting community will support any petition / campaign to keep these areas accessible to wind sports. Let me/us know!

Thanks.

Will be there for sure, just need to keep it constructive and solution focused.

SHQ said..

Acker said..

Can't believe virtually all our best windsurfing spots are now no-go.
Swimming-only areas now disrupt most of our main spots: Pookipa, Dendy St, Ricketts, Frankston (Oliver's Hill), Williamstown and Altona!

We lost out big time here and certainly need to ramp up representation on this issue, but need to be fairly objective.

Having worked in public sector for almost a decade now, the key thing is to pull Parks Victoria up on breach of their own primary mission objectives (http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/about-us/who-we-are/vision,-purpose,-values):

One of their primary objectives is:

"To deliver better opportunities for people to use their parks and waterways"

While they may have had token intention to follow this, in creation of "Shared wind sports" areas, through a mix of inadequate planning and consultation from their part and also insufficient representation from windsurfers, the result is an outcome that actually breaches this objective.

A key thing that has been overlooked is that most of the "Shared Wind Sports" areas have been designated in popular kite-surfing areas and are highly un-safe for windsurfers due to over-crowding and shallow rocky reef (e.g. north of Dendy St). They're likely to push these Shared Wind sports areas as their argument, but as we've seen these are inadequate, restrictive and unsafe.

Another oversight, regarding Pookipa, is they've extended the Swimming Area to include the main drain, which is likely to promote significant public health and safety issues after heavy rain. It is quite rocky around the drain too. While they will say EPA Beach Reports cover this issue, I still think a planning decision to put a swimming zone in a stormwater outflow area is inappropriate.

Their main principles come into question:
We recognise the fundamental role of natural environments to human health
We plan and manage places to support use by all abilities and a diverse community

Their motto "Healthy Parks Healthy People"? Perhaps more "Restricted Parks Unhealthy People"

Some good points Andy - I presume we'll see you there next Wednesday - you could be the one to save windsurfing in Port Phillip Bay ;-)

ice said..

frenijffels said..

It got serious yesterday at Dendy St with 2 of us getting a formal warning and one guy - prob had them waiting too long by staying out - getting a fine of a gentle $279 dollares!!!

were there swimmers in the water at the time?

ice said..

frenijffels said..

It got serious yesterday at Dendy St with 2 of us getting a formal warning and one guy - prob had them waiting too long by staying out - getting a fine of a gentle $279 dollares!!!

were there swimmers in the water at the time?

I'm glad this is finally getting some discussion going. Everyone should have a close look at the maps and familiarise themselves with where PV have made exclusion zones and where they have set up shared wind sports areas which make NO sense. The consultation process has been sadly flawed on this when they have made some remarkably stupid decisions. I know I've banged on about it because its my backyard, but the shared windsports area in Parkdale is ludicrous, it should be in front of and next to the yacht club. Yet they've put it up the road where no-one sails. Its so stupid all I can think is that someone has made a mistake. Surely you couldn't be that stupid? Well, to date, PV have been.

Can I suggest we make an interactive map (even power point) indicating the most popular windsurfing spots on the Bay(s) and Coasts which show the predominant wind directions and conditions and the various directions windsurfers will travel.

I think it would be difficult to say we weren't consulted....I attended some of the early meetings along with WV and IWC members.

It's also not a new issue...Some background context-
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Victoria/Parks-Victoria/

Theres a history of representation for windsurfing at the initial PV consultations going back before 2010. There were also formal meetings, where the dynamics of windsurfing were explained to PV. There was also discussions about specific windsurfing zones - where the group went around the Bay and highlighted the most popular windsurf beaches.
This should be on record somewhere in Parks Vic because considerable time was spent looking at the location of the wind sports zones... If I am to be honest, I can't see many differences in the current zones, from what was discussed in those initial meetings...maybe some of the other attendees can refresh my memory if I've got that wrong.

It was three years ago and there hasn't been much communication since....and whilst we can certainly make some noise, I wouldn't think we'd have enough support or interest to get a change quickly....it's gonna be a long fight.

its such a joke. i was a windsurfer in williamstown and the council decided in their wisdom 10 years ago to make it a swimming zone. They left us no access to the water except over the rocks. They are doing it every where now. I should have sued the council way back for all the injury's and damage they caused me. I dont think there are any windsurfers except grubby left over there. Its stupid stupid stupid

TheZu said..

Good discussion !
WV, IWC, KBV and some of the local shops where consulted before 2010. We also attended a few of these meetings.
The problem is PV is already quite far in the process of rolling out these new zone's. It will be very difficult to convince them to change the zones to shared windsports zones in favour of swimming-only areas. The obvious problem is the windsurf community is very small compared to the amount of other beach /water users. Let's not try to separate windsurfing from kiteboarding as together we will more than double our numbers and have a much bigger influence. Let's get together wednesday night and discuss the options !

Paul
The ZU Boardsports

Paul,

I am convinced they have made mistakes. Why set up a shared wind sports area a few hundred metres away from a yacht club but a swimming only zone in front of it? Surely someone has marked the wrong area on the map?