BraCuru wrote:I would like to present my point of view on important issues written above.
It is going to be a rather long post - forgive me...
About wave. RichardM.
You mentioned about "many wave locations" where outgoing rider should have ROW.
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1. Anyway my observations are different then yours. Actually local customs on majority of kite wave spots say that wave rider has ROW.
I just collected and presented binding kitesurfing customs.
I am aware that the wave kiting rules are opposite to windsurfing and surfing rules.
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For sure there are some specific spots where an outgoing rider should have ROW due to many factors mentioned by you.
I assume that you probably ride at such location.
How to sort it out? The solution is simple.
2. In such special places it should be a board with info that the rule of shore zone overrides the wave rule.
My point is that once everybody understands and follows proposed kiteregs then we talk the same language.
3. To be honest the present situation looks like a chaos management.
The sport is growing rapidly and the real picture of obeying ROW rules gets more catastrophic every year.
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You should not interfere any wave riding session of any board sports, like windsurfing, surfing, wave kiter. 4. They are concentrating on the wave and nothing else around, knowing they have the right of way in the wave.
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The one who drops in first into a wave, has the right of way as well.
The idea to standardise the rules and posting the info boards like I proposed could be a mile
5. step in safety improvement.
I do not say it will sort the problem for good - I am realistic.
6. But it will help to understand the basics by newbees who have never been involved in any water sport.
…….. Anyone who does not follow the rules from the poster is 7. simply banned by a local society.
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Outgoing / incoming rider issue.
Sounds good and would work very well in shore zone in most of the cases.
8. Unfortunately it would be pointless during onshore winds, competitions, wave riding on the reef and would work against water sport habits, customs and rules.
Rule 3 – Coastal zone
3.2. A rider approaching a coastal zone gives way to those who are in the zone with their airborne kites and as they enter or leave the water.
And comments:
9. It should be more clear and widespread that, in the coastal zone, priority is given to the rider who enters the water, who stays on the beach or in the shore zone, and his kite is airborne. He may stand on the beach, in the water or just be leaving water after the session. The beach and the shore zone are places with the highest number of kitesurfing accidents occur (up to 90%). Moreover, accidents on the beach are usually much more dangerous than on water. Additionally, completely random people may become victims. It will not help us if the media describe kitesurfing as a sport for irresponsible and dangerous people. Unexplained behaviour is when a rider gybes or performs a trick a few meters from the shore, delaying other riders who are about to enter the water. It is logical to turn earlier then come back two minutes later and perform the trick on an empty beach. If he fails the trick and his kite falls in water, then nobody is hurt and the kite laying on water won’t delay any other riders.
10. An exception to the case described above is the situation when there are wave surfing conditions off the beach. Then all riders give way to the one who rides the waves first. In practice,11. it means that nobody launches his kite in the best place for waves. For this reason the launching and landing zone is usually located nearby where no one rides waves in the shore zone.
12. The reason for the second exception may appear with rapidly changing wind conditions. Suppose that a "fat", black cloud is approaching rapidly. Logic says to land a kite immediately and wait until situation is cleared. Therefore in such a moment, in accordance with GKP, the rider who is preparing to enter the water, should land his kite and assist during landing other riders’ kites. Imagine the opposite situation: wind rapidly calms down. We are ready to enter the water with the bigger kite. At the same time, we notice a rider straggling to reach the beach. Good practice will be to depart from the Shore Zone Rules and to give way to the rider approaching the shore. We may lose a few precious seconds on the water but for sure we will gain respect of others at the same time.
About the rule concerning meeting with other water users.
Again, I thought that people follow the rules taken from this forum which states:
When you kitesurf, you will experience a lot of other water users:
windsurfers
surfers
sailors
boats
fishermen
swimmers
divers
jet skis
In general, keep away from any of them! We are the smallest group of all, so we are more likely to get in trouble than the other way around...
Although sailors and windsurfer apply to the same rights of way, it does not make sense to get in their way and cause any trouble. Windsurfers are a bit different, since they also are used to share an area with more riders, so knowing the rules is very common.
Observe the windsurfers when riding, and see if they stick to the rules or not. Some will never leave their course, so be ready to change yours.
From any other 13. water user the distance should be far enough to not get into trouble. Even surfers, who, ones in the wave, will not stop for you or let you pass. They don't get as many waves as others, so leave the right of way to them, as to anyone else On the Wave.
Big boats and ships cannot easily change their course, so never ever get into their way, since they also create a wind shadow, where you will most like not get out and your kite can drop.
Respect the fishermen, they are working hard, so don't get in trouble with them.
Always look out for divers, either snorkelers or real divers with buoys. Never come too close to any of them.
14. I do not agree with only one item: a jetski. I do not understand why we suppose to give a way?!
Please see comments from my book:
More over we give way to power-driven crafts and vessels 15. longer than 7 metres as well. The explanation of this fact is based on facts mentioned above. The other shorter power-driven crafts have to give way to us. The Code establishes the limit of 7 meters for practical reasons. Such small crafts are easy controllable and pretty often more manoeuvrable than a kitesurfer. Therefore we should have the right of the way over any jet-skis or small speed boats. The worst scenario on the water nowadays is to have a jet-ski rental next to a kitesurfing spot. It is easy to predict the behaviour of a teenager who rents such a powerful machine for 15 minutes and additionally hears that according to binding rules kitesurfers give him the way. He should keep away from us! 16. Author hopes that this principle based on common sense will be widely accepted in the world of water sports.
What about a ski-jet towing a rubber banana, a water skier or a wake boarder? In this case
17. we give way due to their restricted manoeuvrability. It is exactly the same like in ColRegs where towing tugs have the status of “vessels restricted in their ability to manoeuvre” and all other vessels have to give way to them.
In some situations, especially during meetings on the opposite courses, it may be difficult to assess a craft’s dimensions. In case of any doubt we assume that the craft is longer than 7 meters and then we give way according to the Rule Responsibility.
Rules 3.1 & 6.Launching and landing of a kite, or any other manoeuvre, must not endanger other people
Rule 4.4. The upwind rider raises his/her kite, the downwind rider lowers it.
Rule 3.2. In the shore zone give way to riders who are 18. about to enter the water
Rule 3.3. Give way to riders who do not have control of their equipment
19. Rule 4.1. The port tack rider gives way to the starboard tack rider
20. Rule 4.2. The upwind rider gives way to the downwind rider
Rule 4.3. The overtaking rider keeps out of the way of the rider being overtaken
21. Rule 7.1. Give way to riders surfing waves
Rule 5.2. Avoid multiperson meetings
22. Rule 10. Give way to other water users and power-driven crafts over 7 meters
BraCuru:
I won't apologize for the length of this post since nobody is forced to read it. However, I have edited out from your post as much as possible and simply
numbered the points I wish to address.
1. I have never said that at the locations with which I'm familiar that waveriders tend to give the ROW to others. I have said that
the RULE SHOULD BE that they DO NOT HAVE the ROW.
For details, please see
my post on page 2 of this thread.
Just because someone went to an island where, for example, all the natives were cannibals, doesn't mean that cannibalism is GOOD.
Just because most waveriders want to do something that is WRONG doesn't make it right.
2. Any ROW RULE should be as SIMPLE as possible with the absolute fewest exceptions (preferably no exceptions). If there needs to be an exception, the exception should be that when the wave is breaking far from shore (generally reef breaks) so that waveriders do not interfere with OUTGOING kiters, then signage should indicate this exception.
3. I agree.
4. Non-kiters on a wave should ALWAYS have the ROW based upon
the basic "less maneuverable vessel has the ROW RULE".
As to kiters, many people kiting would like to "concentrate" on what they're doing to the exclusion of all else. This is fine, so long as this "concentration" does not interfere with people who SHOULD have the ROW.
ROW RULES are specifically so that people know WHEN they don't have to be PRIMARILY concerned with giving up the ROW.
All your statement says is that they have taken the ROW because they want to and it doesn't provide the
slightest JUSTIFICATION (based upon the SAFEST course of action) for
WHY they SHOULD have it.
5. Only if the rules were
SIMPLE and LOGICAL and based upon SAFETY considerations rather than courtesy and/or convenience.
6. There are
too many exceptions, contradictions, non-conformance to basic safety considerations and illogical results embodied in the ROW RULES you (and most waveriders) propose. As outlined below, it is too easy to be confused.
Confusion is a bad thing regarding RULES.
7. I'm sorry, but this simplistic approach is not only
completely illegal but it obviously discriminates against newbies and may be used as a method to
try to restrict access for the benefit of locals. Furthermore, exactly
WHO decides to "ban" someone?
How long are they "banned" for?
How many violations are required before "banning"? Are you going to be as quick to ban some hot chick as a 150 lb guy? How about a couple of 225 lb rugby players?
Obviously, actual enforcement is hopeless. Therefore
the best way to obtain compliance is to make compliance as SIMPLE and EASY as possible.
8. Even in onshore winds, 99% of the time you will have OUTGOING and INCOMING riders.
Competitions don't matter. They can have any rules they want. Wave riding on a reef break could relatively easily be a standard exception. According to the basic ROW RULE, the ROW should go to the less maneuverable vessel (and/or people in the water). Except for windsurfers, it relatively uncommon for kiters to have to deal with other craft near a shore, in which case they can yield the ROW or use the Port/Starboard RULE.
9. This should be
the standard RULE for the reasons you list and those I list in my post on page 2.
10.
This should NOT be an exception. Just because you may be outnumbered by cannibals, doesn't make cannibalism
RIGHT (although you may think you have to agree to keep from being chewed on).
11. This makes sense at SOME locations. However, at locations where this isn't possible, you still
need A ROW RULE.
12. This situation would not have to be an "exception" if following the basic ROW RULE that the least maneuverable vessel has the ROW. And helping the other kiter is a nice courtesy but has nothing to do with ROW.
13. I'm not sure what you mean by
"get in trouble" but I would add that it includes simply
making other water users UNCOMFORTABLE. Although a kiter may THINK he's far enough away to not have an accident, there is no reason why a surfer etc. should have his day ruined WORRYING about having his head lopped off by a kiter.
14. I agree that personal watercraft should NOT have the ROW since they are much more maneuverable than kiters.
15. Size shouldn't be the determining factor. An 8' pram with an electric motor should have the ROW because it's less maneuverable. Similarly, there could be a boat over 7M which is more maneuverable than a kiter.
16. I agree that widespread acceptance of
SIMPLE RULES that are based upon the SAFEST course of action is highly desirable.
17. Exactly correct.
18. Regarding rule 3.2: Why only ENTERING the water? Why not someone in the water either after entering or turning around to go out? All the reasons I list on page 2 apply to both kiters.
19. This is confusing and completely unnecessary for all the reasons I list on page 2.
20. This is another rule that
I can not understand. The upwind rider may be going as far upwind as possible and can not go any further upwind. In this case, he must cut IN FRONT of the downwind rider in order to go downwind and thereby yield the ROW. On the other hand, all the downwind rider has to do is turn slightly downwind in order to avoid the upwind rider. Please
explain why the downwind rider should have the ROW.
21.
No. Waveriders should generally NOT have the ROW for all the reasons listed herein and on page 2.
22. Should simply be
"the least maneuverable vessel (water user) has the ROW and when in doubt, yield.
Although I disagree with you on many of the RULES, I'm
very impressed with the amount of effort and professionalism which you've put into the signage
Richard M.
Malibu Kitesurfing - since 2002
(310) - 430 - KITE (5483)
http://www.MalibuKitesurfing.NET
kfRichard@MalibuKitesurfing.NET