lancingsc.org.uk

[Katie_Hedgecock]

As many people have probably noticed the kitesurfers are sailing closer to our club than before - this is because they have been shifted down from lancing green by the council. The sign below shows them where to sail etc. and as you might be able to see, the council have helpfully made the learner kite zone the one closest to our club. It's worth noting that the sign reminds them to keep clear of all other watercraft but for novices that is easier said than done, and as kitesurfing upwind is quite a challenge, the novices in particular are drifting down and getting in the way of racing on some Sundays. I don't see this as much of a problem generally (although I'm sure some of you disagree!), but I was thinking it may be worth notifying local kitesurfing schools who make the main use of the learner area when we are holding big events (such as the upcoming fun weekend)?

K x

[Mark]

Thanks Katie that is interesting to know.

My personal experience on Sunday was that all of the kite surfers that I go close to gave way to me regardless what tack I was on. They either slowed down or bore away behind me. Admitedly I kept offshore to keep away from them as much as possible.

Katie any chance you can expand the picture and repost so we can read the guidelines?

Perhaps we should go down with some leaflets and encourage them to join the club. Dinghy sailing could give them an alternative for those light wind days.

[Katie_Hedgecock]

Expanding it doesn't make it any more readable unfortunately, but here's a transcript

Kitesurfing code of conduct

• Riders must hold 3rd party insurance
  
• Be sure you can handle the prevailing weather conditions
  
• Always assist fellow kitesurfers when launching and landing
  
• Always use an effective kite safety launching system
  
• Wrap your lines when not in use and secure kite properly
  
• Keep a reasonable distance between yourself and your fellow kitesurfers/beach users
  
• A kitesurfer must know the navigation laws and abide by them at all times
  
• If you ride alone, let someone know you are out and what time you will be expected back
  

If you lose your kite or board whilst on the water, always report it to the coastguard

Specific Location Risks

• This area is zoned – Green: Competent, Blue: Learners
  
• Groynes
  
• Give way to all other watercraft
  
• Swim zone
  
• No flying on the green

General Information

• Please keep clear of landing and launching kites
  
• Beware Kite Lines - do not touch
  
• Always stand upwind of kite flyers who are on land
  
• Licensed schools only

[steve lynch]

Interesting to note that the kitesurfers codes asks them to keep clear of all other craft - think I recall Sean (and Roger sailing the RS Vision last sunday) saying that a kitesurfer had come pretty close to them and had been expecting them to give him right of way, also Chris Foster had one land in his boat the other week.

Potentially an issue brewing?

Did we as a 50 year old establishment get any notification / consultation from the council that they intended to re-locate the kitesurfers to adjacent to us?

[Isabelle]

Lancing SC didn't get consulted on the location of the kitesurfing school but the Parish Council gave Frasier Stuart (who ran the project at the time) Dave Carter's details so he could introduce himself to us.
He did mention where the school was going to be located and we discussed it during a main committee meeting.
We still have his contact details and I don't mind talking to him if it can help but what are we going to say? Their code of practice is already quite fair to us and, from what I could see, the kitesurfers follow it.

I know it's unnerving to have all these people zooming around our masts when it gets windy but I'm not sure what we could do about it.

[Nick M]

Thanks for posting this Katie.

I found the kite surfers a considerable hazard last Sunday, due to the sheer volume of them crossing our inner course. As the race progressed it became too dangerous to tack along the shore, as several novice kite surfers were in the water, as well as the competant ones zooming around us.

Whilst I appreciate that beaches and the sea are open to all, it seems risky to locate kite surfing novices so close to our established race area, particularly as they inevitably drift downwind. On Sunday several ended up launching from the beach in front of our club. Certainly last Sunday, this arrangement seemed like an accident waiting to happen; surely not what the parish council intended.

Two suggestions:-
1. Main committee alerts parish council to the potential impact of their decision; risk analysis etc.
2. Invite kite surfing school to meet main committee or rep, to discuss issue and agree a safer solution, and maybe consider how our clubs / sports may collaborate in the future?

[Sean Dwyer]

Steve is correct.

A kitesurfer who was on starboard when I was on port came very close to us and shouted to me if I knew the rules - and I very politely replied that yes I did and that I was racing and he wasn't!

S

[PeteM]

I don't think that the rules regarding non-racing craft giving way to those racing are a clear as you think Sean, particularly when the non-racing craft is not connected to the racing.

The reasons for this are clarity.
How was the kitesurfer supposed to know that you were racing?
How do you know that he wasn't racing?

I think that we have a potential accident waiting to happen and that the issue should be discussed at both Main and Sailing Committees.

The council seem to have brought in these rules without having consulted with all interested parties, and without fully considering the impact of their plan.
At this point I should probably state that I am an interested party - they have also introduced a swim-only area in front of my house on Shoreham Beach and so I am not supposed to windsurf there. Strangely enough the many local residents who windsurf and kitesurf are ignoring this as there are rarely any swimmers when there is enough wind to go out. We were not consulted either.

Pete

[Nick M]

I'm not sure I'd recognise whether a kite surfer was on port or starboard! Could someone who does explain pls?

[dave carter]

It is generally acknowledged that Windsurfers and Kite boarders are on Starboard on their way out and on Port on their way back. Assuming a SW breeze
DC.

[Nick M]

Thanks for that Dave; seems more obvious with wind surfers who do at least stand on one side of a visible board or the other. With kite surfers the board is barely vsible let alone which side they are standing on.

Anyway, by the suggested guidelines on the kite surfer sign board port and starboard appear not to be very relevant as they are advised to give way to all other watercraft! Launching from defined zones further apart than currently would be a better and safer approach for all.

[Steve McLean]

Hi Guys

I have a foot in both camps here as I have been doing a lot of kite surfing at Hayling recently and Im getting to a standard where I want to do more kiting locally under the right conditions. I have had enough mates seriously hurt to know kiting is something you treat with the utmost respect and that is from someone who has an 18 and a moth and I normally disconnect the fear module from my brain when I go sailing.

Having said that by observing a few precautions there is no reason why kiting should be dangerous which is why I was shocked to hear of the incident recently of a kitesurfer being killed near the club.

I just came back from the club and there were lots of kites sailing directly outside the club so there is definatly an issue that needs to be got a grip on. Does anyone know why all the kites have moved from Widewater lagoon at Shoreham beech BTW.

I will make some enquiries at the kite beech/school and let you know.

ps isnt port/starboard the same on a kite as it is on a windsurfer. If the breeze is coming from the riders right hand side they are on starboard and vice versa.

TTFN


Steve

[Mark]

I was told that if the kite surfers right shoulder is in the direction of travel then they are on starboard.

If you think about it this is exactly the same as on a dinghy (when hiking).

[Mike Croker]

[Mike Croker]

Compare the plan LSC were shown in Dec 2009 with the current version on the kite surf website (scroll down)