I am still really fecked off about what i saw today and really wish i had said more. Here's what happened...

Just finished an up & down session at Kohi on a 12 Cult and the wind was really on and off so was busy packing up when i noticed a kite out of control and diving into the beach. The issue was that he was a couple of metres away (and being dragged towards) a family with 3 very small kids (prob max 5 years old) who were just paddling in ankle deep water.

I ran for the kite to try stop it moving again as the guy was being dragged and was trying very badly to deal with a board, being dragged and a family in his lines!! Only a guy beat me to the kite. I presumed he was another guy that looked like he had been setting up, however i later realised when he relaunched the guy in the middle of the beach still by the family he just nearly wiped out in one go that this guy was trying to teach the guy with the kite!! This guy was fully dressed and barely paying any attention to the guy in the water!
He then walked a couple of metres off the beach and tried to stick the board on again. Promptly dumping the kite nearly into a kiteloop into the beach. Thankfully the tip caught and it stayed tip down.

At that point i had a word with the guy that was teaching him - he was french and claimed not to speak english... he understood what i said i reckon and had a chat to the learner. Then promptly went back out to try again. Idiot.

Another guy down there (all credit to you) then also went and had a chat and made the guys head over to the end of the beach away from the swimming area.

So if any of you know a french kiter that has a thorn board (i think) with a red and yellow 10 or 12 Cabrinha - think its an 07 / 08 model and is not the latest kite then give him a huge arse kicking next time you see him for letting a beginner nearly feck up a family!!

Oh and tell him to consider staying away from kohi / st heliers as he hasnt made any friends down there...!

That sucks.
I'm not a kitesurfing teacher, but I am a teacher and have taught many friends and family to fly and consider myself a good teacher and a safe flyer to the rest of the beach, which makes this kind of thing a huge problem for the sport and it's image when fools like this hurt people.

Best thing to do is go over and tell them that it's not safe, and to move or you'll get the coast guard to do it for you if they refuse.

Yeah man that is crap.



it is my local and during the summer there are lots and lots of families that swim and play on the beach. I have seen a couple of people teaching each other and dropping kites on peoples heads and dragging lines.

Manny times i have gone and talked to them and they ignored me (probs cos im a kid) so if you should see them just tell them to go get freakn lost. I really dont want kohi banned from kiting. they should be learning some where like chaltnam where they can walk waaaay out the back away from every one and doesnt matter if they get into a death loop.

brock - what kite / board you riding? I am normally on a cult (orange) - come over and say hi next time you are about!

Not impressed with the possibility of people getting banned on that beach!!

The other problem is it only takes one close call with a prominant public figure like a city councillor or a that councilor to see something like that and all power kite actives get banned on that beach. Its happening all over the UK as kitesurfing and powerkiting is begin considered as dangerous to the public and not just to the kitesurfer's. Check out this thread where property developers are trying to ban it Hayle in cornwall.

Remember it only takes one idoit to spoil it for the rest.

In the UK it's so easy to ban as the fools formed clubs and associations.
When all that shit was going on here I pushed the windsurfing association to drop kitesurfing from its association. As coming from paragliding i saw the damage a few small factions could inflict on a sport and the issues that arose with the club structure and how easy it was to ban the sport before it got started.

Now we ban or fine the individual.

So guys like Brock (Good on ya mate for having a say) you can mention next time the fine is $350.
Guys take notice of that fast.
Also point to the road and say lots of people watching you mate wondering what your doing here. That really makes the newbies realise that they are being seen.

We might get banned one day... but probably just in the summer months.
And lets face it, it's a swimming beach 1st and a kite beach when the swimmers are not there.
That will never change.

A bit of care and self management goes a long way.

What Lee says about the swimming first etc is true, kites are probably the newest thing to the waters of most beaches, so just remember that when you have to deal with anybody on that beach, they were there first and just want to know things won't have to change for them.

Keep you distance, and the peace, and it'll be fine.

And Lee, the clubs started up to TURN AROUND the bans, there were no clubs before the bans started, only the BBC and PKRA insurance.
The council's in England are a power unto themselves for the most part when it comes to that stuff, and a lot of it went down after the fatal accident with the land yacht on St anns and councils just flat out banned anything on the beach involving vehicles. It's taken a lot of work on the clubs parts to get it all unbanned again.

Lee - thats interesting on the $350 thing. Is that just when people are close to other people on the beach (e.g. less than 50m and doing over 5 knots) or is this something totally different?

Will def remember that one for future use!!

Oh and up at Orewa on sunday did see quite a few guys riding between the shore and some guys teaching their kids to surf. Was not impressed with that one. I got dragged a little downwind after being rinsed by a wave and realised wouldnt be able to get upwind enough - so instead of kiting between them and the beach, went up onto shore and walked by with kite parked at side of window. Guys seemed to appreciate as they were well wary of the kiters.

i agree with wateva lee said, but do close calls count ?, i mean who hasnt done some dumbase shit somtime and got away with it, yeah b4 you knew better eh, its a kite not a car , mostly its the kiter that pays the price, so lets not ova react i read a story bout a granny who got told to slow down her mob scotter in the mall, 4 f*** sake, she was 80 odd .ah wateva 8)

epyscs- im on the switchblade 4's with the 09 custom (all Cabrinha) for sure if i see you il come over for a chat