after a meeting last weekend these general guidelines were agreed upon. so if your coming to kite at the Mount do your best to follow them.

TAY STREET
during the busy summer months local kiteboarders will be trying to avoid Tay street and will be looking to move further down the beach towards Arataki where its less conjested with other beach users. when conditions are suitable at Tay street (i.e 20knot NW and no public) we ask that you DO NOT launch or land on the top of the grass bank. All launching and landing of kites to be on the beach please.

FERGUSSON PARK
as you drive thru the gates turn left onto the grass. make sure you park your vehicle as far away from the water as possible (close to the houses) to allow a large grassy area for the LZone. if your experienced once your on the water we are looking to establish a "buffer zone" in the bay itself of approx 30metres off shore. so try to stay out and give all the not so experienced kiters some room to move on the water.

SAETEY ISSUES
it was agreed we will all do our best to launch and land "unhooked" so that means you must kite with a safety line! set your board up so its close to the waters edge b4 you launch and have your kite close to the water so you dont have to bring it up over your head before you reach waters edge.

a bouyancy aid and helmet are recommended.....and if you can assist anyone launching and landing that would be much appreciated!!

"windsurfers" - the rule for kiteboarders right of way with regards to windsurfers is "KITEBOARDERS GIVE WAY TO WINDSURFERS AT ALL TIMES" also sail downwind or waaaaay up wind.

KITESURFERS RIGHT OF WAY-
if you are right shoulder forward (toeside down doenst change this rule) hold your course. which means RIGHT SHOULDER FOWARD HAS RIGHT OF WAY. using your common sence with regards to this rule. if your approaching a beginner who may not have the skills to avoid your course so easily, make a turn.


Hopefully these guidelines will make the mount a safe and friendly place to kitesurf this summer for kiters and public alike, so if you are coming over this way try to follow these guidelines and ask the locals if your not so sure, we be more than happy to help! and hope that your kiting experience at the Mount is a good one!

Landing/Launching Unhooked? - Safer?
Trying to make it a little harder for yourself?
:roll:

definately safer... cos if anything happens you can just let go. Doug would probably have still been alive today if he wasn't hooked in.

Never trust a quick release. I got dragged through a swamp because i got my lines crossed... all because i was hooked in and couldn't release in time.

Hey X3 that's an excellent idea what your doin. Keeping our beaches ban free is all about keeping onside with the local authorities and other beach users. I'm sure the AK kiters could post similiar guidelines about certain beaches (ie Orewa and Mission Bay) that have been focal points of aggro in the past and present.

Good shit, nice to hear that your crew is working towards local rules for safety, & preserving your future for kiting over there...

You could also contact the beach-care group (contact Environment Waikato) & work with their dune restoration, tell them how you would like the beach access to be designed, they will take more notice of an organised group.

I haven't been there for years, maybe the dunes are better than they were when I was there last?

Nice work, maybe we could collectively adopt a code of conduct along the lines of AKSA (ww.aksa.com.au) and use this for more powerful liason with local authority and other beach users.....gotta start promoting a responsible integrated face to our sport or the bans will start coming...and once one beach gets banned the rest will follow quickly.