just got back from a early morning session.

chilled cruising the beach at 10-12 knots.

riding my massive granny tyres right up to the high tide line. racing a dog up and down the beach.

charged through a massive puddle and managed to completly drench myself....

good times, good times.

cool , what pressures are you running now ?

p.s. i just got a small 4x4 so the moose is open for business

that was 40 psi. but the hubs aren't liking 40psi that much.... so nioce i'll try 35

Nice Plummet, has to be the best way to welcome the new year.

I saw the old year out with a good water session yesterday avo. And hopefully will be able to do the same this avo when the NE (fingers crossed) manages to pull through.

Bout to go out now myself, not sure the wind is in the right direction yet, but it is there, will get some pics etc for you guys later

on the spit a tahanui beach (spelling?) you can use the wind in most directions. sand is a tad undulaty tho.

NO such luck here in chch today its been Norwest all day and for me its not even an option far to gusty its the type of wind that puts you in hospital. And have lost my short strong lines for the stackers so no static stuff either today bummer.

Welp, I went and flew on tahuna, lovely day blue sky, wind in an ok direction. Got some photos and film, my wife decided she wanted to edit the video herself (as she filmed it) so I gotta wait till she's done with that to post it.

The sand along the beach is ok, but with the direction of the wind today I was limited to a very narrow strip of sand which had soft bits here and there and at the ends of the 'run' so I never got much speed up to use the wind and get some decent air for fear of falling onto soft stuff and hurting myself.

Will have pics etc to post later (and I did wear my kilt too so that's somethign to look forward to )

yes soft sand the curse of the landboarder.

my grandma tyres eat soft sand for breakfast so no worries for me about landing in the soft. not good for your freestyling tho. they are mucho heavy,. ..

<object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2686724&...1"><embed src="vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2686724&...p;fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><br><a href="vimeo.com/2686724">New Years Day Kiting 2009</a> from <a href="vimeo.com/user921911">Martin Booth</a> on <a href="vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.
Here's the vid, filmed and edited by my wife, I think she did a great job, and even made it funny

Pretty sure this forum does not handel embedding videos into posts. So just have to post a direct link to the video. Well it didnt show up for me anyway..... could just be me....

http://vimeo.com/2686724 that should be the link that will take you to mbnmacs video if his post doesnt work.

Hey Martin like the vid looked real cool and looks like you had fun on the first day of the year.

The vid worked alright for me by just clicking on it.

hey Mbnmac how much wind for your session? . what kite is it ? a flexifoil ion of some discription?

nice session. you might yet convince me to start spinning around looking at footage like that.

I use an 11.5 sabre, the wind was pretty strong but like I said I wasn't pushing too hard due to soft sand worries.
I flew again today but the wind is nuts, real gusty (I was on Neale park) and I got some nice jumps but a lot were un-controlled and getting lofted over 2m when you're not sure the kite will fold or not isn't very comforting.

The thing about spins is, it's really easy even in low winds if you throw yourself into it and let your head lead. If we ever visit that eara of the country (I'm sure we will) or you come to CHCH, we'll have to meet up.

I do want an ion3, the sabre is too slow for kiteloops etc and I don't often get the hangtime to redirect nicely, whereas a smaller/faster kite gets more air in less wind and can still have loads of float

love the kilt !!

it almost makes me interested to get into kgb again , opp the feeling has subsided. You make it look easy, i was always trying for lofty redirects, i can do them on foot now but landing them on a board is a different thing. still i have my buggies now

looks like we are going to have to bring out another movie now...

We sure are!!! have to start thinking now, how to make it different??? Nice movie as well Martin, make sure you get your wife hooked on filming so she comes out with you all the time to take footage. See you in chch.

Still waiting on that first sess for the year its been Norwest for 2 days. Thought today might be the day even got in a surf this morning and it was easterly but alass it wasn't to be its now thunder and lightening here in chch and it a good one. So maybe tomorrow.

Thanks for the comments, Emma is glad to hear it after her first attempt.

The last two days have been poo for wind, waay too windy and gusty yesterday and today all NEerly and gusty again.
But I did buy some new shoes specifically to wreak on the beach (only $20) and finally got my bank details sorted out so might buy those ion3'sthis week...

OOO Jealous!!!!

What sizes you getting? 12ish and a 9ish? that will be sweet for chch wind. And what colours???? Details details details....

Still nothing useable for us here either... yesterday was just weird was all good till we got there then turned to poo.

When/if we do get em it'll probably be the 12.5/8.5, in petrol and rasta.

I was considering a 10.5 so Emma can fly at the same time and I'd just deal with the 12.5 and use the 10.5 when it's too windy for the 12.5 but I'm thinking she'll be able to get surfing with the 8.5 even when I&quot;m just getting going on the 12.5 (she's a good deal lighter than me regardless of what she says about her weight.

I&quot;m probably going to see about getting them from kitepower again as they offered me a good deal, it's just a matter of making sure we have the money to spare to live on while our jobs get sorted, especially after getting a rent sorted out.

you can always get some air on the buggies! Just fire up gannets 6.5 blade in 15-20knots i'me sure your'l be flying high.

ARGH!!! 15-20 with the 6.5 is getting nutty... either that or its a big buggy or jumping...but either way argh!!!

My 6.5 launches my standard flexi buggy into orbit in those winds and i have no way of getting back upwind when i land...

But, do it and show us the pics!!

Well Got my first sess of the new year in (on the buggy) and it turned into a bummer the Fun Police were out in force got told off by the Park ranager for going through the flagged area's and by a member of the canterbury windsports Association for the same thing. Now i was under control and going between 15-20kmph had the gps on. So whats the difference between the park ranager in his 4x4 doing the same speed through the flagged areas (remembering that 4x4 often have 3-6m blindspots all the way round) and me? You never see the people who ride mountain bikes through the flagged areas being told off either and they do the same speed through there.

I only speed when i can and is safe to do so and don't get me started on the blowkarts going at 40-50kmph and then when they get pushed up on to 2 wheels they dart across the beach downwind to get that wheel back down instead of sheeting out the sail. I just happened to be there and two different guys decided to have a go. I was in no way doing reckless or dangerous stuff was just criusing and enjoying the wind and the sun.

In the end i packed up and went home though i should be responable for my own safety and the safety of others around me and i thought i was been but from other peoples perception i obvisoiusly wasn't so i will sleep on it though hasn't been a problem before and have often had a go at others for unsafe practices on the beach either with kites, blowkarts, buggies etc... I just concidered myself to be safe and reasonable so was a little surprised to be told off.

Hope its not a sign off things to come

yikes ! i dont chance it anymore coming into this time of year and crawl through the flaged zone with my kite directly above me..

with more users on the beach there are really only 2 good stretches to fly. one being north of waimari and the other being between the pier club and the next one north of it.

people are hardly ever in these zones and they are long enough for decent runs.

ive yet to be told off on the land... but i have had one complaint from kitesurfing through the flags when there were no swimmers around!

&quot;the Fun Police were out in force got told off by the Park ranager for going through the flagged area's and by a member of the canterbury windsports Association for the same thing.&quot;

Skypirate, im guessing it was you who Russell spoke to today up at Waimairi beach?
I guess what he is trying to say is its only a matter of time before kites get banned from our coastline just like in the UK. There are a lot more general public on the beach than us kiters so we have to respect them. More improtantly the flagged areas. You would be surprised by the amount of complaints that come to our club about kites and a lot of them refer to the buggies.
I kite alot at north beach where you buggy boys go and have to ask why do you all like to rig up right beside the yellow flags? We have a huge coast line to use so why go right there? I note one of your comments about the difference between a park ranger 4x4 and a kite, well a 4x4 doing 20km is quite predictable for the public but a kite 20m up in the air isnt. 1 accident or near miss and the council will be involved and it all over for all of us!! 1 out of control kite could easily do serious injuries.
All we need to use is common sense. Normally when conditions are epic for kiting the beach is a ghost town so no worries about going in front of the surf clubs but on days like today do the right thing for every one and go to an area where there is less congestion.
I parked up there today and contemplated rigging up but decided to further north for that exact reason.[/quote]

Its funny that these issues hardly ever reach the forum if that is the case...


We are nothing if not flexible so please pass more on so we can avoid later problems!

Exactly why we are spreading the word on safety and public awareness. All we have to do is use common sense se we can all share the beach. Do you guys have a club or an association?

The more people educated about where to fly and when, even if it's not REALLY an issue, you're setting an example for somebody who's not as good or is just an idiot to do the same thing and get people hurt and us banned.

That's how it happened in the UK, there's miles more coast here that's usable, try to stay away from general public altogether.

[/quote]

I do see where Russell and the park ranager was coming from its just i have seen blowkart guys digging traps for their mates to fall into, Dog attacks on kites and flyers, drunks abusing people, all down at the beach and never seen anyone even as much as bat a eyelid at these incidents. From my perspective Russell decided to flag me down 5mins after the Park Ranager and i had said to him i would go north and then Russell decided to come talk to me, so felt a little under attack when i felt i had done nothing wrong and so was on the defensive already. In hidsight will set up wiamarie on the busy days and go north or use South Brighton

Maybe we will have to meet up with you guys and have a read of these complaints. And you are shore these complaints are on the buggies and not the Blowkarts as many people get the two comfused and there only a handful of us on the buggies, not trying to shift the blame just want to be clear that it is the kite buggy's as today is the only time i have been approached with any problems.

if i have to go through the flagged zone. i trundle at walking speed. if theres tones of people i don't go through at all.

don't you chch guys have 20km of beach?

surely you could make a spote miles away from any surf club?

one thing you need to think of is that the general public do not understand power kiting at all so they can go 2 ways be completly oblivious to the danger. I had a mother ask me if i would take her toddler for a ride on the board.... it was howling 20 knots!!! hmmm. or they can be shit scared when you are completly in control or underpowered.

moral of the story stay away if possible. if some official tells you off even if your not being a tool smile and nod and go somewhere else.

I agree with you plummet. Yes we have more than 20km of flat beach so its ideal for all wind powered sports. Why some people choose to go it a congested area who knows?If its busy go further up the coast. North of Waimairi there ar no more surf clubs untill Waikuku and thats about 15km up the coast!!

Skypirate, i havent seen the complaints myself and who cares who the finger is being pointed at. As far as the public are concearned they dont know the difference between buggie, mountain board, surf board and blow kart.

[quote=&quot;Diesel
Skypirate, i havent seen the complaints myself and who cares who the finger is being pointed at. As far as the public are concearned they dont know the difference between buggie, mountain board, surf board and blow kart.[/quote]

I realised that after i wrote it SORRY and didn't mean to get off side with you guys once again SORRY. I will take on board what has been said and i'll set up north of Wiamarie from now or south of south brighton surf club.

Thanks for your input.

Thanks.
All we are trying to do is protect our sports for future use, no matter what kind of kiting we are doing. Imaging if kiting was banned from our beaches!!!

Thanks for understanding.

Man, I don't even need to imagine, I know what it feels like

What's worse is the kitesurfers usually get around it anyway but the land guys always get screwed.

Keep the sport ban free!

Hmm i really dont like the sound of all this.

I cannot see any reason why we cannot still set up where we do. The reason we set up at North beach currently, is its basically the closest bit of beach. to where i live and the best area for setting up we normally move off pretty quickly and use it as a turn around point for runs and when it is busy always stay well away from the flags.
When you have a load of stuff to drag onto the land like buggies or boards then a close carpark is welcomed. So North beach is ideal.
We will however be taking this all on board tho and avoiding congested areas even more than normal.

Like has been said i always reduce my speed to an absolute crawl when going through flagged areas and try not to do it all the time. When i do go i also look around me excessively to make sure noone is any danger.

I dont really mind being told to move up the beach but i am going to continue to set up where i want and i will from now on and then move off from there to a suitable area like symptom said normally between north beach and the brighton surf club where there are normally not many people and those that are there are normally walking along so as per good kite etticate we lift the kites high enough to let them know there is no danger, that and i always smile and nod or wave and normally there are no problems.

I definitly dont want to ruin it for others i know at least 3 kiters that live within 30 secs of north beach so ruining it for them would be horrible.

Please everyone keep speeds to a minimum between flags and dont go through them unless you are going north or south further. There is no reason why kiting should banned we just need to keep everything safe and keep complaints to an absolute minimum. We cant please everyone but we sure can try.

Thanks for bringing this up Diesel, without actually bringing it up we will never actually know. And you are right that when it is mint for kiting there are not that many people on the beach but to be honest id much rather kite in a 12-15knot NE wind on the land than a 20knot like the water guys like so much, so in that case there is always people on the beach.

Thats the spirit Zenon.
Click the link to view the CWA's guidelines on kiting at the beach.

cwa.org.nz/safety/chch_beaches.pdf

summer is the worst time for land kiting, and people are best avoided but those guidelines are likely to become a bylaw in a few years time so mind what they say, all points agreed apart from the area restriction. Its irrelevant in the depths of winter but laws are funny like that they dont care if no one is on the beach that day, the designated area should be for summer months only then full beach again . fully agreed about the flags being off limits, currently i personally roll at 5kmph with one foot dragging out once or twice during the session to access the far side with kite at 1pm going in a fig 8 , the local guards are fine with how i respect the sand in the safe zone and at the low speeds i can easily jump to my feet at any time, once away from the zone i wind up again once 25m or more away and i slow down at least 25m before entering, as i said only a couple of times each day i dont push it. i tend to find and keep my own isolated slice of beach and do up and back runs which gives the rest of the public lots of space , i know one day it will be over for my local as more people live there, im already eyeing up other beaches

another idea if there is a crew of you guys in a given spot. go to a sign shop and make a a couple of profesional looking signs saying something like the

CAUTION
POWERKITING ZONE
*please walk upwind of kites

Even if its not official the general public may think it is and stop and think before they charge straight through a kiting spot.

Probably a good idea for you auckland guys when you are doing your buggy races on the beach.

Actually that is a brilliant idea plummet, richard has a Peter Lynn banner and i have a flexifoil one, between the two we should be able to make it look decent. Will have to drag it out again.

Diesel: I have no idea if you were poking fun at me with your last post or not. I am well aware of the guidlines set out and obide by most of them except going to south brighton as that is going ages out of my way to get to the beach and being a student i already have to drive 20mins to get to the beach so having to drive another 10 is just plain annoying that and the beach and wind down there are not as nice as up north.
I have actually spoken with one of the rangers who himself used to buggy and he had no problem with us riding anywhere on the beach as long as we were not a nuisance and that he also new about the allocated area but this was not enforced... So as long as we all keep our behaviour in check we should be fine.

I would like this thread to now be closed with no more arguing about it. We know what we need to do and the issue has been raised. Plenty to read in the thread without more needing to be added.

Pie!

Hey Zenon. Na not having a go at all. I was refering to your comments on keeping speed down around the public and only going between the flags if you have to. I think we have all made good progress on this thread.

See you out there!