On behalf of Pete and myself; ..need to say a big 'THANK YOU' to the kiting community in and around Quinns Rocks, WA. Pete had a serious accident yesterday when he was hit from behind by the 40 foot Sea Rescue Boat travelling at around 20kts. I am happy to say that following a night in hospital he is now at home albeit battered and bruised. He suffered a blow to the head so has to be monitored but really was moments away from a very different outcome as he was dragged underneath the boat. We've had so many offers of help and best wishes sent for his recovery for which we are very grateful and I'm sure many of you will not be surprised to hear the Doctor said his helmet saved his life. Safe kiting in 2014 everyone. Sue.
Getting run over by a 40 ft boat travelling at 20 kts would be a kiters worst nightmare,
wow,
stoked he is ok 
At approximately 15:23 on the 30/12/2013 I was kite surf training with a mate off Quinns Rocks WA 6030. We were both using 19m Ozone Edges on standard 27m lines.
I was heading toward the shore upwind on a SE heading at 30kmh.
I was looking in the direction of the heading for waves and obstructions when I was hit from above and behind with a huge force, at first I thought it was a shark but as the aluminium hull passed over me I realized it was a boat.
I was dragged under the water towards the rear of the boat and then I was suddenly pulled forward and up the side of the bow hitting the anchor located on the front of the boat where my kite lines had got caught and passed over the anchor (the kite had powered up as it was dragged by the boat and had pulled me forward and away from the propellers. This saved me from the possibility of horrific life threatening injuries). At this stage the boat stopped and now seemed to lurch up and down with the bow hitting me several more times around the head. I managed to kick off the side of the hull away from the boat, the first thing I noticed was the sheer size of the 40ft boat above me and in big letters the word ???RESCUE??? - how ironic!
I was eventually pulled onto the Rescue boat but was unable to do much as I was suffering with concussion. Whitford Sea Rescue called for an ambulance and took me into Mindarie Marina, but I do have to question where they were looking when they ran me down?
The Ambulance crew were great and managed my condition to the Joondalup Campus. Staff and doctors at the campus did more prodding and testing than I can recount. After a number of CT scans and X-ray???s they removed the neck collar to my great relief.
All up I have a good number of bruises a suspected broken bone in my foot and concussion. The doctor said that without the helmet I could have been dead.
The Rescue crew did cut my brand new kite lines :(
The conditions were fine and clear 11-14kts SW and 440m off shore.
Holy crap, thank farq you are still here to tell the storey.
A bit funny how you say you looked up and seen the words "Rescue"
Very lucky to be here for 2014 
Peter there was decent swell that day right? Surely that could be the only reason they didn't see you (or the boats helm wasn't being manned). Surely you must ask for a better than decent explanation? Without the anchor snag you would have been a shredded piece of wheat! Or are you seeing a different picture and just glad you are alive and letting his one go through to the keeper?
Terrible accident but really glad your OK and on the mend! As i said to you the other day, you (+ Nick and Lenny) have helped me out a great deal these last few weeks and i really appreciate it mate.
How long are you off the water for?
Get well soon!
Mat
Thx for the well wishes guys.
I have not heard from WSR at all since the accident (not even to see if I am still alive). You have to fill out forms for the Marine Safety Complaint Report which goes to the Department of Transport. Its seems that the Water Police do not want to get involved as Sea Rescue is part of the same department.
They don't want to know either as its on the water its comes back to the Water Police
It's their fkn job to get involved!! I'd recover and then complain loudly.
If any other boatie hit another person, it'd make the news and the skipper would be charged.
thats complete and utter bull**** . so very lucky you are alive pete . The captain should be stood down immediately . how the fark you do not see someone. Sorry that isn't acceptable
Pete
I'm not religious, but after reading your post, you'd have to think someone/something/karma/brownie points with the wife/partner kicked in somewhere 440m offshore y'day for you.
Amazing to hear you are "relatively" unharmed, and perhaps a virgin should be sacrificed in honour of your luck - I'm trying to keep all faiths happy here
;-)
Glad to hear you're still with us.
PS: they owe you a carton or two and a brand new set of lines - at least!!
don't forget these guys generally do a great service, and most without pay, taking someone to the cleaners ie legal action would end up costing and possibly cause headaches for both parties, as juddy mentioned that would be the righty, pete glad your ok , next time jump it , the edges are great for this
Good to here everyone is OK !
Power gives way to sail, any vessel from rear has to give way, unless they were responding to an emergency with emergency lights activated, albeit turned out it was an emergency.
I'm trying to visualise how this could happen, kiter heading SE to shore, the master of the rescue vessel would have been travelling approximately south, would not expect the sun in eyes for the master (sun still quite high at this time) although there could have been some spray due to higher swell yesterday, 2.5 - 3 m, in this situation vessel should have been travelling at a lower speed, suited to conditions.
Im not trying lay blame on any one user but
I would expect a kiter to see all vessels in the area and judge their bearing, then likewise the vessel master
All water craft have the responsibility to keep proper lookout whilst underway, all should take this on board...
Q - just out of interest, distance offshore ??
Take care and enjoy the water
It is not acceptable that no one takes responsibility for this accident.a mistake has obviously been made and lessons can not be learnt if this incident is just swept under the carpet.
f*ck that sounds horrible,
great to see you can tell the storey, get well soon
they should at least give you some new kite lines, numerous cartons and hospital expenses
Select to expand quotepilotpete said..
Thx for the well wishes guys.
I have not heard from WSR at all since the accident (not even to see if I am still alive). You have to fill out forms for the Marine Safety Complaint Report which goes to the Department of Transport. Its seems that the Water Police do not want to get involved as Sea Rescue is part of the same department.
Glad to hear you are ok, bloody lucky the hook up on the anchor pulled you back up.
Responsibility to investigate is messy, someone can correct me but I think it goes like this...
It's a marine transport incident which means it's a Department of Transport responsibility to investigate. Water Police don't have a charter to investigate it, so unless you carked police can't really touch it. If the worst did happen Police would have the capacity to investigate it under provisions of the Coroner's Act. But Water Police still wouldn't investigate it, but they may offer specialist knowledge to those that do.
VMR's in WA are actually under Dept of Fire and Emergency Services, there is no organisational link to Police but they are used by Police for marine search and rescues. If you went missing because of getting run down it would be a MarSAR under the responsibility of Police to command and co-ordinate.
And to make it even messier, I think the metro VMR's are big enough that they are self-funded and are their own free standing entity away from DFES.
Clear as mud? 
Pete IMHO I don’t think you should be on the water in December but if you can’t resist next year beware of something coming beam on.
I am completely and utterly gob smacked!!! This sort of incident should never happen, especially with the particular parties and the expected experience of those involved. As was previously stated, law of the water is the power gives way to wind, no exceptions (except for emergencies obv). I would be lodging formal complaint and contacting every media outlet you can find, especially the big current affairs programs, no way in hell those responsible should be allowed to get away with something so reckless and life threatening. I hit an wind powered vessel with my boat I would be up on all sorts of chrages.
Sea Rescue do a great job and we need them, what we do need to understand is how this could happen and learn from it so that it can't happen again. There should be a better system for investigation the Department of Transports procedure is slow and to long after the event.
We need to find out what was going on at the helm!
The swell in the area was low probably due to the reef.
Select to expand quoteWarehouse13 said..
I am completely and utterly gob smacked!!! This sort of incident should never happen, especially with the particular parties and the expected experience of those involved. As was previously stated, law of the water is the power gives way to wind, no exceptions (except for emergencies obv). I would be lodging formal complaint and contacting every media outlet you can find, especially the big current affairs programs, no way in hell those responsible should be allowed to get away with something so reckless and life threatening. I hit an wind powered vessel with my boat I would be up on all sorts of chrages.
you wernt there, and neither was I , how can you assume, what is media going to do?, reckless and life threatening, its an accident and the guys fortunate to get away with it, its not like he did it on purpose, you sound like the kind of bloke whod already have his blood sucking solicitor on to it
There is no evidence of a cover-up either, it only happened 24 or so hours ago. Pete needs to fill in the DoT form he has and it's also a bit too speculative to assume whether the VMR guys have or have not lodged the same form.
Glad to hear ypu ok Pete!
There seems to be a bllind spot for boat cruisings, could it be the kite is too high up out of the area of focus of the captain, also. Boats also not being aware of how fast (20-30knots) we come at them across their path.
Scary though considering how many boats we encounter at sea and in the river.
David T was run over in Melb, lucky to miss the props, his board not so lucky.
Dale S was nearly run over, during 2012 L2L by a ferry.
