I can still remember my first kite lesson , boosting well over 10m and back rolls natural and goofy had a bit of trouble front rolling
ST11,
I hear what your saying and agree, but a few hundred bucks is nothing compared to what you would be feeling if either of you got hurt, you wouldn't forgive yourself.
Chalk it up mate and get on enjoying the stoke.
To the other guy, man up and give half his money back and count your blessing your partner is ok.
my 2cents worth.
Trying to imagine what the chick would have gone through, that would have been bloody scary.
First of all I really appreciate for everyone who help us out and support her on that day!!
Honestly I totally agree with everyone who commented. If I hear the story from him and half of it. I would blame her as well.
Well Well!! It didnt suprise me that you blame her after all. But I dont blame u bcuz If I had personality just like you had, I'd blame her too and if u were honest man u would write down the whole story :)
There is video all welcome to watch it. I am open to any comment, no matter positive or negative. We all learn by our mistake.
Geili has only been kiting for 3 months more or less and is still in the early phase of being able to ride in both directions, by no means competantly and still experiences many crashes herself. She is just between begginer and intermediate line. Simon was on the upwind side of another kiter Geili who was kiting through slightly downwind and behind the learner kiter who suddenly lost control of his kite and dropped the kite immediately in her path where there was zero time for her to do anything but to try and stop and avoid running into or going over the top of his lines at speed. Unfortunately there was no time to turn around as it all happened in an instant which then caused her to crash her kite as she run into his lines and then the kites became entangled in each other.
So like in most car crashes, was tailgating a main cause of this accident?
Melville Beach in WA on the weekend is kind of like getting 100 learner drivers in a paddock with no instructors in the car and saying go for it.
Yeah that's bull**** --- piss on that guy and the shop for taking advantage of an honest and reasonable person. Next time you see him, cut his lines and when he throws a fit, tell him you paid for them so they're yours to do with as you please.
If anyone should be paying for repairs, it should be the tailgater who failed to avoid an avoidable accident.
there is so much wrong with how both sides have responded in this stituation, both on the day and in these posts.
how about realising that accidents happen, having a bit of empathy both ways, and treating people how you would like or expect to be treated?
i have only ever had positive dealings with other likeminded kiters, who know there are risks and costs associated with the sport, so not sure if this is just a general reflection of societal values these days, or a change in mind set within participants of the sport (or just evidence of the internet as a poor medium for real human interaction).
happy to hear both parties are ok and hopefully they take away some life lessons and kite ones too, that will make them better kiters.
Looking at that video, that's a nice quiet, uncrowded spot with barely anyone out compare to most spots around Perth!!
Rush In Air, I'm going to have a guess, going on your broken English (makes me think that your mother language is something else), and the fact that you have an inexperienced GF that kites. I'm going to guess that you have a Best 17m kite. Can't remember what model though (LE maybe?). I'm also going to guess that you were kiting at Vikky point in late December. About the 28th or something like that. Can't remember the date but it was after Christmas.
If this was you (forgive me if you do not have a 17M Best), you were jumping (close the the launch area so all the kiters on the beach can see you) and riding rather close to the kids that were swimming at the beach. Then there was your GF, riding straight through all the kids that were swimming. This sort of behavior is not on. Especially while my wife and kids were there swimming. You may remember me, I was the bloke waving at you and telling you to F off up wind as I was swimming with my kids. If I see you doing this sort of thing again, or your GF, I will be more vocal. I am also for equal rights for both Male and Female, I do not discriminate, I will spit venom (that means say not nice words) at any one that deserves it. I will also be very kind to those who deserve it. I fly Blue Ozone Cats. I will not buy you new lines. If my gear gets destroyed because I am proving a point it will not bother me. If you are a guest in this country be respectful of the people here.
There is no excuse for kiting close to swimmers, and the general public.
You are wrong about learners having the responsibility to avoid others. Any one that looks like a learner should be avoided. ST11 was wrong about your GF looking like she has kited for 2 years (if you are Mr 17M Best) Mr 17M Bests GF is a Gumby. Looks like she has just progressed from body dragging to just able to get up on her board. She should be kiting 500m up wind of swimmers, not in between them.
If you are Mr 17M Best then get your own house in order before you start telling others (ST11) what he should be doing.
If you are not this guy (Mr 17M Best) have a nice day, and disregard all that I have said.
Select to expand quoteremo81 said..
Rush In Air, I'm going to have a guess, going on your broken English (makes me think that your mother language is something else), and the fact that you have an inexperienced GF that kites. I'm going to guess that you have a Best 17m kite. Can't remember what model though (LE maybe?). I'm also going to guess that you were kiting at Vikky point in late December. About the 28th or something like that. Can't remember the date but it was after Christmas.
If this was you (forgive me if you do not have a 17M Best), you were jumping (close the the launch area so all the kiters on the beach can see you) and riding rather close to the kids that were swimming at the beach. Then there was your GF, riding straight through all the kids that were swimming. This sort of behavior is not on. Especially while my wife and kids were there swimming. You may remember me, I was the bloke waving at you and telling you to F off up wind as I was swimming with my kids. If I see you doing this sort of thing again, or your GF, I will be more vocal. I am also for equal rights for both Male and Female, I do not discriminate, I will spit venom (that means say not nice words) at any one that deserves it. I will also be very kind to those who deserve it. I fly Blue Ozone Cats. I will not buy you new lines. If my gear gets destroyed because I am proving a point it will not bother me. If you are a guest in this country be respectful of the people here.
There is no excuse for kiting close to swimmers, and the general public.
You are wrong about learners having the responsibility to avoid others. Any one that looks like a learner should be avoided. ST11 was wrong about your GF looking like she has kited for 2 years (if you are Mr 17M Best) Mr 17M Bests GF is a Gumby. Looks like she has just progressed from body dragging to just able to get up on her board. She should be kiting 500m up wind of swimmers, not in between them.
If you are Mr 17M Best then get your own house in order before you start telling others (ST11) what he should be doing.
If you are not this guy (Mr 17M Best) have a nice day, and disregard all that I have said.
Yeah I saw that guy on a Big best kite. He was talking some different language with his mrs in the launch area. That bloke was a decent kiter but too close to the swimmers. His mrs was way outa control in the swimers and stuff. Glad someone was having a go at them. I wonder if this clown is the best kite guy???
Just on topic, does anyone buy anyone else new gear?
No.
It was an accident and those things happen.
If you need to analyze it, firstly "the boyfriend" needs to decide if his girlfriend is a beginner or not. If she is a beginner, she should kite in the area you recommended, away from everyone else. If she is not a beginner, she should avoid learners and not tailgate others and make sure she is not within 30m downwind so a kite doesn't land on her head.
What is "owed" in this situation is a "far out, that was hectic. Are you ok?" And then learn from your mistakes and take action for this not to happen again!!
As Kiters and Windsurfers are out there enjoying themselves, they are not necessarily focused on you being a learner or identifying as such which might be something in your mind. Once again it is not up to them to avoid you but for you to avoid them.
There's your problem.....
If your more worried about analysing who's paying what and who after an accident and not worrying about your mrs or family first you have something seriously wrong with you.
^^^^ So you just wanted to clear up the fact that you're a d*ck.
Yep, got it loud and clear!!
^^^^ I think that you would care if you were put behind iron fence. lol
So do you have a Best 17M? I think that you do.
Select to expand quoteRushInAir said..
I ll turn into scariest nightmare. I ll be really c * nt. As soon as u push the button I shut down my brain And i dont mind spending some times behind the iron fence.
If you are that "a crazy c**nt then you should be blasting mega loops on the surfside when its 30knts, I doubt you do. channel your anger into something productive like sending it and going bigger.
Select to expand quoteRushInAir said..
BUT!!! The situation comes like this I dont care about myself at all but if any of my close friend or any of my relative get hurts I ll turn into scariest nightmare. I ll be really c * nt. As soon as u push the button I shut down my brain And i dont mind spending some times behind the iron fence.
Where is the button. I want to push it. However it sounds like you were born with the brain shut down. lol
Such scary words. lol.
That additude is not welocme in AUS. Go home. I'm going to send this thread to immigration to prove that you are not a suitable person to be here. Lets see if we can get you deported. Bye Bye.
There are two sides on every story. Accidents happen and you can't always show a finger who did what and who'se blame it is exactly. But you can show with a finger, if you see, that somebody is (deliberately?) changeing facts. I wasn't too close to the accident by myself, so I cant comment that part of the story. Other thing that I happen to know for fact is that this girl hasn't been surfing for 2-3 years. Where did this „fact“ even come from? It seems to be made up, to desperately hilight the fact that the person who started this topic was a beginner and the gal (as called in the text) wasn't. Just by knowing that this fact is totally made up- doesn't that make you think that how much more of this story is exaggerated „a little bit“, just to make one side more belivable?
Second of all. The girl thought she is gonna die. The fact that she didn't, doesn't make it any less life or death situation. It's like saying that Mick Fanning's incident with the shark wasn't a life/death situation, because he is still alive, isn't he? So after causing this situation (even if not on purpose) and making a girl think that she is gonna die, you are also posting this post that makes her feel even more worse, just to make a point that you don't want to pay for the equipment. Maybe you shouldn't pay for fixing it. Her boyfriend was a bully, as you discribed it, afterall. Although different people have different reactions on stressful situations: some want to kick some ass, others are writing posts in the Internet to get other's approval to make themselves feel better.
Have you considered apologizing in front of that girl for almost taking her life and then letting her read all the stuff, when she is probably already feeling awful as hell anyways?
1. Pay your AKSA annual membership.
2. When some clown tangles their kite in yours, pull the quick release.
3. Fill out an AKSA incident report form.
4. Make a claim under the third party liability policy.
5. ???
6. Profit.
Wow this topic is escalating a bit....
How about a little bit of calm and take a look at it impartially
The video is pretty conclusive in my opinion....BOTH ARE TO BLAME.
As every single kiter on the water should be making every effort to PREVENT situations from arising.
Also maybe:
1. They were not taught well, doubtful, but can be very possible that; 'safety thought processes/skills' and 'A prevention mindset' was not drilled in enough...
2. They were taught well but their mentality is like a hell of a lot of other human beings on this planet:
a)You know its wrong or could be but just do it anyway
b)Seek forgivness afterwards even though knowing you could be wrong before hand
c)Be overly aggressive or convincing/persuasive in nature and point the finger and the blame to get enough followers behind you to allow you to get away with it,
even though you know you were in the wrong or partly to blame.
d)Don’t say anything, disappear and never be seen again
MY TAKE ON THE VIDEO
Check 1:34 on the video as the upwind kiter just comes into view and after playing over and over it looks to me like..
UPWIND KITER: Is either out of control or (to me anyway) looks like he was trying to jump (sorry if I am wrong here) without successfully getting a well-executed pop. Should have double checked everywhere before trying to jump...especially down wind, and as your lessons SHOULD have been PRIMARILY safety oriented, it would not have hurt if you considered for a split second 'what if someone is following me' and took a quick look...
But hey I might be accused of being that 'Party Pooper Safety Oriented Person' by saying this
DOWNWIND KITER: Is obviously behind the up wind kiter and out of their immediate view (unless they turn their head and check before jumping) YET not innocent in this situation either. Should have been aware of every kiter/obstacle in front of them (up or down wind) and should have been prepared to alter course or stop immediately if a situation looks like occurring. Not to mention being in a kiters 'blind spot' requires you give way (prevention is EVERY kiters responsibility...no excuses)
But hey I might be accused of being that 'Party Pooper Safety Oriented Person' by saying this also
Unfortunately being beginners the 'Adrenalin' levels could well have been reasonably high and a factor in preventing them from having a 'preventative' mindset whilst on the water kitesurfing.
It comes down to lessons and how well this safety skill is reinforced, however it is often that even lessons can not account for the different reactions different people have to adrenalin when by themselves and not with an experienced instructor by their side.
This situation could have been PREVENTED by both parties.
Maybe a going halves in the cost of new lines would have been a fair judgement in my opinion.
And hey, right or wrong I'm allowed to voice my own opinion!
If at all possible, maybe you two should meet again after each accepting responsibility for your own actions and realizing you are both partly to blame.
Or maybe I'm just having a '1969 Summer of Love, peace man' flash back 
in thinking that you could both actually get along and learn something from it.
Sorry for the ridiculously loooooong post :(
I've read the entire thread . The OP wins . I feel for what the poor guy had to go through. He sounds like he is a really decent sort . J
Select to expand quoteRushInAir said..
Simon was continually kiting through the middle of what is respected as the launch/land area instead of being towards the southern end where all the other learners are that keep them sort of out of the way of the general kite and windsurfer traffic.
I'm confused here. You raise this, but the way I see it, your girlfriend is a beginner (by your own admission) and you complain about him kiting in the area your girlfriend is kiting in, so in essence, if he is wrong to kite there, your girlfriend is also in the wrong and needs to learn the rules. The difference being your girlfriend has a boyfriend who actually knows the rules so she doesn't have an excuse where as the other person may.
You admit this in this statement "There is my suggestion to him; If you are still learning, in future try to avoid learning right through the middle of the main traffic section of kiters and windsurfers where it is not them that should try to avoid you just because your a learner. It is you who should avoid them."
<div>So what you are saying is that there are different sets of rules that apply to you and your girlfriend.
Now, sorry, even if she almost got killed (which is obviously unfortunate), that is no excuse to take it out on someone else when both parties were at fault.
The way I see it you should be refunding the cost of the lines he was forced to pay for and buy him a case of beers for acting like a dickhead to start with.
Select to expand quoteRushInAir said..
Never had best kite sorry to disappoint you :(
No probs. I wil catch up with this guy at a later date.
Have fun kiting and intimidating people 
Select to expand quotejackforbes said..
1. Pay your AKSA annual membership.
I am never doing this, and no one should be forced to.
Yes I'm her boyfriend and I could sound like bully and a wanker on last Sundy but I could ve been someone more dangerous IF something happened to her. Thankfully she was ok. I hold myself really hard I was quite calm thx to my mates and I knew it was accident. I am sorry and appologies to your FAMILY (NOT YOU) if I show any disrespectful action or over react.
Looking at the video and some of your words. Being oblivious to situations to a high level is a learning curve. Blaming others is ignorance. In a legal sense your GF if to blame. Here's why.
1) Shearwater looks like a nice uncrowded spot. Most spots have rules. I see kind of from the video she is kind of under your instruction. I bet you have not done an instructors course. A guy was coming in, a beginner on a port tack something that you and your gf didnt realise. He had to turn downwin within the next 20-30m and she TAKES OFF???
she did not give due clearance, and hit a stationary object.
2) Agressive behaviour to extort. It wasnt windy. I'd look at what youre doing and the limitations of any object in respect of actually teaching her safely. Nah.
I think you're at fault. Not him or GF. 
Hi RushInAir,
Thanks for posting the vid - always good to try and review what happened.
The 2-3 years experience came from me directly asking Geili how long she'd been kiting. However I obviously misheard 2-3 months as 2-3 years. My mistake!
As I said to her at the time, I'm glad she's OK.
Oh, and thanks for bringing my kite back. I had no idea who had done so as I was out looking for it.
I think your idea of keeping to the 'beginners area' is unrealistic. I was actually starting up there, but with the wind the way it was it is only 1 or 2 miss-tries at getting up on the board and I was down with everyone else!
I certainly started this topic with a good whinge, but there is a lot of hate going on in some of these posts which is both unnecessary and unhelpful.
Yes, my wife is nice! So am I! Unlike some of the biffo types posting here, I'm more likely to clam up under pressure instead.
As I said earlier, live and learn. There's lessons for all of us in this.
Scary situation, that has to be admitted.
Could it be prevented by simple common sense, yes.
Distance to other kiters, especially beginners helps a lot.
I personally NEVER try to pass beginners close from downwind side but try to go enough upwind. If there is no room upwind, then slow down or change direction.
Guidance from other kiters is valuable too. Personally I have been asked to move to other part of the beach because it is ment for learners.
I didn't find it offensive or rude but a good advise from a local kiter. Of course how it was said means a lot. F*** off kook, this part is for us pro's only would have given a different feeling than 'hello mate, see your'e learning. That part of the beach is ment for that so it's recommended to move there, OK? '.
Accidents will happen but there is always a possibility to learn from them.
