Hi everyone,
I'd just like to inform all users about an incident that nearly killed me yesterday at main break.
Whist taking off on the first wave of an 8ft set, a rider jumped onto the shoulder of the wave and wouldn't get off. I yelled at the unknown person (not out of anger) to get them off the wave as I was right in the pocket and couldn't go anywhere but down "the line" - the wind direction was a perfect cross shore wind. Unbelievably, when I got this guys attention he told me to f**k off by giving me the finger and continue on the wave. I could go anywhere and we got so close - our kites pretty much nearly touched. The wave engulfed me and I couldn't pull through the back of the wave for fear of both of us getting tangled!! My kite hit the deck and I took five waves on the head got my lines seriously mangled and nearly got dragged to the box - anyone who has kited main break would know that this is not an ideal position to be in...
I returned to the launch beach as soon as I can. I really wanted to confront this guy, not out of anger to punch his lights out but to ask why anyone would put my life and more importantly his life in such danger?? Imagine if he had got tangled up in my lines before those set waves hit (or worse both of us!!), that would potentially be fatal. When I had got to the beach he was gone!!
I want this to be a lesson to all kite surfers... Please, please know the rules!! I had tacked out, was upwind and this guy just shot down on a wave that another kite boarder was on. Regardless of what any of us think our experience is know the rules and if someone starts shouting at you we all need to keep our EGO's in check as they might be trying to warn you about a potential incident which could put lives at risk...
A good link to the rules of kite surfing:http://www.mauikiteboardingassociation.com/kiteboarding_right-of-way_rules.html
On a positive note:
I ride a 2014 Ozone Reo and many riders (who ride different brands) comment that the kite is not made of a solid construction. That kite took an absolute flogging and was dragging be through the water. When back on the beach, I inspected the kite and there was no sign of any damage, the bladder was still solidly inflated and the stitching looked fine. Hopefully she'll still continue to fly as well as she has been doing, but only time will tell!!
Safe kiting to all of you!!
Shine on,
Shane
Sorry to hear that .its just a wave there are always others. On a plus side considering the number of kiters most people take care I think. Glad you're ok.just a question did you consider pulling both safeties and ejecting from the kite do you think that would of been better.thanks.
Your restraint is admirable, totally understandable if you wanted to cave that ****ers head in.
Select to expand quotejimmijaz said..
Sorry to hear that .its just a wave there are always others. On a plus side considering the number of kiters most people take care I think. Glad you're ok.just a question did you consider pulling both safeties and ejecting from the kite do you think that would of been better.thanks.
Not to sure what you mean mate... This is a safety issue and I think it's important to let our community know about it so that we can learn from it!! It would be a shame if someone got seriously injured or died!!
If the sets would of continued I would of ejected for sure!!
From what I understood you got rolled. It's only happened to me once but the lines went every where around me .luckily there was no waves behind so I had time to pull everything off me but if a wave had taken the kite I dont think even my knife would have been enough.i was just asking if you think it'd be safer to eject before then.every situation is different so pretty hard question to answer I guess.
Good news your ok. Bad news a Drop In with a bad attitude got you flogged
Wait for your good karma and relax the drop in's is going to get a drubbing soon.
You are right that the rules should be followed.
The bit that puzzles me is where you said you couldn't do anything but go down the line. Could you not have ridden out in front of the wave and gone past him then sort it out with him?
Strange that he acknowledged you and then gave you the FO. Perhaps you did something unknowingly to piss him off? Or angry local disgruntled with holiday tourists?
I wasn't there so I don't know what really happened but one thing is clear, with the usual Margies circuit you've got at least 100m of riding the swell before the peak to have the discussion and sort out who's wave it is, and take evasive action.
I've had a kiter I know fairly well call me off a wave there when I was on the inside. From their point of view they'd picked up the swell from further out than me. Personally I wasn't convinced, but chose to let it slide and let them have the wave. Pretty standard stuff really.
The long lead up before the peak means there's no need to get caught inside someone else and have a kitemare
** happens though. As the windsurfers say 'that's kiting'. Not worth stressing over one wave, better to avoid the hassle and find another one.
Had a week at Gnarloo in November getting dropped in by "pole dancers"
Same *s* h i t different place...
Select to expand quotejimmijaz said..
From what I understood you got rolled. It's only happened to me once but the lines went every where around me .luckily there was no waves behind so I had time to pull everything off me but if a wave had taken the kite I dont think even my knife would have been enough.i was just asking if you think it'd be safer to eject before then.every situation is different so pretty hard question to answer I guess.
and your one wave was a knee high beachie that wasn't even really a wave
in waves of consequence, I'd like to think everyone out there is respecting each other
Shane you are a better person than me, that guy would still be picking his teeth out of the sand
Select to expand quoteterminal said..
You are right that the rules should be followed.
The bit that puzzles me is where you said you couldn't do anything but go down the line. Could you not have ridden out in front of the wave and gone past him then sort it out with him?
At the time it all happened so quickly - I didn't even see him until we were about 50m apart. Maybe in hindsight I could of gone in front of the wave but at the time I was directly in the pocket...
Select to expand quotetheDoctor said..jimmijaz said..
From what I understood you got rolled. It's only happened to me once but the lines went every where around me .luckily there was no waves behind so I had time to pull everything off me but if a wave had taken the kite I dont think even my knife would have been enough.i was just asking if you think it'd be safer to eject before then.every situation is different so pretty hard question to answer I guess.
and your one wave was a knee high beachie that wasn't even really a wave
in waves of consequence, I'd like to think everyone out there is respecting each other
Shane you are a better person than me, that guy would still be picking his teeth out of the sand
To the doctor: There are so many possibilities in the waves that it's hard to say... In my experience if your kite it's the water towards the waves you need to swim up wind of your kite ASAP hopefully you can get out of the way before your kite and lines come rushing past you. That's pretty lucky with the line entanglement mate!! Not an ideal situation to be in at all!!
Select to expand quoteHunter S said..
I wasn't there so I don't know what really happened but one thing is clear, with the usual Margies circuit you've got at least 100m of riding the swell before the peak to have the discussion and sort out who's wave it is, and take evasive action.
I've had a kiter I know fairly well call me off a wave there when I was on the inside. From their point of view they'd picked up the swell from further out than me. Personally I wasn't convinced, but chose to let it slide and let them have the wave. Pretty standard stuff really.
The long lead up before the peak means there's no need to get caught inside someone else and have a kitemare
** happens though. As the windsurfers say 'that's kiting'. Not worth stressing over one wave, better to avoid the hassle and find another one.
I'm not to sure if the guy was a local or not. I live here but I'm from South Africa. In general the local in Margies are awesome. To be quite honest I've never had one issue, seen any localism or any trouble. Regard picking up the swell from further out, (this is just my opinion) it's a stupid rule as it still compremises safety with an upwind rider. I can relate to guys deliberately stalling to wait for the peak to come to them etc. but ultimately the down wind rider still putting themselves at risk!!
Select to expand quotebene313 said..
Strange that he acknowledged you and then gave you the FO. Perhaps you did something unknowingly to piss him off? Or angry local disgruntled with holiday tourists?
Maybe but I still wouldn't know what I did to deserve that. He came out of nowhere and I had fully tacked out to the back and didn't cut anyone off?? I suppose that's why I'd like to have a chat with him to understand what his side of the story is...
sounds like a lucky break to get in alive and that it didnt end worse,
so you didnt eject, but could you relaunch after the 5 wave set rolled you?
or did you just self rescue in the bay. just wondering where you came in, cause its no fun over those rocks to the north of the keyhole
^^ Where do you get that he short tacked from? He previously said he did a full tack out the back!
Shane I know it's only January, but I nominate you for the cool calm & collected award for 2014
Most people on here would have lost their sh!t and ranted & raved- myself included.
Nice one
Select to expand quotePlummet said..
If this guy closed you out into a 8ft wave he is a prize c0ck.
....regardless of any interpretation of right of way rules...
Select to expand quoteShaneHoubart said..
Regard picking up the swell from further out, (this is just my opinion) it's a stupid rule as it still compremises safety with an upwind rider. I can relate to guys deliberately stalling to wait for the peak to come to them etc. but ultimately the down wind rider still putting themselves at risk!!
This kind of thing seems to happen a lot at Margies,
usually when the wind is light and the waves are big.
eg:
Kiter No.1 picks up an ocean swell way out the back,
way out of sight, fairly downwind of the main peak.
Kiter No.2 stalls on the inside and grabs the same wave.
Kiter No.2 is upwind of No.1 and is right on the peak.
By this time, Kiter No.1 has fanged upwind along the wave face and is very close to No.2.
Kiter No.1 sticks to his guns and claims the wave. [cause he caught it first]
Meanwhile, Kiter No.2 commits to the drop cause the wave is starting to pitch,
the wind is light and there's no hope of an escape gybe.
Select to expand quotetheDoctor said...jimmijaz said..
From what I understood you got rolled. It's only happened to me once but the lines went every where around me .luckily there was no waves behind so I had time to pull everything off me but if a wave had taken the kite I dont think even my knife would have been enough.i was just asking if you think it'd be safer to eject before then.every situation is different so pretty hard question to answer I guess.
and your one wave was a knee high beachie that wasn't even really a wave
in waves of consequence, I'd like to think everyone out there is respecting each other
Shane you are a better person than me, that guy would still be picking his teeth out of the sand
I thought you were the doctor, not the dentist...
wrapped my lines around kite that dropped in on me once. ended up in tears for both of use but I am sure old mate will think twice before doing that again....so will I 
Select to expand quotehitch_hiker said..
Shane I know it's only January, but I nominate you for the cool calm & collected award for 2014
Most people on here would have lost their sh!t and ranted & raved- myself included.
Nice one
I second that. I lost my rag when someone dropped their kite in my face yesterday - and that was on the river. Thanks for posting the guide rules. I am about to negotiate downwinders after learning strapless for the past two months and, having never surfed, hope that I can remember 'The Way of the Waxhead'.
No wonder he left the beach, probably thought he had killed you.
8ft margs with a kite is challenging enough without that Sh.i.t.
The situation wavesslave describes at margs (catching the oceanic swell downwind) is a real reality. I find when I kite with windsurfers I really have to be aware of this at any break. You may be upwind and closer to the peak then all of a sudden they pick up immense speed on the swell and point really high and next thing you know it you are in that grey area?
So what is the actual right of way rule given this situation, maybe we can salvage some knowledge out of this incident rather than rip each other to shreds.
I'd like to know because I can kite with 10 others in the water rotating around a break. Put one windsurfer in the mix and all hell breaks loose ....it's the lack of consistent speed of the windsurfer (which is not their fault just mechanics)...then all of a sudden the community of water dudes turns into lord of the flies on the water! Each man for himself!!! Lol weird.
Select to expand quotewaveslave said..ShaneHoubart said..
Regard picking up the swell from further out, (this is just my opinion) it's a stupid rule as it still compremises safety with an upwind rider. I can relate to guys deliberately stalling to wait for the peak to come to them etc. but ultimately the down wind rider still putting themselves at risk!!
This kind of thing seems to happen a lot at Margies,
usually when the wind is light and the waves are big.
eg:
Kiter No.1 picks up an ocean swell way out the back,
way out of sight, fairly downwind of the main peak.
Kiter No.2 stalls on the inside and grabs the same wave.
Kiter No.2 is upwind of No.1 and is right on the peak.
By this time, Kiter No.1 has fanged upwind along the wave face and is very close to No.2.
Kiter No.1 sticks to his guns and claims the wave. [cause he caught it first]
Meanwhile, Kiter No.2 commits to the drop cause the wave is starting to pitch,
the wind is light and there's no hope of an escape gybe.
Exactly what I thought when I read the first post. Someones caught the wave from well out an is fading into it, only to be snaked, thus he feels justified its his wave, thus the finger back!
[edit] to clarify. Im not justifying what he did. It sounds like he got both riders into a really dangerous situation just because he felt like it was his wave. Better to pull out, and have a conversation on the beach later if he felt it was his wave.
The code is in place to keep riders safe firstly i reckon, i would not like to get drilled there!
The code says do anything to keep you and others safe first and foremost regardless, i could see a wind angle and wave heavyness (ie stuck in heavy as face curl) where u have choice to outrun straight with risk of dropping kite (wave too fast/heavy -been there i usually shout something along teh lines of something starting with fuuuuuuuu and ending with ck, or risk going over the falls cos you cannot head for the shoulder.
