Hi all,
I just got back from a glorious weekend in Cotton Tree.
Went kiting a few times and on Saturday the river mouth was buzzing with around 20 kites in the air.
I know the rules of way, I always try to stay clear of others by moving further out or up/downwind and give way even if I don't 'have to'.
Common sense, a friendly attitude and a smile on my face have so far been enough to avoid collisions.
This Saturday however my kite got hit by another kite, lines crossed, both kites ended up in the water with no one hurt and both kites relaunched in less than a minute so no big dramas but I'd like some clarification.
To my actual question and what happened:
I was heading towards the beach on a port tack with a guy launching his kite and another guy closing in fast slightly overpowered behind me. I could not go downwind on a carving turn or similar due to more kite traffic and general public. I slowed down, steered my kite to 12 and hoped for the best. They guy behind me noticed too late and couldn't stop so he went past me downwind with the kite up- the rest is history.
So what do I do in a situation like this? If 2 kiters on the same tack approach the beach how do I turn around if I can't go downwind on a carving turn?
After the tangle I had enough and decided that this spot is far too busy for me (teenagers doing kiteloops over playing toddlers on the beach) - I'm surprised we're still allowed to kite here. I headed downwind behind the sandbars where I got rewarded with the most amazing flat water riding ever. 
not another kite in sight. Some people probably just need an audience...
Any tips/suggestions/rules are much appreciated.
Thanks
Flo
Select to expand quotekiteflo said..
...teenagers doing kiteloops over playing toddlers on the beach..
Scary stuff eh? Makes me shudder. I avoid cotton tree for that reason... plus I hate lugging my gear 6 kilometres from the car park..
So many newbies at Cotton Tree, Have had multiple tangles there in the past. 
By avoiding these accidents you always gotta watch your surrounding, and triple check before turning around.
Such a skinny river with a lot of kiters out so just be extra vigilant.
I borrowed this guide from a friend's kite school website and took the liberty of translating it for the benefit of my students. I think it's a pretty good summary of the main right of way rules.
In the situation you describe it seems rule#3 applies the best, and possibly rule #1 as well if the kiter on the beach was entering the water. Rule #2 might apply to you as well as you must have sufficient downwind space to maneuver downwind, or in case you crash...
The guy who was kiting closely behind you is clearly in the wrong and had to give you right of way and keep a safer distance to allow enough time for both of you to maneuver around. Also, common sense says that if you are kiting behind someone who is getting close to the beach, chances are the person if front of you will HAVE to turn around, therefore that person must expect to have to turn around before you do.
In terms of preventing this situation I have 6 suggestions:
1-Turn your head around, shout and raise your arm and turn your hand around in circles to signal your intention to turn.
2- If suggestion #1 doesn't lead to any results, LOWER your kite over the beach (if possible) as you get to the beach. This will allow the person behind you to change direction safely without hitting your kite. Bringing your kite to 12 is actually blocking most people from passing you, which almost all beginners do when they get nervous with too many people around. I do understand in your situation lowering the kite over the beach might not have been possible...
3- Always try to have a safe zone downwind
4- If you had enough space downwind you could've downwlooped your kite in a long downwind transition to avoid hitting his kite. Of course this requires more advanced skills, but worked many times for me to avoid tangles.
5- Take some time to educate any person who doesn't seem to understand/respect the right of way rules after your session
6- No matter which spot you go to it always seems kiters are hanging in the same areas while there is plenty more space upwind, downwind and further away from the shore with no one around. As you said, choosing a less busy area to kite is the best way to prevent this in the first place.
Christian
Nothing to add except I like following suggestion 6.
Not sure why everyone likes congregating around the same small spot even with 1km of good beach upwind. It does come in handy when you need assistance but every other time it's just annoying. I generally walk half-way up and then kite in my own little section.
Good advice. When I'm getting boxed in I check to see if a downloop is possible. If it is down loop underneath the guy and bugger off. If not crank upwind, kite low. The kite At some point yourl grind to a halt on the beach. Keep the kite at the edge. There you want until the cockpuncher has turned around.
I hope you took the time to find out what the cockpuncher was thinking by boxed you in - then crashed into your kite.
As plummet mentioned a downloop - then keeping your kite low can get you out of trouble.
Seems strange that someone would mow you down, either they were a super rookie or the move you pulled was really erratic (or both). Only you know the answer to those questions though so I suggest you think about the situation better to understand what you could do next time.
In my opinion you could have done 2 things -
1. Slow down without whipping your kite up to 12 straight away so the guy behind has some time to react. If he's not a total rookie the other guy will see you are going slower and go around you or make an effort to avoid you.
2. Like mentioned above, Underloop him. However I don't really advise doing this unless you have a decent level of kite control and even then sometimes you can spook the person behind you into making the situation worse. I usually only do it when I'm fed up with people following close behind me in the waves .
Rule of way dont mean ** because there there are always kiters who ignore them anyway.
1. The beginner who stays near the shore making it too busy to stay around that area.
2. The ok kiter but is an idiot and stays close to shore the whole time doing god knows what
3. The pro kiter who shoots jumps and kite loops meters away from you without looking
I just give everyone a wide berth as possible.
Select to expand quoteGfly said..
I just give everyone a wide berth as possible.
Smart kiting, same can be said for driving a car, or crossing a road.
Select to expand quotesir ROWDY said..Gfly said..
I just give everyone a wide berth as possible.
Smart kiting, same can be said for driving a car, or crossing a road.
Or you wife/girlfriend, every so often, like a calendar moon
Also, On your bar the green/blue line is usually on the right whilst the dark/red line is on your left. Green is right of way.
Select to expand quotehornedsquirrel said..
Also, On your bar the green/blue line is usually on the right whilst the dark/red line is on your left. Green is right of way.
What about when I'm riding toeside?
Select to expand quotesir ROWDY said..hornedsquirrel said..
Also, On your bar the green/blue line is usually on the right whilst the dark/red line is on your left. Green is right of way.
What about when I'm riding toeside?
then you are free to do whatever you want
... some how we need to tell all the twin tip riders who visit Bali about rule 4! 
Thanks guys, all above replies pretty much confirm my suspicions.
I did look back and indicate, I did raise the kite slowly. Unfortunately, there was not enough room to downloop safely and the beach was packed so lowering the kite was not really an option either.
I had a few close ones before the actual tangle and probably should have left earlier.
I didn't have time to get to speak or yell at the other guy as the current was dragging us both out towards the wave zone so I just focussed on getting the kite back up. He actually had to swim over my lines to untagle. I checked he was ok then buggered off downwind.
He was no beginner probably just ignorant - I noticed him earlier doing aerial transitions close to the beach etc and slowly creeping upwind to where I'd been kiting for a while.
It's such a beautiful spot and honestly I think it's only a matter of time until somebody gets hurt and we all get banned from kiting there.
Select to expand quotekiteflo said..
I headed downwind behind the sandbars where I got rewarded with the most amazing flat water riding ever. not another kite in sight. Some people probably just need an audience...
Pls dont mention this spot its my favourite
But seriously whats mentioned above is probably best, either downloop or take it real slow - maybe ride under the launching kite.
If you see someone behind you mowing you down make eye contact with them and give them a nod, this always changes their attitude and makes them more aware of you.
Well put cbulota - and I like the graphics with red and green kite canopies to show whos it the right and wrong :-)
Hopefully all kite schools teach the port and starboard rules and that port is red and starboard is green ??
Colour coded bars using red and green would go along way to reinforcing the rules of the water but alas many companies seem to use yellow for port ( must be colour blind!!) or nothing at all :-(
This might sound anal but simply using some red and green electrical tape on your bar ends gives a very quick reference as to what tack you are on toe side, riding blind or other wise !! Some have colour coded line floats - not to bad as an option.
Green hand forward and you are on Starboard and have right of way.
Red hand forward and you are on Port and have to give way - with some exceptions as explained above and also there are wave specific rules.
Kite from 12-3 you are in the right, kite 9-12 you are in the wrong.
But you are all forgetting the first rule in sailing, avoid all collisions.
Flyingcab is rite, everybody on the water is responsible for avoiding a collision.
Kiteflo, it may sound harsh, but it sounds like the problem was a lack of situational awareness from the both of you, I don't think it would have helped even if you had cbolutos diagrams with you at the time.
Well that simplifies every thing Flyingcab LOL - kiting in the afternoon from 12 - 3 and Im good - sweet !! but if I kite in the morning - Doh ?? you must have a very strict time keeper !!
Juicerider - we still need rules that everyone should 1) learn and 2) practice.
To avoid a collision you need to know which way to adjust your path - actually both parties need to know so they go different directions !!
By way of explanation - an Irish joke: the Irish Govt has decided that they should join the rest of Europe and convert to driving on the right hand side of the road - but to transition slowly trucks will start this week and cars next week :-)
you are all absolute beginners. go kite somewhere it is actually a popular sport with hundreds of kites in the air at one time. then come back and see how much room there is in cotton tree. you guys freak out when someones 10 meters from you. try having 50 people 10 meter from you.
Select to expand quotekiteflo said..
So what do I do in a situation like this? If 2 kiters on the same tack approach the beach how do I turn around if I can't go downwind on a carving turn?
The guy behind you was in the wrong - he should have known you were close to needing to turn,
However, in retrospect... was it possible you could have ridden all the way up to the shore and just stopped and kept your kite at 12? Surely he wouldnt have ridden past you that far.... Select to expand quotekiteflo said..
After the tangle I had enough and decided that this spot is far too busy for me (teenagers doing kiteloops over playing toddlers on the beach) - I'm surprised we're still allowed to kite here. I headed downwind behind the sandbars where I got rewarded with the most amazing flat water riding not another kite in sight. Some people probably just need an audience...
Yup, thats my theory. Try and ride away from everyone. If you have a close-call with another kiter, try kiting in another spot or 100m downwind. It generally solves all problems.
also, I've found just being patient can avoid so many accidents. Kiter getting close? Just ride downwind and stop. Or slow down. You can just sit in the water with your kite at 12 if you absolutely have to - there is no hurry, its not a race.... But sometimes it's hard to keep that mindset...
Select to expand quoteKozzie said...
you are all absolute beginners. go kite somewhere it is actually a popular sport with hundreds of kites in the air at one time. then come back and see how much room there is in cotton tree. you guys freak out when someones 10 meters from you. try having 50 people 10 meter from you.
Mmm..sounds like you've been to Sandgate!
After being taken out by a kiter changing direction from
starboard to port and putting his kite through mine resulting
in death looping then another newbie just trying to get that extra 50 run in to the shore, rather than give someone again on starboard tack and leaving the beach room... I banned myself from ever kiting in such a dangerous place.
Most kiters there don't even know what starboard is.. Graduates from the hot launch straight up kite school!
Sounds like you walked out and kited an area where three schools teach, rather than walk 100m either direction and have trouble free kiting.
Select to expand quoteflyingcab said...
Sounds like you walked out and kited an area where three schools teach, rather than walk 100m either direction and have trouble free kiting.
Lol. Mate you should have been there..demo-darby
day it was. I wasn't the only one that day.
Very lucky though cause it could have been a whole
lot worse.
Wait till you kite Noosa or Cotton tree between christmas and new years, hundreds of tourist kiters trying to battle the currents
Usually beginners are close to the shore so just kite upwind from them. And stay upwind for atleast 50 meters.
