www.seabreeze.com.au/Members/Content/Articles/Kitesurfing/Right-of-Way-Rules_903070.aspx
Hi, The link above goes to a very sound and important article in this forum, I encourage all those who have not read it to take a look.
The article includes most sailing situations but the 'head on' in flat water is not covered
I would like to hear from others on the best way to avoid head on collisions in crowded areas. Sailing in Safety Bay is very popular with many sailors using the flat water beside the sand bars to pull off tricks and make fast turns.
No problem there providing the kites and windsurfers coming out of the turn areas don't meet head on with those coming in.
Most of the time common sense prevails but I had a situation today when sailing towards an incoming kite. We did the old "walking towards each other on the footpath trick". You know the situation when both people move in the same direction.
Most sailors including myself stick to the 'starboard' rule, right arm forward in the direction of sail you have 'right of way' but don't adjust your course. Left hand forward 'look out', adjust your course away from the oncoming sailor.
So, right hand forward "hold your course", left hand forward "Look out" and move.
I would be interest in comments and ideas from others.
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Hi rdunlop,
It is best for kiters to just go downwind of a Poley if on a collision course due to the added space needed for the angle of the lines and the potential for being pulled downwind in a gust.
Most windsurfers will be uncomfortable with being passed upwind by a kiter as they know the danger of the lines, so it's just as easy to let them pass upwind.
A better bet is to establish a "circuit" and have all of the riders, both Poley and kiter follow a rotation or circuit allowing a large radius downwind turn. Both Poleys and kiters need a large diameter downwind radius which should seperate the inbound and outbound riders.
Hope this helps,
Problem with Australia and head on collision course is that you never know if the other person is car/bicycle/pedestrian trained and will swing left to pass right to right or marine trained and will swing to starboard to pass port to port. Europeans and Americans 'intuatively' swing right because of driving on right of road.
A reminder for kiters, Sandgate was brilliant on Sunday but very busy and it seems a few people forgot to look around before jumping or turning.
The basics are above but remember, as soon as you leave the water you have NO rights. You have to have enough room BEFORE leaving the water, and allow for room if things go wrong!
People were jumping downwind of beginners, well within the beginner's kites danger area and right upwind of other kiters. There were quite a few unnecessary close calls.
Otherwise, how good was Sunday!!! Would have liked a few more knots, but it was brilliant!
haha... as if you can go on the sailing rules, at least 1 in 10 people you come across has no idea about them. if you both land down wind heading towards each other and do not have the skills to get yourself out of it just stop where you are for 5 seconds. it wont happen often so no need to worry too much about it.
the sailing rules are designed for racing conditions and i highly doubt your racing the other guy anywhere
