So I taught a mate today at Melville, not a learner, but a beginner who is very safety concious and has had many lessons. He hadnt kitesurfed for over 2 years and was rusty, plus wanted to know how to self launch and land safely. He wears a helmet to keep his sunglasses on to keep his contact lenses in.
Here we go, after sitting on the beach and going through apprent wind theory properly, why the faster you go the more downwind you go, proper riding technique, why depowering is essential to get a proper technique etc, we go out, not on a 12m but on an 8m TS wih a 131cm 2HD, a good combination t learn to sail a kite rather than bog-squat and get dragged along, we were just down-wind of the gum tree as per WAKSA's guidelines that I was part of. Next thing you know here comes a guy bodydragging down-wind on his mates rebel, he took out a 13-16 year old girl and her dad, then was getting bounced towards us. Simn flagged the kite to the right side and he barely missed us and a massive tangle or cut line. His "instructor mate" was now 100m upwind of him.
We moved upwind of the serious danger and then got a local tell us to move past the gum tree. First of all to the blond haired guy that told us to move downwind a little bit, good on you, we wasnt agressive but had a french dude and his girlfriend take him out yesterday in the wrong area. He saw the helmet and thought he was a total noob. After waiting 15mins for the "instructor mate" fail to launch his rebel as it was floating in the air leading edge down, I asked him what the hell are you doing. "Im trying to relaunch my kite", He didnt even know how to get a rebel back to launch position, after i told him how, he crossed his back line over the fifth and had to come in. Great finally had an 80m gap to get Simon going, a quick demo and he was off on port tack, a bit of an issue coming in as he was doing everything wrong in regards to starboard water start. after a demo, he was up going both ways and lost 25m downwind at gusty melville on an 8m. He was almost taken out twice on port tack as idiots kept their edge and almost ran into him, we dicided to pack up after that and have some mellow time.
What I have learnt today at Melville after not kiting there for 2 years, My 10 commandments:
1) If I was an onlooker, I would consider kitesurfing a dangerous sport, with no regard for other peoples safety. I would vote for a ban.
2) Teaching your mates on a kite 1-2 sizes too big is dangerous, reckless, and will hinder their development on how to fly a kite, not hold onto a paracheute and bog squat
3) We as kitesurfers hate the Euro trash element, but "instructor mates" are teaching the same theory.
4) Put the Buoys on the sand, as at least 90% of riders would actually tack/gybe before them. (not Guy, Craig, etc. the old locals).
5)The old school 50m rule, then made 46m (23m lines), then 40m rule (20m lines) has become obselete, play river chicken.
6) Launch from the path on the grassed area down-wind of a tree, not ON THE RIVERS EDGE, and wonder why your kite drops downwind and then hot launches you leaving no room for error.
7) Ride the biggest kite you have, keep your arms straight and your shoulders rounded and bogsquat downwind, and suggest you need a bigger kite.
8)When you land choose a spot that is directly over someone else that is trying to set up and dont wind you lines in.
9) Get your girlfriend/wife to launch you when you clearly dont know where the launch zone is, yell at her and treat her like ****.
10) Park in all the no standing Zones next to islands so no traffic can get past without mounting curbs. A Local MP is watching!
This isnt a rant, it is just the facts from today, as for WAKSA trying to save this area from being banned, Juddy, they cant save themselves (relaunch in anything but the perfect scenario, or,self rescue). It was actually worse than Tarifa, or a certain Brazillian beach. DONT TEACH YOUR MATES IF YOU CAN BARELY KITESURF YOURSELF, its moronic.
Dave...... Melville, never again.
this is why you tell your mates and anyone else that will listen
that KiteSurfing is dangerous, is hard to learn, is expensive
and u need to go to the gym 5 days a week to do it
and be missing a chromosome!!!!
ssheeeessshh what were you thinking?????????
that guy out of control was lucky he didn't clean you up dave . I packed up after only 30 minutes out there as it was stupid . never going back there again , infact probably wont go in the river again after that f#$$@ cobbler sting at peli point yesterday
Dusta^^^^^, You're exactly the kind of proactive members of WAKSA that we NEED, No agro, saw the "guy in the helmet" and saw the out of control body drag. Yeah man it was crazy. Like kitesurfing overseas
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I'd give you next season of your membership for free if I was el' presidente! By the way nice to meet you!
doesnt sound like fun. perhaps if kites sailed out more than 100 metres thered be more room 
(ocean sailing anyway....)
do learners in this area use short lines (or doubled lines ) in the strong winds that you guys get?
25 knots is nothing special. I want to see 30knot carnage.
Hahaha. I'm such a wanker,
I forget so quickly-
when I was learning last year I remember getting smashed in 25 knots and quickly learning respect for the power of the breeze.
It makes you a better kiter quicker! You watch- these noobs will be landing killer loops next season.
Mark my words!
yeah I went out to Melville for a little bit as well.. Had a look on the beach. Saw about a 100 kites, a guys kite death looping while he was walking it into the beach where it started slamming into bystanders, a guy crashing his kite over another guys lines while he was body dragging out of control, deflated kites on the water and so on... This was only in about half an hours time.
I decided not to bother going out and just left..
What is the "Euro Trash Element"? Seems that most of the instructors in WA schools are Euros, does it mean they don't teach properly? 
Dave, U should have come to woodies on Sunday with Dale and Michelle and I - It was great. None of those issues :)
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I was short on time so went for a Melville session yesterday as well. There were so many lessons (Instructors and mates) that it was difficult to get to shore and land...
I also noticed the amount of noobs on too big kites (10-12m) when I was well powered on my 8.5m. Dave if your learner was any lighter than 80kg (I'm 85kg) I'd say you should have had him on a smaller kite and 131 sounds too small for a learner?
