KBV update
I have spoke with local authorities on this matter.
KBV is initiating another round discussion regards what actions can be implemented asap aiming at keeping this and other beaches safe for both Kiters and the general public.
people welcome to add suggestion / comments
eg draft agenda;
Objective
To manage the activity of Kiteboarding in Victoria in a safe and effective manner, to prevent any injuries to both the public and Kiters
Situation
??Busy beaches due to growth in sport
??Kiters not observing regulations, either they are not of aware of them or ignore
??Injuries ( & potential): kiters and public growing
??Fear of Kiting from the general public
Problem
There tends to be categories of Kiters that may contribute to incidents
??Leaners, a few lessons
??Learners no lessons
???Serial Idiots?
Solution for Consideration
There is NO single solution. Each beach has its own unique variables to address.
??Better signage; beaches
??Safety Advocates : KBV members wear identify for assistance to those that may seek advice
??Close Beach: ability to close to kiting if too busy, eg too many families and children on beach ( like fire danger signs)
??Licence to Kite : know rules, min std of safety, behavior
??Education: flyer
o?when buying gear shops / school:
o?General safety/ local beaches/ rules/ behavior
o?Lessons sheet: how to guide
??Kite zones: Vic, expand and better signage
??Boating rules change; no 5kt rule from 0 to 200m to general rule to slow down within 50m other others in water
??Must have insurance to kite, KA or other.
??3 strikes policy for series idiots
All good ideas its just being able to enforce them, the very people who we are trying to stop are the ones that wont care about the changes
All Good suggestions/approach. Suggest the community needs to step up and help self regulate to prevent escalations.
To echo Scrubes point, what does one do in the situation of the serious idiots...
The problem is because of too many rules
The solution is better teaching of students
Goes without say, but if ktting gets banned at Balnarring, it will really suck for all the local kiters.
If the guy who landed or crashed his kite near the oldies had just kept on appologising rather than getting into an argument this **** would of never happened. Seriously who the **** argues with someone after you nearly hit them with your kite.
If someone got kiting banned at my local spot I'd be devasted!
I love Balnarring and would be very sad to see us banned there.
However there is no question that some kiters there are making it MUCH more likely. I was there a few weeks ago and watched a kiter set up right in front of the carpark exit, and was having his mate help him launch his kite. Mate is holding kite at the edge of wind window, releasing and then catching again 3 times as the kiter has messed up his lines.
3 metres downwind from the kite, exactly where the kite will head if anything goes wrong is a lady and her two kids building a sand castle.
I walked up to the guy, tried to politely point out why this was a bad idea and suggest he move 5 metres further down the beach past the lady and kids (clear beach from there). No dice. He wasn't interested.
Insisted that he launch there so he could kite in the slightly flatter water near the groin.
Very frustrating.
Take 5 more minutes, walk away from the public, be nice. It's not hard to launch a bit further down the beach and upwind a few passes to get to the flat water if you want.
Local beach users at balnarring basically just use the carpark entrance area - I don't think they would care if one hundred kiters were out - as long as they weren't near the carpark entrance or out towards the point.. This area is where locals hang with their kids and eat fish and chips.
Feel free to walk through the area but why any kiters would try to launch or land in there if people around seems selfish to me.
Select to expand quoteSaltySinus said..
All Good suggestions/approach. Suggest the community needs to step up and help self regulate to prevent escalations.
To echo Scrubes point, what does one do in the situation of the serious idiots...
There have been many such threads over the years in Vic and elsewhere with serious discussion of the challenges and possible approaches to maintaining access and dealing with rogue kiters.
Everything from requiring registration to "how-to" tutorials on diplomatic interventions to naming and shaming and other ideas.
Yes, the people most likely to get the public offside are also the ones least likely to read threads such as these and act in the community's best interests - this is relentlessly frustrating.
If you google search rather than search within the forums you can find older threads that have done these issues to death. "seabreeze altona safety" would be a good start I'm guessing.
Hi guys and thanks KBV for getting involved.
We have had a meeting this morning with the Parks Vic local Ports manager and spoken to the WPYC as well as the Foreshore committee who have called the meeting tomorrow. It is important to note that this meeting has not been called due to kiteboarding, rather a pre planned community open forum about all things on the foreshore.
Any local kiters are welcome to come along between 10am - 11am Saturday (tomorrow)
Believe me I get frustrated when people still insist on launching and landing in the main beach area and all of us doing the right thing should be frowning upon those who insist on risking the publics safety and ignore the requests. At this stage the Foreshore committee and the WPYC (Western Port Yacht Club) are supportive of kiting at Balnarring Beach and Parks are also working with us. Let's keep it that way.
Trent.
Select to expand quotePenKite said..
Hi guys and thanks KBV for getting involved.
We have had a meeting this morning with the Parks Vic local Ports manager and spoken to the WPYC as well as the Foreshore committee who have called the meeting tomorrow. It is important to note that this meeting has not been called due to kiteboarding, rather a pre planned community open forum about all things on the foreshore.
Any local kiters are welcome to come along between 10am - 11am Saturday (tomorrow)
Believe me I get frustrated when people still insist on launching and landing in the main beach area and all of us doing the right thing should be frowning upon those who insist on risking the publics safety and ignore the requests. At this stage the Foreshore committee and the WPYC (Western Port Yacht Club) are supportive of kiting at Balnarring Beach and Parks are also working with us. Let's keep it that way.
Trent.
KBV: I can someone call me, if the Sat 15th meeting went ahead. I would like to get a heads up on the issues, as ive been flat out with work and other issues, and haven't look at this forum till now. Rick Elliott , President KBV 0437 85 9933. Also those who witnessed the incident if you could call me be great... Tah rick
