As a windsurfer that rates scabs as the best metro spot in Perth by far, (better than Gero where I lived for the past 3 years) I don't think it's helping the cause any by bickering about the virtues of whether one place is any better than another. Different people like different places for different reasons.
To make an informed decision and try and get all the facts from several points of interest I figured I should check out your kiting forum. Glad I did too. I believe that as a whole the kiting community has dealt with it's self quite well and can be proud of the way they have self regulated their sport. They have off their own back moved furthure south down the beach where the surf is less desirable or gone between scarbs and trigg.
It also seems that you guys are much more realistic about the future of our sports and undertsand that this may have a positive spin.
That said I have also posted a few things on the windsurf forum which I think would make me happier with the exclusion zones.
1. Move the southern boundaries of both Brighton and Trigg zones
north a bit.
- Brighton to the boat ramp of the club house.
- Trigg to at least the second walk way.
2. Once the flags are down (or even 30min after) the exclusion zones will be no longer enforced, possible exception of in front of the ampitheatre at Scarbs and the Club house at Trigg.
3. Re asess the rating. I personally think that the clubbie crafts are potentially just a dangerous as a windsurfer yet they are deemed medium risk. These boundaries were obviuosly instated to erradicate competion to the "Clubbies Training Area".
I'll be liasing with the council on the above mentioned point and keep you informed.
As for Mark_Australia. Pull your head in and stop blaming the kiters for this. This has been an issue for as long as I have sailed Scabs. I understand that we all get a bit heated and passionate about our past times but we need to be positive and strive together to get a better outcome for ALL.
Hang on, although i learnt at scabs all those years ago, it has some great banks, and a consistent clean wind. Also walking south of the discharge pipe away from the public to launch the kites, like I did at the end of last season to demo kites (ta aks), the other fringe benefits I don't get at my local was just, well on one hand amazing, on the other frightingly frustrating. Damn they look good - actually fell down a steep part, into the water with my neck at right angles... embarassing but worth it...
^^^ lol, I know what you are talking about.
also noticed plenty of brazo's are moving to scarbs...and they like to lay on the beach 
and Daz, he loves his new retail space...hes always looking out the window at the "pedestrians" crossing the hwy lol
is an issue, and am very thankful that idiot attitude doesn't appear around here.
at brighton these days there are more thongs disappearing than at a 20-20 cricket mexican wave! 
Did you miss that in my other post?
It is gunna happen on all metro sexual beaches.
As more people move to the coast,more swimmers, so all fast moving water crafts will be pushed out.
Near misses with swimmers by polers will eventually be decapatations.
Yes,kiters have been thoughtless,and have opened up the issue.
but even you have said you have seen near misses by polers.
Surely you cant think that a fast moving polers big heavy board with massive fins should be anywhere near swimmers?
Council is being pro-active before it happends.
The tiny exlusion zone seems a good idea to keep swimmers away from all fast moving crafts.
even if polers are slower and are no where near smashing the speed record
LOL (got to have a little dig)
This isnt new, and not confined to kiters. Kiters are merely the new windsurfers at scabs.
I recall as a grom in the late 80's (maybe earlier) a similar situation at scabs to what we have now, except it was windsurfers v joe public.
On the windy days windsurfers were actually spread over the whole stretch from brighton to trigg. It was even a topic on the news, especially after a surfer had his face re-arranged by a windsurfer at contacio - surfer duckdives, comes up other side as a windsurfer speeds towards the shore...SMASH!
There was a huge public uproar how dangerous windsurfers were and how they should be banned from Scarbs. It seems the result from these times was windsurfer/swimmer segregation and perhaps the beginning of what everyone is saying the "historical home" of scabs windsurfing - brighton and the grassed area at the surf club.
Surprisingly (I dont like any restrictions), Im kinda ok with this exclusion zone. It makes sense and was always going to happen on such a busy beach.
I would just like to see the first southern boundary moved north a bit to the surf club to accomodate the windsurfers some more...and the second northern boundary moved north a bit to trigg 2nd carpark, not 3rd.
Interestingly enough, the Stirling "Coastal Ward" councillor election campaign is on now and the election is set for 15 October. Maybe time for a chat...?
Ditto default
Wifey and I have our council election form on the bench at home and would like to know the candidate's views on such issues.
Wouldn't be our only factor in deciding who to donkey up with but could be the sway all the same.
Any tips on council candidate's views from fellow CofS residents?
WAKSA?
Bueller?
Personally I like to only use scarbs for landing my kite after a downwinder. it is incredibly crowded...I dont actually know how people kite there on some days given the amount of surfers / swimmers that are around them int he water..
spot wave, get in position, unhook, avoid irish surfer on 14' longboard paddling for chop in 30kts, avoid swimmers who must play on highways in their spare time, dodge 3 or 4 kiters coming out from beach refusing to give way, dodge guy body dragging for his twintip.
bottom turn then straighten out to avoid huge disaster. Go out and try again.
" yes they should have right of way, and at the end of the day,they do.
Last time i was at scabs (early this year) i gave way alright, gave way to all the newbies with terror on their faces screaming downwind. I always give way, rather protect myself and my gear.
Most of the good guys i have no issues with - the problem is that the kooks(read advancing intermediate kiter of which i was one once) and learners then follow.
last time i went out sailing at Brighton - last Sunday - i had kite lines dumped on my head - AGAIN.
This guy gybed his twin tip in front of a wave , got eaten and had the tension pulled out of his lines so the kite lines were now in freefall onto my head. Down i go into the water and then eaten by the end section of the same wave. Thankfully this time i didnt get wrapped in the lines like the fun incident last year.
When he came up from the wave he explained to me how terrible it was that his foot got twisted in the strap. (fwiw - austrian accent) I felt very sorry for him.
the next session a few days before that it was a guy on a flysurfer with a super slow kite that kept flying into the water (not enough turning speed / larger bar required)
(- he was coming out - dipped the kite for power and flew it straight into the water - blocking the way - bye bye set wave) so i had to take evasive action. This happened twice
On multiple occasions he was lines down through the break clogging up the place - and then after relaunching he had a twisted whirling out of control foil kite that would not behave or correspond to his control inputs on the bar - not a good look.
Then another guy plonks his kite in the break just as i was launching- about 10 ft in front of me. Wait for the attempted relaunch - inevitable wave wash and swim in with drowned soggy kite/ lines in a mess.
I would love not to have to Windsurf with kites anymore (or at least not the kite crashers) as all these incidents just add up to 1 big pain in the ass footprint.
Wow If I posted everytime a windsurfer stuck underpowered in the waves blocked me, I would be here all day :-) I hear windsurfing perth offer tradins of windsurf gear for kites? Might help you.
When it comes to fighting for access windsurfers and Kiters would be better facing legislators with a united front.
I am OK with the restrictions but don't think it will stop the problem which is kiters and windsurfers hitting swimmers. Swimmers will continue to enter the water drawn by the kiters and are out to get a better look at the action in many cases, they have no idea how dangerous it is.
The zone South of the pipe is going to get pretty manic this year with all the windsurfers and kiters in a tiny zone, especially late season when the banks dissappear further south.
If we all have to stay South of the outfall pipe then I really feel swimmers should be kept out of the water when its windy and Kiters or windsurfers are out. They are too hard to see especially as they are constantly diving under water.
Swimmers will not be banned, more accidents will happen and soon the restrictions will apply over a longer area of beach.
It is true that it is the kiters and not the windsurfers that have been far more of the problem at Scarbs, mainly because every guy who has had a few lessons [and many who have had none] are out in Scarborough causing all sorts of trouble. The windsurfers whio have been there for years are justifiably hacked off. Scarborough is a notoriously difficult beach to windsurf at and if you can get through the break you can rightly call yourself an expert windsurfer. Kiters have just never paid their dues and are simply in an environment in which they have little experience.
The windsurfers have long been unpopular with the Clubbies at SLSC because the zone in front of the clubhouse does get crowded and I am sure they have been instrumental in the ban, having said that a surfboat is the most dangerous and out of control craft imaginable in the waves, followed closely by a paddle ski. I'd rather get hit by a surfboard or windsurfer anyday. Shame the clubhouse was built on the best bit of beach for windsurfing.
Had a good kite Monday with that nice wedge coming in South of the pipe. There was a couple of guys out North of the pipe, and why wouldn't they be as there are no signs to indicate the newly imposed restricted zones. The ranger was going off at a Brazilian guy. Took him a while to realise he had zero English. I tried explaining restrictions to him a little later but suspect he is still none the wiser. His English was almost as bad as my Portugese. The council better get some signage up or the ranger is soon going to be off on a compo-claim with laryngitis!
, must have accumulated tonnes of bad karma, I kite with my mates at Scarb all year round for the past 4 years and we are yet to have an incident with another kiter
Stop mouthing off at people you don't know driftin .
Matt is a very good kiter and ,until you identify yourself I would be willing to bet ,probably a hell of a lot better than you .
The fact that he returned to windsurfing might be due to the fact that he is good enough to hold an Aussie wave sailing title .
If you want to contribute to a solution , make comment , if you are just trying to stir **** up between kiters and windsurfers , stop hiding behind your keyboard and come and talk to us on the beach .
I have been kiting at Scarbs for about 8 years and would like to be able to do so in future
driftin, I see you chose to delete your reply to Matt .
Not looking for a fight but am keen to keep the peace between all involved at Scarbs .
The problems down there are caused by a small minority and any negative comments on these forums doesn't help the situation either .
If we keep on attacking each other, we all lose .
