Good manners on the water

its not rocket science is it

Don't tail gate. It's bad on the roads. It's bad on the water. It's bad anywhere.

You can clearly see ahead. The rider in front has less vision behind. If you sit right behind a rider and they turn on you it is your fault. You chose to position yourself behind the rider in front. The rider in front is simply riding along minding their own business. How are they to know that some inconsiderate clown has decided to hook onto their tail?

It's even worse if you are behind and slightly downwind in the exact place they can turn into.

What do you expect people to do? Ride out to sea until you get bored sitting up their clacker? Ride up onto the beach? Carve further upwind so they can get some room to move? Outrun you?

It's got nothing to do with being hard core and doing tricks. It's got everything to do with not hemming people in for no good reason. The sea is big. Go somewhere else.

If someone jumps and they hit you or does a trick and hits you or maybe rides 20m out from the beach and changes direction out of the blue then that probably is their fault. If someone is riding along minding their own business and has covered a reasonable distance and wants to turn around, and you are tailgating them then it is your fault.

Obviously all collisions carry a certain amount of responsibility with both people. But if you are behind someone and they are riding along in clear water and they turn and clean you up then the far greater responsibility lies with you. Things would be a little different in a heavy traffic area or a crowded surf break.

From the so-called 'code of conduct' blurb:
"Make sure you have a well maintained kite depowering leash securely attached to your harness."

The last part of the above quote is unsafe practice. ^^^
Attaching any power kite securely to yourself is totally insane and completely unnecessary (if you never unhook).
Death-leashes have been the direct cause of many kitesurfing fatalities.

The runaway kites thing is a complete mystery. ^^^
I see a lot of runaway kites ...
but it's never me.
How strange ?
It's always the other bloke.
The bloke with the dumbfounded look on his face,
and the failed death-leash hanging limp from his body.
lol.