Select to expand quote
I agree. In the interests of wind redistribution (like redistribution of wealth), I vote that given WA has been irresponsible in its management of the wind, we redistribute the wind to all the other locations until they can prove they are capable of self managing their wind.
The wind will be taken away from Perth and redistributed to all the other kiting locations. WA will now receive wind once a week for the next 6 months. If they prove they are capable of controlling their kiters in that wind, we'll give them another day of wind and see how things progress.
Did this happen already? Where are the seabreezes??
Registered? Out at my local metro beach this afternoon I saw guys ripping up the beachy on our kites,swimmers splashing, paddlers stroking, board riders getting a few, walkers walking...
No one got hurt, everyone was stoked, everyone was a long way from the flags all enjoying the big wide sea.
Why the paranoia about the impending disaster of a kite vs other beach user tangle? When the wind is in, man, we are the beach users. The onus for safe conduct lies with everyone and as kiters we all know catastrophe is close at hand and we also know that this much fun has to be out at the edge of control but did I see or have I seen innocent parties taken out to the extent that our sport must be controlled? No.
Kiting is so good because it's out there on the sea beyond the trivia of licenses and beauracratic control, the incompetent won't last, the rest of us will share the beaches with all who choose to be there when the sand is flying.
I'm going to register my stoke and willingness to share the beach with all, no way will I register my kites.
Self regulation by the WAKSA membership....easy.
Only one rule: you need to be AKSA/WAKSA member to kite in WA.
Anyone kiting without a membership can have their kit confiscated and fined $500, enforcement by WAKSA membership with Council backing and execution.
All too easy really.............the local members now have real power to remove free loading inconsiderate jerks.
^^^^Yes,,all uneducated people and whos first language may not be english,, are criminals????
Rather than red thumb me.....say something .........................here's looking at you
Look the fight should not be about kiters but about people who dont kite and dont understand. I met a guy who is on the swan river committee or such thing. He hates kiters and is trying to get them banned everywhere. Why! well he likes to body surf in leighton right where the kiters are and feels he was there first. This sort of nauseating selfish narrow minded view will be the downfall of all kiting in perth. He is considering making kiters abide by maritime law if they stray 200 meters from the beach, this will mean taking exams, carrying radios, lifejackets, location beacons etc.... Really guys this is the enemy.
The sad thing is he would like to kitesurf and if only someone offered it to him ie waksa paid for it for example then he would be hooked. this is what the fight should be about EDUCATION.... Not rules. Play politics properly everyone. Find the opposition and work with them.
I agree with you Ray, it was just a start...but it would be something for certain named Metro beaches...already applies to Cott.
WA is the kite country of the world for sure.......aside from metro areas there are thousands of spots....it does crack me up how the tourists insist on kiting in Perth when there are so many much better spots.........must be a herd thingy, I don't know....but as far as I am concerned, the less rules the better, you know me.
If kiting in Perth requires a "ticket" and that is enforced by the local WAKSA members, then I feel we just might be on to something...just don't want any bans, and lets face it....we all pay our memberships and taxes, so why should we risk losing our beaches because of few incidents caused by non-members. If a member screws up, then at least that person can be pulled up.....but if a non-member screws up then that person has gear confiscated and is fined..........believe me when this penalty is enforced only once or twice the word will spread.
Peace out,
Nick
Nick,
I do not see anyone displaying AKSA tag on my local. Including locals.
We all know about 700+ members in WA (last year data), hence question in the Subject is not "Who's prepared..." but more like "Are all of you prepared..."
And that is not appropriate, me thinks.
I do not believe a gear confiscation will change anything.
What might happen is people risking to kitesurf with a crap gear when in a risk of confiscation (and endanger other people or themselves with the same gear).
"WA is the kite country of the world for sure" but only during our summer:) Gee, sometimes feels like summer, but only sometimes:)
the more people that signup to waksa, maybe the fees will drop , maybe the voluteers can start getting some money to employ rangers to start issuing fines etc .
I really don't see the big issue with schools adding in the waksa fees into their lessons and registered lessons are not able to finish without signing up to waksa .
Sure the cowboys will bypass this but i really would like to see "METRO" spots have some kind of pass to be able to kite there .
want to fly a model aeroplane/chopper , risk it in a public park and maybe cop a fine or go join the model aero club at whiteman park and do it in safety . Kitesurfing is no different to say riding a bmx on a bmx track , riding a horse on a racetrack , driving a race car on a racetrack .
Go get something like a cams licence and then come back and argue how a couple of hundred is way too expensive
dbabicwa> perhaps it is not cool to wear the tag.........weird, but let's make it cool!
Are you a WAKSA member? If so, then do you wear your tag? If not, why?
some facts...
Most schools in perth have euro instructors. Maybe as high as 80%
It's actually hard to find a local instructor here in Perth.
Majority of instructors here in Perth are not Aussies and don't even know what WAKSA is yet alone inform students what it does. Sure there are some but it's a small number. This is starting to become more apparent on the local beaches. You can bet your bottom dollar that these instructors don't include any information or a spiel about the benefits of joining WAKSA.
With the amount of newbs coming through is it any wonder why they don't know regulations or what WAKSA is.. It's only by word of mouth on forums and at the beach by local riders. Instructors need to include this info during the lesson debrief.
I teach and give my students all the info they need regarding the organisation... I'm a local instructor. How would we register tourist kiters here in Perth.. It's impossible..
Only local riders would be registered and tourists would get away with not bothering. Where is the fairness in that...
So how many students have been given information about WAKSA/AKSA after their lessons by their instructor???? Replies????
Reply......
At Kite Surf SUP we spend a considerable amount of lesson time not only advising students of AKSA/WAKSA - the history; their role in kiting and the advantages of membership - but also all of the norms & local guidelines they promote.
If every school in WA is not doing this then more shame on them.
Apart from any altruist motives it is in their own interest. The more the bans spread the less interest in kiting there will be = the less demand there will be for lessons.
At Kite Surf SUP we complete our student instruction manual with one final question for every student to answer:
"Why would you choose NOT to join the organisation that serves you and your new sport and offers you complete peace of mind by providing PL insurance for a cost that is relatively insignificant?"
I am quietly confident that not too many KSS school graduates will continue kiting without AKSA/WAKSA membership.
Some merit in this idea. Hard to police and enforce though. I'd say only Marine water and safety (or whatever they are called) would be backed by law to confiscate gear. So having a compulsory membershio would need to be integrated into their own mandates and policies.
