Cape Town Basic Rules

[Toby]

Doesn't the rider going out in the waves have right of way or do you count in that in the first 50 m rule? I thought that in all surfing categories surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and wingsurfing the rider going out in the impact zone has right of way. This is due to that you may need to redirect your way to avoid a breaking wave and also many times ride with almost no speed when trying to go over the white water.
The rider coming in or riding a wave can much easier control where he is going.

You´re wrong.
When someone rides a wave his direction is 100 % guided by the wave, no chance for flexibility.
I am quite a relaxed person, but I get steamed up very rapidly when someone going out is destroying my wave ride and even provokes a dangerous collision! A rider on a wave always has the right of way.

And this can´t be emphasized enough: When you´re not experienced in crossing heavy breaking waves (breaking closeout over hundreds of meters actually), then stay at home. For your own and others safety.

no. some people want to jump off a wave as well...have to stop because someone is riding a wave? No. If you are in a known wave spot, that has one break, ok. But looks like the whole area has a wave to play, so no certain point, then right of way is right hand in front. If you don't want to use the kickers, then let the guy riding the wave the priority. If someone wants to jump, he should have the right to and basic rules should be applied. (Kitebeach should not be a problem since it is left hand forward jumping).

At the end it is common sense, watch what people are doing, if someone was first and jumps the waves, go somewhere else. If someone rides the wave and was first, go somewhere else. Respect.

That's also a big problem where no waves are and basic rules apply as well...a beginner should not be in the jumping areas, specially if there were people first, and then someone enters the area stopping the session for everyone.

So, respect. and things will work out.

PS: just avoid 35+ knots as a basic rule as well, if you are not on a higher level. You ask for an injury.

[magnusod]

Doesn't the rider going out in the waves have right of way or do you count in that in the first 50 m rule? I thought that in all surfing categories surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and wingsurfing the rider going out in the impact zone has right of way. This is due to that you may need to redirect your way to avoid a breaking wave and also many times ride with almost no speed when trying to go over the white water.
The rider coming in or riding a wave can much easier control where he is going.

You´re wrong.
When someone rides a wave his direction is 100 % guided by the wave, no chance for flexibility.
I am quite a relaxed person, but I get steamed up very rapidly when someone going out is destroying my wave ride and even provokes a dangerous collision! A rider on a wave always has the right of way.

And this can´t be emphasized enough: When you´re not experienced in crossing heavy breaking waves (breaking closeout over hundreds of meters actually), then stay at home. For your own and others safety.

Do you have some references to back that up? Here's a link https://kitesurfing-handbook.peterskite ... -way-rules

Here's an extract

In surf:

Kiters leaving the shore (outgoing) have right of way over incoming riders. Riders close to shore or negotiating broken water are more at risk, so they have the right of way

Kiters riding on a wave have right of way over other riders, except for outgoing riders as above.

I definitely know that the rules in windsurfing is that the one going out has right of way and it would be strange if the rules were different in kitesurfing.

I'll take back what I found in this reference. It seems quite contradictory of what the rules are in waves but after more Google search it's definitely way more that states that the rider on the wave has right of way. It's probably due to that windsurfing followed the rules in surfing that makes it confusing as in kitesurfing it's the opposite rule compared to surfing and windsurfing.

I was surprised at the kitesurfing rule as I find it easier to control where I'm going when I'm riding a wave as I have the speed from the wave and can easily do my bottom turn around the kitesurfer going out than turning just in front of him and make him turn around.
Shit I missed so many good waves the last couple of weeks as I never thought I could do my bottom turn in front of someone heading out through the waves... Not, that I would have done it anyway as I know how hard it is when you're in a wind hole on your way out facing overhead waves or bigger.

[Hugh2]

Well, from kiting more than a decade here in Cape Town, I'd say the two most important rules are keep your kite high if passing upwind of an oncoming rider, and low if downwind. (I don't see much adherence to any of the other rules suggested here, although I do try to adhere to Toby's recommendation to respect what another rider, be they twintip trying to jump or directional riding a waves, is obviously doing). Second, do not short tack unless your life depends on it, and this applies both going out and coming back in. As Strekke makes clear, you are endangering both yourself and any rider upwind who has just launched a jump, expecting you to keep going another 50 yards. I also want to second the observation that kiters here look our for each other, recovering boards, kites, and even riders themselves.

[1234567Simon]

Doesn't the rider going out in the waves have right of way or do you count in that in the first 50 m rule? I thought that in all surfing categories surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and wingsurfing the rider going out in the impact zone has right of way. This is due to that you may need to redirect your way to avoid a breaking wave and also many times ride with almost no speed when trying to go over the white water.
The rider coming in or riding a wave can much easier control where he is going.

You´re wrong.
When someone rides a wave his direction is 100 % guided by the wave, no chance for flexibility.
I am quite a relaxed person, but I get steamed up very rapidly when someone going out is destroying my wave ride and even provokes a dangerous collision! A rider on a wave always has the right of way.

And this can´t be emphasized enough: When you´re not experienced in crossing heavy breaking waves (breaking closeout over hundreds of meters actually), then stay at home. For your own and others safety.

Could someone explain this to me...
I Always thought that going out through waves has the right of way....

At least in surfing, and Windsurfing, and surffoiling.
If kiteboarding is an exeption, then I finally understand, why some Wave Riding Guys are so aggressiv.

(Even If this May Not be relavant for 40 knots in Blouberg, as Nobody would Go waveriding If some 20 twintip-ers are jumping 20m high and flying 50m far... )

[Toby]

The question now is: what is surf?

Some people claim that a 50cm wave is “surf”.yes, short tacks are dangerous.

Looking upwind is key to avoid problems…few do it, and I don’t understand why not? Look upwind!

[1234567Simon]

The question now is: what is surf?

If I want to ride my knee high Wave going inwards, than I do NOT have the right of way.... No Matter If Starboard- or Port Tack.

And If the waves get bigger, than I even more have NOT the right of way when Riding a Wave.

At least this is my oppionion - but seems Like Others, have different oppinion.

(In Addition I Always thought the Guy Riding right Hand Front has also got the "keeping direction" Task.)

But hey.... I am mostly the one trying to go as far as possible away from any Other kiter.... No Matter If starboard- or portack.

[leepasty]

It’s all to do with who is more restricted in their ability to manoeuvre and this goes for all water craft in the world as per the IRPCS.

A kite riding a wave in down the line conditions can only turn to go along the wave and stay in the same direction as the wave is travelling. the wave is restricting their ability to manoeuvre.

A kite riding out can very easily, slow down, turn down or upwind, turn around. Therefore the kiter going out has more ability to manoeuvre so should give way to the kiter on the wave. This of course only applies to a kiter riding a proper breaking wave in the critical section.

In terms of surfers and windsurfers, when they are going out though the waves they are the ones more restricted in their ability to manoeuvre (and are normally going slow)where as the one on the wave can easily turn around them, especially as there are no lines to have to worry about!

Using common sense and being courteous to other water users is the best way to behave

[Peter_Frank]

Awesome thread, as this is an example of WHY it is so difficult to get it

Van Hunk is right, period.

Riders going out close to shore has right of way.

Riders coming in, apart from close to shore, has right of way in Capetown - ALWAYS.

As either the "riding a wave" counts, and in addition the starboard ROW also means no doubt whatsoever

So riders, no matter what board, going out, has to bear away.

The same is evident if waves are supersmall, in this case, so as said, Van Hunk is bullseye.

Windsurfers or some struggling out in the breaking zone has ROW though, survival, only exception.

It gets a lot more difficult when you ride waves on port tack, as now you have ROW when riding a wave yes, but when is a wave too small to be regarded as "riding"?
So I understand the controversy between waveboard kiters and TT riders here.

Starboard over Port tack makes no sense at all in real life and in waves, thats for sure - and this is key to why so many disagree and so many opposite opinions.

In racing or in legal respects (but the latter never an issue in our sport) Starboard has ROW yes.
But in real life, when wavespots with sideshore wind, not so.

Learn to understand each other, and how things work.

Meaning, if one has an awesome wave, riding it, no matter which tack, bear away or upwind and let him/her use it fully
Meaning, if one are aimed full speed at a kicker, no matter which tack, push upwind and let him/her blast up in the sky.
Unless you are on a huge perfect wave, then you have ROW and he/she will respect this and stay clear.

It is actually very easy to give way to each other, if you are experienced and ride, or have ridden, all styles, TT Surfboards Kitewaveboards Foils.

But of course there will always be some cases where it is a problem as both "parts" will think she/he has ROW.
In real life it happens extremely rare though, and key is NOT to read classic ROW "rules" and stick to these, then you are a doucebag, as simple as that

Back to the point in this thread: In CT the rider coming in on a wave has ROW, and only exceptions are either if too close to shore, or if a windsurfer, or ANY surfer, has problems going out through the impact zone.
Show some empathy and know how difficult it can be for some, or in certain conditions, and take it from there.

Of course, as said, if you are coming in riding a wave, and it isnt really that good, and you see a TT rider on the way to the perfect kicker, then back off and let her/him have it - really simple in fact.

Respect each other, then it will work

Peter

[markymarc]

When in doubt.... Zoom out! And focus on the below 3 rules as Van Hunk states and forget all the specialties please.
That is when and why accidents will happen...
1.Don't jump when there are other riders close downwind, no matter how good the kicker is.
2.The rider with his RIGHT hand in front on the bar has right of way. In other words, the kiter coming into shore at Kitebeach has right of way.
3.With the exception of the first 50 meters from the shore. This section is for people entering and exiting the water. Give them right of way. It is not difficult.

[Sarda]

So for whatever reason someone on the water needs to get to the beach to land ie. Injury, gear problems, medical issue, just make sure you give the person leaving the beach right of way or the testosterone levels might cause someone to implode?

Please all, go to or stay in Cape Town. Apparently their 20 kt winds are far stronger than 20 whatever kt. winds anywhere else, and their water is much much wetter?

It must be positively dripping there?