Should Kite Surfing Be Banned on Public Beaches?

Kite Surfers – How Can We Make it Safe for Beachgoers and for other Kite Surfers too?

Kite surfing banned in Byron Bay, Australia?

Should kite surfing be banned on public beaches?
Australian local authorities in Byron Bay think it should.
What are the the options for kite surfing community?
Should kitesurfing regulations be introduced?
Should kite surfers need better training to avoid accidents like the one we mention below?

According to The Northern Star in Australia, local kite surfers are outraged by a proposal to ban their sport at Byron Bay.
The local council decided kite surfing was too dangerous on crowded family beaches, and wants it banned in the area between The Pass and the Byron Bay Public Swimming Pool.

Kite surfing has gained huge popularity in the region in recent years and local authorities are concerned about the potential for collisions with beachgoers.

However, a ban is not the answer, as it ruins the fun for our Ossie friends. Perhaps, as local kite surfing instructor Stephan Kleinlein believes, dangers could be avoided by introducing some kite surfing rules.

“The biggest problem is that kite surfing is not regulated,” he said in an interview to The Northern Star.

He has suggested the council introduce a designated launching area and devise a set of rules for kite surfing that would ensure kite surfers stayed well away from other beach users.

“It's easy for council to ban something, they start with kite surfing then what is next – canoeing or surfing?” he said.

Kite Surfing Accidents due to Lack of Correct Training

Accidents are almost always caused by inexperienced riders and persons who don't follow safety guidelines.

Some people think it's enough a friend – or worse- a youtube video- shows them how to kite surf and then they go out kite surfing.

This ignorance and wish to save the costs of a kitesurfing course usually leads to accidents or loss of life.
Kitesurfing is an extreme sport. It's not merely a fun adrenaline shot, but there are risks involved with using such a powerful power machine as a kitesurfing kite is.

Your kite can pick up a car weighing 1 ton. It can crash on someone's head or on a child playing in the sand, if you don't take care or know how to control it.

You must learn to harness the power of the kite and the wind correctly, as well as learn how to kite surf safely, and how to consider the safety of those around you.

Even here in our Kitebeach Cabarete, little Camille was almost chocked to death by a show-off kite surfer who got too close to our young student, so that his kite lines got entangled in hers.

He then 'smartly'  told her to pass through his lines and that's when his kite lines got tangled up with her neck, eventually she luckily and narrowly escaped.
The creap simply abandoned his kite surfing equipment and the little girl and walked off to the beach. Camille's mom will 'kill the guy' if she meets him…
One thing is sure: He wasn't one of our kite surfing students.

Here in Kitexcite KiteBeach kite surfing school we teach our kite surf students "rules of the road".
Just like learning to drive a car, especially a very fast sportscar, you need to consider the safety of those around you, not only your own.
So you must follow safety and courtesy rules.

What are your experiences and opinion on banning kite surfing on public beaches or on kite surf regulations? Please do leave your comments below!

Kite surfing