Kitesurfing on Hayling
- Tue 5th Mar 2002
A meeting of the Beachlands Management Board was held yesterday for the pupose of discussing Kitesurfing on Hayling and how it can be managed safely through the busier summer months. There has been some concern over the rapid rise of this sport in the area and whether it poses safety problems for other beach users, concerns that are somewhat similar to those expressed when windsurfing started gaining popularity in the late seventies / early eighties. The rest of this article lays out the main points of the meeting.
The article is fairly lengthy, but brings up some interesting points. Comments are welcome through our discussion forum. Presentation by Andy Biggs of Andy Biggs Windsurfing and West Beach Watersports.
- Boardsailing had similar fears when it was introduced 24 years ago. With
many tens of thousands of launches later at West Beach, these fears were unfounded.
- We believe we must have tighter control over kitesurfing and with the following
points we feel that we can match boardsailing and have a safe, but exciting,
sport for all. Whether it's participating or watching at West Beach.
- The west end of Beachlands, adjacent to the Hayling Island Golf club, is
the ideal venue for kitesurfing, because of the natural sand bar giving a
safer lagoon at half to low tide. This naturally limits other watercraft in
this area.
- Suggested Kitesurfing rules
- All kitesurfers to sign in at West Beach Watersports: Proof of minimum
third party insurance cover. All kitesurfers do so at their own risk disclaimer
No insurance No kitesurfing. Insurance cover available through West Beach
Watersports
- Once signed in, all kitesurfers will be assigned a number and a bib
to wear at all times while on the water. There will be a limited number
of bibs available, to keep the numbers of kitesurfers within a safe limit.
- Kite setting up, launching and recovery area to be marked off and signed
to advise other beach users of kitesurfing activity.
Kite area west of sea defence groynes. West Beach Watersports Kitesurfing
instructor operating from this area to help police launching and recovery.
- Kitesurfing to be restricted at peak beach use periods, where necessary.
The "Red flag no fly" rule to be brought in and marshalled by
West Beach Watersports staff.
- West Beach Watersports are prepared to put staff time and their resources
into making sure that Beachlands is a safe place for all to come and use the
beach all year round.
Presentation by Phil Elborough of Zero Gravity Kitesurfing and the Hayling
Kitesurfing Association.
- Through the summer season there is the possibility that kitesurfers could
cause a safety hazard to the general beach users.
- Why could they cause a problem?
- All the time a kitesurfer is out on the water they are out of every
ones way, the most dangerous time is during landing and launching the
kites off the beach.
- If the kitesurfers are spread out along the beach there is the possibility
of a kite crashing down onto other beach users.
- Possible solutions.
- Marked out launch and land area, this would be situated to the west
of the groins past the large post in the beach, the post could be used
as the default marker but on busier days the area could be moved further
west as needed.
- Red flag no kitesurfing. In extreme cases such as a bank holiday for
example we could have a red marker flag which when flown means no Kitesurfing
until the flag is removed.
- How do we implement these actions?
- Rather than trying to enforce these actions, which means trying to stop
people at the entrance to Beachlands, which would take time and resources
to do, and unlike windsurfing where the board is clearly visible on top
of the car. Kitesurfing equipment can be stored completely in the boot
of a car.
- The key to successfully implementing a policy is communication of sensible
workable ideas.
- As you will have seen in the minutes to the last meeting a web site
has been set up called the Hayling Kitesurfing Association, the purpose
of this site is to inform kitesurfers of safety measures in place on Hayling
beach. The Association has over 100 members and is growing all the time.
In order to join the association you are required to supply an e-mail
address, this means we can easily and quickly send information direct
to the kitesurfers using Hayling beach.
- To back this up we would produce a handout containing information on
the launch and land area and code of practice. This would need to be available
at the Beachlands Office, Andy Biggs Windsurfing, Zero Gravity Kitesurfing,
Shore Water Sports and any other relevant outlet.
- Day to day implementation : Kitesurfing representative
- In order to make these policies work we require someone to oversee them,
someone who understands the need for safety measures and also understands
the needs of the kitesurfers. I (Phil Elborough) would like to offer my
services for this post as I hope I have made good contacts with the relevant
members of the Beachlands office and I am in touch with the kitesurfing
community as I am part of it. From the Easter weekend through the summer
season I will be either in my shop (across the road from the beachlands
office) or on the beach running Kitesurfing lessons. I will be available
24 hours a day to deal with any concerns relating to Kitesurfing as will
my business partner Chris Bull.
- Chris has similar experience to myself in addition he is a qualified
lifeguard and has been teaching traction kites and buggying for the last
five years, he is a kitesurf instructor and also competes in the national
Kitesurfing championships in which he currently ranked 2nd.
- In addition to this, the cover we offer does not stop in the off-season
as we both kitesurf all year round and are on the beach to help other
kitesurfers when needed. This offer of help would also come from any member
of the HKA thus ensuring there is always someone on the beach who knows
the rules.
After the presentations we were split into two groups to discuss the ideas.
The result of the discussion in my group brought to light an interesting situation.
The reason for the concern over safety of kitesurfing on Hayling is because
Beachlands is a Blue Flag Beach, this means that under European rules, any watersport
that takes place in a blue flag area must be zoned. This would be a designated
marked off area with buoys in two lines out to sea as a lunching and landing
channel.
The area of Beachlands that we all kitesurf in, west of the groynes on the
sandbar, is owned right down to the low water mark by Hayling Golf Club.
Therefore it is the decision of the Golf club whether or not we continue to
use their beach. If the Golf club give us the go ahead then kitesurfing will
be banned from West Beach which is the area from the Golf Club fence at the
end of the car park going East past the Inn on the Beach to the funfair.
The Secretary of the Golf Club attended the meeting and I have had several
positive conversations with him, although he did mention that last year he had
received a total of seven kitesurfing related complaints from the public. I
must emphasise that everyone must be polite and helpful at all times to other
beach users
I will be arranging a meeting with the residents association to try and dispel
any worries they might have.
If kitesurfing is given the golf club beach it is then likely that a windsurfing
launch and land area under the Blue Flag Beach rules will be set up in the gap
between the Inn on the Beach and the beach huts opposite West Beach Watersports.
This does not mean that windsurfers will not be able to use the Golf Club beach,
they will just be encouraged to use the designated area.
There will be another meeting on the 20th March at the Civic Centre Havant
this will be the make or break one.
In the mean time, be aware of how delicate the situation is, be careful
If you have any comments you wish to air on this report please drop me an e-mail
Phil Elborough
H.K.A. Administrator
Hayling Kitesurfing Association
www.hka.org.uk
info@hka.org.uk
Tel: 02392 678647
Mobile: 07760 363 716
By forum user, Mat
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