yep its come to this…our country where you can J walk with the cops…and not get a ticket…and they want to give a ticket and have already for not having an observer on the back while we are towing and surfing…that s it…so any OZZIES that are on the gold coast and want to change the rule…so we can do it with just 2 people… be at Currumbin surf club…top floor 10am…Is this and add…im so worried about rules do i get fined for this…its the lifeguards putting it on…all tow surfers are goin…laters
I read an article on SRO a little while ago concerning tow surfers interacting badly with paddle surfers.
Here’s the link: http://www.srosurf.com/features/tow1.html
It says some stuff about “rules” of tow in surfing etc etc… and highlights some people , obviously not everyone, giving tow in surfing a bad rep.
I have nearly been run over both by ski and tow surfer on seperate occasions, and I was only sitting still, with no one else around… that to me is totally bullsh!t. I’m talking sitting there watching these idiots come towards me thinking yeah yeah they turn off or have definately seen me… and results in me diving off my surfboard to take cover as they pass within 1m of me…
Personally, I think that tow in surfing should be used away from paddle in crowds all together… and ideally only on waves bigger than people can physically paddle into.
I’m not against it, but i think that mixing crowds + 300kg jetski moving at 70kmph + flinging another surfer at high speeds is just a bad idea from any view point…
If tow in surfing is done away from crowds, no one is there to see wether or not you have another person on your ski as well…
Good luck with your meeting, hopefully it sorts some fair regulations out…
Ant
…Thanks for posting that , Lavz !
Reading those rules , THAT would explain why these guys disappeared very quickly on saturday morning at brighton beach at 8.30am , when I pulled the camera out !
I think this photo illustrates quite clearly that they were NOT 200 metres / yards from shore , and I must say they were definately going a lot faster than 8 knots …
…but to you guys that tow-in to massive waves with no-one around , you’ve got my (and I’m sure PLENTY of OTHERS) R-E-S-P-E-C-T , to be sure !
ben
Personally I find all these attacks on Jetskis immature -
I mean just because they release copious quantities of unburnt fuel into the sea, kill cetaceans, seals and swimmers in collisions, produce lots of noise and require the attitude of a thug to drive one - doesn’t mean we should hate them
I think that it’s about time nature moved on…and developed oil loving fish capable of extracting oxygen and food directly from the oil
When oh when are we going to have some new creatures to cope with our desire for fun.?..that’s what I want to know…
In the grand scheme of things, jetski pollution is nothing…
In the grand scheme of things, humans are nothing…
…Yet not one human will ever accept this.
the only time i feel truly free from the stress and rules of modern society
is when im surfing
peace and freedom
in relative harmony with the elements
quite solitude.
jetskis can f$%k off to where its big and there is no one around
but thats not gunna happen cuz they wanna show what cowboy legends they are
if we need the cops to get rid of them from our lineups, then so be it
wrt massive surf i think whateva floats your boat is cool
or a way to get to remote locations
there no one around to watch anyway.
but if you can paddle in to it
then the skis shouldnt be around other surfers /swimmers
lavz,
In Victoria it’s 5 knots and 50 metres from someone in the water. 200 metres from shore. If guys are towing where there are paddle surfers or lid riders they are breaking the law. I think a lot of surfers don’t know that and tolerate these guys. If someone is towing where you are surfing and you don’t like it - send them in. If they don’t move, take their rego and report them.
Yeah Im with you too Sily…
Pin - yeah I didn’t know that till now sounds totally logical…
Im sure I’m like a lot of surfers, I hate conflicts in the water… there is nothing worse than being so excited to go for a surf… and having a surf ruined… you come out feeling so much worse than when you got in…
Ant
actually come to think of it some of the jet ski riders probably are
cops
Whales get more rights, can’t go with 200 metres of a whale, if you do it’s a $10000 fine and prison time…
Dolphins I’m not sure of…
No rules for Sharks I’m sure…
Kiteboarders don’t enter into the equation…
Towies should really have their own areas, like dog beaches…nude beaches etc…
Safer that way…
Towies should really have their own areas, like dog beaches…nude beaches etc…
shhhhh…it’s a secret … heheeeeee
he typed with glee
but can’t you see
that’s just me
teehee teehee
(oops , sorry mate ! …for a minute there , I thought I was at surfermag ?!)
ben
yOU AREN’T FUNNY…you try…the jokes…do u want some help…
.your right and i think everyone is allowed their point of veiw and they are valid…rules are if somebody is paddling you can’t tow…if there is 1 person i usually ask them and they ususally want you around because of the conditions and I always offer them a tow if not we split…if more then that we go surf alone…there is a grey area…when we are out first and for a long time then paddle surfers come out…we do move…there is an element that will paddlke out to make you move…thats their trip and we can move in a heart beat…the oil…Im a greeny and i hate the oil and the smell…4 strokes have helped this…the fish arent dying because of jetskis…and if anyone steps up and wants to complain…they better not be driving…I do beleive keep it to a minimum…driving 2…walk and surf…now chip…don’t tell any more jokes at work…a tip from a mate
“now chip…don’t tell any more jokes at work…a tip from a mate”
yeah , let’s make swaylocks super-serious and boring . Well, heck I’d love to …not.Not in my nature , I guess . My sense of humour ["good " or “bad” is what helps me from going mad , in my line of work , and keeps me young too, I like to think]
It’s okay [for me , anyway …can’t speak for others here on that one !] to not take everything TOO seriously [WE are aussies , remember …it’s in our blood to laugh at ourselves , and life sometimes ! ]
Sure , I am serious at work …it’s serious work I do [when I do it.] I come here to relax.
Your work is serious , too …especially tow-in surfing , I hope you are able to unwind when not laying your life on the line ?
cheers
ben
thats right mate…life needs to be funny…and your humor is always appreciated…but like i said dont quit your day job…hows everything goin…? surfs been constant…great time of year …mid winter…just about to watch the footy…storm and broncos…still dont know how to post a pic
thanks buddy !
down south here has been huge apparently …
you’ll [probably] be pleased to hear they have even had some tow-in fotage on the news at night .
Perth has been 4-6’ [australian 12" to a foot scale!] with bigger sets at some beaches every day this week , with offshores all day …amazing for here , really ! I’ve been getting HEAPS of waves . But the swell is dropping tomorrow , plus schoolies are on holidays for 17 days [!!] starting today …
cheers
ben
yeah i saw that stuff on the news i surfed there 5 years ago alone…no cameras nobody with damon and Russell…big but no shape…havent been back…have found some good ones since then …but if i told you where…Id have to kill u…and with all your humor…i couldnt do it 2 the world…
Cheyne - seems like you’re a nice guy - but these are the facts -
Simple two-stroke engines are lubricated on a “total loss” method, mixing lubricating oil with their fuel; they are estimated to exhaust in excess of 25 percent of their fuel and oil unburned in addition to the products of incomplete and complete combustion - this means two hour ride on a PWC dumps 2.5 gallons of gas and oil into the water.
It has been estimated that PWC contribute the equivalent of four Exxon Valdez spills to America’s waters annually - this is not insgnificant as mentioned in a previous post.
Cheyne - you mention that 4 - stroke engines are less damaging in this respect…hmmmm…maybe - but —
you’re not exempt from this -
“In California, biologists observed the separation of seal pups from mothers because of PWC activity nearby. In Florida, endangered manatees have been run over by PWC. The state’s Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission also tentatively concluded that PWC, as opposed to conventional boats, produce larger flushing distances of water fowl due to their smaller size, higher speed, and larger spray”
or this
“jet skis, now 12% of all watercraft, are responsible for up to 40% of all boating injuries. Often, those who are injured are not PWC riders, but are other boaters, sailboarders or swimmers who couldn’t get out of their way.”
Read the whole article at : http://www.surfrider.org/…ngwaves3/jetski6.htm
A greenie - riding a Jetski!!! that made me laugh for sure Cheyne
By the way - personal attacks on Chip - pretty low - kinda shows you’ve lost an argument when you do that - don’t you think?
you obviously dont understand aussie humour…your argument is well backed up…I dont beleive it…
oil spills…you say and laugh when i say im a greenie…riding a jet ski…I drive a car 2…I live in the real world… I would love to have a surfboard , car ,ski that doesn’t pollute…are you a body surfer who walks from place to place and grows his own vegies? you arent being humerous and if u are i dont get it…sorry. but i have no alternative…talking about florida what about that thing that jets off poluting the world…are they stopping that…see you on walkabout
Hey Cheyne…what you say 'bout car driving is true - but the way the modern world is - we all have to do it… it could be done in an environmentally friendly manner…but the gas companies just won’t allow it…
Do you have trouble in understanding the arguments in my post? If so …I’ll be glad to make a differentiated post for those with special educational needs…
Just not believing something and stating it is NOT an argument …get me some data that proves my statement wrong and I’ll listen…
Maybe I need to write in a bigger font - would that help?
Cheyne - your surfing inspired a generation including myself…think about your influence…
Taking sides is a lot less progressive than effecting sensisible management, but doing that is a mighty touchy process. Being proactive is damn important cause the environment is really all we have anyway. Ask Peter Mel, he’s a pretty sensible fellow, but being a tow-in surfer is like having some kind of tatoo that marks you as a target for activists. Believe that (real) tow in surfers know more about and care more about how they affect the evironment than most people can imagine. Here in California the Tow-In surfer sit on there personal water craft and try to dodge the constant strafing runs made by the ten thousand special interest groups and so called environmentalists. Don’t get me started on what has happened to the natural environment below the surface of the water here in Monterey Bay. With this said, I’d only like to add that having PWCs running all over the place willy-nilly would be crazy and because we have lots of lunatics out there we have to put limits on how, where and when they can be used. There will be arguments but without them we can’t have progress.
Good Luck Cheyne. I know you have the best interests of all at heart.
Mahalo, Rich