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Weston Windzone - My Experience


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Today I thought I would take a trip to Weston to try out my new kites. I have flown on this beach for 10 years and never had a problem before, I used to be a regular but these days I only go occasionally.

Now though there seems to be a new regime in power that believes in exclusion rather than inclusion. Because I am not a member of their club they employed the bully boy tactics of getting the ranger to tell me to leave even though everyone there knows I am a member of the Fed and PKA and therefore have the correct insurance.

What would have been better at least would of been a quiet approach and being asked to join the club. Although I don’t see why I should be forced to join a club on a beach that was once free for all to enjoy. As far as I’m aware the beach has never been under real threat of closure so I don’t see why one club should try and make it a members only site especially a club that has only appeared in recent years. Why I ask are they doing this and the only explanation I can think of is they are desperate to sell their insurance and make money?

What’s even more worrying is that I have heard this is not an isolated event, it has been happening to quite a few pilots who have turned up to fly. What kind of message dose it send out? Not a very friendly one, that’s for sure, and in days of ever dwindling numbers this can’t help.

I have a friend who was coming down to learn to buggy tomorrow but now he won’t be! Hopefully he won’t lose interest completely and be lost to the world of powerkiting for ever.

What they should of done at the very least is offer a day membership for virtually nothing after all what costs do they have?

Anyway I for one don’t intend to let these fascists chase me away from the beach and I implore others to not let them intimidate you either. I will now be turning up on a regular basis as a protest and invite anyone with insurance to join me.

Maybe when the ranger gets fed up with calling the police to have us removed the council will re think its position on how the beach is governed.

For me this is another example of our civil liberties being eroded by a few megalomaniacs!

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If we all have to join either Wind and Wheels or SWATK to be able to fly at Weston, and we all abide by the rules, what makes u so special that you can flout them? If ur too good for either club, then don't fly on the beach. All ur going to do is ruin it for those of us who have paid up, by getting EVERYONE BANNED! U may not care, but it's OUR local beach, so pay up or shut up please!!!

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can someone explain to me why an English council can own a beach below the mean high water mark. I can understand the concerns they have as to users of said beach but it is covered by water twice a day and therefore even the most hardy of land based kiters would nash leaving it to the water rats who can then be controlled by the nearest port authority so no night kite surfing unless you have the proper lights rigged

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how does NO sound i live too far away to fly there but i might just have a trip down and its time you lot had a rethink some people dont want to join every club you care to think up to be able to fly on beaches in OUR COUNTRY so climb down matey

 

 

there are several beach's in the country which you have to be a member off to fly on.

Quite frankly your attitude towards this is not really appropriate. Would you go and fly at Hoylake/Pembrey/Pendine etc without being a member?

As these are imposed by the councils.

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how does NO sound i live too far away to fly there but i might just have a trip down and its time you lot had a rethink some people dont want to join every club you care to think up to be able to fly on beaches in OUR COUNTRY so climb down matey

 

 

there are several beach's in the country which you have to be a member off to fly on.

Quite frankly your attitude towards this is not really appropriate. Would you go and fly at Hoylake/Pembrey/Pendine etc without being a member?

As these are imposed by the councils.

 

My point exactly!

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This situation has been this way for 5 years now Graham - and you know it

 

Why just because you decide you want to use the beach should everyone else bend over backward to accommodate just you

 

As for "quiet approach" - that was done 3 weeks ago - ask Karen

 

Now get off your high horse, stop trying to spoil it for all the locals and just make life easy

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I believe that there is an issue with insurance too. Many people are not aware that if they fly on a site where they have been told that they are not "permitted to fly" (e.g. asked not to by a club that regulates who flies there), their insurance is immediately invalidated. That is certainly the case with BPKA insurance, and probably PKA and FED too.

 

Anyway, isn't this a case where a local authority has said NO to kite activities unless they are controlled by a named club or clubs, with only members permitted to fly? Sounds like it is the local authority that you are mad at, not SWATK?

 

If I turn up at a FED or PKA only beach and fly without being a member, what sort of reception would I get?

 

Steve.

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The council make the rules, the clubs have simply responded and are working hard to maintain access to this site.

 

No matter what insurance you have, it is invalid if you do not have permission to fly on that site - which you don't if you're not a member of either SWATK or Wind and Wheels.

 

I have no idea of the membership fee for W&W, but it's £20 a year for SWATK, which isn't exactly exorbitant, and SWATK membership gives many other benefits and access to other sites as well as allowing you to fly at Weston.

 

All SWATK members are asked to help ensure safe and continued access for all by reporting those flying without the correct armbands / memberships to the beach wardens, so it's hardly fair to blame those who were helping to self police a sensitive spot and doing as they were requested by their club committees. There is also clear signage at the Windzone stating the membership requirements.

 

None of us like bans, members only sites or regulation, but if it's a choice between that or a ban, which it is in an increasing number of sites, then I know which I'd prefer.

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it is as plain as this if a beach is owned by crown estate and leased to a third party it is not looked upon favourably if the third party starts saying you have to join this club to fly there it is monopolising

and that is from crown estates

 

 

So what your saying is you are prepared to go and fly on beach/area's which are club run & ignore the local rules?

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except this is for 3 clubs here Carl - please try and get some facts right !!

 

It does not matter how many clubs there are it's a public beach for goodness sake and owned by the crown estates for everyone to use as they see fit and not for some bunch of nimby elitists

 

I have never been to wsm and by the looks of things I will be avoiding it like the plague but then I have access to so many beaches up here with no elitist clubs in sight

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Maybe when the ranger gets fed up with calling the police to have us removed the council will re think its position on how the beach is governed.
Yes, and they will impose a total ban wherupon you can claim a victory I guess if it makes you feel better? At least everyone will then be treated the same.

 

Steve.

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except this is for 3 clubs here Carl - please try and get some facts right !!
excuse me so thats 3 sticks then

maybe you should send out little moustaches with your next club letters

its still to the exclusion of others ELITIST

 

 

There clubs are not elitists, anybody can join.

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except this is for 3 clubs here Carl - please try and get some facts right !!

 

It does not matter how many clubs there are it's a public beach for goodness sake and owned by the crown estates for everyone to use as they see fit and not for some bunch of nimby elitists

sure is and monday morning i guess i will give crown estates a ring and find out how they are going to deal with this

 

time for change

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