PILOT BAY // Mount Maunganui
CAUTION: This area is suitable for EXPERIENCED kiteboarders, due to the potential risks that include: a busy shipping channel (cargo ships, cruise liners and boaties), tree-lined launch area with limited space, a high number of moored boats and people on the beach.
WIND CONDITIONS
- Suitable wind range from S (cross on-shore from the left) through to WSW (cross on-shore from the right).
- There is a sand bar in the harbour, but it only works on W winds.
- S winds continually rise and fall.
- SW winds are generally more consistent at Pilot Bay than up the harbour, e.g. at Ferguson Park (km up wind of Pilot Bay). Same applies for WSW and W wind directions.
SURFACE CONDTIONS
- Beach surface conditions range from small chop to very rough in high winds.
- The Sand Bar surface conditions range from dead flat to small chop on the downwind side of the bar.
- The sea bed is a sandy bottom.
TIDES
- You can kite at the beach on any tide but it is best at 2 hours either side of Mid tide.
- The sand bar is best 2 hours either side of Low tide.
LAUNCHING / LANDING
- At this spot there is a grassy area for pumping up.
- CAUTION: It can be a tricky and confined place to launch and land on high tides. There are large trees running along the beach line of Pilot Bay. Set up your lines, launch and land down on the beach. If possible always get someone else to help you with launching and landing.
GENERAL INFO / SAFETY TIPS
- CAUTION: To kite up-wind to the sand bar you need to ride up wind confidently, riding through many moored boats, strong currents and a busy shipping channel. Once you are at the sand bar you have the shipping channel and a busy commercial wharf - large ships, tugs, commercial fishing boats down wind of you. We recommend having a boat/jet ski etc as back up when kiting at the sand bar.
- Pilot Bay is a great spectator location with car parks running the full length of the Bay. There are toilets and changing rooms at the Pacific Ave/The Mall intersection. Hot Water swimming pools are located at the base of Mount Maunganui for a good after session soak.
- Pilot Bay is a very popular location in the summer, and in good weather all throughout the year. The beach and water can get very busy with swimmers and beach users, so please be considerate and stay well away from anyone in the water.
- If it looks too busy, PLEASE DO NOT USE PILOT BAY as a kiting location. Remember, we all want to keep our spots in the Bay open for Kiteboarding.