Kitesurfing or Kiteboarding is an adventure surface water sport that has been described as combining wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one extreme sport. Kitesurfing harnesses the power of the wind to propel a rider across the water on a small surfboard or a kiteboard (similar to a wakeboard). The terms kiteboarding and kitesurfing are interchangeable. There are a number of different styles of kiteboarding, including freestyle, freeride, downwinders, speed, course racing, wakestyle, jumping and wave-riding which is focused on kitesurfing big waves using a directional board similar to a surfboard.[1]
A kitesurfer or kiteboarder uses a board with or without foot-straps or bindings, combined with the power of a large controllable kite to propel the rider and the board across the water. In 2006, the number of kitesurfers has been estimated at around 150,000 to 210,000, with 114,465 inflatable kites sold that same year.[2]
Although kitesurfing is an extreme sport, its safety record is improving due to advances in hybrid and bow kite designs[3] and the ability to control the power that they provide, effective safety release systems, and wider availability of kiteboarding schools such as the IKO and BKSA and the resulting improving teaching standards as the sport matures. There are still a number of deaths every year and a much larger number of serious injuries and accidents.
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In the 1800s George Pocock used kites of increased size to propel carts on land and ships on the water, using a four-line control system - the same system in common use today. Both carts and boats were able to turn and sail upwind. The kites could be flown for sustained periods.[4] The intention was to establish kitepower as an alternative to horsepower, partly to avoid the hated "horse tax" that was levied at that time.[5] In 1903, aviation pioneer Samuel Cody developed "man-lifting kites" and succeeded in crossing the English channel in a small collapsible canvas boat powered by a kite[6]
In the late 1970s the development of Kevlar then Spectra flying lines and more controllable kites with improved efficiency contributed to practical kite traction. In 1978, Ian Day's "FlexiFoil" kite-powered Tornado catamaran exceeded 40 km/h.
Through the 1980s there were occasionally successful attempts to combine kites with canoes, ice skates, snow skis,[7] water skis and roller skates.
Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s Dieter Strasilla from Germany developed parachute-skiing and later perfected a kiteskiing system using self made paragliders and a ball-socket swivel allowing the pilot to kitesail upwind and uphill but also to take off into the air at will.[8] Strasilla and his friend Andrea Kuhn/Switzerland used this invention also in combination with surfboards and Skurfs, grasskies and selfmade buggies. One of his patents describes in 1979 the first use of an inflatable kite design for kitesurfing.[9]
Two brothers, Bruno Legaignoux and Dominique Legaignoux, from the Atlantic coast of France, developed kites for kitesurfing in the late 1970s and early 1980s and patented an inflatable kite design in November 1984, a design that has been used by companies to develop their own products.
In 1990, practical kite buggying was pioneered by Peter Lynn at Argyle Park in Ashburton, New Zealand. Lynn coupled a three-wheeled buggy with a forerunner of the modern parafoil kite. Kite buggying proved to be very popular worldwide, with over 14,000 buggies sold up to 1999.
The development of modern day kitesurfing by the Roeselers in the USA and the Legaignoux in France carried on in parallel to buggying. Bill Roeseler, a Boeing aerodynamicist, and his son Cory Roeseler patented the "KiteSki" system which consisted of water skis powered by a two line delta style kite controlled via a bar mounted combined winch/brake. The KiteSki was commercially available in 1994. The kite had a rudimentary water launch capability and could go upwind. In 1995, Cory Roeseler visited Peter Lynn at New Zealand's Lake Clearwater in the Ashburton Alpine Lakes area, demonstrating speed, balance and upwind angle on his 'ski'. In the late 1990s, Cory's ski evolved to a single board similar to a surfboard.[5]
In 1996 Laird Hamilton and Manu Bertin were instrumental in demonstrating and popularising kitesurfing off the Hawaiian coast of Maui.
In 1997 the Legaignoux brothers developed and sold the breakthrough "Wipika" kite design which had a structure of preformed inflatable tubes and a simple bridle system to the wingtips, both of which greatly assisted water re-launch. Bruno Legaignoux has continued to improve kite designs, including developing the bow kite design, which has been licensed to many kite manufacturers.
In 1997, specialist kiteboards were developed by Raphaël Salles and Laurent Ness. By 1998 kitesurfing had become a mainstream sport, and several schools were teaching kitesurfing. The first competition was held on Maui in September 1998 and won by Flash Austin.[5]
By 1999 single direction boards derived from windsurfing and surfing designs became the dominant form of kiteboard. From 2001 onwards, twin-tip bi-directional boards became more popular for most flat water riders, with directional boards still in use for surf conditions.
French kitesurfer Sebastien Cattelan became the first sailor to break the 50 knots barrier by reaching 50.26 knots on 3 October 2008 at the Lüderitz Speed Challenge in Namibia. On 4 October, Alex Caizergues (also of France) broke this record with a 50.57 knots run. These speeds are verified, but are still subject to ratification by the World Sailing Speed Record Council.[10] Earlier in the event, on 19 September, American Robert Douglas reached 49.84 knots (92.30 km/h),[11] becoming the first kitesurfer to establish an outright world record in speed sailing. Previously the record was held only by sailboats or windsurfers. Douglas also became the world's third over-50 knots sailor, when on 8 September he made a 50.54 knots (93.60 km/h) run.[12]
The outright sailing speed record currently claimed by the French trimaran Hydroptère which, on 4 September 2009, reached a speed of 51.36 knots over 500 meters, and an amazing 50.17 over a nautical mile (1852 meters). Both records were set in open ocean, as opposed to the Lüderitz site that is basically a stretch of ultra-shallow water 8-15 centimeters deep. Hydroptère sails with amazing efficiency: the records were set in 25 to 30 knots of wind, as opposed to the 45-50 knots required by kitesurfers .[13]
On the 14th of November 2009, Alex Caizergues completed another run of 50.98 knots in Namibia.
October 2010, Rob Douglas became the outright record holder for the short distance 500 meters with 55.65 knots.[14] Sebastien Cattelan became the record holder of France and Europe with 55.49 and was the first rider to reach 55 knots.[15] This was later on surpassed by Jack Joker Alvarez from the Philippines with 55.38 knots.
It is possible to travel great distances on a kiteboard on a journey referred to a "downwinder".
Kirsty Jones set a distance record for a kiteboard when she travelled 225 km (140 mi), crossing solo from Lanzarote in the Canary Islands to Tarfaya, Morocco, in about nine hours on 13 May 2006.[16][17]
A record combination of distance and speed of 207 km in 5h 30m was set by Raphaël Salles, Marc Blanc and Sylvain Maurain on July 24, 2007 between Saint Tropez and Calvi, beating Manu Bertin's previous record of 6h 30m for the same journey. Their average speed was almost 38 km/h.[18]
Eric Gramond set the distance record when he went 419.9 km (226 Nm), crossing from Fortaleza to Parnaiba in Brazil during 24 hours on October 12, 2008.[19]
Natalie Clarke crossed Bass Strait from Stanley, Tasmania to Venus Bay, Victoria in Australia, a distance of 240 km, in 9 hours 30 minutes on March 22, 2010.[20][21]
In June/August 2010, an unofficial record of 2000 km was recorded by Louis Tapper in 23 days.[22]
The official 24-hour record for The longest kite surfing journey is 199.63 nautical miles (369.71 km; 229.73 statute miles) and was achieved by Phillip McCoy Midler (USA) who travelled from South Padre Island, Texas to Matagorda, Texas, USA, from 10 to 11 May 2010.
There is currently no single internationally recognised governing body for kitesurfing, although IKO (the International Kiteboarding Organization) is evolving as the world's central kiteboarding authority (http://www.ikointl.com/).
Kiteboarding can pose hazards to surfers, beachgoers, bystanders and others on the water. Many problems and dangers that may be encountered while learning kiting can be avoided or minimized by taking professional instruction through lesson centres. Kitesurfing schools provide courses and lessons to teach skills including kite launching, flying, landing, usage of the bar, lines and safety devices.
A beginner can turn by stopping or sinking backwards into the water,and then turning the kite in the opposite direction and starting again. A 'heel turn jibe' is a quicker,and more skillful turn that is executed by slowing down, flattening the board, then reversing the board flat on the water by bringing the rear foot around downwind to eventually become the new leading foot. The direction of the kite is then reversed, which swings the surfer's path in a semi circle, centered on the kite. As the turn ends, the kite is flown over to be in front of the surfer again.[23]
A poorly executed turn will "fly" the surfer, and is often followed by a tumble if the surfer can't put the board down at the right angle.
A careless turn in high winds can easily swing the rider into the air and result in an uncontrolled impact.
Controlled flying is possible and is one of the biggest attractions of the sport. Before jumping, the surfer builds up tension in the lines by strongly edging the board. Then the kite is flown quickly to an overhead position, sometimes just as the surfer goes over a wave. As the kite begins to lift, the board edge is then 'released' and the rider becomes airborne. The kite is then piloted from overhead to the direction of travel. A large variety of maneuvers and tricks can be performed while jumping.
Jumping can be very risky, riders must keep a clear buffer zone downwind when attempting to jump.
Board grabs are tricks performed while a rider is jumping or has gained air from popping by grabbing the board in a number of positions with either hand. Each grab has a different name dependent on which part of the board is grabbed and with which hand it is grabbed by. Rear hand grabs are known as Crail, Indy, Trindy, Tail, Tailfish, and Stalefish; while front hand grabs are known as Slob, Mute, Seatbelt, Melon, Lien, and Nose. Names generally originate from other board sports like skateboarding and snowboarding.
A number of grabs can also be combined into one trick. A rider may perform a tail grab going to indy by moving the rear hand from the back of the board to the middle of the toe side edge.
Kitesurfers change kite size and/or line length depending on wind strength—stronger winds call for a smaller kite to prevent overpower situations. Kitesurfers will determine the wind strength using either an Anenometer or, more typically, visual clues as shown in the Beaufort Scale.
All modern kites dedicated to kitesurfing provide a "depower" option to reduce the power in the kite. By using depower, the kite's angle of attack to the wind is reduced, thereby catching less wind in the kite and reducing the power or pull.
Wind speed, rider experience and weight, board size, kite design and riding style are all interdependent and affect the choice of kite.
An experienced rider generally carries a 'quiver' of different sized kites appropriate for the wind speed range. A typical kite quiver might include 8 m², 10 m² and 12 m² traditional "C-kites". Exact kite sizes will vary depending on rider weight and desired wind ranges.
Bow kites have a wider wind range than C-kites, so two kite sizes (such as 7 m² and 12 m²) could form an effective quiver for winds ranging from 10 to 30+ knots for a 75 kg (165 lbs) rider .
Cross-shore and cross-onshore winds are the best for kiteboarding. Offshore winds pose the danger of being blown away from the shore in the event of equipment failure or loss of control. Offshore winds are suitable in a lake or when a safety boat is available, however they are generally more gusty. Direct onshore winds carry the risk of being thrown onto land, and are thus less favorable.
Any location with consistent, steady side-onshore winds (10 to 35+ knots), large open bodies of water and good launch areas is suitable for kitesurfing. Most kitesurfing takes place along ocean shores, usually off beaches, but it can also be practiced on large lakes and inlets and occasionally on rivers. Since kiteboarding relies heavily on favorable, consistent wind conditions, certain locations tend to become popular and sought out by kiteboarders.
To kitesurf, a kite, board, harness and other basic equipment is needed.
A power kite is available in two major forms: leading edge inflatables and foil kites.
Leading edge inflatable kites, known also as inflatables, LEI kites or C-kites, are typically made from ripstop polyester with an inflatable plastic bladder that spans the front edge of the kite with separate smaller bladders that are perpendicular to the main bladder to form the chord or foil of the kite[24]. The inflated bladders give the kite its shape and also keep the kite floating once dropped in the water. LEIs are the most popular choice among kitesurfers thanks to their quicker and more direct response to the rider's inputs, easy relaunchability once crashed into the water, and resilient nature. If an LEI kite hits the water or ground too hard or is subjected to substantial wave activity, bladders can burst or it can be torn apart.
In 2005 Bow kites (also known as flat LEI kites) were developed with features including a concave trailing edge, a shallower arc in planform, and frequently a bridle along the leading edge. These features allow the kite's angle of attack to be altered more and thus adjust the amount of power being generated to a much greater degree than previous LEIs. These kites can be fully depowered, which is a significant safety feature. They can also cover a wider wind range than a comparable C-shaped kite. The ability to adjust the angle of attack also makes them easier to re-launch when lying front first on the water. Bow kites are popular with riders from beginner to advanced levels. Most LEI kite manufacturers developed a variation of the bow kite by 2006.
Early bow kites had some disadvantages compared to classic LEI kites:
In 2006 second generation flat LEI kites were developed which combine near total depower and easy, safe relaunch with higher performance, no performance penalties and reduced bar pressure. Called Hybrid or SLE kites (Supported Leading Edge), these kites are suitable for both beginners and experts.
In 2008 Naish introduced another kite design, with their "Sigma Series" of kites. These kites are a SLE design and feature a unique "bird in flight" shape with the center of the kite swept back to put much of the sail area behind the tow point, which Naish claims has multiple benefits.
In 2009 the performance revolution shows no sign of slowing. Bridled designs feel more like C kites, and five-line hybrids have better depower capability than ever before.[26] There are more than thirty companies manufacturing Leading edge inflatable kites. The delta-kites are growing in popularity since 2008 with around 12 companies offering delta-kites since 2008/2009.
Foil kites are also mostly fabric (ripstop nylon) with air pockets (air cells) to provide it with lift and a fixed bridle to maintain the kite's arc-shape, similar to a paraglider. A depowerable foil kite can cover about the same wind range as two traditional C-shape LEI kite sizes, so the rider can use a smaller kite, giving a wider depower range, although the new LEI "bow" kites have a comparable wide range. Foil kites have the advantage of not needing to have bladders manually inflated, a process which, with an LEI, can take up to ten minutes. Foil kites are designed with either an open or closed cell configuration.
Open cell foils rely on a constant airflow against the inlet valves to stay inflated, but are generally impossible to relaunch if they hit the water, because they have no means of avoiding deflation, and quickly become soaked.
Closed cell foils are almost identical to open cell foils except they are equipped with inlet valves to hold air in the chambers, thus keeping the kite inflated (or, at least, making the deflation extremely slow) even once in the water. Water relaunches with closed cell foil kites are simpler; a steady tug on the power lines typically allows them to take off again. An example for a closed cell kite is the Arc Kite.
Kites come in sizes ranging from 0.7 square meters to 21 square meters, or even larger. In general, the larger the surface area, the more power the kite has. Kite power is also directly linked to speed, and smaller kites can be flown faster in stronger winds. The kite size—wind speed curve tapers off, so going to a larger kite to reach lower wind ranges becomes futile at a wind speed of around eight knots. Kites come in a variety of designs. Some kites are more rectangular in shape; others have more tapered ends; each design determines the kite's flying characteristics. 'Aspect ratio' is the ratio of span to length. High aspect ratios (ribbon-like kites) develop more power in lower wind speeds.
Seasoned kiteboarders will likely have three or more kite sizes which are needed to accommodate various wind levels, although bow kites may change this, as they present an enormous wind range; some advanced kiters use only one bow kite. Smaller kites are used by light riders, or in strong wind conditions; larger kites are used by heavier riders or in light wind conditions. Larger and smaller kiteboards have the same effect: with more available power a given rider can ride a smaller board. In general, however, most kiteboarders only need one board and one to three kites (7-12 sq m in size).
Power kites can be dangerous. Because of strong forces that can be generated by sudden wind gusts, people can be lofted, carried off, dashed against water, buildings, terrain or power lines, resulting in what's termed a "kitemare" (a portmanteau of kite and nightmare).
Most kiteboarding fatalities are the result of being lofted or dragged out of control, resulting in a collision with hard objects including sand. It is possible to be seriously injured simply by hitting the water surface at a high speed or from a height. Loftings or being lifted and blown downwind out of control often happen in excessively strong winds from squalls or storms, in what's termed a "Collard".. Lack of weather awareness and understanding figures in many of these cases. Some ideas for trying to avoid weather problems are discussed in (Kiteboarding weather planning and monitoring). Choice of inappropriate locations for kiteboarding where the wind passes over land creating wind shadow, rotor with pronounced gusts and lulls has also factored in many accidents. More about this topic is considered in (Shadow Blasted ... Flying In Dirty Air). Lack of a sufficient downwind buffer distance between the kiter and hard objects has contributed to accidents reducing the available distance and time for reaction. Drowning has been a factor in severe accidents as well and may have been avoided in some cases through the use of an appropriate flotation aid or impact vest and development of acceptable swimming skills. Solo kiteboarding has been a frequent contributing cause to accidents, kiteboarders should always kite with friends and keep an eye on one another. Adequate quality professional kiteboarding training, careful development of experience and consistent use of good judgement and safety gear should result in fewer problems in kiteboarding.
Jumping and being airborne at inappropriate places (such as shallow water or near fixed or floating objects) can be hazardous.
A surfer can get farther from shore than an easy swim, which is the primary reason kite surfing in directly offshore winds is discouraged. Marine hazards include sharks, jellyfish, sea otters, dolphins, and even crocodiles, depending on the location.
Collisions with wind surfers, other kite boarders or water craft are hazards, particularly at busy locations.
A safety knife is useful if lines become tangled and dangerous.
Some kite designs from late 2005 and onwards have included immediate and almost full depower integrated with the control bar and improved quick release mechanisms, both of which are making the sport much safer. Lack of sufficient practice of emergency depowering the kite and going out in excessively strong or unstable weather has reduced the logical benefit of these newer high depower kites.
Weather planning and awareness are key to safe kiteboarding. A number of riders have been killed in kiteboarding-related accidents since 2000 (Kitesurfing injury statistics 2000- 2003), according to a safety adviser for one of the sport's governing bodies. More information about kiteboarding fatalities, relative risk compared to other activities, trends and ideas for improved safety are considered in the 2006 article, (Kiteboarding Fatality Analysis, 2000 to July 2006).
Paying attention to the weather and staying within the limits of the riders ability will provide the safest experience. [30] One should be extra vary when you see black clouds on the horizon or cumunolimbus clouds as the wind can pick up extremely fast. [31]
Some countries have laws[32] about flying kites and being safe while flying, this also applies to kitesurfing.
Kite High Rule - A kiter who is upwind (closest to the wind) must keep their kite high to avoid their lines crossing those of downwind kiters. Similarly, the downwind kiter must keep their kite low to avoid their lines crossing upwind kites. This applies regardless of whether kiters are on the same, or opposing courses.
Clearance Rule - A kiter must have a clear safety zone of at least 50m downwind because they move downwind during a jump. A rider must also have a clear safety zone of 30m upwind to jump as his lines could touch the kite or the lines of another rider kiteboarding close by (see Kite High rule). It's important to also consider potential hazards downwind and crosswind of the rider such as people, buildings, trees and other fixed obstacles.
Kiters are also considered as sailing vessels – so some standard sailing rules apply such as:
Starboard Rule When kiters approach from opposite directions the kiter who has the wind on the starboard (right side, right leg/arm leads in direction of travel) has right of way. The kiter who has the wind on the port side (left side, left leg/arm are leads in direction of travel) shall keep out of the way of the other. In simple terms, this means "keep right" with the kiter coming in the opposite direction passing on the left.
In sailing terms, a sailor or kiter with right of way is entitled to "insist" on exercising that right (warning opposing kiters) by shouting "starboard" very clearly and in good time.
Other boating rules such as no-go zones, distance from shore and swimmers also apply.[33]
| Kiteboarding | Sailboarding | |
|---|---|---|
| Record Speed | 55.65 (WR) knots | 49.09 knots |
| Upwind Capabilities | About 70° from wind direction. The more a kite board tracks upwind, the more its leeward side must edge into the water to resist lateral drag. Upwind riders adopt a similar stance to kite fliers onshore, who slide their feet forward in the beach sand to brake the kite. The kite board's center line is way off the track line, dramatically reducing speed. | About 45° from wind direction (strong wind) depending on the skills of the rider. The sail board's center line runs virtually parallel to the track line, as most lateral forces are encountered by the tail fin and little edging is required. Because of this, upwind courses are the fastest (strong wind) courses for a sail board. Fastest speeds are achieved at an ~90° angle to the wind. |
| Physical Strain on Rider | The traction force of the kite is partly transferred to the rider via the harness loop attached to the harness hook. When "hooked in" the rider uses muscle strength to steer the kite and control the kite power by pushing the bar in and out. When "unhooked" the rider steers the kite using their arms with no depower, which can be very strenuous. | Windsurfing without a harness requires a lot of physical effort, especially in strong wind. With a harness, recovering from a fall or when maneuvering (jibing, tacking) the rider needs to detach the harness completely from the sail, which means that both traction and steering forces are to be countered solely by the rider's muscle. Hooking into the harness again requires additional muscle effort. For jibing maneuvers, muscle effort diminishes as the rider becomes more skilled in maintaining board speed in the jibe. |
| Fall Recovery | The kite is fairly easy to keep flying during a fall, with 'Hindenburgs' being rather exceptional. The rider can be pulled out of the water by the lift forces of the kite when it is overhead. The kite power can be regulated by changing the angle of attack of the kite. | In light winds, the rider needs to get on the board and uphauling (pulling) the sail out of the water. In stronger winds, uphauling requires a good balance. Advanced riders can also 'water start' the board in stronger winds. This means positioning the board-sail combination through swim-tugging into the right wind angle, turning the sail out of the water to let it catch wind, pulling the body using the sail and arm muscles out of the water onto the board, and effecting a final pull to hook back into the harness. |
| Changing Wind Sides | Twin tip kiteboards are designed to be bidirectional. If the rider wants to change direction relative to the wind the kite must be turned, while the feet can be kept in the footstraps. Falling into the water is not major problem, as riders can quickly and fairly effortlessly do a water start by using the kite to pull them out of the water. | Like a sailboat, the rider has the choice between tacking or jibing. At high winds the only option to turn without stopping is to (carve) jibe, which is a maneuver that may require years of training for it to be performed with a low fall risk. |
| Jumping | Kitesurfers can use their kite to jump without requiring a waves to launch. Jumping is relatively easy but can be hazardous. | The rider needs and uses forward speed and a (relatively large) wave as a jumping ramp to get airborne. The sail serves to stabilize the jump. Because of its technical complexity and the required conditions, jumping (and thus 'air time') is the reserve and privilege of experienced riders. Jumping is usually practices some distance offshore so object collision (except with other riders) is rare in case of a 'wipe out'. |
| Aerobatics | Most aerobatics and tricks (tail grab, barrel roll etc.) can be executed without the rider having to control the airfoil's position relative to the wind. Therefore, executing tricks is only marginally different from executing them suspended by the harness (e.g. from the a ceiling) on shore. Beginners may start attempting some basic tricks after the first few weeks or even days. | With most aerobatics the airfoil's wind position tends to change dramatically which, depending on the figure, has to be encountered or stimulated by the rider. Each figure has its own ideal airfoil movement. With some aerobatics like the barrel roll, the rider needs to jump sufficiently high to allow the full length of the mast to rotate forward underneath. Often the risks to the rider of having fast moving and relatively heavy (board + mast + sail) gear so close by are substantial. None of this is similar to any action onshore, and therefore the learning curve is very shallow. As acrobatics are considerably more complicated than jumping (which is a feat on itself), they can only be performed by the most expert riders, and thus command huge respect within the sail boarding community. |
| Clearance | Clearance of at least 50 meters upwind (from any object) and 30 meters downwind (from another kitesurfer) is required. | Since there are no kite lines, no upwind clearance is required from any object. The windsurfer and other vessels should stay clear downwind from a kite surfer. Windsurfers do not need to worry about 'rotor' or strong wind gusts due to zero clearance and because windsurfers can stop almost immediately: Riders not wearing a harness can depower the sail instantly by releasing the back hand or letting the mast fall on water, thus they do not need to worry about losing control and hitting hard objects or other water-goers. |
| Learning Curve | Handling the kite can largely be taught on shore, as kite boarding is a form of kiting. On the water, there is relatively little 'punishment' for falling (the kite, especially the newest models, is normally always aloft to pull the rider out of the water, with little effort) and the steering maneuvers (changing wind sides) are relatively easy, even with strong wind. This makes for a fairly steep learning curve. | Handling of the airfoil (sail) is learned mostly on the water with some dry practice for beginners. Advanced high wind techniques (e.g. water start) can only be learned in deep water. Consequences for falling are moderate, as the rider needs to either water start or uphaul the sail standing on the board, which takes physical strength and balance. Water starting is an advanced technique that takes many heavy wind hours to master. At the same time, the risk of falling is relatively high (experts will still have a considerable fall rate in carve jibes). This 'double whammy' makes the learning curve for windsurfing shallow, with considerable 'down time' for beginning riders. |
| Equipment Safety | In case of material failure or accidents, normal kitesurfing equipment offers limited rescue possibilities. Kitesurfers can perform a self rescue and use their kite to sail back to shore. The last option for the rider is to abandon the kite and kiteboard swim to shore. | Any sail board will allow the rider to keep the body sufficiently out of the water to postpone or avoid hypothermia. Smaller boards may require that the mast be detached, to avoid sinking. Thus, as a rule, a rider should never abandon the board.
Windsurfing equipment is inherently safe in high winds against tea bagging or collisions due to loss of control: In case of too strong wind, the rider can depower the sail instantly by letting go with the back hand or letting the sail drop on water. Doing so (or falling) means that the board stops almost immediately as the sail will act as a floating anchor in water. |
| Equipment Transport | A kite and kiteboard will fit in most vehicles. An average rider may need two to three kites and one board to ride in a wide range of wind strength. | The sail board and sail mast (even telescopic) do not fit in most vehicles, and need to be transported on a roof rack or trailer. If they do, they will often exclude passengers from the vehicle. Several different sails and boards (and often masts and booms) are necessary to cover the full range of rideable conditions. |
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