The Kitesurfing Wave

Kitesurf/Kiteboarding

Kiteboard, a small composite, wooden, or foam board.
There are now several types of kiteboards: directional surf-style boards, wakeboard-style boards, hybrids which can go in either direction but are built to operate better in one of them, and skim-type boards. Some riders also use standard surfboards, or even longboards, although without footstraps much of the high-jump capability of a kite is lost. Twintip boards are the ea

siest to learn on and are by far the most popular.

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" (kite + nightmare).

Most kiteboarding fatalities are the result of being lofted or
dragged, causing the kite surfer to lose control and to be dragged or thrown against hard objects including sand and water at speed. Under certain conditions it's possible to be seriously injured simply by impact with the water surface.

To maximize safety, basic safety guidelines should always be followed, some of which follow:

Always check the weather forecast, color radar, realtime wind reports on the Internet for indications of storms/squalls and excessively gusty winds, wind direction changes and lightning hazards.

Adequate quality kiteboarding instruction by a certified
instructor is essential. You will advance more rapidly while
helping to protect your new equipment, yourself, bystanders and access to our sport. The mechanics of kiteboarding can be simplistic, they ways in which things can go wrong and readily avoided may not be obvious to new kiters.

A good course should include basic kite setup, operation,
maintenance, size considerations, various types and operation of important safety systems. It will also include weather planning and hazards, launch area selection, solo launching and landing, emergency landing, self-rescue, safety gear, tuning, water starting, how to stay upwind while riding, "rules of the road" and other essential topics.

Learning techniques include flying a small kite on a beach to learn how to control the kite within the wind window.

The next progression is to lie in the water and attach your feet to the board (i.e. through the foot loops) with the board downwind. The kite is then flown left and right with its pull balanced against the board's resistance by matching the pressure with alternate legs.

Dangers and safety
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" (kite + nightmare).

Most kiteboarding fatalities are the result of being lofted or dragged, causing the kite surfer to lose control and to be dragged or thrown against hard objects including sand and water at speed. Under certain conditions it's possible to be seriously injured simply by impact with the water surface.

Another, more subtle hazard is that at fifty km/h (a typical speed for a skillful kite surfer), one can easily get tired, and then get farther from shore than an easy swim, which is the primary reason kite surfing in directly offshore winds is discouraged. Still other general marine hazards include sharks, jellyfish, collisions with wind surfers, other kite boarders or water craft.

New kite designs have included immediate and full depower, improved quick release mechanisms, and other safety equipment which is making the sport much safer.