Learn About the Extreme Sport Kitesurfing

In kiteboarding or kitesurfing, a large power kite is used to propel a rider across a body of water or a snowy expanse. Skateboarding, snowboarding, and wakeboarding are all incorporated into this unique sport. Kiteboarding is one of the more affordable and convenient sailing sports.

The sport gained a wider audience in the late 1990s and became mainstream at the turn of the century after some concepts emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s and some designs were successfully tested. There are competitions for freestyle, wave riding, and racing. Until the arrival of the Vestas Sailrocket, the sport’s record for speed sailing was held by the 55.65 kn (103.06 km/h) Vestas Sailrocket. There are approximately 1.5 million kitesurfers in the world, and the industry sells between 100,000 and 150,000 kites each year on average.

The majority of power kites are leading edge inflatable kites, though foil kites do exist. They are connected to a control bar and a harness by about 20 meters (66 feet) of flying lines. It is common for kitesurfers to ride on directional surfboards or “twin-tip” boards (similar to wakeboards), as well as foilboards. In temperatures ranging from the mild to the cold, they’re more likely to don a wetsuit. Injury and death rates were high in the sport’s early years, but these have declined thanks to improved safety gear and training.

What Kiteboarding Equipment Do You Require?

What Kiteboarding Equipment Do You Require?

Kitesurfing would not be possible without the equipment that we use. We’ll go over the various kinds of kites, harnesses, boards, and other equipment one might use in this section. Continue reading to learn more about the gear that kitesurfers use to soar through the air and defy the elements!

Kite

The primary means by which you will be propelled through the water is by using a kite. It is best to go with a large kite that is easy to control, rather than a smaller kite that is difficult to control.

Kiteboard

In order to kitesurf, you’ll need a kiteboard. Kiteboards come in many varieties, including twin-tip, light-wind, directional, and foil. Kiteboards come in all shapes and sizes, but the most common are twin-tips, which are ideal for a wide range of disciplines.

Life Jacket

Even if you are an experienced swimmer, you should wear a lightweight life jacket when kitesurfing.

Helmet

Helmets are designed to keep your head safe from things like high winds and falling objects. Kitesurfing necessitates the use of a helmet that is completely waterproof.

Ropes and a Controller

Kitesurfing requires a minimum of four or five ropes to link you to the kite and to your control device. It’s best if you have water-resistant kitesurfing ropes on hand.

Harness

A body harness connects your torso to the control device and relieves the strain on your arms.

Different ways to kitesurf

Freestyle kitesurfing

There are many different ways to do kitesurfing. Some riders like to ride big kites with small twin tip boards to jump off waves and do board offs. Other riders like to ride small kites with a surfboard and play in the waves. Not only that, but there are also people who like to ride hydrofoil boards up and down the coasts, and some people like to get together in groups and go on downwinders along the coast of Brazil, for example.

In kitesurfing, there are many different ways to show who you are. However, the different styles can be put into two main groups: old school and new school. One is more easygoing, while the other is more extreme and radical. On top of these different riding styles, there are also different types of riding, such as:

  • Freeride: This style of kitesurfing is the most popular because it’s the most natural way to get better once you’re an advanced kiter. Freeriding is all about having fun on the water without limits, doing tricks while you’re flying, exploring coastlines all over the world, and looping around.
  • Freestyle: Freestyle is another popular style, but it’s not for everyone because you have to work hard to get better, go bigger, learn unhooked tricks, and kite loop yourself into zero gravity for a moment. This style is often used in competitions all over the world.
  • Wave Riding: This style is for people who like carving a board in the waves to get a feeling similar to tow-in surfing. The kiter catches the wave and rides it all the way down with the help of the kite’s pull. Most of the time, a directional board is used with this style (with or without foot straps).
  • Hydrofoil: The latest trend in kitesurfing, hydrofoil uses a board mounted on a mast with a wing underneath that lets the rider hover on the water. The feeling is kind of like riding a magic carpet! When there isn’t much wind, hydrofoil is a great alternative.

These are just four of the most popular ways to ride a kiteboard, but there are many more. Some people like wakestyle, racing, speed riding, etc.

Kitesurfing Requires Certain Weather Conditions

Kitesuring

Kitesurfing is a sport in which the gear you use is extremely important. As with a kite flying in the absence of wind, a car without fuel will not go very far. Kitesurfing relies heavily on the weather, which is why we’ll examine what it takes to get out there and try it for ourselves.

The Elements 

Kitesurfing is a sport that relies heavily on wind and water. The wind will propel your kite, and the water’s surface will allow you to float effortlessly.

Wind

So, first and foremost, let’s discuss the wind! The wind often goes unnoticed by mortals in their daily routines. For kitesurfers, however, even the slightest movement of a tree branch or the whistling of a breeze is enough to make us want to rush out of the office and head to the beach.

Moving air molecules are what we call wind. The sun’s uneven heating of Earth’s surface causes it to form. Thermal winds or trade winds can form depending on the land and water surfaces exposed to the sun. People use speed and direction to describe the wind. On-shore, off-shore, and sideshore are all terms used to describe the direction and speed of the wind (basically).

The size of the kite you choose depends on the strength of the wind: the smaller the kite, the more powerful the wind; the larger the kite, the less powerful the wind.

The weather is closely linked to the wind. Kitesurfers, more than any other sport, benefit greatly from being able to decipher weather forecasts and what’s going on in the sky above them.

Volatile weather conditions in some locations can bring strong winds or low winds, gusty winds or even a weather system that completely halts the wind in other locations. While kitesurfing, you can use this information to forecast the future and stay safe.

Water

Infinite possibilities abound for kitesurfers on any large body of water. Lakes, lagoons, rivers, and oceans are all viable options, as are swimming pools, as demonstrated by professional rider and daredevil Nick Jacobsen.

It is possible to encounter a variety of water conditions depending on the location you’re visiting. For newcomers, flat water is the best choice because it’s the easiest to get the hang of sailing.

When you’ve done enough flat water riding, you start to enjoy the extra challenge that choppy and wavy waters provide! Kitesurfers use their directional boards to ride the waves in choppy water, while people who enjoy hopping and jumping can do so in rough water.

Conclusion

Using your entire body while kitesurfing is good for your health because you use your legs to control your board and push against the power of the kite while your torso, especially your abs and arms, are used to hold on to the kite and keep your balance.

In comparison to other water sports, kitesurfing’s equipment is much easier to transport because even the largest kites can be packed up into a rucksack, and the boards are short, ranging from 120 to 150cm in length. Once you buy the equipment, there is nothing else to pay for—the wind is free!!—making the sport relatively inexpensive overall.