How Kitesurfing Works

To kitesurf, you're going to need some basic equipment, including a board, kite, control bar and harness. Let's take a look at how to choose each piece of equipment.

Board: When selecting a kitesurfing board, you'll want to take into account your skill level, the wind speed at your kitesurfing destination and your body weight. If you're a beginner kitesurfer, you'll want a long and wide board. The bigger the board, the easier it will be for you to sharpen your kitesurfing skills. A large board will allow you to use a smaller and more manageable kite. It'll also stay afloat longer if you make a mistake or lose kite power. Additionally, bigger boards can stay afloat in lower winds and will help you to learn to go upwind more easily.

If you're a more advanced kitesurfer, you can use a smaller board, which will enable you to harness more kite power to jump and perform tricks. In general, boards for advanced kitesurfers feature concave bottoms and step tips, which will help you to ride with more power and perform tricks. Although kitesurfing boards for advanced riders look similar to wakeboards, they have different rocker systems and are flatter and ride the edge more than traditional wakeboards.

Kitesurfing boards feature bindings that will help you remain stable on the board. These sandal-like straps make it easy for you to attach and detach the binding, which will come in handy when you do off-board tricks.

Control Bar: The control bar is attached to the lines that lead to your kite. You hold onto the bar, and by pulling on its ends, you can steer the kite. Because they must be very strong so that you can control the power of the wind, control bars are usually heavier than water and thus have floats attached to them so that they don't sink.

Harness: The harness attaches to the control bar. The harness allows the surfer to do tricks and jumps while staying attached to the kite. While waist harnesses are most popular among advanced kite surfers, seat and vest harnesses give beginner kitesurfers more protection from impact and can serve as flotation devices. In addition to allowing you to do tricks, the harness also helps to redistribute the stress of the kite's force. Instead of concentrating all of the force of the kite on your arms, the harness helps spread out some of the pressure of the kite's force to the rest of your body.

On the next page, we'll take a look at how to choose a kite.

To kitesurf, you'll need a traction or power kite, a large controllable kite that can generate pull when flying. When selecting a kite, you should take into consideration the following factors:

Kitesurfing kites are divided into two types: leading edge inflatable kites and foil kites. Leading edge inflatable kites, also known as LEIs or C-kites, are great for beginner kitesurfers because they're stable and easy to fly. LEI kites are made from ripstop nylon and have inflatable plastic chambers that run across the front of the kite. Smaller chambers running perpendicular to the main chamber give the kite its crescent moon shape and allow it to float in the water. LEI kites can be relaunched from the water, and you can easily slow down the kite when needed. Inflatable kites use either two or four lines so that you can increase and decrease the wind power while surfing. Two-line kites are easier to use and provide more stability, while four-line kites increase your performance ability. LEI kites are the most popular type of kite for kitesurfing.

A foil kite is made of ripstop nylon and has air pockets that give it lift and provide it with its arc shape. Foil kites come in open- or closed-cell forms. Open-cell foils require constant airflow to stay inflated, and you can't relaunch them if they hit the water. Closed-cell foils are just like open-cell foils except that they have an inner valve to hold air, which keeps the kite inflated even when it's in the water. Thus, closed-cell foils are a little easier to launch in the water.

You're all geared up and ready to go. But what principles of physics allow that kite to propel you through the air? Read on to learn about the physics of kitesurfing.

To understand the physics of kitesurfing, you first have to understand how a kite works and some basic principles of aerodynamics. A kite flies, in accordance with Newton's laws of motion, as a result of the forces being applied to it. Since a kite is heavier than air, it needs the motion of the wind to generate the aerodynamic forces of lift and drag. The movement of the air flowing past the kite creates drag, while the lift is the movement perpendicular to the wind. The interaction of these forces determines how well the kite will fly. The ratio of lift to drag and the stability of the kite are tied to the length of the line; that is, the more line is released, the more drag is created.

To launch a kite, you need to create a lift force that is greater than the weight of the kite. The lifting force of a kite is created by the deflection of air downward; the change in the kite's momentum produces an upward force because the air traveling over the top of the kite is going faster than the air that's passing underneath. This fast-moving air produces less pressure, and because there's less pressure beneath the kite, it's forced upward.

The velocity of the air blowing at the kite is the most important factor in determining the size of the lift. If you face the kite with the wind at your back, the wind provides relative velocity to lift the kite. Standing still, a kite will usually fly without much additional motion on your part because wind velocity increases with altitude. In general, a wind speed of 10 to 18 knots is ideal for practicing kitesurfing.

Once a kite is launched, it will remain at an altitude in which all of the forces are balanced. If you pull on the kite's line, you can increase the velocity of the kite and thus increase its lift. This is how movement is achieved in kitesurfing. By using your weight to pull the kite, you increase the speed at which the kite moves.

In order to increase or decrease your speed while kitesurfing, you have to change the position of the kite. When the kite is overhead, it's in the neutral position and not providing any pulling force. When the kite is toward the water in front of the body, an area called the power zone, the wind blowing horizontally catches the kite, and pulling force is created. When the kite is in the power zone, three degrees of power can be achieved. For minimum power, lower your kite and hold it in a constant position. For medium power, steer deeper toward the horizon and turn back and upward repeatedly. For maximum power, steer even deeper.

Now that you know the physics of kitesurfing, let's take a look at how to launch your kite and some tricks and jumps you can perform on the water.

First things first, you have to launch your kite. You shouldn't try to launch near people, and beginners should launch from the beach before heading out to the ocean. After you've got all of your gear together, you should make sure your kite's lines are flat and stretched out. If you're using an inflatable kite, you should begin inflating a few minutes before you intend to launch. Next, head to the edge of the water. Once you're about a foot into the ocean, have a spotter hold your kite handle and strap your feet onto your board.

Once you're in the water, you have to know how to control your kite. You should start on your back in the water with your board in front of you and the kite floating in the air above you. As your kite gains power, you'll be pulled forward out of the water. Pull the kite into the maximum power zone to gain some momentum and push off into the water. In order to turn your board, put the kite in the neutral position and use your control bar to turn the kite in the opposite direction.

After you've mastered these basics of kitesurfing, it's time to try some tricks and jumps. In order to jump, you first dive the kite down to make your board move quickly. Then, in a very quick motion, move the kite upward and backward to about an 85-degree vertical angle. Next, bend your knees and edge over quickly on your board's rail (the edge of your board). When the kite begins pulling you, release the rail and jump. While you're airborne, place your feet back on the board in front of you and then move the kite forward so that you'll maintain momentum when you land.

Most kitesurfing tricks are borrowed from skateboarding and wakeboarding. Here are a few of the most popular kitesurfing tricks:

You've got the tricks down, so now you'll learn how to keep it safe while you're kitesurfing.

In addition to the equipment we discussed on the previous pages, it's a good idea to invest in some safety gear, including a life vest, head, knee and elbow protection and an emergency line-cutting knife.

It's also useful to know some basics about water sports before trying kitesurfing. For instance, basic water skiing and wakeboarding skills will help you get a feel for how to be towed by your kite. Also, windsurfing skills will teach you to estimate how much wind you'll need to perform a trick or jump. If you have no previous experience with kitesurfing or water sports, take a few lessons.

Many beginning kitesurfers have accidents as a result of miscalculating distances or wind speeds. An instructor certified by the International Kiteboarding Organization can provide you with the tips necessary to avoid rookie mistakes.

Always kitesurf in areas that are designated for the sport. Avoid shallow water and locations with buildings or power lines nearby. Be sure to take a look at the weather report before you set out; you don't want to be caught in a storm out on the water.

Lastly, it's important to be a strong swimmer. If your kite flies away from you, you might have to swim to find the control bar or even swim back to shore. Although a life vest is a valuable tool, nothing beats strong swimming skills. On a related note, you shouldn't kitesurf alone. You should always have somebody to act as your spotter.

For more information on cool water sports, check out the links on the next page.