How to Learn Kite Surfing

Kite surfing is just one of the sports that belong to kite boarding. Kite surfing is done on water with a surf board, while snow kiting is done on snow with a snowboard or skis, and land boarding is done on land with a land board. Many people would categorize these kinds of sport as extreme because they require some level of skill and involve some level of risk. Kite surfing, however, can be safe as long as you follow the safety rules and have the right equipment.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Kite Board Control bar Harness Life vest Wetsuit Helmet

Instructions

1. Buy a trainer kite and practice. You need to develop good kite piloting skills to be a kite surfer. Trainer kites are mostly two-line foil kites that are smaller and simpler to maneuver than full-sized ones. This makes them perfect for learning basic kite control and the power zones of the wind window.

2. Practice your piloting skills on land before trying to kite surf on the water. Master turning the kite to the left and right; doing the figure eight to the left and right sides of the wind window; doing a wave pattern (up, down, up, down) while running to the left, and then to the right; making the kite hover 45 degrees at the left side of the wind window while running to the left, then reversing the action to the right; lying on the ground while the kite is hovering at the top then letting the kite dive to the left. Let yourself be lifted to a sitting position. Do the same move, this time letting the kite dive to the right. Repeat a couple of times.

3. Build up your boarding skills. Try skateboarding first to learn how to balance on a board, then move on to wake boarding.

4. Get into the water. Make sure that the wind is blowing from your back. While still on land, launch your kite then walk into waist-deep water. Attach the board leash to your harness and then let the power of the kite drag you into deeper water.

5. Control your kite to get more power to lift your board higher in the water until the board has surfaced. Staying on the board takes more practice and patience, so don't give up if you fail to get going the first few tries.

Tips & Warnings

• A complete kite surfing kit and can cost around $1,500. However, you can also try buying used equipments to cut down on expenses.
• Take lessons with a professional instructor or a kite surfing school to learn the basic safety rules and how to use your equipment properly.

References

• Beginner's guide to learning kite surfing

Resources

• BestKiteBoarding.com