Kitesurfing Top Tips

A collection of random kitesurfing tips taken from nearly 10 years of experience... Hope you find them helpful!

The Wind

• Use 'The Bay Effect' to your advantage - if you ride in a crescent bay with a cross-onshore wind, the wind will generally be stronger at the downwind end of the beach.
• Avoid large upwind and downwind obstacles, as they cause turbulence. Try to stay at least 7 times the height of an upwind object away from it and 3 times the height of a downwind object.
• Use the wind gradient to your advantage - the wind can be as much as 50% stronger 25m above you than it is at ground level - if you're overpowered, bring your kite down! If you need more power, try longer lines.
• Be sure to check the forecast before you travel, and do it on multiple sites, as weather prediction models can vary.
• Watch for big changes in the cloud formations, as they often lead to big changes in the wind

Equipment

• Dont Leave kite flapping
• Replace safety gear if possible
• Be warm!
• Insulating tape to stop elephant legs
• Light wind kites
• Light wind board
• Try lots of different gear

Safety

• Flick sand off pigtails, run sand out of pulleys
• Wash bar & depower before session
• When at a new beach, speak to some1

Kitesurfing Technique

• Look behind you before you turn... please!
• Learn how to downloop and underturn
• Most kites relaunch better without bar pulled in
• Sheet out to let the kite fly up through the window

Repair and maintenance

• stick on valves
• bladders can be repaired