Keeping safe while Kite surfing

Kite surfing is a very rewarding and adrenaline pumping sport for the thrill seekers. Normally the venue for kite boarding or kite surfing would be around water, but these days kites are being used for land boarding, jumping, kayaking, skateboarding as well as for kite buggying and snow kiting. The lovers of kites have literally taken their kites to almost all imaginable venues and adapted it to various styles to suit the kind of activity they are interested in. Today the sport has become a mainstream sport, with quite a few school starting up that teach the to-be surfers the art and science of kiting safely.

 Kite surfing is, by far, the most popular version of sports using kites for propulsion. Where these kites centurty and putting the kite to the better use of carrying riders around started during the 1970’s and later, with an estimated population of kitesurfers of somewhere around 200,000 by 2006.

 There is no denying the fact that like most thrill sports kite boarding is a dangerous sport, if practiced without caution. Needless to say, recent innovations in the design and regulations and rules being put in place by authorities are helping keep the surfers safe, but it is upon the individual to make sure that they do no put themselves in the way of harm, courtesy of their negligence.

Here are a few pointers that should always be kept in mind before you start putting up your rig:

Mind the wind

It is a basic rule of finding the right spot for kite surfing that the wind should never be either direct on-shore or off-shore. Off shore can take you out in to the open sea and drop you in the middle of nowhere, unless you have a boat out there somewhere to rescue you. On-shore winds, on the other hand, have the danger of banging you in to the rocks or trees on the beach. The best wind is a steady side-onshore wind. Even though it is possible to get a launch in winds as slow as 5 Knotts and possible to kite surf in winds as strong as 50 Knotts, the 30 Knotts mark is considered to be optimal.

Heed the warnings

At some locations kite surfing has been banned by the authorities, on occasions because the surfers in the area are not properly organized. Once they organize themselves and start to follow proper guidelines, these bans are normally lifted. Make sure there is no such restriction where you plan to do surfing, beforehand.

Another credible source of good advice is your fellow surfers. Always respect the well- intended warning or suggestion and avoid putting yourself at risk. If someone tells you that the conditions are not very good for boarding, or a tip on the type of kite that would suit the conditions better, do consider the advice.

Watch the weather carefully

Kite surfing depends on wind, but to keep the sport enjoyable and avoid unnecessary risks, make sure you keep an eye out for any sudden change in the conditions and avoid violent weather and gusty conditions. If at anytime, you are not sure that you can manage the wind or unsure about your equipment, stop immediately.

Use proper safety gear

Put on appropriate gear before going kite surfing like a wet suit, water boots, helmet, impact vest etc and make sure that your emergency dead man release switch is working perfectly. Never fly without a functioning safety release system.

A few Don’ts

1. While launching yourself, make sure you do not go upwind of hard objects like rock or trees as well as people.
2. Don’t go near power lines or airports etc.
3. Do not land in a crowded area or beach.
4. Do not surf in off shore winds and make sure there is an appropriate location for you to land downwind from your point of launch.
5. Don’t surf near crowds. While flying, the lines can cut, therefore, try to get out of the crowd and get to an uncrowded part of the beach.
6. Try to avoid getting lofted, especially on land as it is much more dangerous than getting lofted in the water.  While you are stationary keep the kite at the edge of the wind window and close to the surface. In case of a gust, chances are you will get dragged rather than thrown up. Be clear about the procedure you will have to follow to detach yourself from the kite in case you do get hit by a wind gust to keep the dragging to a minimum as well.
Kite surfing requires the surfer to be fully focused, and alive to his/her surrounding as well as the conditions. Just like driving, when you start off, it is a good idea to get a lesson or two and also just lie driving, never drink and fly…..Stay safe and enjoy!