Kite Surfing

What began as an extreme sport during the 1980’s, kite surfing has become a leisure sport for thousands. The number of daredevils who took on this sport has increased to hundreds of thousands in 2005, from just under a thousand before the new millennium. In European countries the sport is also known as fly-surfing or kite-boarding.

Basically the principle of kite surfing is quite simple. The kite fixed on some means of transport, typically a surfboard, utilizes wind power to propel itself forward.  Hence it is considered as a hybrid sport between surfing and kiting. The surfer may stand or sit on the board and maneuvers the kite so as to reach very high speeds and do acrobatic stunts by powering himself into the air. There are many moves that can be performed such as jumping, looping and jibing. Jumping 10-20 feet into the air can be easily achieved with moderate practice. Skills such as jibing and looping require some practice. Doing kite surfing will improve surfing skills of the person.

Another popular sport related to kite surfing is kite-skiing. The difference being that instead of surf board the kite is fixed on a snowboard. It is also finding new thrill seekers. In short, any object that is able to move outdoors, can utilize the power of kite for propulsion and made into an adventure sport.

Kite that are used for kite surfing are of large size. They are commonly known as power kites and come in mainly three types. First one is framed kites. Framed kites have a graphite or fiberglass edge. This gives the kite some rigidity and helps to keep the kite’s highly aerodynamic shape in high winds. Framed kites are however difficult to launch in low wind conditions.

Next most popular ones are the inflatable kites. They have air filled columns at its edge instead of fiberglass. These inflatable cavities maintain the shape of the kite. They can be launched easily in moderate wind conditions, but low winds can make the launch unsuccessful.

The third is aerofoil kite. Aerofoil kites are very popular. It has no framework structure and is very light. Wind acting on the foil brings it to shape. They are rather easy to become skilled at and are easier to launch. They have valves fitted in it to release air should any spills occur.

Kites used for kite surfing come as 2-lined or 4-lined. They come with single control bar or may have more than one. The choice between a 2-line or 4-lined kite depends on the expertise of the kite surfer in controlling the wings. Professional kite surfers use 4-lined kites, as this gives them greater flexibility in handling the kite. But they can sometimes tangle and has trouble deploying. 4-line kites can be used to achieve incredible acrobatic feats.

Surfers should consider current conditions, water depth, land and water formations before venturing into the sea. Kite surfing can at times be a very dangerous sport. Many have drowned in this sport and it does pay well to be cautious. Surfers travel round the world in search of surfing hotspots. Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Cape Town attract lot of surfers all year round