Kitesurfing 101
Kitesurfing is one of the coolest sports around. Look it up and people will tell you it is considered an 'extreme sport'. It is thrilling, invigorating, refreshing, makes you feel on top of the world, but at the end of the day, if you are not prepared, it is a dangerous sport as well. New kiteboarders need to start off on the right footing when they take up the sport, and the right way is always to learn the ins and outs of the sport before jumping in, so to speak.
With Kitesurfing, it is important that before you actually go out into the ocean you know a few things about self-rescue, about the universal kitesurfer's signals, the basics of flying a kite and knowing how to use the board you will be surfing on. We can address the universal kiteboarding signals and self rescue techniques later but you should know how to control your kite as the first step.
Not having control over your kite spells disaster; you do not head out into the ocean aimlessly, so learn to maneuver your direction controls. The idea is to practice with a training kite. Training kites should be available along with the equipment where you get your gear, it is by no means cheap but kitesurfers should be able to afford it. The idea is to fly it in the wind, learn to launch a kite, fly it and control it while on the ground. After you get the hang of controlling the kite, try letting it drag you a few feet and practice. The sport of kiteboarding offers many difficult, thrilling and, incidentally, dangerous maneuvers to learn, but these simple lessons will give you something to build future learning on.
After you've learnt to control your kite, try getting the hang of your board. It always serves as a huge advantage if you have prior experience with water sports. If you have surfed before you have a base to build upon, but if you are one who has no water sport experience, try getting used to the board first. Windsurfing or wakeboarding will give you the necessary exposure before you take your flight with a kite. It can not be overstated that while the ocean is a kiteboarder’s playground, this is a dangerous sport and the best of us can find themselves in trouble when the sea gets rough or something else goes amiss, the best thing to do is to practice before you take the plunge and do it in a safe manner, at least until you have learnt to take care of yourself.
Safety is the most important part of any sport. Push the limits but do it while staying alive too. So it is best to go out of the way and learn the safety procedures before you actually go kiteboarding as well. While we will avoid getting into details, remember that if you have your kite in the air and you crashed, you can try getting back to land by approaching it at a 60 degree angle. The idea is to approach solid ground you can land on so steer clear of trees, rocks and such. If the kite crashes in the water, it is best to hang on to your board and haul the kite in so you can take your equipment and swim to shore if the wind is against your approach. If not, with the wind behind you, it is also possible to take the reins of your kite and use it as you would a sail while windsurfing. Approach the land but be sure to find a clear landing ground. In all events, it is best to take to the water after you know how to send distress signals, or to let others know of your intent through the universal kiteboarder’s signals which are really easy to learn and can save you trouble.
