Getting Started

Welcome to the exciting world of Kite surfing!! 

We know you will enjoy our sport and we want to make things easier as well as keep you safe. As with any dangerous and physically demanding extreme sport we always recommend seeking professional assistance.  Be sure to check out our lessons page for information on schools near you.

Before you start go to the bottom and read the first definition in our glossary .

Kite Surfing is great fun, but you have to be very safety minded.

***Safety leashes and proper gear are most important, the next is knowing what you are doing!***

If your not sure email or call us and we will help, that’s what we are here for. We want you to feel that you can ask us for help.

So before you buy, understand, ask and be safe. This will save you time and money in the long run.

We do not sell kites or boards, so you get a straight forward answer as to what and where to go!

At Kite Surf the Earth, we are dedicated to teaching this exciting new sport in a manner that is both safe and fun!

Click on the links below to go to the relevant sections

What do I need?
Wind and fly the trainer kite
Set up of an inflatable kite
Self rescue
Water re-launch/self-launch
Launching
Body Dragging
Water start/steering
Going Upwind
Glossary of Terms

What you need to get started

To learn to kite surf, you will need the following:

• Trainer Kite with control boom and flying lines
• A Kite Surfing Kite
• A Control bar with a safety system for quick releases
• Control Lines
• A Kite Surfing Board
• A Kite Surfing Harness with floatation
• Helmet
• Instruction!

Flying the trainer kite?

• Connect your lines to bar and lay out.
• Lay out kite and sand it , check bridles for tangles.
• Attach a safety leash in case you let go of bar!
• Launch kite by walking straight backwards, and extend hands out to bring above your head (neutral).

FLYING THE TRAINER KITE

When you fly a kite, remember this, the kite is like a motor (creates power).The bar is like a gas pedal (the more you turn it, the more power you can get or stop). Your body and the board is the steering.

It is important the when you turn a bar that you bend your elbows
If you pull on the bar, it is like pulling on a car steering wheel, nothing happens!

You must keep your upper body still, and turn the kite gentle, as hard turns will make the kite over react.
When you turn to one side, you must pull slightly on the other hand to keep tension in the kite, that way you will maintain control and be able to turn the other way.

Practice flying the kite from 12-3,get used to the pull as well as you have to react a little ahead of the kite, as you turn or the kite will stall in the corner of the window. Smooth relaxed steering! Repeat this for the other side.

Land the kite to a friend on both sides. Take your time bringing it down from 12:00. If no one is around, bring it down close to the ground and hold it there.

If you crash the kite and relaunch it and it has a twist in it, fly the kite to Neutral. The kite will fly with a few twists in it normally. To take the twist out, keep the kite in neutral and then look directly at your bar and spin around to take the twist out - looking at the bar keeps your balance and lets the kite staying neutral with out powering up.

If you can put a harness loop on you bar for your trainer kite, this will help learning to fly hooked in. WE like to hook in with the kite in neutral, because we can take some pressure off your arms and let the kite idle.
ON A KITEBOARDING KITE, NEVER FLY IN THE KITE HOOKED IN ON LAND!

When you can fly the kite from 12-3 smoothly without stalling the kite, and 12-9 the same way, then finish by landing the kite you are ready to perform this on a kite boarding kite. The more time you put in on the trainer and get dialed in the easier it will be to do the same in the water!

Flying an inflatable kite

All the info below is to be done with 10mph wind, never attempt this is higher winds, stay under power. If you are un sure, write or call us!

SELF LAUNCH A INFLATEABLE KITE (low winds for first time)

• Pump all battens first, firm to the touch
• When pulling the pump out, squeeze the base of the valve first then take the pump out and close valve.
• Pump up the leading edge last, as the kite takes shape; hold up side down
• When holding the kite like this, this is how we always carry it.
• Turn the kite over to put down, put sand on the kite, so it cant move.
• Turn the kite over, hold by the center and go hand over hand, to the end of wing tip. When you reach the end, push the kite tip down, fold over the batten and add lots of sand so it can not move. This works for the opposite side as well.
• Next lay all of your lines out, walking away from the kite.
• Walk back from the bar, taking the twists out as you walk towards the kite.

2-line kite

• Start with the connector point from the bridle and hold it out, to make a rectangle.
• If you do not have this rectangle, you have a twist in the bridle and you must un-twist it.
• When you have the rectangle, then connect the line(the red line always goes on the left).
• Connect the other side as well after you find the rectangle.

4-line kite

• Lay all 4 lines out and separate the 2 outside line from the center lines.
• Your center lines always go to the leading edge (large bladder that goes all the way across the kite.
• The outside lines go to the trailing edge (lower edge of the kite that has no bladder.
• Double check that you have your lines straight and connected. If not ask for help or do not proceed!
• SO YOUR PRE-FLIGHT CHECKIS AS FOLLOWS:
• Firm bladders on the kite
• Both rectangles, lines connected (2 line)
• Center lines to leading edge/ outside lines to trailing edge
• Lines un-twisted
• Safety leash on!!!!!!!!
• Always check the over-all condition of your kite, lines, bar, safety leash and board leash for worn or damage.
  

SAFETY USE/SELF RESCUE

You can always let go!

At anytime you have a problem, feel un-safe or out of control, release the bar, the kite will then stop.
Always have a life jacket on when entering the water.

If you can not relaunch you kite, break a line or have a problem you can self rescue yourself.
Let go of the bar and wind up the leash line first, so the kite cannot fly. Then wrap the lines up on the bar as you make your way to the kite.
When you reach the kite, grab the wing tips, turn the kite on its side (leading edge in the direction you want to go) and make your way in.

Water re- launch/ self launch

When the kite hits the water, which ever way the leading edge is pointing turn the bar hard so to pull on the bottom line (example, the leading edge goes to the write side, pull back on right elbow, so the left side of the bar is almost pointed straight at the kite, right side is all the way back. As the kite makes its way to the outside of the window, slowly start to pull on the opposite hand.
When the wing tip is then in front of you the kite will start to rise .It is important not to over steer! Let the kite just begin to rise, it will do most of the work. Patience is the key here!

If the kite is completely up-side down, first make sure you have the bar the right way (red on your left).
Then pull the bar over your head and swim towards the kite until it rolls on its back.
As soon as it rolls, pull on the bottom line(the direction of the leading edge) and do your relaunch the same as before. The trick is to not let the kite keep rolling over, stop it as soon as its goes on its back.

FOR THE LAUNCH:

• Use the wing tip with the sand as your " runway ".
• Walk straight back from the tip, not stopping until the kite lifts off.
• Hold the kite to the edge of the window, and slowly walk to the the water, do not go to neutral, as you could be lifted, so keep the kite over the water. Once you're in the water you can go to neutral.
• UN-LESS YOU HAVE A LOT OF BEACH, DO NOT DRAG OR PRACTICE WITH THE KITE ON THE BEACH.
• NEVER JUMP ON THE BEACH!
• Do not hook in while practicing , you can not activate the safety
  

Launching

Before you launch make sure that you have setup the correct kite for the conditions. Check your launch area and make sure you have at least 2 line lengths clear of obstacles downwind. Always launch unhooked with the kite positioned towards the water. Be ready to release the bar if something goes wrong.

Here are the steps.

1. Make sure you have the safety cuff completely on your wrist. Unhook from your harness so you can release the bar and de-power the kite if necessary.

2. It is easier at first to have a helper launch the kite. Once you get comfortable launching, you can launch yourself. Your helper should be educated on how to properly help you.

3. Have your assistant stand fully behind the kite with one hand firmly on the main bladder. Be certain that they do not grasp the trailing edge or attempt to hold the kite in any other fashion.

4. Communicate clearly - Agree ahead of time on simple hand gestures to communicate that the kite is okay and the pilot is ready for the launch.

5. The assistant tilts the kite slightly skyward and releases the kite as the pilot pulls back on the control bar. It is best to not throw the kite because this creates slack in the lines and loss of control.

6. The kite should always be on the edge of the wind window and pointing towards the edge. Inflatables should always be launched on their side perpendicular to the wind direction.

7. When the pilot pulls back on the bar to launch the kite, they should steer the kite towards the edge of the wind window and slightly upward. Don't turn to aggressively and never send the kite directly through the main power of the wind (power zone).


Launching and landing your kite is when you are most likely to endanger yourself or others. Take it slow and careful, plan the process out in your mind before you launch.

Body Dragging

• Keep the kite in neutral and walk into the water.
• When the water is above your knees, lay on your stomach and begin to power the kite towards the side you want to go. If you go left, then go 12:00 -9:00, back and forth, only giving yourself enough power to drag. Constant smooth movement of the kite, just like you did on the trainer kite.
• Then bring yourself back by going to the right (12:00-3:00).When changing direction, you want to go to neutral to slow the kite down and to re-orient yourself to which direction you will head.
• When you have this down correctly, you should be able to go to the left and the right ,not straight down wind.
• The more you work the corner of the window, and do not cross 12;00 the further you will tack out to the side you wish to go.
• Once you have this down, go out and drag yourself to an open spot. Put the kite in neutral, hook in, and feel what it will be like to take your hand off the bar. Get used to this because you will need to fly the kite with one hand in order to put the board on during your water start.
  

Steering

Steering the kite should become second nature. Try to spend enough time on land so that your kite steering is done with muscle memory and you don't even have to think about the turns to execute them. Steering the kite well will make the difference between a sweet ride and short ride involving much water being forced into multiple openings on your body. The amount of steering that you do with the kite will greatly depend on the conditions. The lower the wind, the more you will be forced to steer the kite aggressively to generate enough power to stay on top of the water. The higher the wind the less you will steer the kite and can actually ride with the kite sitting out on the far edge of the wind window. The more that you move the kite or rather the longer the distance is that the kite travels the more apparent wind. As the kite picks up speed it rushes the wind over the wing and increases the amount of lift the kite has. This higher relative wind or apparent wind on the kite translates the tethered lift into more pull.

Going Upwind

The goal of every new pilot is to go upwind so that you can return to where you started and avoid the "Walk of shame". More importantly, you can get back to your car to go home. Every kite surfer out there has gotten pulled down wind and had to make the walk, so what is the secret to upwind riding? The simple answer is more kite (or more wind) and a holding a harder edge with your board. Let me explain in more detail.

The main goal of going upwind is to have enough power to keep the kite at the edge of the wind window and still be able to have enough power to ride. With a good quality board, you can then ride on the edge or rail of the board and point more upwind. As stated above, if you are underpowered, you will have to steer the kite more. Steering the kite in long strokes forces the kite slightly more in the power zone, not allowing it to fly at the edge of the window (where the angle of pull is steeper relative to true wind, meaning better upwind ability). This means that if you work the kite, you will really have to edge hard to maintain a basic side wind reach...making going upwind difficult or even impossible. The further the kite flies towards the middle of the wind window, the less upwind you can go. This is why you want to use a kite that keeps you powered up when it sits on the edge of the window. Performance varies from kite to kite and board to board, the right equipment will allow the best upwind ability, provided you can hold your edge/rail against the power.

Riding with a lot of power means using a kite that will almost lift you off the ground when overhead. Flying a kite this large through the power zone will cause you to be extremely overpowered and usually results in long drags through the water without your board on your feet. Beginners will find that it is more comfortable to start with a slightly smaller kite and a large board combination to perfect this. As you start learning to control the power, you will most likely favor a bigger kite with a smaller board combination. Now, sometimes the wind lulls out, and you have to work the kite just to stay on a plane (temporarily), but if you are continually having to work the kite, you are underpowered for the current board/kite/wind combo. Since working the kite continuously probably means no upwind ability, then that probably means the dreaded, "Walk of shame!"

Stupid- some one who thinks they know what to do, but has no clue, and then lets their ego get in the way! In kite surfing these people can easily end up getting hurt!

Cool- see stupid!

Angle of Attack - Also referred to as the AOA. AOA is the angle with which the kite flies in relation to the wind. You can usually adjust this angle from the bridle of the kite.

Angle of Incidence - Angle which the kite takes compared to the wind direction

Apparent wind (AW) - The wind felt by the kite or rider as it passes through the air. For instance, if the true wind is blowing North at 10 knots and the kite is moving West at 10 knots, the apparent wind on the kite is NW at about 14 knots. The apparent wind direction shifts towards the direction of travel as speed increases.

Aspect Ratio (AR) - The ratio of a kite calculated from it's height/width. Kites are generally referred to as having a high aspect ratio (like the Naish AR 5) or a low aspect ratio (like the Wipika Classic). AR is explained in more detail below.

Brake Lines - Refers to the lower flying lines. Generally this is when talking about a foil. Pulling tension on the brake lines while the kite is in forward motion will slow or stop the kites movement. When the kite is upside down, pulling the brake lines will cause the kite to fly in reverse.

Cells - Double skinned parafoils or foils for short are divided up into equal ribbed compartments called cells.

Chikara - A nylon based sail material that is commonly used in constructing many foil kites. It is a nylon cloth developed in conjunction with Vlieger Op (Holland) and Flexifoil International (GB).

Chord - The measurement between the leading and trailing edges on the kite. Often referred to as the chord line.

Creep - The amount a line permanently lengthens when pulled. New lines will creep until the fibers align tightly. Loosely braided line has a lot of creep, tightly braided has less, linear core line has the least. If all the lines creep evenly, it's pretty much unnoticeable. On ram-air & hybrid kites, the power lines will creep first causing the kite not fly at its optimal performance.

Cross Venting or Cross Porting - Refers to holes cut into the fabric of individual internal ribs between cells in a foil. It allows the air entering one cell to quickly flow through into the next cell to increase internal pressure.

Drift - The kites inability to keep a straight line. In buggying and kite-surfing, the sideways pressure due to the action of the wind on the sail.

Foil - A type of kite which is made up of two skins and cells which fill with air. They have no rigid framework.

Icarex - A type of polyester based fabric used especially for designing a light weight sail. There are two types of Icarex. Icarex polyester (P31/P38 - P31  being lighter) and the newer Icarex polycarbonate (PC31) which has a lower stretch rate and looks less crinkly. Icarex is much lighter and stiffer than the older nylon fabrics,

Jibe - To change your direction on a board while going downwind. This is the common way to change directions on a directional kite surfing board.

Locked in - When the kite is remaining stationary in the sky relative to the rider. Not moving the kite around in the window but just letting it fly straight in the direction of travel.

Luffing - When a kite is at the edge of the wind window and tries to fly beyond the window. The kite gets back winded or wind pressure gets behind the sail. Extreme luffing will cause the kite to fall into an uncontrollable free fall. A sail begins to luff when the air flow stalls while traveling across the sail. Luffing is a sign that the sail is not properly trimmed or that the you are trying to sail too close to the edge of the wind.

PFD - Personal flotation device, lifejacket.

Planing - In kite-surfing, it refers to having the board rises up onto the surface of the water as your speed increases. As you begin planing the pressure is decreased against the surface of the water.

Pointing - Going upwind. A board that points well is one that goes upwind at a better angle than others.

Projected Area - The apparent area of a kite while it is being flown, as opposed to lying flat on the ground. The amount of area that presents itself to the wind.

Power Zone - Is the centrally located lower portion of the wind window where the pull is strongest.

Rail - Hard rail or soft rail - The rounder the edge of the board the softer the rails are said to be. Hard rails means a sharper edge.

Rocker - The curve along the bottom of the board. The amount the nose & tail of the board are turned up. A board that is relatively flat doesn't have much rocker.

Sea breeze - The wind is blowing from the water towards land.

Sheeting - "sheeting in" and "sheeting out" come from sailing where the leading edge of the sail is fixed at the mast and the trailing edge is "sheeted in" or pulled toward the wind to increase AOA or "sheeted out" is released into the wind to decrease AOA.

Squall - A sudden intense wind storm of short duration. Squalls are often associated with an advancing cold front.

Submarine Ride - With the kite low the rider is dragged underwater on his back at an angle that makes it difficult to get his head above water. Usually ends with a kite crash and a shaken rider.

Tomb stoning - The tail of the board is diving underwater due to tension on the leash. The nose of the board sticks up out of the water and looks like a tombstone.

Thermal wind - Cold air over the ocean and warm air over the land result in a pressure differential that causes wind. Thermal winds sometimes blow at the coast when there is very little wind inland.

Trim Line or Loop - Refers primarily to 4-line inflatables & the new "parasleds" such as the Slider or the ARC. It is the line that goes from the front of the wingtips to the center of the control bar, & therefore adjusting its length adjusts the "trim" or angle of attack (AOA) of the kite. Changing this adjustment is called "sheeting" in (increasing AOA for more lift) or out (decreasing AOA for less lift).

True wind - The wind as felt by something that is not moving relative to the ground.

Twin Tip (TT)- A board that rides equally well in either direction, like a wakeboard. Usually refers to a board that is a cross between a wakeboard and a directional (wakeboards are usually just called wakeboards).


What is aspect ratio?

Aspect Ratio or AR for short is something that we hear a lot about. Aspect Ratio is defined mathematically as the span of the kite squared divided by area. In common terms, it is the amount of lift that a kite produces compared to its drag. Even easier to understand, is the kite's profile. The longer and shorter the kite the higher the aspect ratio. The shorter and taller the kite the lower the aspect ratio.

Aspect ratio, in part determines the performance characteristics of the kite. Some people believe that the higher the aspect ratio of the kite, the more performance. This can be argued in theory, but can also be misleading.

Aspect ratio is a strong determinant of the amount of drag on the wing, and the deeper the sail the more drag. This is especially true in aerodynamic theory and when dealing with an extremely efficient airfoil. Kites are not as sophisticated as a high speed airfoil, and therefore aspect ratio is not necessarily the main source of drag for kites. The flying line for example and its diameter create  far more drag and affect than aspect ratio.

Here are a few general conclusions on aspect ratio:

1. High AR is absolutely the way to go for larger kites because it increases the speed of the wing. This makes larger kites turn faster and therefore easier to control.

2. High AR for small kites is more a hindrance than a help. It can make smaller kites unstable and likely to over-fly the wind window.

For more information on any of the above please email:

paul@thekitehouse.com