Kiteboarding is relatively new and requires you to be able to safely ride.
Avoid common mistakes so you can enjoy your time on the water. These mistakes do not just happen to beginners, intermediate and advanced riders make them all the time.
1. Kiting Without Assessing The Conditions
Always ask local kiteboarders or the local kite center about safety rules before you arrive at a new spot.
You should be aware that there might be a no-kitesurf zone and other dangers.
2. Don’t Forget Tangle Checks
Never connect your front lines to your kite without making sure your bridles don’t get tangled.
Always double-check your lines before launching.
3. Keep Your Fingers On The Bar Before You Launch
Keep your bar in one hand, but someone will flip your kite to help you launch.
Keep your bar in place until your kite is fully turned over. Then, untwist your lines so that you are ready to launch.
4. Setting The Bar High When You Launch
When you launch, don’t pull the bar too hard.
Before you launch safely, ensure that you lean forward and bend your shoulders toward the bar.
5. Goofing Around While Ready For Take-Off
When you are ready to launch your kite, stop screaming and making strange faces.
To launch the kite, you should raise your thumb to an international symbol
6. Pushing Hard
When launching someone, don’t give the kite too much push. It will just break the kite’s initial position and cause it to fall from the sky.
Simply hold the kite until the hand signal is visible and then let the kite go.
7. Landing At The Trailing Edge: Grab It
Remember to never touch or grab the trailing edge of a kite when landing with assisted support.
You can only land your kite at its leading edge.
8. When Reaching For Your Board, Don’t Depower
Most people will depower their kite completely when they kneel to reach for the board at 12 o’clock. This is a reflex that causes the kite to fall from the sky.
Keep your pressure low to reach your board.
9. Water starting near the shoreline
You should always clear some distance from the shore when you do a water start with onshore wind.
You will fall to the ground with your fins stuck in the sand.
Continue walking away, or dragging your body until you reach safety distance.
10. After landing, you must keep your feet on the ground.
Landing is not a good idea. It will make it uncomfortable for both you and anyone else who is holding your kite.
Once the helper has caught the kite, release your bar and walk toward your kite to let go of the tension.
This post was written by Aaron McClearnon, Owner of Elite Watersports. At Elite Watersports, We strive to provide exceptional service and genuine interactions with those interested in kiteboarding lessons. We hold dear our passion for being out on the water and maintain this as our foundation for all business practices.
