| The Chinese are credited with using kites for propulsion in the 13th century.[3]
In the 1800s George Pocock used kites of increased size to propel carts on land and ships on the water, using a 4-line control system - the same system in common use today. Both carts and boats were able to turn and sail upwind. The kites could be flown for sustained periods.[3] The intention was to establish kitepower as an alternative to horsepower, partly to avoid the hated "horse tax" that was levied at that time.[4] In 1903, aviation pioneer Samuel Cody developed "man-lifting kites" and succeeded in crossing the English channel in a small collapsible canvas boat powered by a kite[5]
In the late 1970s the development of Kevlar then Spectra flying lines and more controllable kites with improved efficiency contributed to practical kite traction. In 1978, Ian Day's "FlexiFoil" kite-powered Tornado catamaran exceeded 40 km/h.
Through the 1980s there were sporadic and occasionally successful attempts to combine kites with canoes, ice skates, snow skis,[2] water skis and roller skates.
Through out the 70s and early 80s Dieter Strasilla from Germany developed parachute-skiing and later perfected a kiteskiing system using self made paragliders and a ball-socket swivel allowing the pilot to kitesail upwind and uphill but also to take off into the air at will[6]. Strasilla and his friend Andrea Kuhn/Switzerland used this invention also in combination with surfboards and Skurfs, grasskies and selfmade buggies. One of his patents describes 1979 the first time an inflatable kite design for kitesurfing[7].
Two brothers, Bruno Legaignoux and Dominique Legaignoux, from the Atlantic coast of France, developed some kite designs for kitesurfing in the late 1970s early 1980s and patented a inflatable kite design in November 1984, which has since been used by many companies to develop their own products.
In 1990, practical kite buggying was pioneered by Peter Lynn at Argyle Park in Ashburton, New Zealand. Lynn coupled a three-wheeled buggy with a forerunner of the modern parafoil kite. Kite buggying proved to be very popular worldwide, with over 14,000 buggies sold up to 1999.
The development of modern day kitesurfing by the Roeselers in the USA and the Legaignoux in France carried on in parallel to buggying. Bill Roeseler, a Boeing aerodynamicist, and his son Corey Roeseler patented the "KiteSki" system which consisted of water skis powered by a two line delta style kite controlled via a bar mounted combined winch/brake. The KiteSki was commercially available in 1994. The kite had a rudimentary water launch capability and could go upwind. In 1995, Corey Roeseler visited Peter Lynn at New Zealand's Lake Clearwater in the Ashburton Alpine Lakes area, demonstrating speed, balance and upwind angle on his 'ski'. In the late 1990s, Corey's ski evolved to a single board similar to a surfboard.[4]
In 1996 Laird Hamilton and Manu Bertin were instrumental in demonstrating and popularising kitesurfing off the Hawaiian coast of Maui.
In 1997 the Legaignoux brothers developed and sold the breakthrough "Wipika" kite design which had a structure of preformed inflatable tubes and a simple bridle system to the wingtips, both of which greatly assisted water re-launch. Bruno Legaignoux has continued to improve kite designs, including developing the bow kite design, which has been licensed to many kite manufacturers.
In 1997, specialist kiteboards were developed by Raphaël Salles and Laurent Ness. By 1998 kitesurfing had become a mainstream sport, and several schools were teaching kitesurfing. The first competition was held on Maui in September 1998 and won by Flash Austin.[4]
By 1999 single direction boards derived from windsurfing and surfing designs became the dominant form of kiteboard. From 2001 onwards, wakeboard style bi-directional boards became more popular.
[edit] Speed records
The current speed record over a 500 meter (1,640 ft) course, held by Alexandre Caizergues, is 88.7 kilometers per hour (47.92 knots). Sjoukje Bredenkamp from South Africa holds the female record at 42.35 knots.[8]
An unofficial speed record of 50.9 knots over a 500 meter course was achieved by Tilmann Heinig on January 26, 2008. [9]
[edit] Techniques
This article or section contains instructions, advice, or how-to content.
The purpose of Wikipedia is to present facts, not to teach subject matter. Please help improve this article by removing or rewriting the how-to content, which may qualify for a move to Wikiversity, http://www.wikihow.com/, or http://howto.wikia.com/.
[edit] Learning and training
Kiteboarding sometimes can pose hazards to kitesurfers, beachgoers, bystanders and others on the water. Many problems and dangers that may be encountered while learning kiting (some of which may not be immediately obvious) can be avoided or minimized by taking professional instruction through lesson centers.
Kitesurfing schools provide courses and lessons to teach various skills including kite launching, flying, landing, usage of the bar, lines and safety devices. The usage of kitesurfing equipment can be misunderstood, so it is essential for beginners to take instructions from a certified kitesurfing instructor. There are 100% dedicated kite centers that focus on jetski assisted instruction to maximize the effectiveness of lessons[10]. A good course should include basic kite setup, operation, maintenance, kite size and type considerations, and operation of all safety systems. It could also include weather planning and hazards, launch area selection, body dragging upwind to avoid board leash use, solo launching and landing, emergency landing, self rescue, safety gear, kite tuning, water starting and how to stay upwind while riding.
An early learning technique is to fly a small kite on a beach to learn how to control the kite within the wind window.
Once good kite flying skills are obtained, the next progression is bodydragging, where a larger kite is flown and used to drag the student's body through the water. The effect is similar to bodysurfing, but with an upward lift component. Bodydragging is also a self rescue technique in the event a kiter loses their board and needs to get to the shore.
The next progression is to lie in the water and attach your feet to the board (i.e. through the foot straps) with the board downwind. The kite is then flown left and right with its pull balanced against the board's resistance by matching the pressure with alternate legs. For example, pressure on the left of the control bar is balanced against pressure applied by the left foot to the board, and vice versa.
[edit] Getting started
Kitesurfers at Slufter beach on the Maasvlakte in RotterdamYou can get started kitesurfing by investing anywhere from $1000 to $3000 (USD), depending on the quality and age of gear you choose. A kite, board, harness, bar and lines are all that's truly needed (and wind), but you may require a life-vest (PFD), wetsuit, booties, gloves, hood, a couple of kites for varying conditions, etc. To get into lessons, camps, or to get the newest gear there are state of the art kite centers like the REAL Watersports location based in Waves, North Carolina[11]. There are entry-level packages available, and now that the sport has become more popular, kitesurfers are starting to sell their used gear on-line for less than new equipment. [12]
It is important to assemble the equipment correctly. Most kites have 4 lines with the middle lines connecting to the edge that you inflate. One also needs to verify that the lines are not tangled and kite is properly positioned on the beach. [13]
A safe way to get going involves sitting or lying down with legs extended downwind in shallow water, then placing one foot then the other into the foot straps of the board while the kite is kept overhead in neutral position. Then, in a (hopefully) coordinated movement, the kite is dived toward the water into the power zone in the direction you intend to travel by pulling on the bar, generating speed and therefore lift and power in the kite, with the board initially pointing downwind. The rider is then pulled up out of the water and the board starts to plane downwind. The rider can then use their feet to steer the board across the wind and then edge into the water, which has the effect of acting like a keel. If the board is not edged into the water or a wave, the kite will pull the surfer in a powerful planing motion similar to wakeboarding.
[edit] Turning
A beginner can turn by putting the kite up into neutral, stopping, sinking backwards into the water, then turning the kite in the opposite direction and starting again. A heel turn jibe is a quicker, more skillful turn that is executed by slowing down, flattening the board, then reversing the board flat on the water by bringing the rear foot around downwind to eventually become the new leading foot. The direction of the kite is then reversed, which swings the surfer's path in a half circle, centered on the kite. As the turn ends, the kite is flown over to be in front of the surfer again.[14] Turns away from the wind steal lift.
Kite surfing off in strong onshore winds off the north shore of O‘ahu in Hawai‘i. Note the wind-surfer catching the wave breakA poorly executed turn will "fly" the surfer, and is often followed by a tumble if the surfer can't put the board down at the right angle. It is important to use safety equipment like a deadman system where the kite lines can be detached from the surfer's harness quickly because the kite can (unintentionally) power up after tumbles and pull the rider under water or against objects at uncontrollable speeds. Safety knives are a must to quickly cut lines in the event of dangerous entanglements. After a tumble, detangling and re-launching the kite can be difficult. Experienced kite surfers try to keep the kite in the air.
If the kite is only turned partially, or is not straightened at the right rate, a turning surfer can swing up and be dragged into the air by the kite, then get hurt when he recontacts the surface. Even in water, flying a power kite can be a brutal contact sport. The kite is usually 20 to 27 meters (60 to 100 ft.) in the air, and a careless turn in high winds can easily swing one five meters (two stories) into the air and down to an uncontrolled impact.
[edit] Controlled flying and jumping
JumpingControlled flying is possible and one of the biggest attractions of the sport, but more difficult and dangerous. Flying occurs when the momentum of the surfer pulls the kite. Before jumping, the surfer builds up as much tension as possible by accelerating and strongly edging the board. Then in controlled, straight flight, the kite is flown quickly (snapped) to an overhead position, usually just as the surfer goes over a wave. The kite must then be quickly turned to glide in the direction of motion, usually into the wind. A large variety of maneuvers can be performed while jumping such as rotations, taking the board off one's feet etc. Jumping has associated risks and as such riders need choose locations with suitably sized downwind clear areas usually referred to as the downwind buffer zone. Much cause for litigation has come about due to riders not exercising due care when jumping and placing the public at risk or themselves should they land on hard objects.
[edit] Board grabs
Board Grabs namesBoard grabs are common tricks performed while a rider is jumping or has gained air from popping by grabbing the board in a number of positions with either hand. Each grab has a different name dependent on which part of the board is grabbed and with which hand it is grabbed by. Rear hand grabs are known as Crail, Indy, Trindy, Tail, Tailfish and Stalefish; while front hand grabs are known as Slob, Mute, Seatbelt, Melon, Lien and Nose. Names originate from other board sports like skateboarding and snowboarding, such as Tindy and Tailfish.
A number of grabs can also be combined into one trick. A rider may perform a tail grab going to indy, where they move their rear hand from the back of the board to the middle the toe side edge.
[edit] Assessing the wind
[edit] Wind strength and kite sizes
Kitesurfers change kite size and/or line length from the harness to the kite depending on wind strength -- stronger winds call for a smaller kite to prevent overpower situations. It is important to avoid using too large a kite, particularly when you are new to the sport.
Kites come in different aspect ratios (AR). The AR refers to how much of the kite is exposed to the wind and what angle the wind takes as it passes through the kite. Newer kites also provide a "depower" option to reduce the power in the kite. By using depower, the kite's angle of attack to the wind is reduced, thereby catching less wind in the kite and reducing the power or pull.
The more optimal these factors, the lower wind speed you will be able to perform in. A 170 lb. rider will need about 8 to 10 knots sustained wind and a larger kite (16 m² or bigger). In 12 - 15 knots you can have a lot of fun by doing low jumps and freestyle maneuvers. 16 - 20 knots on a 16 square meter kite will allow you jumping high, while 20 to 24 knots might allow you to fly with the birds on a 12 square meter kite. An experienced rider generally carries a 'quiver' of different sized kites appropriate for different wind ranges. A typical kite quiver might include 9 m², 13 m² and 18 m² traditional "C-kites". Exact kite sizes will vary depending on rider weight and desired wind ranges.
Bow kites have a wider wind range than C-kites, so two kite sizes (such 7 m² and 12 m²) could form an effective quiver for winds ranging from 10 to 30+ knots for a 75 kg rider[citation needed].
[edit] Wind direction
It is generally held that kitesurfers should never venture onto the water in direct offshore winds (because of the possibility of being 'flown' out to sea) or direct onshore winds (because of the possibility of being thrown against beach objects, trees, rocks etc). There are two exceptions to riding in offshore winds. If you have someone with a boat or other watercraft which can assist you back to shore, or if you are riding on inland lakes where you'll inevitably hit the far shore eventually. Cross-shore wind directions are widely considered to be the best. Offshore winds are also generally gusty and much more difficult to kitesurf in.
[edit] Locations
Main article: Kitesurfing locations
Kitesurfing is a popular activity in Noordwijk in the Netherlands
Kitesurfer on the Columbia River
Kitesurfers wearing dry suits on Long Island in winter when the air and water temperatures are near 0 °C (32 °F)
Kitesurfing at Punta Paloma Beach, Tarifa, SpainEssentially any locale with consistent, steady side-onshore winds (10 to 35+ knots), large open bodies of water and good launch areas are suitable for kitesurfing. Most kitesurfing takes place along ocean shores, usually off beaches, but it can also be practiced on large lakes and inlets and occasionally on rivers. Since kiteboarding relies heavily on favorable, consistent wind conditions, specific geographic locations tend to become popular and sought out by experienced kiteboarders. Cape Hatteras, North Carolina has some of the most consistant and steady wind for kiteboarding. The Cabarete Bay in the Dominican Republic also has been a popular site for World Championships for years due to excellent wind conditions.[citation needed]
[edit] Restrictions
Kite surfing is restricted or banned in some locations. This is generally the result of safety and liability concerns, excessive general beach traffic and poorly organized practicing of kiteboarding. Bans have been reversed when kitesurfers have organized, prepared riding guidelines and negotiated with authorities for resumption of this sport. The primary reason why many experienced kite boarders stress safety and adequate quality professional instruction is to keep their sport from being banned or unduly restricted at their favourite location.
Not all locations will have explicit bans posted. Usually a simple warning from a park ranger, lifeguard or other official will let you know that kite surfing is not allowed. As a general rule, if you see other kiteboarders on the water, it is probably permitted. When new to an area or visiting be sure to ask about area restrictions and precautions before rigging up and riding. This simple courtesy should aid you in having a better riding session, avoid friction with locals and help to preserve kiting access for all. If riders offer suggestions, including not using a certain sized kite, relocating to a safer launch or not going out in current conditions, take what they say to heart. Ignoring well intended advice can cause unnecessary accidents and incidents.
[edit] Equipment
In order to kitesurf, several pieces of basic gear are needed. These are detailed in the following sections.
[edit] Power kites
|
