Looking to try out a new outdoor hobby this year? Learning how to kitesurf is a popular, beginner-friendly option for those who are up for the challenge and love being on the water.
People of all skill levels can take up kitesurfing as a new hobby. All you need is the right equipment and guidance from an experienced instructor. This article walks through the basics of kitesurfing for beginners, including the necessary gear, skills, and helpful tips to safely get started with this exhilarating sport.
- What Is Kitesurfing?
- How Hard Is Kitesurfing?
- Skills Needed For Kitesurfing
- Kitesurfing Equipment
- Steps On How To Kitesurf
- Kitesurfing Challenges For Beginners
- Kitesurfing Tips For Beginners
Get real-time wind conditions for your next kitesurfing session. Download iKitesurf and ride with confidence.
What Is Kitesurfing?
Kitesurfing is a thrilling water sport that combines elements of surfing and kite flying. Riders use a special kit made with a large kite on a harness to propel them forward with wind power and an attached board to glide across the water.
Unlike wavesurfing, you don’t need to find a large swell or live near the coast to go kitesurfing. Typically, a large open body of water and consistent wind gusts are the only conditions you need to take part in this outdoor hobby.
How Hard Is Kitesurfing?
Kitesurfing is somewhat challenging, though it’s a beginner-friendly sport that allows you to start with the basics and progressively develop your skills and faster speeds with the proper training. Riders need a general level of fitness to go kitesurfing. However, you don’t need to have extreme strength or be an endurance athlete to enjoy this sport.
As a newcomer, the biggest physical and technical challenges will be finding your balance and coordination using the kit and learning wind control. When comparing similar sports like windsurfing vs. kitesurfing, the latter is known for having a steeper learning curve. But, once riders learn how to control the kite and master the basics, it’s easier to become proficient in the sport and attempt more advanced tricks and jumps than with windsurfing.
Skills Needed For Kitesurfing
You don’t need to have a specific skillset before you can take up kitesurfing, aside from being a good swimmer and comfortable on the water. Over time, as you gain more experience, you’ll continue to develop and improve your kitesurfing skills like wind awareness, body positioning, and kite handling.
Again, kitesurfing isn’t only for endurance athletes, but having a certain level of fitness can help you avoid injuries and maneuver on the water more easily.
Kitesurfing Equipment
The essential gear required for kitesurfing includes:
- Kite
- Harness
- Control bar
- Board
- Safety leash
If you’re new to the sport, you can rent or purchase packages that include all the necessary equipment. Items like a helmet, wetsuit, and vest are optional accessories riders might wear for additional comfort and safety while on the water.
Keep in mind that kites and boards are available in a variety of shapes and sizes to accommodate the rider’s skill level, preferences, and wind conditions. It’s important to choose the right gear to ensure your safety. So, you may want to work with an instructor or experienced rider for the right recommendations.
Use the Tempest WEATHERmeter to track weather data like wind speed and direction on the go using your smartphone.
Steps On How To Kitesurf
So, how do you kitesurf? What are the first steps to get started? A good instructor will teach you the sport in stages, having you master the basics of kite-handling on land before getting out on the water or moving on to more advanced techniques. This approach will help you feel more confident in your abilities and ensure the safety of yourself and others.
Choose The Right Kitesurfing Gear
Selecting the proper gear is an important first step in learning how to kitesurf. Different kite sizes, boards, and harness types can have an impact on your performance, so it matters which equipment you use. If you’re receiving lessons, the instructor should have a variety of options available and help you select the right kit based on the wind conditions, your body weight, and your skill level.
It’s generally recommended for beginners to use a C-shape or inflatable kite and a twin-tip board when they’re first starting out. While opinions vary when it comes to the ideal kite size for beginners, many experts say a larger kite is better, as it’s easier to catch the wind power and get up on the board.
Learn How To Control The Kite On Land
Most instructors will have you start practicing with the kite on land before you head out on the water. Here, you’ll learn how to launch, control, and land the kite successfully in various wind conditions. During this stage, you’ll get more comfortable with harnessing wind power and adapting to changing wind strengths and directions.
Practice Body Dragging In The Water
Once you’re getting the hang of controlling the kite on land, the instructor will have you start body dragging in shallow depths. This is the phase where beginners start to gain confidence in using the kite to harness wind power and drag their bodies through the water. It’s an essential progression in learning how to kitesurf. Plus, it’s a necessary skill to know once you’re out on the open waters and need to retrieve your board or re-launch your kite after a fall.
Master The Water Start Technique
As your body-dragging and kite-controlling skills continue to progress, you’ll eventually be ready to try standing up and riding on the board. The first attempt can be a little intimidating, but this is an exciting milestone to reach in your learning journey.
For a successful water start, you’ll begin by lying in the water with your kite positioned directly above you at 12 o’clock. When you feel a pull on the harness, you’ll pull down on one side of the control bar, then the other, dipping the kite lower until there’s enough tension to attempt to stand up. Even if you only have a short ride, the goal here is to get better at successfully getting up on the board and mastering your water start technique.
Maintain Balance And Ride With Control
The final stages of learning how to kitesurf involve getting more comfortable balancing on the board and learning how to control your direction. Once you have a good balance, you can practice switching directions, shifting your weight distribution on the board and the kite’s positioning to glide back and forth across the water.
Advancing these skills will help you explore new areas on the water and be able to return back to your starting point at the end of the session.
Download the iKitesurf app for real-time wind observations to plan your kitesurfing session with optimal conditions.
Kitesurfing Challenges For Beginners
Mastering kitesurfing takes practice. With each session, it’s exciting to watch as your skills progress and you attempt more challenging techniques and tricks. That said, there are some common difficulties that newcomers face, such as:
Relaunching from the Water
Newcomers often struggle to relaunch their kite from the water after a fall. Like other kitesurfing skills, this will become easier with more practice. Remember to let go of the bar to allow the kite to gather wind power, pull on one side of the handle to turn the kite 90 degrees to the water’s surface, ease off slightly until the edge of the kite reaches the wind window, and gently raises up until you can stand up on the board.
Handling Strong Gusts
Understand that kites can generate a large amount of power, so it’s common for beginners to underestimate large gusts and get themselves into a sticky situation. If you do get caught in strong winds, stay calm, keep ahold of the bar, and maintain the kite at about 45 degrees until the gust subsides. Depower the kite if needed to prevent injuries.
Balancing on the Board
Finding your balance on the board simply takes practice. It’s a skill that develops gradually as you become more comfortable with controlling the kite and effectively using wind power. Be patient, and don’t rush the progression of your learning journey. Try to practice as much as possible to continue watching your balancing skills improve.
Learn how to read a surf report so you know when it’s the best time to head out on the water.
Kitesurfing Tips For Beginners
Everyone goes through a learning curve when first learning how to kitesurf, and you shouldn’t expect yourself to nail it on the first try. If you’re serious about learning the sport, continue to stick with it and seek lessons from a qualified instructor to help develop your skills. The following tips can help set you up for successful practice sessions.
Choose the Right Location
It will be easier to learn and practice the basics on a large and open body of flat water that has ample shallow depth to practice body dragging. After taking lessons, you may find it helpful to visit locations with fellow kitesurfers that you can observe for additional tips. Just be mindful of those near you and practice proper etiquette with the right of ways.
Check Weather Conditions
As a beginner, you’ll want to avoid going out when wind speeds are too high or when a storm is approaching to ensure your safety. Consider downloading the iKitesurf app for accurate wind forecasts to plan your kitesurfing session for the best weather.
Prioritize Safety
While it can be fun to challenge yourself when learning a new skill, make sure to stay somewhat within your comfort zone to avoid unsafe situations. Keep a safe distance to the shore, always go out with a buddy, and stay alert to changing weather conditions during a kitesurfing session.
Get Accurate Wind Readings On-The-Go With The WEATHERmeter
With an outdoor sport like kitesurfing, you’re at the mercy of the weather. Staying on top of the wind conditions in your go-to surf spot will help you plan a safe and enjoyable experience. The Tempest WEATHERmeter is a convenient handheld device that helps you monitor wind conditions on the go, with easy-to-follow readings right on your smartphone. This device, along with the iKitesurf app, will tell you when the conditions are prime for kitesurfing.