Kiteboarding Sailing Rules

When you are sailing on your board you and your rig are considered to be a sailing vessel. As such, some important sailing rules apply...

Familiarize yourself with some of the most important rules below so there will be no hesitation in applying them when a possible confrontation arises.

• General Rules
• Starboard Rule
• Kite-High Rule
• Other Kiting Rules

• As a general rule, power gives way to sail. Kiters should however be reasonable; don’t expect large, less manoeuvrable vessels to give way. For the sake of safety, all small craft should give large vessels a wide berth.
• Within the sailing world, less manoevrable vessels have right of way over kiters. Again for the sake of safety kiters should keep clear of all other vessels.
• In a head-on approach to another kiter or any other vessel, always alter course to the right (starboard), never to the left (port). See the "starboard rule" below for the standard rule that applies to vessels under wind power.

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When two sailing vessels are approaching one another, and at risk of collision, one of them shall keep out of the way of the other as follows:

• When each has the wind on a different side, the kiter who has the wind on the port (ie left side, where left leg/arm are leading in the direction of travel) side shall keep out of the way of the other. This is commonly known as the Starboard Rule. The kiter who has the wind on the starboard (ie right side, where right leg/arm are leading in the direction of travel) has right of way.
• In sailing terms, a sailor or kiter with right of way is entitled to "insist" on exercising that right (warning opposing kiters) by shouting "starboard" very clearly and in good time.

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• A kiter who is upwind (closest to the wind) must keep their kite hign in the wind window so as to avoid their lines crossing those of a kiter who is downwind of them. Similarly, the downwind kiter must keep their kite lower in the wind window so as to avoid their lines crossing the upwind kite. This applies regardless of whether the kiters are on the same, or opposing courses.

• In sailing, a vessel which is to windward (upwind) shall keep out of the way of the vessel which is to leeward. That is, the boat closest to the wind keeps out of the way of the other as the upwind vessel may "steal" the wind of the leeward vessel which would then be unable to manoever.
  This is however not practically applicable to kiting as the upwind kiter may not have the ability to keep out of the way. In kiting therefore it is recommended that both kiters use reason to avoid any tangles - this reason can be applied by either kiter reversing direction of travel, applying the kite high rule, etc.

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According to the IKO site the following are also valid kiting rules:

• The outgoing rider has right of way over the incoming rider: the wind is sometimes gusty on land. The rider who is on the beach is the one more at risk, so he has the priority.

• The rider going faster than another in the same direction must give way to the slowest rider: the one going faster is the one who has a global vision of the situation since he arrives from behind.
  

• The rider surfing a wave has the right of way over the one who is jumping or going in the opposite direction: when surfing a wave, the kite is less easy to pilot so there is less room for maneuvers. Nevertheless, the rule for the outgoing rider is applicable when the waves are close to the shore (shore break). In this case, the rider who is surfing will have to give way to the rider who is going out.

• A rider must have a clear safety zone of 50m downwind because he moves downwind when he jumps: a rider must have a clear safety zone of 30m upwind to jump because the lines could touch the kite of the lines of another rider kiteboarding close by.

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