Kiteboarding Victoria

Kiteboarding is an extremely diverse sport, with many disciplines and ability levels. As with all sports, there can be certain inherent risks. Safe Practice is the knowledge and exercise of the safety aspects of the sport.

This section summarises the most important points of both the rules and commonsense guidelines for ensuring the safety of kiters and spectators.

We acknowledge Cabrinha Kites and have used some information on safety from Cabrinha publications.

Safe practice - general

Recommended procedures

General Safety Overview

Be aware of wind and water conditions at all times, and do not attempt to operate in conditions outside of your own capabilities. When in doubt play it safe.

General rule is to avoid sailing further from shore than you are able to swim back in an emergency.

Be familiar with the set up and use of the supplied security systems. Also learn the different self-rescue methods (eg. Using the kite to get you back to shore when lines break, packing the kite and paddling to shore in the event of a ripped kite).

Always use your kite with a security system (eg: safety-leash). See the information article on the use of a safety leash.

Always ensure that your flying lines, safety systems, kite, board, etc. are all rigged properly according to the supplied instructions and are in working order (see the informatio article on Kite Care). Avoid using any incompatible safety components.

Always secure your kite when inflated but not in use (with sand or with something heavy and non-abrasive); the more weight the better An inflatable power kite may still fly, even without a rider, so be mindful of the safety of those around you. Your kite may cause serious injury or death if it launches unexpectedly.

Never permanently attach yourself to this kite, the control bar, or lines.

Never use the kite as a flying device.

Never touch the kite lines while under tension; do not catch the kite using these lines.

Do not lend your gear to someone who has not been fully instructed on the use of inflatable kites.

Final check your gear before launchoing or going on the water.

Do not solicit the help of the public or anyone other than an experienced kiteboarder in launching and landing your kite. You could be liable for the serious injury or death of a person who is unaware of the risks of assisting you.

Wind, Water and Weather Conditions

Do not underestimate the power of the wind - do not overestime your ability - both vary!

Be on the alert for unpredictable and changing weather conditions.

Avoid "offshore" wind conditions and use extreme caution in "onshore" wind conditions.

Avoid strong, gusty wind.

Be aware of wave conditions, especially when learning.

Be educated about tides and rip currents. Ask locals about conditions which may not be visible.

Be mindful of your ability level - Do not kiteboard if conditions are beyond your ability level.

Safety is nothing to be embarrassed about - what is embarrassing is hitting the beach, a pier, or trees etc - and you may not be lucky enough to just suffer embarrassment.

Be educated about air and water temperatures and wear appropriate protection against the elements.

Do not use your kite in thunderstorms. Watch for incoming weather fronts.

Consult an anemometer to determine wind speeds if necessary.

When choosing a kite size, use your personal experience and always refer to the riders on the water for a size reference. Dont hesitate to ask other riders.

Do not use an oversized kite. Consult your kite manufacturer Wind Range Chart for the correct recommended size. Use your common sense. If in doubt about what kite size to use, choose smaller rather than bigger. These general guidelines are purely for reference only. Your body weight, ability level, water conditions, and board size will also affect kite selection.

Know Your Own Ability

Do not attempt kiteboarding without appropriate instruction.

Practice flying a small, traction kite or a "trainer kite" before flying your kite. The more time spent on the "trainer kite", the safer and the faster you will learn.

Do not kite alone. Launch, land, and ride together with a partner or have someone on shore who can keep an eye on you.

Make sure you are in good physical condition before using your kite. Make sure you are a proficient swimmer before using your kite in or near the water. A helmet and a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) ares always a good idea - they will provide some "impact" protection as well.

Make sure the wind and water conditions are within your ability level and that you have made the correct equipment choices.

Never kiteboard further from shore than you are able to swim back. Always save a reserve of energy; end your kiteboarding session before you are exhausted.

Make sure you’ve done your homework and that you know the safety precautions of all aspects of the sport: launching, landing, flying, riding, kiting among other water users, self rescuing, etc.

Understand the technique of self-rescue before using your kite in or near the water.

Never let someone who is not familiar with inflatable kites launch, catch, or use your kite. You will endanger them, as well as yourself and those around you. You are responsible for the safe operation of your kite and for the safety of those around you.

Observe local laws and regulations regarding your kite and the usage area.

Talk to the local riders about the weather conditions and beach rules. Check your area thoroughly before launching your kite.

Be especially aware of your downwind area.

Be mindful and aware of the wind direction in relation to your launch area.

Avoid crowded beaches and waterways.

Avoid launching, landing or using your kite near power lines, telephone poles, trees, people, pets, buildings, automobiles, streets, sharp objects downwind and airports.

Make sure your lines do not cross a walkway or passage. Do not let others walk between you and your kite.

Make sure you have considerable space in which to launch, land, and use your kite without endangering yourself or others. As a rough guideline you should have a minimum of at least your line length plus 10 meters of space on both sides and downwind of you. If you are not very experienced then make sure that you have even more space and launch away from bathers and other kiters.

When sailing, avoid areas with rocks, sand-banks, and/or shallow or exposed reefs.

Be careful and mindful of other water users, including windsurfers, boaters, jetskiers, swimmers, floating objects, etc.

Before launching, make sure you have scouted a safe landing area, in case you do not make it back to your launch spot.

CLEAR - a good summary

Tuning Your Kite

Proper tuning of your kite is essential for best performance. A properly tuned kite increases its efficiency, speed, and allows the kite to de-power correctly.

The following guidelines will help you to properly tune the kite to suit your style of riding. While originally written for pre-2006 models, this note applies generally to the current kite models as well.

All models have a desired sweet spot that is achieved by the correct tension of the steering (back) and de-power (front) lines. Fine-tuning of the kite may be done by making small adjustments to the front and back lines - the actual method will depend however on your kite and incorporated tuning mechanisms.

Do not ‘over sheet’ the kite. The first objective is to set the kite’s maximum power while allowing it to fly efficiently across the sky. More power and quicker turning is achieved by tensioning the steering (back) lines. This is called ‘sheeting in the kite’. There is however, a point of diminishing returns. Too much back line tension will depower the kite, cause it to fly slowly across the sky and not allow it to fly to the edge of the power window. Be aware of and try to recognise these symptoms.

With the kite directly overhead, hook into the harness loop and fully sheet in (power up) the kite. Observe the angle of the wingtips in relation to the other inflated battens. A common tuning position for the older "C" kites is achieved when the wing tips are parallel to the inflated battens and the steering (back) lines are taut. If the wing tips are flared outward at the = leading edge the kite will be over sheeted.

De-power the kite by tensioning the (front) lines until the desired effect is achieved. The more you pull on the (front) lines the less power the kite will have.

Check your lines regularly to ensure that each set of lines (front and training edge) are roughly the same length. if you are using a rig that has different length front and rear lines then at least make sure that the lines of each set are matched for length, and that the front and rear sets are the appropriate relative length to allow safe depower.

Setting up (rigging) your kite

Setting up your kite involves inflating the kite, securing it while you set up the lines, attaching the lines and then checking the setup so that it is ready for a safe launch. Some beaches have a designated area for setup - if not then choose an area that is as free as possible of beach-goers and obstacles - a deserted part of the beach is ideal.

Inflating the kite

With your back to the wind, lie the kite on its back (struts upward allowing access to the inflation valves) and if necessary secure one end with sand or sandbags to make sure it is not blow away while you retrieve the pump.

Unless you have a kite with a single-point-inflation system it is usual to inflate the struts before the leading edge. The inflation order is essentially unimportant as long as the struts are all inflated to the same pressure. Some kiters even prefer to have the central struts slightly under-inflated.

Make sure each valve is closed and that the velcro strip is also secured across the valve-cap. - This will prevent the valve inadvertently opening if the kite hits the water.

Now inflate the leading edge bladder - as this will cause the kite to take its characteristic curved profile, it is necessary to ensure that the kite is now secured to prevent it lifting and dislodging sandbags etc - it is usual to secure the kite to the pump using a pump-leash connected to a leading edge loop which is expressly for this purpose.

Once the leading edge has been pumped to the desired pressure, close and secure the inflation valve.
Then turn the kite over and secure it with the leading-edge into the wind - see "Securing you kite" below.

Setting up the lines

There are two main line setup methods (upwind setup and downwind setup) and countless variations (including cross-wind setup) - here we describe the principle that applies to all. The key point in setting up the lines is to ensure that the lines are not tangled with each other before they are attached to the kite. Some kiting manuals recommend first untangling the outer lines and then repeating the procedure to untangle the inner lines - you should do whatever gives you the best assurance of untangled lines.

Unwind the lines a meter or two and secure the ends with some sand or a sandbag - dont tie them to anything as untangling them requires the ends to be free.

Walk away from the ends while unwinding the lines until they are completely unwound from the bar.
Face the kite and lie the bar in on the ground - some kites have color-coded bars and matching coloured lines so if you have one of these then generally the left side of the bar is the yellow or red side and the right side is the black one.

Still facing the kite step over the bar towards the kite - Separate the lines and place your feet on either side of the two center lines (or three if you are using a five-line rig).

With the left hand pick up the left outer line and with the right hand pick up the right outer line. Some kiters also prefer to now pick up the center lines as well (left center line in left hand, etc) to make untangling a bit easier.

Now walk towards the kite running the lines through your hands and separating the lines as you progress.
When you reach the end of the lines, place each on the ground. Before doing so you can also lift the line and gently tension it to check that it runs directly to the control bar without any other lines crossing it.

Connect each line to the kite.

Checking the setup

You can never be too sure - walk back to the control bar and pick it up - pull gently to straighten the lines, place the bar back on the ground and then re-walk the lines to make sure there are no tangles. When in doubt ask another kiter to check the lines for you - there is no shame in being safe.

Setup hint: When the kite is in its secured position with the leading edge into the wind, the leading-edge (front) connections to the kite are generally closer to the center of the kite than the trailing-edge (rear) connections - they are "inside" of the outer rear line connections - this is a useful way to remember "what goes where":

The leading edge lines are the ones that connect the leading edge of the kite to the control cable which passes through the center of the control bar - they are sometime referred to as the "center lines".

The training-edge lines are the ones that connect the back of the kite's wingtips to the ends of the control bar - they are sometimes referred to as the "steering lines", "back lines" or "outer lines".

When correctly connected and you are standing at the control bar facing the kite, the lines should radiate out from the bar towards the kite in the following order:

fifth line (if you have one)

You will also have one final chance for checking the lines as part of the launch procedure.

Securing your kite

Never leave an inflated kite unattended on the beach for a long period of time. Winds may shift or change and the kite may become unsecured and fly off.

Always secure your kite with sand, using more weight than you think you need. An unsecured kite on the loose is dangerous.

Never secure your kite with rocks or sharp objects (including your board); they will compromise the life of the kite. If you do not have a sandy beach launch, consider sand bags.

Do not leave an inflated kite (secured or not), directly exposed to the wind for any length of time. This allows the trailing edge to flutter excessively, which can damage the kite. If you must leave the kite exposed to the wind on the beach, place sufficient amounts of sand between each strut and near the trailing edge to minimise or stop the fluttering. If possible, leave the kite in a shaded area.

Keep in mind other beach users and make sure your kite and lines will not be a danger to others.
Wind your lines onto the bar when you are not kiting. This will keep the beach free of lines and will prevent other beach users from becoming tangled in your equipment.

Connecting to your kite

The general guideline is to be attached to the kite when launching - this allows you to control the power and steering of the kite and prevents loss of control which may have disastrous consequences for anyone in the vicinity.

As there are obvious potential dangers in being attached to the kite if launched into the power zone or if the lines are tangled etc you need to be familiar with the various safety devices, make sure they are correctly deployed as part of your attach procedure, and be ready to use them if required.

Your attach procedure should also include moving to the pre-launch position before giving any launch signals or attempting to self-launch the kite.

When in doubt, watch how others go through this procedure - ask and learn.

Launching your kite - partnered

Before launching, re-familiarise yourself with your kite's safety systems in the event that you must engage them. Make sure you have them properly set up. Discuss the launch procedure with your launch partner. Finally check your lines, your gear, and your launching and landing sites; if all is okay, you are ready to launch your kite.

Choose an area where you have sufficient space to your left and right and especially downwind of you.

Make sure your partner understands the signals you will use for launching, retaining hold of the kite (while you do a final line check, etc) or returning it to a secured position - see the recommended procedure below.

Move to an appropriate cross-wind position relative to the kite - DO NOT REMAIN DIRECTLY OR PARTIALLY UPWIND OF THE KITE ! The kite will launch with too much power and you will endanger the lives of yourself and those around you if you launch in this manner. Basically, if the wind is at your back, and straight downwind is at a 180°, then you should position yourself at about a 100° off the wind, either to the left or to the right of you (at the outer edge of the dark grey areas in the diagram below, kite is in the center).

The closer the kite is positioned to the edge of the wind window (neutral zone) when you launch, the less power it will have when it goes up, and the safer your launch will be.

When ready to launch you should signal your partner appropriately - your partner should simply release hold on the kite and allow you to fly it upwards.

Your partner should not throw the kite into the air. Instruct him/her against doing this before you launch. When the kite is thrown into the air, it hinders the ability of the kite to launch properly and it may either launch too abruptly and powerfully or it may not launch at all. It is a very dangerous way to launch. d

Once your partner lets go of the kite, have him/her move upwind of you and out of your way but watch you in case you need to land the kite again for any reason.

Recommended kite launch procedure

The following steps and concepts are recommended:

Before you launch, discuss and agree on clearly defined signals that you and your partner both understand. It is recommended the following be agreed:

"ok to pick up kite" - Point to the kite - your partner should not approach the kite until you are hooked on and have checked all safety systems.

"hold" - hand raised, fingers pointing up, palm towards your launch partner - this means that your launch partner should hold the kite while you adjust your harness, check lines again, etc.

"ok to launch" - Thumbs up or point up - you are ready to launch. Your partner should allow you to "fly" the kite out of his/her hold. The kite should not be thrown into the air.

"secure kite" - Thumbs down or point to the ground - something is wrong and you do not intend to launch. The kite must be returned to a secure (landed) position.

Approach your control bar and connect to it and your safety leash - check the safety systems.

When you are ready signal your partner to approach and pick up the kite into a launch position. Have your partner stand with the kite at 100° off of the wind. Your partner should hold the kite in the middle of the leading edge, with the leading edge vertical and pointing into the wind. Your partner should stand behind the kite and not to the side or in front of the kite. Also, your partner SHOULD NOT touch the bridle or flying lines.

With the control bar in your hands and at chest height, take a few steps back to take the slack out of the flying lines. Check that the front and back lines are correctly connected, not tangled, and free of any obstructions on the beach.

If you are satisfied that you are ready to launch then signal your partner to let go of your kite. It is important that your partner lets you steer the kite out of his/her hands.

If you are not satisfied with the condition of the kite and or lines, then signal your partner to secure the kite.
Make sure you launch slowly and safely, and launch the kite at an angle, not downwind. Slowly steer the kite into the neutral position. Do this by slowly pulling toward you on the side of the bar attached to high side of kite.

Do not make any abrupt motions. The slower you steer the kite into the neutral position, the safer and the more in control you will be.

With the kite in neutral position and the wind at your back, walk slowly to your board and the water’s edge, keeping a constant check on kite. You should know what it is doing at all times.

If anything goes wrong with the launch, you should be ready to depower the kite using whatever safety system you are using.

WARNING: The more wind there is during your launch, the faster everything will happen. That is why it is important that you launch the kite slowly and safely.

Self-launching your kite

Self launching should not be viewed as a show of proficiency - it is merely a convenient way to launch when others are busy or no launch partner is available. Self-launching, especially on a crowded beach, should be avoided if there are others about who are able to assist you.

Bow kite owners tend to self-launch by pulling the kite into a slightly downwind position and then causing it to gently flip - in strong winds this is dangerous and the old-fashioned "sand launch" is recommended as described below.

Once you have thoroughly checked your lines, your gear, and your launching and landing sites, you are ready to set your kite up for self-launch.

Turn the kite upside down (struts upward) and hold (tightly onto one wingtip allowing the other wingtip to move directly downwind of you.

Place the wingtip on the ground and fold it over onto the kite. Make the fold at the first strut. Weigh this wing tip down heavily with sand or sand bags.

Make sure that the flying lines and bridles are free and will not catch on the struts or any other obstacles when you self-launch.

Quickly walk back to your bar, walking upwind and staying free of the kite lines.

Before self-launching, re-familiarise yourself with your safety systems in the event that you must engage them.

Make sure you have them properly set up. Also check the vicinity to make sure that you are clear of any beach-goers, spectators, obstacles etc.

Check to make sure your lines are connected properly and are not twisted or crossed. This is especially important in a self-launch situation as twisted lines could cause the kite to be overpowered and drag you into a dangerous situation.

Move to your launch position - this should be cross-wind of the kite (see diagram above). NEVER TRY TO SELF-LAUNCH FROM A POSITION DIRECTLY OR PARTIALLY UPWIND OF A KITE.

Attach yourself to the control bar and your safety leash.

With the control bar in both hands and at chest height, take a few steps back to take the slack out of the flying lines. Before pulling more on the lines to release the sand or sand-bags make a final check to ensure the lines are not twisted.

Pull gently but steadily to raise the unsecured wingtip of the kite - this will cause the kite to power up and eventually release the sand or sand bags from the secured wing tip of the kite.

Slowly steer the kite into a neutral position pulling toward you on the side of the bar attached to high side of kite. DO NOT make any abrupt motions. The slower you steer the kite into the neutral position, the safer and the more in control you will be.

With the kite in neutral position and the wind at your back, walk slowly to the water’s edge, keeping in constant check with the kite. You should know what it is doing at all times.

If anything goes wrong with the launch, you should be ready to first utilise whatever safety systems you have that will depower the kite.

Landing your kite - partnered

Prior to launching, make sure your partner has been instructed on how to land your kite properly. Also, you should always determine and agree on adequate landing spots and signals before you launch your kite.

Make sure that when you are heading toward shore, that your landing location is still safe, un-crowded and un-obstructed.

Never land your kite over, on top of, or near others, especially if they are downwind of you. You should have an area clear of people, pets, power lines, trees, and other obstructions.

As you approach shore, keep your kite low near the water, at the edge of the power window.

Drop down (or step) off your board or even body drag the final distance to shore. Do not approach the shoreline with speed.

Slowly steer your kite into the wind and to your partner. Your partner should be on the windward side of your kite as he/she approaches it.

Once the kite is nearly touching the ground, your partner should grab the kite at the middle of the leading edge strut. He/she should grab the kite in the same position the kite as when it was launched. Your partner should AVOID grabbing the kite by either wing tip or the trailing edge of the kite. Grabbing the kite by the wing tip or the trailing edge will often cause it to flip or spin out of control.

Your partner should not grab the kite bridles or flying lines.

Once your partner has the kite’s leading edge, he/she should walk the kite away from the water’s edge to an agreed secure location. Your partner must either continue to hold the kite until you can take it over, or he/she may secure the kite by turning it over, with the struts down and the leading edge pointed into the wind, and securing it with sand or sand bags.

Once on land, with your kite secured, you may wind up your lines.

Self-landing your kite

Self-landing should not be viewed as a show of proficiency - it is merely a convenient way to land when others are busy or no landing partner is available. Self-landing, especially on a crowded beach, should be avoided if there are others about who are able to assist you.

Self-landing your kite involves flying the kite towards the ground and at the last moment depowering it while simultaneously pulling on the center line that is higher off the ground so as to flip the kite towards you into a landed position (leading edge in to the wind).

This is difficult to describe in writing so the best advice is watch and learn - practice with a more experienced kiter to instruct you and correct your technique.

Self-landing is also more difficult in stronger wind conditions.

if you are kiting alone (which is generally a no-no) and you need to land your kite, the safest is to:

Depower it as much as possible using your control bar and depower straps.

Make sure your safety leash is correctly fastened.

Let go of the bar and deploy the chicken-loop quick-release mechanism (or simply unhook). Warning: If you unhook or deploy the chicken loop release and dont let go of the control bar, the kite will power up fully - this could be extremely dangerous.

Now you can rely on your safety-leash to hold the kite while it settles to the ground.

Once it is down, loop the line, to which the safety-leash is attached, through your harness hook and "walk yourself along the line" to the kite taking in the slack as you move.

It is important to use the tension-reducing action of hooking it through the harness hook to prevent the lines cutting your hands if the kite gets caught in a gust before you have reached it and secured it.

Other Safety Notes

The following are some general notes on safety - they are based on learnings from the many kiting incidents (kitemares) and emphasise different safety aspects of the sport

LOFTING (being lifted by gusts) - The ability to depower more modern kites has made this less of an issue however it can still be experienced in conditions where strong updrafts or sudden gusts are experienced and is extremely dangerous when experienced on land while launching or landing your kite.

Being lofted means you are in the air and instantly drift downwind. If the updraft is caused by a large object (embankment, walls, etc) then you will most likely be headed for that object. Steering the kite is an option but will not stop the downwind drift and requires extreme presence of mind in a situation that takes only seconds to develop into one of danger for the kiter and possibly any bystanders.

Kiters should:

Avoid launching and landing near objects likely to cause updrafts - remember that the stronger the wind the more distance from the object is required as the updraft area increases with wind speed.

Make sure your safety leash is correctly fastened. If you feel there is any possibility of being lofted then relase your kite. Sooner is better than later - once you are airborne releasing your kite may drop you onto rocks etc.

Avoid keeping your kite at twelve-o-clock in the wind window - if there is any updraft danger keep the kite as low and as close to the edge of the wind window as possible.

Maintain awareness of the prevaling conditions - watch for the signs - squalls and gusts usually cause noticeable areas of white-caps on the water, sudden fluttering of flags, tree movement, sand movement on the beach etc.

Kiteboarding Safe Practice

Kiteboarding is an extremely diverse sport, with many disciplines and ability levels. As with all sports, there can be certain inherent risks. Safe Practice is the knowledge and exercise of the safety aspects of the sport.