KITE SURFING

 

 

 

            

 

Kitesurfing or kiteboarding is a surface water sport

 combining aspects of wakeboarding, windsurfing,

 surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one

 extreme sport. A kitesurfer or kiteboarder

harnesses the power of the wind with a large

 controllable power kite to be propelled across

 the water on a kiteboard similar to a wakeboard

or a small surfboard, with or without foot-straps

 or bindings.

 

 

 The terms kiteboarding and kitesurfing are

interchangeable, although kiteboarding may also

 refer to kite landboarding or kite snowboarding.

 

 

 

The patent covers, specifically, a water sport using

 a floating board of a surf board type where a pilot

 standing up on it is pulled by a wind catching

 device of a parachute type tied to his harness

 on a trapeze type belt. Although this patent did

 not result in any commercial interest, Gijsbertus

Adrianus Panhuise could be considered as the

originator of KiteSurfing.

 

 

Used kites of increased size to propel carts

on land and ships on the water, using a

 four-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.^[4] The

 intention was to establish kitepower as an

 alternative to horsepower, partly to avoid the

 hated "horse tax" that was levied at that time.^[5]

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^[6]

 

 

 Kitesurfing became a mainstream sport with the

 entry of key windsurfing manufacturers namely

Naish and Neil Pryde. Single direction boards

derived from windsurfing and surfing designs

became the dominant form of kiteboard. From 2001

 onwards, twin-tip bi-directional boards became

 more popular for most flat water riders, with

 directional boards still in use for

 surf conditions.

 

 

Kitesurfing in Boracay, Philippines

 

 

Kiteboarding can pose hazards to surfers, beachgoers,

 bystanders and others on the water. Many problems

 and dangers that may be encountered while learning

kiting can be avoided or minimized by taking professional

 instruction through lesson centres. Kitesurfing schools

 provide courses and lessons to teach skills including

 kite launching, flying, landing, usage of the bar, lines

 and safety devices.

 

 

A beginner can turn by stopping or sinking backwards

 into the water,and then turning the kite in the opposites

direction and starting again. A 'heel turn jibe' is a

 quicker,and 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 semi circle, centered on the kite. As the turn

 ends, the kite is flown over to be in front of the

surfer again.

 

 

The more a kite board tracks upwind, the more

its leeward side must edge into the water to resist

 lateral drag. Upwind riders adopt a similar stance

kite fliers onshore, who slide their feet forward in the

beach sand to brake the kite. The kite board's

 center line is way off the track line, dramatically

 reducing speed.

 

 

The traction force of the kite is partly transferred

to the rider via the harness loop attached to the

 harness hook. When "hooked in" the rider uses muscle

 strength to steer the kite and control the kite power

 by pushing the bar in and out. When "unhooked" the

rider steers the kite using their arms with no depower,

which can be very strenuous.

 

 

 

Twin tip kiteboards (the majority of kiteboards) are

designed to be bidirectional. If the rider wants to start

 the next tack only the kite's sailing direction must

be reversed. The "stern" of the board now becomes

 the "bow", so the feet can be kept in the footstraps.

Since the windward edge of the board doesn't change

 sides, the terms "jibing" or "tacking" are somewhat

 of a misnomer.

 

 

Handling the kite can be largely taught on shore,

as kite boarding evolved from beach kiting. On the

water, recovery from falling is relatively easy (the kites,

 especially the newest models, stay normally aloft to

 pull the rider out of the water, with little effort) as is

 changing tacks, even in strong wind.

 

 

A kite and kiteboard will fit in most vehicles. An average

 rider may need two to three kites and one board to

ride in a wide range of wind strength.