As with any other sport, if you don’t follow
the basic safety rules and do not take the
necessary precautions, injuries can happen.
Professional kiteboarding equipment offers
several safety releases, which can be used
to kill power in case of emergency. The
freedom that kiteboarding provides, while
simultaneously having the ability to be safe
and effortless, allows you to ride in most
large bodies of water that have a steady
breeze. Similar to sailing, you can go any
direction you want except directly into the
wind.
If you want to go upwind you can tack
back and forth at about a 45-degree angle
to the wind. With today’s technology and
kite design knowledge, it is possible to ride
a wing (kiteboard) with only fi ve knots (9.3
kph or 5.8 mph) of wind. This debunks the
myth that kiteboarders need strong winds
to fl y kites.
Kiteboarding does not have a steep
learning curve as one might suspect.
One of the biggest mistakes anyone can
make is trying to teach themselves how to
kiteboard.
“An instructor is there to teach you the
basics and help you build confi dence for
future tricks, challenges and maneuvers,”
explained McClearon. “Learning to ride
a kite upwind and downwind takes, on
average, somewhere between fi ve and
15 days, depending on the depth of the
water.”
Kitesurfi ng is increasingly gaining
popularity in inland locations. Land kiting
and snow kiting offer diverse landscapes
and opportunities for kiters. In the early
stages, it is always good to have people
around to help you, but as you progress
you can rest assured that you will be able to
launch and land the kite on your own.
Kiteboarding benefi ts every individual
differently and provides physical, mental
and social benefi ts to all surfers from the
novice to the pro, the young and old, the
thrill seekers and sightseers, but mostly to
those who believe they can touch the sky
and try to fl y.
34 GASPARILLA MAGAZINE • January/February • 2022