![]() Releasing an edge and riding downwind towards the kite subtracts massively from the kite's power and helps control board speed as well.įoil kite - Foil kites have no inflatable bladders like the more standard LEI kites, instead being composed of square cells of fabric that trap air and inflate the kite. Edging in wakeboarding is used for steering the board whereas in kiteboarding not only does edging steer the kiteboard, but it is essential for controlling the kite and board speed. Because kite boards have a small rocker, a deep edge can allow the board to act as a large low drag fin. Kiteboard fins are generally much smaller, and are used to create extra leverage as the board drives through the water, but are not essential. ![]() Kiteboards actually combine both functions, as the bottom of the kiteboard lifts the rider and steers simultaneously. While windsurf boards have daggerboards and/or skegs to steer the board upwind, lift and planing is provided by the board itself. Edging is one of the fundamental skills of kitesurfing, and is one of the major ways kiteboarding is different from windsurfing or wakeboarding. Learning to edge properly is critical for tacking upwind. Used to control the direction of travel and regulating power in the kite. Coordination with a pick-up or drop-off vehicle is required to prevent getting stranded far downwind of one's starting point.Įdge - Creating by tilting the kiteboard with its edge into the water. When an individual is facing downwind, the wind is at their back.ĭownwinder - A great day out where a kitesurfer goes on a long journey downwind, with no concern for riding upwind. Most new kites can be depowered to practically zero power, giving them a huge wind range.ĭownwind - The direction the wind is blowing towards, or to leeward. Depowerability makes a kitesurfing kite much more safe and easy to handle. Most kites and control bars now allow a rider to rig a kite for a number of different power levels before launching, in addition to powering the kite up and down "on the fly" by moving the bar closer and further away. Strong coffee is almost always advised.ĭepower - The ability to reduce the kite's power, or pull, generally done by adjusting the angle of attack of the kite. Because the one way valves trap the air in the kite, a closed cell foil will hold air when crashed in the water, allowing for it to be relaunched.ĭawn patrol - An early morning session. The chicken loop is used to attach the control bar to the harness so the kitesurfer can produce tension in the lines, utilizing their entire body weight instead of purely arm strength.Ĭlosed cell foil - A closed cell foil has screens in the air cells that let air in, but does not let it escape. In more recent years, a fifth line has been added to many designs for better depower and relaunch.Ĭhicken loop - A rubber loop attached to the middle line which has been fed through the control bar. It gets its characteristic shape from its lines, which are attached at the four corners of the kite. The shape of the kite lends itself to near 100% depower and high efficiency, resulting in a huge wind range.Ĭ-kite - The C- kite is the original kitesurfing kite shape, having square corners and pronounced wingtips that form a deep C-shaped arc when flying. ![]() It later becomes an essential skill for recovering lost kiteboards while in the water.īoost - To send the kite, generally steering the kite overhead aggressively, causing the rider to become airborne.īow kite - Bow kites have a flat profile, supported through the use of a bridle system. This is an early step in the learning process, and is recommended before even trying to use a board. diving the kite, riding the kiteboard faster, or riding at a greater angle into the wind).īody dragging - Body dragging involves being pulled through the water without a kiteboard. Increasing power from the kite effectively involves generating increased apparent wind (e.g. As the kite is highly steerable, apparent wind can vary widely depending on how the kite is being flown. When kitesurfing in a straight line, the kite's apparent wind is a combination of not only the wind speed, but the speed of the kite and rider over the surface of the water. Air Time Kite is also the name of our go-to company for kite repair and bladder and valve replacement.Īpparent wind - In plain speak, apparent wind is the kite's speed relative to the surrounding air. Pioneers of the style include Toby Braeuer and Aaron Johnson.Īir time - The amount of time spent in the air while jumping, air time also commonly referred to as "hang time". Air Style - Often referred to as "old school", Air Style is making a resurgence, focusing on hangtime, style, sliding, variation, flying, and most importantly, the show.
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