F.A.Q.
Our brands
kite, kitesurf, école de kite, shop de kitesurf, vente kitesurf, achat kitesurf, cours de kite, stage kitesurf, planche de kite, aile de kite, voile kitesurf, buggy, traction, mountainboard, packs kite, néoprène, Cabrinha, Fone, Naish, Mystic, Ozone, Elliott,, Dakine, Gin, Carafino, RSC, 997 kiteboarding, HQ, Axelair, JDC Electronics, NPX, Neilpryde, Peter Lynn, Manual, Maui Magic, Ryde, Scrub, Surfactory, Zeph...Tags
kite, kitesurf, école de kite, shop de kitesurf, vente kitesurf, achat kitesurf, cours de kite, stage kitesurf, planche de kite, aile de kite, voile kitesurf, buggy, traction, mountainboard, packs kite, néoprène, Cabrinha, Fone, Naish, Mystic, Ozone, Elliott,, Dakine, Gin, Carafino, RSC, 997 kiteboarding, HQ, Axelair, JDC Electronics, NPX, Neilpryde, Peter Lynn, Manual, Maui Magic, Ryde, Scrub, Surfactory, Zeph...
Generalities, history...
- Is there a difference between "flysurfing", "kitesurfing"or "kiteboarding"?"Kitesurfing", "flysurfing" or "kiteboarding" just speak about the same subject. Using boards on water propelled by a kite.
The "flysurf" name was created in 1996/97 by Bruno Legaignoux and Manu Bertin.
They thought that the pityful french girlz and boyz wouldn't be able to spell correctly "kitesurf".
English speaking countries simply created the term "kitesurfing" that seems to be a correct description of our surf with kite amusement. Do not forget that at the very beginning most of the riders used surf type directionnal boards. Most of them came from sea and ocean users. They were either windsurfers or surfers.
In the same time, wake-boarders decided to use "kiteboard" as a good description of their way to approach this new kite propelled sport.
The use of a kite to propel a board under one's feet. Kiteskiing is somehow different because it has to be done with the use of water skis (single or combos) and is a term created by the Roeselers.
Kiteskiing dropped to reach a very marginal level now, so the term "kiteskiing" is more suitable for snow kite practice with skis. And "kitesnow" fits pretty much to describe the snowboard riders with kites. - Where can I find a kitesurf school ?Axel'Air has been providing kitesurf lessons throughout the year since 1997. See "School" section for more informations.
If you are too far from the mediterranean coast or cannot organize a trip to visit our place, search the web. You will find a large offer now. But first choose carefully your school to enjoy your learning time. - Is kitesurfing easy to learn ?Yes its quite an easy sport to learn and practice. It is much more simple than windsurfing or surfing because your balance is partly assisted by the kite which keeps you standing upright.
Some knowledge of power-kites, windsurfing, wakeboarding, snowboarding or skating may help you to learn quicker. But anybody who is in a good shape can make it with good advice in a proper school.
You will need some time to acquire the right reflexes and attitudes in piloting your kite. Let's say 6 to 12 sessions and you should be able to master totally your kite. How much just depends on the wind conditions. You should be able to control your kite from under powered to overpowered conditions.
There is also quiet a kite culture to assimilated. Preparing your material, organize your lines …
This sport doesn't need hundreds of our to have fun like other established and federalized older sports. It's rather like an adult game more than a sport in the classical media actual meaning.
Reversely, kitesurfing present sever risks of injuries. You should not learn it alone and go in a school that teach you all the right safety attitudes.
You can find some informations in the school section of this web site. - Is it possible to travel up wind ?
Yes, you can tack the wind with your kitesurfing equipment easily. Going upwind simply needs you to sail back and forth with jibes in between or without jibes with twin-tip boards.
With the right material, 10 to 30 hours of training/sailing time should be enough to master correctly the upwind technics.
This upwind subject is of low interested from now on.
It wasn't the case during the first kitesurfing years. But now the gear available on the market is way much more efficient.And that helps ! - Can you kitesurf in light wind?A lightweight kitesurfer under 65 kg should be able to ride from 6 to 8 knots only with the larger kites and an adequate board. His board should be of enough area (width x length) and be shaped with a flat scoop. This shape will enhance the kitesurfe speed and thus increase the apparent wind. Increased apparent wind means increased relative wind, wich also means increased power. The first jumps will even be possible if the kitesurfer sails fast enough.
It is necessary in this case to use a minimum of 15/16 m² for an inflatable strut kite or a 10/12 m² for a foil kite.
A heavier rider of 75 kg need around 11/12 knots for his first jumps and a 85 kg needs around 12 to 13 knots. Bigger kites around 18 to 20 m² help the heavier to gain 2 or 3 knots in the minimal range.
Riding in the minimal wind range shows rather technical for a beginner. Do never forget that 12 knots are two times more winds than 6 knots. Wind changes in the lower kitesurfing range have an impressive effect on the possibility to kitesurf or not.
Furthermore, piloting a huge kite requires a very good technicity. It's even easier for a beginner to choose one size smaller for a beginner in light winds. With better results for sure.
Be careful to use a board sized to the wind. Most of the people who cannot ride in light winds say they have a too small kite and do not realize that 16 m² on a 140 cm cannot be efficient.
Simply add 20 or 30 cm to the board will change all that. Instead of buying a kite size above !
To kitesurf in the lower wind range under 8/10 knots, the boards should be of the right size and have a bottom shaped for fast riding. This simply means flat bottom. A lot of rocker amount breaks the board speed by generating too much drag.
Riding in ultra-light winds requires a very good knowledge and master of your kite. Because most of the kite do not relaunch correctly under 8 knots.
Our tip:
If you want to kitesurf in lower winds and cannot relaunch your kite, choose an on-shore or side-on shore wind direction to sail. In any case the wind will blow you back on the bank even with your kite stuck on its leading edge. We have tried to fold a 19 m² strut kites in the water. Simply forget it, this was a total mess. Same for foil kites with bridles hanging everywhere. - Can you kitesurf in strong wind ?It is possible to kitesurf in winds above 25/30 knots, but you first have to get familiar with medium winds around 15/20 knots.
Strong wind kitesurfing in an expert business. Strong winds increase drastically the risks endorsed by the rider
The increasing curv line follows an exponential line. To speak clerarer we could say that in comparison with sailing in 15 knots regular winds:
-sailing in 20 knots increases the risks by a factor of 2
-sailing in 30 knots increases the risks by a factor of 4
-sailing in 40 knots increases the risks by a factor of 8
… Flash,(Marcus Austin) nearly died in his famous Leucate (France) session during a Mondial du vent competition edition in the laste 90,s.
Be very careful in strong winds because smaller strong winds kites get much faster than kites for medium winds. We are aware that most of the critical accidents happened in strong winds above 20 knots.
Use a safety system to kill immediately the kite power when necessary. This system should be efficient whatever the configuration you're crossing. It has to work while sailing and under charge even if absolutely overpowered.
It has to be activated by a simple and efficient way even in the worse conditions like you spinning around your axle. If you have already met this situation you see what I mean, there is at this moment no way to find a little trigger hidden somewhere around your belly.
In any case, the first safety rule is to fly only kite in winds wich you can control the situation
If you already have a hard time to control your kite on earth, do not go on the water. When you are sailing, you create apparent wind that increases consequently the kite power. You are not going to control that. - Can there be many kitesurfers sailing together ?Yes, there can be a bunch of kitesurfers together. The lines cross in a diagonal plan.
Tips:
-when you cross another kitesurfer, DO NOT raise your kite ! This is a very bad beginner attitude reflex that creates a "wall" to the kitesurfer that arrives opposite you !
- a beginner that cannot tack the wind always kitesurf downwind of the other kitesurfers to avoid crossing the others trajectories
A beginner has always priority over an expert that is supposed to be able to evaluate quickly his environment.
The international yachting rule applies to kitesurfing . It stipulates that when you sail with the wind coming from your right (looking in your sailing direction) you do not need to change your sailing trajectory. The other sailor has to change his strajectory to avoid collision.
To remember easily: if your right hand is in the front (sailing direction), you have the priority.
This is only an indication to help you to face crossing situation, please refer to the total yachting rule to know your rights and obligations.
This rule is not always easy to use.
When 2 kitesurfers meet, both modify their own trajectory not to disturb the other one's sailing. Most of the time this rule solve the situation. But in case of trouble, the yachting rule are the only reference to stick to.
You better know them because once you are going to face a bigger boat, you will have to be fully aware of what you should do.
Big boats hurt ! - What are the different boards used for kitesurfing ?We can sort the different boards in 4 categories.
The directionnal board
Fins are located in the back and the nose has a right amount of lift.
This is a shape that needs little power in the kite. Perfect for total beginners.Edging is no problem because of the big fins.Choosen site for average 75 kg rider should be around 190/210 cm.
The weakness of the board is that if choosen of too bg size, the dierctionnal boards turn quickly uncomfortable in choppy conditions. But it suits so much beginners. Another difficulty lays in the absolute necessity to learn the jibe technique in a further step. The mini-directionnal board is the same but of smaller size. Mostly under 160 cm. This board is mostly riden by experts riders as most of new riders learnt to kitesurf on twin-tip boards and thus do not master the jibe technic.
Too bad, because the mini-directionnal is absolutely versatile and is a silly weapon to ride in most situations for those who can master it. It has the wider wind range of all sort of boards. Tacks the wind like hell, rides perfect on flat water and surfs the best. Nothing else ?
The Wake-board
Many competitors and some expert riders have choosen to ride these boards.
This kind of board measure between 130 and 150 cm and is very thin (10 to 20 mm). It needs to be overpowered all the time otherwise you sink in light winds . iI the wind lowers you also loose your ability to tack the wind.
As sailing overpowered is only for experts, forget the idea to begin on a wake-board. By expert I mean somebody who can handle 25/30 knots wind conditions with no problem.
This kind of board is used with high wrap bindings that are difficult to fit in alone. It is easier to have some help with this material. You can also fix some sandal plate instead but you loose the precision of the high wrap bindings.
Light and small, this board is perfect for jumps and tricks tahnks to its total symetry. Jibing is not necessary either A good rider has an excellent edging potential with these ultra thin boards and it also soften the choppy conditions riding sessions.
A 75 kg rider tacks the wind from 15 knots if correctly powered.on a 140 x 37 cm board.
Please be aware that if you loose your high wrap bindings in a crash, it will not be easy to put them back on the water. Boots maintain and protect your ankles but if you land too hard, you cannot get rid of the board in the air and your knees gonna suffer…
Neutral buoyancy of such boards provide no addtionnal security to rely and float on in case of emergency !
The twin-tip
this board is symetrical like the wake-board, slightly bigger. It combines both wake-board and mini-directionnal advantages.
Its bigger fins (30 to 50 mm) provide a better and easier edging. Footstraps make the riding easier and safer. You do not need to jibe.
Sized between 150 and 190 cm, it has a better wind range and thus need toi be less powered than with a wake-board.
But the smaller twin-tips get closer and closer to narrow wake-boards…
The scoop line differentiate the twin-tips. Very flat, the board will ride fast thanks to its perfect glide. But it will slides whenever you push too much on the back foot. With a higher amount of scoop, the board will be slower but will edge much easier whatever balance on the board you reach.
The thinner twin-tips have very low floatation and cannot provide any safety volume in case of necessity, so be careful when going off-shore.
The hybrid or mutant board
This kind of board cumulate the advantages of the twin-tip and the mini-directionnal boards.
Equipped with 4back fins bigger than the 2 front fins. It can be used as a twin-tip going both ways or you can jibe it also like a directionnal board.
The best compromise ? Maybe. The back fins help to jump higher and make surfing easier, more controlable. You do not need to be that accurate than with a twin-tips when you go in the waves because you can rely on your back fins much better than on a twin-tip or worse on a wake-board.
Laurent is totally "hooked" on this riding style...
Sizes go from 140 to 170 cm. - Is it possible to use a production surfboard to kitesurf ?In any case, you have to add 3 foostraps on your surfboard to kitesurf on it. The surfboards are not designed to sail on the rails like we need in kitesurf. The rails are not sharp enough to edge correctly.
The deck is really fragile and can't resist to the feet pressure and the harness hook repeated shocks.
If your surf board is in a good state, it would be sad to sacrifice it, but if it is an old surfboard, why not ? But think that this wil condemn the board to finish in a very bad state.
Do not hesitate to browse this site to find for a cheap solution for you to begin. - Can I use a wake-board production board ?Wake-boards intended to be pulled behind boats have too much width and a too much scoop amount for correct and easy kitesurfing results.
The excessive width is intended to grant the board with extra pop capacity. That means the board will jump easier on the wake wave behind the boat. It also means that your board used with a kite will be difficult to control in choppy water !
Only experts prefer this kind of boards when they jump without using the kite lift. Fast and radical jumps.
the higher scoop amount slowers the board and prevet from good tacking upwind !
You will have to be overpowered all the time and your wind range will be real narrow. - I am goofy (or regular), what's different for me ?On a directionnal boards, you sail on both sides of you board. You are once regulat, once goofy. But do not worry, you can master rather quickly sailing on both sides.
Riding twin-tip boards or wake-boards avoid jibing but you also ride goofy and regular. Riding switch is not very comfortable after a few minutes. But your feet stay all the time at the same place.
Hybrids (mutants) boards can be ridden different ways. Back and forth like twin-tips or jibing like directionnals or even switch. Lots of configuartion are available according to your tastes. This board can be an interesting approach if you are used to ride only regular or goofy in other sports like skateboard, snowboard or wake-board. - Who invented this kitesurf sport?We can't say that somebody has really invented the sport.
Cory Roeseler and his father (USA) developped their kiteski equipment during the late 80 's. Their technique is based on a rigid banana shape kite with waterskis, single or combos. They are using a control bar with a disc-brake. This allows them to restart the kite over-head once it fell in the water.
The Legaignoux brothers , Dominique and Bruno (France) patented their marine self-relauching wing called "Wipikat" in 83. It was originally marketed with a 2.50 m inflated catamaran and then became a few years later the Wipika.
In1993, Laurent Ness associated his huge home built delta kites with a windsurf boards to sail on water. He tacked the wind from time to time.
On his side, Manu Bertin began in 1994 in Hawaï with soft kites (paragliding type). He discovered and then used the wipika marine wing in 1995.
First kitesurf pictures were published in the magazines in 1996 with Manu Bertin in Hawaï.
Laurent Ness taught Raphael Salles how to kitesurf in 1996.
Laurent finished developping the practice and understanding of the tacking techniques so the kitesurfer can sail back to the same point where he left or even go higher.
For a conclusion, we have to underline that many isolated people worked separatly on the idea of using the power of the kite with a sailing device since the 70's. Maybe that we will be able to write the complete history of our sport in a few years. - How do I relaunch a marine 4 lines bridled foil kite ?Basically, you can face 2 different situations.
The kite crashes on the edge of the window:
Always swim or mowe FORWARD. Never pull, water would enter in your cells. If your kite is folded like a wallet, just move forward and it will re-open and relaunch alone.
The kite crashed on its leading edge:
If your kite is equiped with a flipping system, ti should be easy. Simply pull on the kite leash connectedd to the back lines. The kite will first relaunch backwards and flip alone to land back on its trailing edge.
Next step is easy, just take back your bar (if released) and the kite will take-off alone. Be careful, power can be huge. You need some free place to do that.
If your kite is not equiped with such a safety/relaunching system, good luck ! - How many lessons should I take to reach autonomy ?It depends what you mean by "autonomy" ?
There are 2 main meanings of the term autonomy that need to be carefully described:
1-the first level means that you are able to evaluate if in one day's specifics conditions if the spot fits to your level and you will be able to choose the right size kite also and keep the control of the situation whatever happens. If you can manage all that, you are ready to kitesurf without school framing with all safety requirements completed.
2-the second level means that you can go upwind and come back to your starting point.
Most of our kitesurf school students can kitesurf without us after 3 or 4 days lessons if they respect all the safety rules transmitted during those lessons.
To go upwind usually need some 10 to 30 sailing effective hours.
It is often clever to take a few days lessons in school and then to train all what has been acquiered on your side and then to come back in school to finish the tacking technique learning process integration. - What are the main safety rules ?All the safety rules used for smaller kites are valid for any power-kiting activity.
Do not fly over public
Do not fly upwind from roads, airports
Do not fly upwind from railways and electric lines.
Other additionnal rules have to be respected due to the huge power of the kites.
For buggying, wear a helmet and proper boots. Cover your body with resistant clothes in case you slide. Sand burns you skin when you go fast!
For kitesurfing, get first familiar with smaller traction kites before attending to go on water.
You should always have empty space free of any obstacles 100 m downind your sailing zone.
Wear a helmet to protect this incredible, brilliant clever head you have. A life-jacket will help you in case you face a bad situation off shore. Use a specific safety system to stop easily the power of your kite.
Do not let you kite fly away. Use a proper kite leash system.
Observe the same safety rules that applies for other snow and water users that share the site with you.
Take informations before riding on a spot you do not know.
Principles of flying a wing
- What is the wind window ?The wind window is the virtual half dome where the kite can virtually fly. A good kite has a 150/ 170° wind window and looks like flying completely overhead. A bad kite has a small window. Let's say about 100/ 140°. The window is wider with a thin profile. It also gets a bit wider when the wind gets stronger.
The wind window is the first kite culture that you have to assimilate during the piloting learning phase. You have to become the master of your kite wherever you kite flies in the window. You have to control your kite before trying to use a kite-board or mountain-board or others equivalent gears.
To summarize, the kite produces its maximum power when it crosses the center of the wind window.
With a standing pilot, the minimum power will be with the kite standing on the edge of the window. On a side or overhead. Rest position is overhead.
A kite constantly increases its power with the speed of the user riding any device. - Does the length of flying lines effect the kites power, wich length of lines should I choose ?The average length of lines ranges from 25 to 30 m long. It is sometimes going up to 40 m in ultra light winds conditions.
The principle that helps you to choose your length are:
shorter lines = less power and more angular speed,
longer lines = more power and less angular speed .
So the rules are :
1- To begin, prefer long lines to decrease the angular speed of the kite,
2- If you are overpowered, shorten you lines to loose some power
3- If you are underpowered, add 10 m of lines to gain some additionnal power.
Be carfeful, the bigger wings can fly correctly with 40 m, but using a small kite like a 3 m² in strong wind with long line is not neccessary a good operation.
Also note that adding 10 m to change from 20 to 30 m is a 50 % modification but adding 10 m to change from 40 to 50 m is only a 25 % modification, so be careful when you add line length in strong winds ! - How to Pre-inflate, take-off and land a marine bridled 4 lines foil kite ?Marine foil kites need more attention than regular inflatable strut kites.
You better take some time to learn to master the pre-inflation and take off technique on a open protected place. Like a wide beach for instance.
Pre-inflate and take-off:
If the wind is right (enough but not strong), you put you lay your kite on its back in the middle of the wind window and put some sand or any weight on the trailing edge of your kite.
You pull gently the lines to pre-inflate your foil.the foil should stay on the floor untill it is 75 % inflated.
You pull hard for the last step to free the kite from the sand/weight. The kite will rise slowly and finish its final inflation.
Be careful not to take-off your wing 100 % inflated otherwise the take-off will tear you up. The power would be maximized. Train for those operations untill you have a 100% control above the situation.
Land the kite:
Some kites are equiped with backwards landing system. Please read your user manual to check for that option. If it is on yours, releasing the bar will simply drop your kite backwards on its trailing edge. The powere is nearly totally killed as the profile of the kite is broken.
If you are alone, tighten the kite safety leash around something and run to stop and fold your kite.
If your kite is not equiped with such a possibility, you will have to land it on the edge of the wind window. You will need a helper to seize your kite and avoid it to fly away. - Wich line resistance should I choose ?The line resistance depends upon 3 factors, the pilot's weight, the kite powered activity, the rider's power. In kite powered activity, the resistance has nothing to see with the kite size. You can ery easily breake 200 kg lines with a 3 m² kite if you weight 90 kg and you kitesurf in strong winds.
1- The pilot's weight:
A light rider opposes a lighter resistance to the lines than a heavy rider. The indicated given values down below are for uner 65 kg riders and over 80 kg riders. Riders between those two weights should choose intermediate resistance lines.
2- The kite-powered activity:
You don't oppose the same resistance to your kite in the different kite activies. You will therefore need different resistances for the different sports you are in. For sure the stronger, the better. But 300 kg are useless for kite-rollerblading for instance.
-for glides that oppose very light resistance like roller-kiting, a resistance from 100 to 140 kg will be enough.
-for more powerful activities like buggying in soft sand or mountainboarding, slightly stronger lines will fit better, 130 to 200 kg will do it.
-for hardcore kite activities like kitesurfing or kiote snowboarding, your lines should resist from 200 to 300 kg.
3- The rider's power:
-a 60 kg expert kitesurfer sailing 2 lines should choose stronger lines than indicated.
-Reversely, a 80 kg beginner will be perfectly equiped with 200 kg lines.
A few remarks
Avoid white lines for snow activities, somebody could cross them and cut them with their skies or snowboard.
Some lines on the market have overestimated resistances. It can be a problem for activities such as kitesurfing because you rely 100% on your kite to come back safely on the beach. Buy only the best lines available.
Some lines treatments make stiff lines, check that the treatment holds correctly.
In case of crossing lines, the thinner cuts the thicker. You would not believe it ?
Some very thin and treated lines cut sharp, be careful on overcrowded sites where you might cross kitesurfers using them.
YOU SHOULD NEVER MAKE A LOOP WITH A LINE AROUND A FINGER, a severe risk of injury or ripping off your finger exists. - What are the different kind of kites?Foil kites with bridles also called ram-air kites
Those wings are built like paragliders. They have cells, intrados and extrados parts. The profile is obtained thanks to a bridling system.
These foils exist in 2 and 4 lines configuration.
2 lines: you pilot them like stunt kites pulling one side or the other.
4 lines: 2 additionnal thinner brake lines pull the trailing edge of the kite.this configuration allows you to slower the speedd of your kite or even land it backwards.When crashed on the leading edge it can be thus possible to relaunch it backwards.
Those wings exist in open or closed . Opened cells are intended for classical earth, snow use.Closed ones have been designed to relaunch from water. Closed ones need some pre-inflation before taking off.
Some 4 lines kites are equiped in a 4 lines depowering configuration that allows you to partially depower your kite. It widens the kite's wind range and enhances the rider comfort.
Arch foil kites
Those ram-air kites use no bridling. They maintain they profile thanks to their shape.they are mostly depower equiped 4 lines kites.
Inflatable strut kites using Legaignoux patent
Those single skin kites represnt a vast majority of the kites used on water. They have been specifically developped for water use.
You can find them in 2 or 4 lines configurationMost of the lines can be turned in 4 lines.
The 4 lines configuration allows you to depower the kite. It is a little more complicated for beginners but much more comfortable.
Miscellaneous
The C-Quad is a patented design by Peter lynn. It is a combination between single skin surface and thin flexible fiber spars.
The Flexifoil is not only a brand of kites but is the first power-kite that was available on the market. This auto-stable kite is a 2 lines foil kite with a flexible spar as leading edge.
Others to come ?
Choose the kite, relaunch a kitesurf kite from the water...
- How do I choose my kitesurf kite ?The above explanations will help you to choose your kitesurf kite according to:
your actual knowledges in the kite field,
the sites wher you intend to kitesurf,
the way you are ...
For the kite size, you can have alook at each table presented in the shop under eaech kind of wing. There is also a question called "Which sail area should I use ?" that you can have a look at.
We have defined 4 criteria presented in a comparison table we the different kinds of kites.You have to choose wich are the more important to look at for your own personnal case when you choose you kite.
1. Security/ accessibility criteria
This criteria defines the accessibility and its security degree also.
The maximum accessibility of a kite means a very stable kite, quiet slow, with not too much power in the central zone of the window.
The maximum security for a kite means that you can depower 95 % of its power in any case. Even if you are hooked in your harness line.
If you have no experience in flying a power-kite, you have to consider this criteria as the number one. If you already master correctly the power of big kites, you can choose a more technical kite not intended for complete beginners .
Remark : the security criteria is absolutely number one above 20 knots and in case of kitesurf unfriendly site (irregular wind, agressive ground, floating or moving obstacles out or on the water).
The lowest score is given to an unstable kite, that accelerates vilolently and has no possibility to depower the kite without loosing it .
The highest score is given to a gentle kite, very stable in the air, that can depower each time you want totally and relaunch when you decide to.
2. Edge of the window stability
The edge of the window stability means that your kite can stay overhead at the edge of the window without any need to move it. The kite should stay without collapsing or closing even with irregular, gusty wind..
This criteria is essential in case....
you mostly use your kite in bad wind conditions (gusty, irregular ...),
the wing shouldn't close, fold and suddenly reopen and throw you on hard ground (rocks, obstacles...),
the flying site is narrow,
the kite presents no security device to depower the kite. You can imagine what is happenning to a kite that "close", fall in the middle of the wind window and suddenly reopens.The only way to save yourself would be to let your control bar or handles go away. AND THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, you should never do that. You can hurt somebody or create an accident.
This criteria can be less important in case....
the wind is regular,
the security system to depower the kite is working perfectly,
you have an expert knowledge of technical kites particularly unstable at the edge of the window.
3. Water relaunching criteria
The relaunching criteria is the possibilty to relaunch the kite from the water a lot of times and this easily. The softness or brutality of the relaunch is evaluated in the security/ accessibility criteria..
The tests are done for less than 5 minutes time because if you need more than that, it usually means the wind stopped or you are hurt and you need to be helped !
This criteria will be very important if...
you kitesurf in area with strong currents or big waves,
you kitesurf far from the shore,
your kitesurf sites are dangerous (boats, obstacles...)
waiting in the cold water can present a risk of hypothermia,
Relaunching can be secondary if...
you always kitesurf in shallow water,
small kitesurf sites where it is easy to swim back on the shore.
Remark: relaunchability gives you more free time to train and progress. If you spend too much time swimming back to the shore, you will be a better ... swimmer and not a better kitesurfer!
A good advice: try do go back to the shore from deep water folding your kite on your board to understand how complicated and long it can be with an innapropriate method ! It is easier to learn to do in good conditions so you do not panic the day it happens by accident.
4. Tacking ability
The tacking ability criteria defines the capacity of your kite to help you to go upwind with the best angle.
You have on some kitesurf sites no possibility to go downwind. Sometimes because there is no practical exit when you are on the water, sometimes because there are obstacles that you should not meet. In fact we qualify those sites of "expert sites".
When you are learning, this tacking criteria can be secondary if the wind is side-on shore, you have no obstacle downwind and you can go out from the water very easily (open beach...)
A board with low tacking performance can be partly compensated by a high performance kite for this criteria. If your kite has low performance, you should then choose a board that will allow you to compensate the kite.
A kite that has high performances for this criteria usually provides you with lot of energy for high and big jumps.
A comparison table ordonates those 4 aspects in a way you can choose easily your kite.
If your own opinion differs from ours, do not hesitate to contact us so that we go back and test on the field to check out.
- How is the material tested at Axel'Air Kitesurf Shop ?To be able to sell the right kitesurf material, you need to do more than just read the kites owner manuals provided by the kite manufacturer.
You have to go on the beach and test all what is available on the market to select the best products.
You have to test them in different wind conditions and water, earth, snow conditions so you know exactly wich material will be the best for your own unique case.
That is exactly what we do at Axel'Air.
Those tests mean hundreds hours of practice on many differents areas.
Some products are eliminated by a drastic choice. Sometimes due to lack of performance and sometimes good products are not selected by durability problems.
At Axel'Air, we are like you : we are demanding !
Buying at Axel'Air means to get the best product for your own specificity !
Who are the testers ?
When a new product arrives on the market, we take one piece and try it, push it at its limits.
The whole Axel'Air team is taking care of this important moment, than we keep this material for a few months to see its durability.
We also give this material at our students in the kitesurf school. In that manner we obtain perfect beginners opinions also. Customers on the beach also give us interesting feed-back.
For the conclusion, Laurent Ness summarizes all those datas so you can choose easily your next material.
Constantly evolving tests
We test the material all year long, some opinion may vary after some times of riding the boards, flying the kites… We update the datas on this site regularly so the infos are the freshest for you ! A good test cannot results of one or two sessions only because to check solidity and other criterias like durability you have to use the material again, again, and again. And that is what we do at Axel'Air.
We also would like to thank all the pros who use our datas to avoid bringing weak or deficient material on the market. - Should I use a control bar or handles?
Using a control bar makes things much easier for kitesurfing for two reasons:
You can keep a better balance with a bar compared to the use of 2 or 4 lines handles
Once the harness is hooked in, you have a free hand to manipulate the board or the leash to waterstart.You pilot with a push and pull technique with a single hand. This allows you to do very comfortable waterstarts.
Tip:
If your kite is unstable and/or moves too much, put some more space beetween the harness pads on the bar. And on the contrary, if the kite is too hard to steer, reduce the space beetween the harness pads.
Traction question and others
- Which formation is necessary to teach kitesuf ?To become a kitesurf instructor, contact FFVL. There you'll get all the information, and dates needed...
Web page: ffvl.fr - What are the main safety rules ?The kite rules stay valid for the powerkite, but there are some rules added.
With the buggy, we advise to wear mountain shoes, a helmet and good clothing to avoid scratches and burns in case you touch the ground.
For the jump, it is necessary to read the rules.
For the Kitesurf, it is vital to check wind and power conditions before getting on the water. - Where can I find kites and boards ?You can find all kites and boards selected by Axel'air team in our shop in this www. axelair. com web site. See the "Shop" section.
- Where can I find the kitesurf spots ?You can search the "Spots" section in this web site. Do not hesitate to add you own spot.
- I'd like to join a contest...
Your shopping cart is empty
NEWS IN THE SHOP
SPECIAL OFFERS
FLASH OF THE SHOP !
