We have gathered various information for your everyday kiting needs, from weather to kite lines, knots to tool boxes. Items you can have in your gear bag to help you enjoy the sport safely and other thongs you can do on no wind days to keep your equipment in near new condition.
Lets start with weather.
Before
getting out of the house to go and check out your local beach you can
check the conditions on your computer before you go. As Kiteboarders we
need the wind to move so its vital we have a minimum of 12 mph to have
fun for intermediate to advanced kiters. For beginners 8-10 mph is
great to get your kite down the beach for a kite control session on the
sand. If its blowin 30 mph, leave your gear in the car and go and watch
the local's rip it up.
If you are ever in doubt
about the weather do not ride. Even the most experianced riders can not
control their kites if the weather becomes unstable. Don't force
yourself to ride in questionable conditions just because you drove 1
hours to get to the beach. It is not a bad thing to sit on the side
lines, at lest you know and respect your riding ablity.
Wind
Wind
comes with the flow of air from high pressure to low pressure. The
greater the pressure the stronger the wind will be. Clouds also have a
great effect on the winds. Just remember Cumilonimbus, the big fluffy
clouds, white or black just get out of the water and get you kite
secured on the beach. This is danger, gusty winds on the way.
Cold Fronts
Cold
fronts can bring both stable and unstable winds. They can bring
hazardous squall lines, strong gusts, 90 degree wind shifts and
temperature changes.These cold front conditions have claimed many
kiteboarders over the years. Only kite in stable winds this is perfect
for everyone. Avoid unstable winds, gusty or the wrong direction winds,
if you do go out ensure your kite and safety systems work and tell
your someone your going out and where you will be kiting.
Trpoical Systems
Tropical
systems can have a powerful embedded squalls with unstable gusty
shifting winds. Squall free, stable winds can come with tropical
systems but are less common, so be aware, safety first.
Marine/water forecasts
Check out the forcast to see about temperatures, cold fronts, tropical storms and actual weather in your area