THE KITE KIT

🗣️The first question they often ask me when they are curious about this sport is: "But what do you need to practice kitesurfing?", and my answer is always the same. You need to take a course to learn, or at least take a lesson to understand something more and acquire the basics. 💪

🤩Then obviously comes the equipment.🏄 And that's why I made this post, to make you a list of what you'll need to kitesurf.

👍Sailing is definitely in first place. 🪁The main object of the entire sporting experience. It is measured in square meters 📐 and generally ranges from 5 to 15/16 metres. The bigger it is, the more it pulls, but it's also slower 🐌 in its movements. It is also chosen based on the skills of the pilot. If you are a beginner, let's say with an average weight of 75 kg ⚖️ (yes, your weight is also important) I recommend a 12 meter boat, so you can try your first edges even with little wind 🌬️ (10/12 knots) and not have major risks while sailing. ⛵

In second place on the list is the bar. The steering wheel ↔️ ↕️ of our sail. The object that allows us to move with the kite ↙️↘️↗️↖️, to tame it, to make it do what we want, basically to fly! ✈️

Through it we connect to the kite and become one. 🔗 Us and her (or him) together. This object can do 1000 things. And it also affects our safety at sea, in fact it is equipped with a series of devices that control it. 🔐

Basically it is made up of 4 parts. The first is precisely the bar, horizontal and rigid, then there is a portion of material (often mixed) perpendicular to it, called depower (it would be our accelerator), in third place there is a system for regulating the inclination of the sail called trim (which can work and be operated differently depending on the company that produces the bar) and last but not least there are the cables (or also called the lines), which can have the standard size varying between 22 and approximately 23 metres, but can be shortened for educational purposes.

In fact, the length of the cables (max 23m) is directly proportional to the traction expressed by the sail, therefore shorter cables means less power available.

In third place on the list is the pump 🌀 which is used to inflate our sail. 🪁

There are large and small ones, I recommend the large ones because they have double delivery ⚡ (i.e. they introduce air both as the piston rises and as it descends).

Then there are with the 🎛️ pressure gauge or without, and in my humble opinion it would be better without, because then you are forced to feel the pressure reached by the kite and memorize the right one (and then they also cost less 🤑 which never hurts).

Finally they must have the leash 🐕‍🦺 to connect to the kite while you inflate it otherwise it will run away as soon as the wind allows it. If it doesn't exist, create it yourself with a rope tightly tightened on the base of the pump (max length 40/50 cm) 📐and a carabiner to easily hook and unhook it.

Fourth on the list is the HARNESS. The object that actually allows us to be connected to the sail and ensure that its strength 💪 translates into traction and sliding on the water on us. 🌊

There are various types and models but they can be classified into 2 BIG categories, those with a band 🤩 which surround the entire lumbar area and center on the navel (I prefer them and have always adopted them for myself and my students) and those with a seat 🤔 (they are like shorts to slip on and wrap around both the lumbar area and the groin)

Both categories have a metal bar on the front often wrapped in fabric called the Spreader Bar, which in the center has a sort of U (yes, the letter u) but facing downwards to which the chicken loop of the bar attaches. It is precisely there that all the strength and traction expressed by the 🪁sail is concentrated.

On the harness itself, specifically on the spreader bar, in the front part (therefore to the right or left of the navel) ⬅️➡️ connects the safety leash⛔, which is part of one of the three main safety devices that the bar has.

In fifth place on the list is the leash, which literally translated is the leash 🐕‍🦺

In summary at most it is 1 reinforced cable that keeps you tied to the bar and consequently

to the kite. 🪁

It represents one of the 3 safety devices ⛔ that we can activate while sailing. in order of execution it is the third. the first is the famous "leave the bar" so the kite loses power, the second is "release the chicken loop" so the kite also loses that residual part of power and falls into the water, and the third is precisely the leash, which represents the last connection between us and the kite.

In the worst case scenario, if you feel in serious danger ☠️ after having activated the two previous safety devices you can start the third, definitively unhooking yourself from the sail and the tiller so you can swim 🏊 towards the shore or wait for help.

The Leash is a bit like the ejection seat of an airplane, it should only be used in cases of serious danger. ✈️

In 6th place on the list there is She 💃, the Table, the twintip, which means twin angles ♊ and which will therefore allow you to navigate both right and left in the same way. 👍

It is made of different materials, and always more light ⚖️ and resistant. (weight is very important in this sport) The other components are the pads or streps, which are like slippers you put your feet in to stand on them.

Then there is the central handle which is only used to grab the board (there are also those who decide to remove it) and then there are the 4 fins at the extreme corners, facing downwards and they are those terminals which when going into the water 🌊 allow us to control the board and consequently our navigation. Without the fins the board would be quite uncontrollable 🤪 and would put us in the position of skating on the surface of the water 💧 without having contrasting solutions to turn ⬅️ and go where we want.

It is measured in length and width 📐and for a beginner the ideal length is over 140 cm and the width over 40 cm. 🔥

Why so long and wide? Because the student 🤙 must learn to glide on the water and therefore with a light, long and wide board everything is simpler: you float much more easily!💪

At the last place on the list is the 🏆 post session award that every self-respecting rider deserves. A nice cold beer 🍺 and two chips 🍟 to accompany.

The minimum number of participants allowed by law is 👥 2 people, preferably both kiters, to drink strictly in bathing suits 🩳 and flip-flops in summer, or in wetsuits in other seasons.

We need to talk about the outing we just finished, what the weather conditions were ☁️, that trick you tried but didn't succeed, whether you were overpowered 🌪️ or not, in short we talk about kiting 🪁 and the whole world that revolves around it. A fruitful exchange of opinions, advice, moods and so on and so forth.

Obviously if the company increases in number 🙋🧝🧙🧛🥷🧑‍🎄💂👷👮🕵️🧑‍🚒🧑‍🌾

the resulting happiness will multiply exponentially, so I advise you to always share your kiting trips, first of all for reasons of mutual safety and then for pleasure, with friends 🤙🤙🤙🤙 and also with strangers ⁉️ that you will find on the beach. 🏖️ In fact, perhaps especially with strangers, it will be even more fun. 🤩