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Frequently Asked Questions |
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- - What is the best weather to surf in?
A steady wind and flat water is ideal for a Beginner kitesurfer.
There are three types of wind.
- An onshore wind is wind that blows directly onto the shore. Meaning you will be blown back onto the beach and is probably for the more advanced kitsurfer.
- A cross shore wind is the best wind to surf in it blows directly parallel to the shore. It allows you to sail out and back to the same spot. As a Beginner you will go downwind quite frequently but you will always come back to the same spot into the shore. This is also known as a side shore.
- An offshore wind is a wind that blows directly away from the shore which is bad news. This wind can lead to dropping winds, loss of board and equipment breakage.
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- - What is the ideal wind strength to surf in?
Most kitesurfers agree the best wind strength to kitesurf in is between 15 and 25 knots.
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- - What is the Pink One Pump System?
We have a unique one pump system that allows your Pink kite to be pumped up and ready to fly in minutes! Instead of having to pump up the leading edge and all of the struts within the kite separately, our one pump system requires you to just pump up the leading edge, which in turn fills up the struts! Another great reason to go Pink.
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- - What are the different styles of riding?
Freestyle - This style of riding involves using the board and kite to gain height allowing the kiter to do giant jumps and rotations. The key to a great freestyle move is a smooth landing. This style of riding is for the more advanced kitesurfer.
Wave Riding - This style of riding consists of riding the waves like a surfboard but including the kite. Tricks can be done by using the power of the wave.
Hangtime - This style of riding is the most impressive. This is when the kite is used to do massive jumps and remain in the air for as long as you can. Adam Koch holds the world's longest hangtime clocking in at 13 seconds.
Kickers and Sliders - This is fairly new to kitesurfing. Ramps and rails are built and securely placed in the water. They are used to slide on and can be combined with freestyle. This can be quite dangerous if you do not know what you are doing so make sure helmets are worn at all times. This is for the more advanced kitesurfer.
Boardcross - This is the newest and most dangerous style or riding. These moves combine speed kiting and freestyle. A course is set up in the water consisting of a number of buoys which the surfers must go around. There are also sometimes inflatable objects included which the surfers have to go around or jump over. This is usually a competitor sport and the winner is the first person to cross the finish line. There is a lot of danger associated with this style so make sure you are equipped with the right equipment and always put safety first.
Freeride - Freeride is pretty much whatever you want to do and is the most popular aspect of the sport. Most boards sold today are designed for freeride. They all look the same in shape but differ considerably in width, length and depth. Freeriding can be done from beginner to advanced level. |
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- - What is a 5th line?
A 5th line is a safety system that came with many kites in 2005. Attached to your harness, when activated it flies the kite into the wind, thus depowering it. Pink Ultra Flat Kites do not require a 5th line, as our kites are so flat, you can get incredible depower by simply pushing the nar away from you. You can even let go of the bar and the kite will simply remain in the sky! |
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- - What equipment do I need to kitesurf?
Complete equipment includes a board, a kite, a control bar with safety systems, a set of lines, a harness, a helmet and a life vest. You might need a wetsuit or a rash vest according to the weather conditions.
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- - What is the average lifetime of a kite?
It all depends on the maintenance and how often it is used. A kite that is rinsed after every use, stored only if dry and not exposed to the sun can last for at least 4 years. Pay attention to key points and check everything in detail before buying a second hand kite.
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- - What board size should I use as a beginner?
Bigger and wider boards are better to start with so chose a board that is at about 150cm long. The bigger the board, the less power you will need, thus the less risk you will take.
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- - What is a Chicken Loop?
The loop below the control bar where you hook into your harness hook.
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- - What is a Harness?
The harness is worn around the kitesurfers waist or bottom. The harness has a metal bar with a hook that hooks into the chicken loop on the control bar taking the power from the kiters arms and distributing it through the whole body. |
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- - What is Rigging?
Rigging describes the process of inflating your kite then attaching the lines before your session. Note Pinkkites have incredible 1 pump technology to ensure that your kites is pumped up and ready to fly in minutes. |
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- - Is kitesurfing dangerous?
It is not dangerous if you take the necessary precautions.
Beginners should take lessons from a qualified instructor prior to using our products, or any of our competitors. Always follow the directions of a certified kitesurfing instructor. The information on this site is provided as a guideline for application only if approved by a certified kitesurfing instructor for your specific equipment and ability level. Pinkkites assumes no liability for application of information on this website and any application of the information on this website is at your own risk. Ensure you kitesurf responsibly and within your limits as kitesurfing is a dangerous sport with the possibility of injury or death to yourself or others if the necessary precautions are not taken. |
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- - What course should I do?
A 2 or 3 day kitesurfing course is plenty depending on your flying kite skills and other sports you have done in the past for example windsurfing. |
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- - What safety precautions should I take?
Below are some safety guidelines that should be followed when you kitesurf. Note the below safety guidelines are in no way a substitute for lessons from a qualified instructor.
- Do not kitesurf without a safety release system that allows you to disable the kite at any moment.
- Traditional kites cannot be fully depowered while the kitesurfer is attached to the kite (chicken loop or chicken loop line). When things go wrong, the kitesurfers activate a safety release system that detaches themselves from the kite. While this system works when you are conscious and can react fast enough, it DOESN'T when you are not conscious or don't have enough time to react to a dangerous situation (a few kitesurfers have had serious or fatal accidents in the past due to these devices). Use such kite and safety release system with care and only do so when you are out in open water. Also make sure that you test your safety release system properly as described latter on in this page.
- The new generation of kite (e.g. Pink Ultra Flat Kites) can be depowered fully by simply dropping the bar. Such kites are safer as once the control bar is dropped, the kite become more manageable and the kiter can have more time (and chance) to activate the safety release to detach from the kite.
- If you use a traditional kite which cannot be fully depowered while hooking in to the chicken loop, do not hook in before launching and landing. Depower your kite using the trim strap before launching or landing. If you use a "spin leash" or "swivel bar", use the modern bar that allows you to launch and land unhooked.
- Don't launch, ride or jump upwind of people or hard objects. Give yourself at least 1.5 line-length distance from those obstacles.
- Check your kite, lines and the set up before launching your kite.
- Don't ask a non-kitesurfer to assist you in launching or landing a kite (it is safer to launch and land the kite yourself than having a non-kitesurfer to assist you)
- Attach the safety leash "permanently" to your wrist or harness using Velcro tapes or a quick release
- Don't kitesurf near power lines or an airport.
- Don't kitesurf before, during, after a thunder storm or in stormy weather.
- Don't kitesurf in an offshore wind.
- Make sure that there is a "friendly" beach downwind from where you start.
- Don't kitesurf in crowded water. Get out to the open water or any uncrowded area as soon as you can.
- Do not kitesurf in very strong wind if you are a beginner (in 20+ knots) and be careful even if you are an experienced kitesurfer (in 30+ knots).
- Wear a life jacket or impact vest.
- Wear a helmet.
- Flying lines can cut when the kite is flying. Do not fly your kite near or over other people and do not wrap flying lines around your hand).
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