Kitesurfing Myths

This is a copy of the Kitesurfing Myths originally developed by Hung Vu for the Kitesurfing School web site (with contributions from some members of the Kitesurf and KsurfSchool mailing list).  You may find a more up-to-date version at http://www.kitesurfingschool.org/myths.htm.   This page can be copied and posted at any site subjected to proper authorship acknowledgement.

1. Jibing a directional board is difficult
2. I have used directional boards all my life (windsurfing boards, surf boards, skis, etc.), switching to a bidirectional board is awkward
3. I don't have to wear a kite safety leash because I never ever let go of the bar
4. If you are good enough ...
5. Foils are not relauncheable
6. Foils cannot be depowered effectively
7. You need a short board for strong wind
8. You need a large board for light wind
9. A double surface kite (foil) is more efficient than a single surface kite (inflatable)
10. One can only learn with a 2 line inflatable
11. One should start with a low AR kite and then progress to a high AR kite
12. It takes 2 person to launch or to land a kite
13. Inflate your kite with helium and you can jump higher or go out in lighter wind
14. Use a bigger kite and you can jump higher
15. Kitesurfing is harder to learn than windsurfing
16. You need to fly an inflatable to get better
17. You need rocker on your board
18. You need fins on your board
19. Finless boards are harder to land after a jump
20. Kitesurfing is a trick only sport
21. One needs a directional board for wave riding
22. Kiteskiing is not as cool as kitesnowboarding or kitesurfing
23. Kitesnowboarding and kiteskiing are cold
24. You need a snowboard longer/larger than your downhill snowboard for kitesnowboarding
25. You can't use inflatable on snow

Jibing a directional board is difficult

Learning how to jibe a directional board is very easy.  An accomplished kitesurfer should know how to jibe a directional board.  Directional boards are more versatile in wave and light wind conditions so knowing how to jibe a directional board is pretty convenience.

I have used directional boards all my life (windsurfing boards, surf boards, skis, etc.), switching to a bidirectional board is awkward

Riding a bidirectional board in a fakey (reverse) direction is only slightly more awkward then riding a directional; however, getting used to it is very easy and natural.  An accomplished kitesurfer should know how to ride a bidirectional board.

I don't have to wear a kite safety leash because I never ever let go of the bar (Kenny Fernmanus)

Extreme wind gusts can come unpredictably at any moment to rip the bar out of your hand.  If this has never happened to you then you have not gone out in all conditions.

If you are good enough ... (Rick Iossi)

If you are good enough:

• You can ride as close as you want to other water users and hard objects that  are closed by and downwind
• You don't need to wear basic safety gear such as helmets, impact vests
• Basically, if you are good enough, skill conquers all, including bad luck, no space and no time left to recover the situation, really!

No one is good enough to ignore those basic safety measurements.  Many kitesurfing professional and expert kitesurfers have had fatal accidents in the past.

Foils are not relauncheable

Foils can be relaunched easier and faster than most other types of kite.

Foils cannot be depowered effectively

Modern foils can be depowered as well as 4 line inflatable and have more ways to depower than inflatable.

You need a short board for strong wind

Even though a short board may be preferable, one can ride any type of board in strong wind (just use a matching kite size).

You need a large board for light wind

Even though a large board may be preferable, one can ride any board in light wind as long as one has a kite big and high performance enough.

A double surface kite (foil) is more efficient than a single surface kite (inflatable)

This is probably true in theory; however, in practice, a single skin high AR inflatable is as efficient as any other kites.

One can only learn with a 2 line inflatable

Many have learned kitesurfing using other types of kite such as 4 line inflatables and foils.

One should start with a low AR kite and then progress to a high AR kite (Pauric)

A slow reacting person should start with a low AR kite, but a fast reacting person can start with either types. 

An experienced trick kitesurfer may prefer a low AR kite and an experienced high jumping kitesurfer may prefer a high AR kite.

If your objective is to do trick kitesurfing then you probably never have to use a high AR kite; however if you want to go faster and jump higher then higher AR kites are what you need.

It takes 2 person to launch or to land a kite (Mel)

Even though it is more convenience to launch or to land a kite with 2 persons, launching and landing any type of kite can be done solo.

Inflate your kite with helium and you can jump higher or go out in lighter wind (George Sarris)

The volume of the inflatable tubes are insignificant relative to the weight of the kite.   Using helium or not should not have noticeable difference.  It may have some very small difference for very large kite; however, it' definitely not worth the effort nor the cost of helium.

Use a bigger kite and you can jump higher

A bigger kite will generate more power but at the same time will make it hard to edge properly for a very high jump.  So a bigger kite will generate more power but not necessarily make you jump higher.

Kitesurfing is harder to learn than windsurfing (Mel)

The learning curve of kitesurfing is steeper; however, learning kitesurfing is not necessary harder than windsurfing.  One can progress much faster in kitesurfing than windsurfing.

You need to fly an inflatable to get better

Inflatable kites are the dominant kites in kitesurfing so many good kitesurfers use them; however, some good kitesurfers, kitesnowboarders and kiteskiiers do use foils.

You need rocker on your kiteboard

You don't need rocker on your board for kitesurfing.  Some may prefer a board with rocker.

You need fins on your kiteboard

You don't need fins on your board for kitesurfing.  Some may prefer to use fins.

Finless boards are harder to land after a jump

Using the techniques described in http://www.kitesurfingschool.org/landing.htm you can land a finless board after a jump as easy as if not easier than a board with fin.

Furthermore, some wakeboard companies have recently introduced some finless boards which looks similar to snowboards or kiteboards:

Hyperlite Roam 2006 (left) and Hyperlite Roam 2005 (right)

Kitesurfing is a trick only sport

Many kitesurf for different reasons.  Some likes light wind kitesurfing; some likes wave kitesurfing; some likes cruising; some likes very high jump; some likes smooth landing (same feeling as low attitude flying) and some likes doing tricks.  Doing tricks is popular but it is only one of the reasons that make kitesurfing attractive to people.

One needs a directional board for wave riding

Wave can be ridden using a bidirectional board as effectively as a directional board.  Directional board is the preferred board for wave but not the only type.

Kiteskiing is not as cool as kitesnowboarding or kitesurfing

Kiteskiing is very fast.  Some may not understand but it is very cool (and also scary) to go very fast.

Kitesnowboarding and kiteskiing are cold

Kitesnowboarding and kiteskiing are the warmest winter sports and probably warmer than kitesurfing in colder climate.

You need a snowboard longer/larger than your downhill snowboard for kitesnowboarding

You can use the same snowboard for downhill snowboarding and kitesnowboarding.   For jumping and tricks, you may want to use even a shorter snowboard (just use a bigger kite).

You can't use inflatable on snow

There is nothing wrong with inflatable on snow.  It's not too difficult to pump it up and with the help of fifth line relaunching is not a problem (especially with the new Flat LEIs, relaunching on snow is both easier and safer than foils).  Many kitesnowboarders and kiteskiiers now prefer inflatable as it yields similar performance on snow as on water.

Two inflatables on snow, a traditional and a flat LEI

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