איזה גלשן לקנות ?

כל גולש קייט עומד מול הדילמה בבחירת הגלשן המתאים לו להתחיל.  ישנם כל כך הרבה דעות שאתה מקבל מאנשים שונים, והרבה אופציות,חברות, מפרטים, וסגנון לבחור מתוכם...

 היסטוריה:

גלישת קייט הוא ענף ספורט שמשולבים בו אלמנטים מתחום של גלישת רוח, וויקבורד וסנובורד .

ההשפעה הכי גדולה באה מתחום גלישת הרוח. כאשר שמות גדולים בתחום פיתחו את ענף הקייט בורדניג כגון רובי נייש. גם רוב הגולשים שתמצאו בחוף הם גולשי רוח לשעבר....

הגולשים הראשונים השתמשו בגלשני רוח לגלוש עליהם. גלשנים ארוכים יותר מ 2 מטר, כבדים וכלל לא יעילים בעת סיבובים או באפשרות לחדד איתם נגד הרוח. ושלא נדבר על קפיצות ותרגילים מסובכים יותר...  גולשי הרוח היו משתמשים בסנפירים גדולים  על מנת לחדד או להיות "דבוק למים"  כאשר בגלישת קייט אנו משתמשים בשפה של הגלשן ולכן עם הגלשנים הגדולים היה בלתי אפשרי להשתמש בשפת הגלשן על מנת לחדד ביעילות.

סוגי גלשנים:

Directional Boards:

 The kiteboard companies soon realized that these big boards were inefficient, and responded with smaller and lighter versions of the windsurfing board to make it useable for kiteboarding. They were named directionals due to the fact that you have to gybe the board in order to go in another direction, and rely more heavily on fins in order to stay upwind. These boards normally vary in sizes from 140 cm to about 2.2 meters, and usually have three fins at the back of the board and sometimes one or two on the rails of the board to provide extra grip. These boards were very popular during the early stages of kiteboarding. Directionals are still widely available today. They use a combination of the rail of the board  and the fins in order to stay upwind.

Twintip Boards:

Not long after the Directional boards, a french guy with the name Franz Olry invented a twintip board in the back of his garage that would change the future of kiteboarding forever.

Twintip boards are based on snowboards and skateboards – they are symetrical. They don’t require you to gybe the board in order to change direction and most of them have a more freestyle – skateboard/snowboard type feel to them. They normally have two fins on each end of the board, although many fin setups are available today. The fins provide minimal grip, and are mostly there for support in light winds. These boards rely very heavily on edging. These kind of boards are by far the most popular, and are more user friendly, easier to begin with, and provide you with freedom of movement on the water.

Twintips are good allround boards – they have very little drawbacks if any at all.

Twintip boards range in sizes of 80 cm to 180 cm

 

Mutant Boards:

 

A mutant board is a cross between a twintip and a directional board. They normally have the same fin setup and principal as a directional board, but have two extra fins at the nose of the board that allows you to ride the board in both directions without having to gybe the board. These boards appeal to people from a surfing or windsurfing background and generally perform a bit better in surf than twintip boards.

So what type of board should I buy?

A twintip is basically the only board you should consider. They are easy to start out with, and are the choice of board for 90% of kiteboarders worldwide – beginners and professionals alike. They are good for any conditions and are not the kind of board that you will outgrow at all.

There is a general trend to start out on a directional board and then move over to a twintip board. This is the wrong way to begin to kiteboard as the principles and difference between the ways that these two types of boards function are worlds apart.
Many people are still in favour of providing you with a directional board to start out with. This advice benefits some two-fold, as they firstly get rid of old stock, and secondly makes two sales since you will be back after a day or two to get a twintip board since you won’t be able to get going on a directional board that easily.

I know many kiteboarders who came up on their twintip board within the first few hours, but I can’t say I know many that managed to get up on a directional easily.

If you are a windsurfer or a surfer you might favor a Directional or a mutant. But even then the twintip is still a better option. Directionals are commonly referred to as dinosorectionals due to the stone-age type stigma that are attached to these boards.

What size board should I buy, and how does size and volume count?

150 cm - 160 cm is a good size for any type of board and any body weight. Basically the more volume your board has, the more planing area you will have, which will allow you to kiteboard in lighter winds.

The shorter your board, and the less volume you have, the more wind you will be able to kiteboard in. A 150 cm - 160 cm board will allow you to go out in most conditions. Choose too a small board and you might sacrifice some lightwind conditions, and choose a board that is too big and you will sacrifice strong wind conditions.

 

 

Buying your first kite is usually a very confusing process. There are a few confusing issues like what size to buy, 2 line or 4 line, and new or secondhand.


What size kite should I buy?

When looking at kite sizes it is important to know if you are looking at calculated area or surface area. Most companies use the surface area method which is in square meters, while a few uses the calculated area. Calculated area is roughly surface area divided by 1.36

There is a lot of confusion about what size kites to buy for people of different weight. When buying a new kite it is important not to buy a too large kite or a too small kite.

A large kite (14 – 18 square meters) requires more skill to fly as it can fall out of the sky in beginner’s hands and light winds, turns slower and relaunches difficult. The amount of power generated by a large kite might also be too intimidating for a newcomer to the sport.

Too a small kite (6 – 8 square meters) means that you need to go out in stronger winds to be able to get up on your board. Smaller kites relaunch easier, but also fly the fastest. The faster you fly your kite through the window, the more power it generates which means that you will be punished for any mistakes that you make.

The best conditions to learn in are about 15 knots, and the best kite to learn on is a 10 or 12 square meter kite. A 12 square meter kite is a medium size kite that offers the best of both worlds, and is definitely the kite that you should consider to start kiteboarding with. Even if you can only afford one kite and are looking for a kite that will give you the most range, a 12 square meter kite is unbeatable. A typical 12 square meter kite will have a range of 13 – 20 knots in the hands of an experienced kiteboarder.

Should I buy new or secondhand?

Buying new or secondhand is a personal preference, and both options have advantages and disadvantages.

Buying new enables you to own the latest in kite design, and brings with all the usual advantages when you buy a new product.

More experienced riders often buy new kites, as the enhancements in the later model kites offers faster turning, higher jumping, more hang time, more wind range and better stability. One single disadvantage of buying new is the high price tag associated with new kites.

If you are a beginner it is definitely worth your while to invest in a second hand kite. As a beginner you will be crashing your kite a lot, and giving your kite a fair amount of abuse.

A secondhand model that is currently in production should easily be up to a third cheaper than a new kite, whereas a second hand model that is not in production anymore can safe you more than 50% on the price of a new kite.

Before buying a second hand kite it is important to check the kite for any bladder leaks or torn material. Unroll the kite and inflate all the bladders on the kite. Leave the kite inflated for at least half an hour to check for any punctures in the bladders.  

Kites generally last a long time, and the perception that kites only last a year or two is a misguided perception. Buying second hand is a good option if you want to save money, while buying new is a good option if you can afford it and want the latest in kite design

10 כללי בטיחות בסיסיים:

1. GET LESSONS. Kiteboarding is a dangerous sport and it is extremely important to have at least one professional kiteboarding lesson at the very minimum. Lessons not only teaches you the basics, but also gives you a head start and will get you on the water sooner. Kiteboarding lessons are of a high standard worldwide. You will typically cover vital techniques such as how to launch and land your kite, how to self rescue, setting up and attaching your lines, relaunching your kite, board control, waterstart, body dragging and understanding how the kite flies. Most importantly, it teaches you how to get out of situations.

2. KNOW HOW TO LAUNCH AND LAND YOUR KITE SAFELY. More than 90% of kiteboarding accidents happen on land, and most of them happen either while or within minutes from launching or landing your kite. When rigging your kite, make sure to double check your lines before launching. Rigging your lines the wrong way around can have fatal consequences. Asking someone to launch your kite isn't always safer than launching your kite from the self launch position - make sure that your helper knows how to launch or catch a kite - an inexperienced helper who lets the kite go too soon can cause a body drag along the beach  - possibly over hard objects and people. Assess every launch situation and always choose the safest way of getting on the water. Once your kite is launched make sure you get on the water as soon as possible. It's better to get lofted on the water than on land.

3. DON'T KITE IN CONDITIONS STRONGER THAN YOU CAN HANDLE, AND LEAVE ROOM FOR ERROR. Never launch with a kite that is bigger than you can handle. Make sure you know the upper wind range for all your kites. The more power you have in your kite, the less margin for error there is. Rather launch with a smaller than a bigger kite. Make sure that your kite size is smaller or equal to that of other people’s kites in the same conditions. If you are not sure, go smaller.

4. ALWAYS CHECK YOUR EQUIPMENT BEFORE GOING OUT. Make sure that your kite lines aren't worn or knotted. Knotted lines cut through themselves and cause line failure. Check that your kite, harness, board and wetsuit are all in good condition. Having gear failure out at sea can lead to serious problems. Having a snapped line on land can cause the kite to spiral in the power zone or move very fast through the power zone, resulting in fatal injuries.

5. KEEP DISTANCE BETWEEN YOURSELF AND ANYTHING ELSE. Always leave adequate margin for error. As a rule of thumb, always leave at least two line lengths of distance between you and any other objects or persons. One of the biggest problems in kiteboarding is the lack of time and distance when things go wrong. Kites are powerful and it is difficult to kill the power instantly. Many deaths occur as a result of people dragging into hard objects on land.

6. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A WORKING QUICK RELEASE SYSTEM, and that you can safely release from your kite in any situation. Snap shackles are dangerous as they are not meant to release under pressure - make sure you have a kite specific safety system, and that you know how to release in an emergency.

7. KITE LINES ARE DANGEROUS. A kite line snagged around a finger or limb will result in the loss of a finger or limb with a fully powered kite. ALWAYS detach your lines from your kite when your kite is not in use, and never leave your kite unattended. People can trip over your lines and launch your kite - with the lines snagged around them. Never launch your kite with people or animals downwind of it - the lines can snag around them. Make sure there is adequate room between your kite and people, and always try and launch downwind of people and obstacles.

8. KNOW YOUR SELF RESCUE TECHNIQUES, NEVER GO OUT FURTHER THAN YOU CAN SWIM AND CARRY FLARES AS BACKUP. Make sure you know the self rescue technique for getting back to shore. You might find yourself with the kite down and unable to relaunch due to equipment failure or lack of wind. A self rescue technique will bring you to shore safely by using your kite as a raft and sail. Never go out further than you can swim, and carry small flares as a backup. Flares are visible during day and night and will bring help immediately when you are out of sight and sound.

9. KEEP AWAY FROM OTHER WATER USERS. Do not kite between surfers, windsurfers or other water users. Always kite downwind and away from other water users. When things go wrong you are bound to hit anything downwind of you. Don't jump over waves if you can't see what's on the other side, there might be a surfer whom you can land on and seriously injure.

10. KNOW YOUR HAND SIGNALS. Make sure you know the universal signs for distress, and that you know the basic hand signs for kiteboarding. Landing and launching your kite are vital signs to know, as people often fail to hear when the wind is blowing and you need help