Kite surfing, also known as kite surf or kite boarding is a relatively new sport that first appeared in around 1999 in the warm and windy waters of the Hawaiian islands.

It is the most fast-growing water sport of all, involving the use of a board and a kite (or canopy) that is manoeuvred by a control bar connected to it by  either two, four or more long thin cables made of dyneema.

The ideal wind conditions for kite surfing run at between 12 and 30 knots, and unlike sail boarding or windsurfing, it can be enjoyed even when there is little wind around although obviously the weaker the wind, the larger the kite needs to be.  When conditions are ideal, the sport is extremely safe, as it is possible to simply free-ride (glide) and carry out all manner of tricks it what is known as freestyle. When performed on waves it is known as wave style, whereas  wake-style is used when the water is flat.

Something that characterises this sport is how little time it takes to learn how to free-ride and then go on to learn how to turn around.  A good course of an average 15/16 hours is all that is needed to learn the basics and be able to head off alone and in perfect safety.  Lessons are not obligatory, but they are advisable. Kite surfing does qualify as an extreme sport and although modern equipment and materials make it as safe as possible, it is still very risky.

Attending a course is the best way to minimise the risk and it should, at the very least,  cover the following  important points:
(on dry land)
• the theory of flying and understanding the winds
• use of all safety equipment
• basic meteorology
• take off and landing
(in the water – and in order)
• self-rescue
• relaunching
• body-dragging
• body-dragging close to the wind
• water start

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Choosing the right equipment

There are two variables that lay behind the choice of equipment, the kiter's weight and the  wind conditions at the so-called “home spot” or the place likely to be used most often.  The basic concept is that the gentler the wind, the larger the kite or canopy needs to be to lift the same weight and the same applies, more-or-less to the size of the board.

As the sport is still so new, the equipment is constantly evolving – and at a speed more usually associated with computers than sports gear.  It means there is also a flourishing second-hand market.  The kites and boards are not just categorized according to size but also for the year in which they were made as it only takes a few months before they are out-dated.