A very young and exciting new sport, kitesurfing has grown in popularity quickly over the past decade since the first competition held in Hawaii in 1998. Although kites as propulsion originated in China in the 13th century, it wasn’t until recently that people began using kites to propel themselves while standing atop a board, on water.

While the kite soars across the sky, it acts like an airplane wing, creating lift and propelling the person holding its base. The bigger the kite, the bigger the propulsion. Different than a sail, a kite doesn’t rely solely on wind to cause propulsion. When the kite flies, it creates it’s own wind called apparent wind.

Kite surfing has its dangers, and thus there are many precautions taken when out on the water. When surfing one should wear a harness, helmet, and even carry signaling devices in case the unfortunate situation of surfing out to sea occurs. There have been only a few fatal accidents involving kitesurfing so far. Whether you buy inflatable kites, or flat inflatable, or framed single skin kites, make sure you purchase all of the safety gear as well.

Because it’s a relatively new sport, it’s still evolving and growing rapidly around the world. If you’re interested in getting started with kitesurfing, now is the time to do it. You can be part of kitesurfing history if you get involved today.

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