I have sailed with kiters before but I was always out further than them as they sail where it is too shallow for me.
Yesterday at canton there were a few out & I found myself unsure how close I could sail under their lines without getting into trouble. Also one guy stacked it and his kite was in the water and I sailed bydownwind just below it when he could have relaunched it.. Where are the danger zones? Any tips? Also who has right of way ( although I know I should just assume everyone has no idea to stay safe)..

Generaly, as a kiter I would say the guy with the kite is more worried about his lines than you are about your mast getting hit or tangled. If it does happen for what ever reason, the kiter was a kook and would be a danger to any one around, these guys are easy to spot, constantly dropping their kites, poostance, lots of body draging etc. Other kiters will stay away from them, unfortunatly they seem to think other water sports guys around them is a good thing.

I would say you can sail as close as you want to a kitesurfer down wind of you and they will move the kite up if they are up wind, which they have to do for any object including other kiters.

It is a slight problem for a kitesurfer only if its light wind and he has to get upwind past a beginner kite surfer, flying his kite straight up, which means that the up wind kite has not got a lot of scope to generate power by moving it up and down, to get past.

just like sailing with windsurfers or anny other kind of boat .. bit of curtisy and respect goes a long way

ikw777 said...



I wish I had a buck for every time I have had to lose ground downwind or been edged to far upwind by a kiter completely unaware a windsurfer is overtaking.

You have to also look out when catching up to them that they don't change directions suddenly and without looking behind them!

I have had a few scares like that.

elmo said...

GavGav said...

ikw777 said...



I wish I had a buck for every time I have had to lose ground downwind or been edged to far upwind by a kiter completely unaware a windsurfer is overtaking.

You have to also look out when catching up to them that they don't change directions suddenly and without looking behind them!

I have had a few scares like that.

Watch the kite it changes direction before they do

Or pull a big jump without looking behind and downwind. Once you have committed to passing downwind you can't react fast enough to get out of their way.

Then there are the bozos that think it's perfectly acceptable to jump over the top of you...

just dont sail too close to someone you dont know, and there are alot of noobs that think buzzing someone is cool,

its annoying cause i dont want to be injured due to someone being a noob...

i have had a few run ins at my local where guys i dont know decided to bear off and sail within a few metres of me in the MIDDLE of the sound

simple BACK OFF, only takes a little mishap to stuff something up, big time

friendly words thats all

Where I sail with kiters, there are waves involved and it is mostly always an onshore wind.

I try to get upwind of the kiters and usually stay there till it's time to come in. I find I can point higher into the wind than the average kiter so I usually pass them to windward. Very few of them come out where the boarders go.

When I am coming back in you have to be aware that they may not see you or be struggling with control over their kite (which is one reason why they stay in close to the beach). Be aware of what their kite is doing. You usually can see their intentions in time to give you warning. Be prepared to bail out if you have to as well.

Passing them to leeward can be tricky, especially if they are noobs and are having control issues. I have been cleaned up once by an out of control kiter but luckily no injury or damage. He was very apologetic. We say hello all the time now.

I the past I have also tried to help kiters who were in trouble with inverted kites or losing their boards, but you really are limited in what you can do except keep an eye on them and make sure they don't go under. Have got myself into some serious trouble once before when trying to help. Did major damage to my sail and almost drowned myself. Oh well, at least I survived another day in the waves....

Saw a kiter putting his wet suit on over his boardies on Saturday at the beach, so I asked him in jest why he wasn't putting them on over the wet suit and he said "Because I'm too fat for the boardies to go over the wettie". Fair enough......