So

I watched some people kite-surfing today and it looks pretty rad! The wind was honkin and there were good-sized waves so there were tons of people out there as well as regular sufers. Anyways, here's my question: when people kite-surf, how do they avoid crossing their lines? I mean if two of them are going right at each other how do they decide who has to veer off? I used to do alot of sailboat racing so I understand how that works with starboard tack and being the leeward vessel and all...but from my perspective, on the beach, it looked like these dudes should have crashed into the sea with their lines tangled. Que es el dealio?

Crossing the streams brought down Gozer the traveller and burned the Stay Puft marshmallow man all to hell so I just want to be careful.

the kite lines can tangle when doing tricks, turning, etc. whenever a kite get tangled, it depends on the amount of lines on a kite, to untangle. for example--a two line kite generally does not get tangled, and is therefore easier to relaunch after crashing. a four line kite though, the lines do get tangled doing s type turns, etc. often it is harder to kite with this because you need to untangle the lines by flipping/spinning the bar. obviously when the line gets too tangled, or a kiter does to many tricks dealing with the left lines over the right or vice versa, well thats when they crash. and it is a bitch to get up cuz you have to untangle all the lines. basically, to untangle the lines, you roll the lines on the bar. they just developed a spin leash setup--http://www.scka.org/spinleash.htm--to help untangle lines on 4 line kites faster.

oh and as for deciding which person goes where, hmm i cant answer that one

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Originally Posted by surftb15

the kite lines can tangle when doing tricks, turning, etc. whenever a kite get tangled, it depends on the amount of lines on a kite, to untangle. for example--a two line kite generally does not get tangled, and is therefore easier to relaunch after crashing. a four line kite though, the lines do get tangled doing s type turns, etc. often it is harder to kite with this because you need to untangle the lines by flipping/spinning the bar. obviously when the line gets too tangled, or a kiter does to many tricks dealing with the left lines over the right or vice versa, well thats when they crash. and it is a bitch to get up cuz you have to untangle all the lines. basically, to untangle the lines, you roll the lines on the bar. they just developed a spin leash setup--http://www.scka.org/spinleash.htm--to help untangle lines on 4 line kites faster.

oh and as for deciding which person goes where, hmm i cant answer that one

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WHAT!?!? I've kited for three years, ride for Caution Kiteboarding Co., teach lessons in Santa Cruz and literally nothing you said makes any sense to me.


Vinz- We get this question all the time. Although it looks like madness from the beach, everyone's kite is actually almost on the same plane. (Look at upper corner diagram below) So since their on the same plane you can pass right below or above (regarding to upwind or downwind) somebody and their kite.

The key to getting really close is having the upwind rider raise his kite so that the downwind person passes right underneath.

As far as right of way goes, it depends on the spot. In the waves, you give right of way to the person coming in riding the wave. At most flat water, ocean spots, boat rules are applied (yet rarely followed). It's mainly just watch your shit, be aware of people around you, and the person a bit higher upwind should raise their kite to allow the other to pass under.