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The Brazilian Brothers have put together a quick tutorial on how to launch your kite with an assistant. Their method is not the same as what many kiteboarders do, but they feel it's better and safer. Check out the steps and see if you may have been missing something in your own launches. 1. Secure Your Kite and Save Your Sail Your kite is pumped up and your bar is in your hand. Set the kite on the beach so that the leading edge is pointed upwind. If there's a lot of wind, it may want to …

This video has been on my mind forever. I know it's going to drive some of you crazy but it must be said. Different Rules of Navigation should be observed in flat water spots. Like a slick behind a sandbar, an island or a jetty. A buddy of mine Leo Chen put it best. It's not about possession of the spot. It's about thoughtful use of a rare resource. Flat water is hard to come by and sought after for riders who are pushing their progression on the water. Love or hate this idea, I think we can al …

Strut-less kites require some special techniques and finesse to re-launch.  This quick walk through experience will help you explore some options for re-launch if you are struggling.  As we have said before, we recommend playing with these kites in shallow water before embarking on any offshore routes so you can get comfortable and experienced with their re-launch. Malcolm Crennell,  an experienced foiler passed his thoughts along to us and we thought it was well written and true …

The Self Rescue is your ace in the hole when it comes to kiteboarding.When in doubt, if you’re in trouble you can count on this method to systematically get yourself and your gear back in safely. When it comes to foilboarding, the process is mostly the same but there are some subtle differences. I originally intended this video for riders who already know how to do a self rescue but it occurred to me that a full recap is always a good idea. I’ll break down all the steps below and t …

Yes, These are the rules...but you should know that not every kiter follows them or knows what they are!   If you see someone who doesn’t seem to know what they are doing, just kindly inform them of what you have learned from this video.  Safety is Key!  Don’t expect other kiters to get out of your way.  You can tell by watching their kite movement as they approach you, if they are going to give you respect or not.  If you have any questions, give us a …

Dear kitesurfers: have you ever paddled into a wave on a surfboard?  If yes—you already get it. If not, however, please read on. Surfers have been "out there" for much longer than kiteboarders and kitesurfers have. Since the 18th century in Tahiti and Hawaii, surfers have been paddling out, catching waves and enjoying the stoke. Eventually, it hit mainland USA and became a subculture. Boards went from long to short, and back again. Shortboarders feud with longboarders, who now get sna …

In this weeks episode I’ll be going to my sisters bachelorette party in vegas, then I’ll be making my way to interview my good friend Kara Mulder. Kara is a kiteboarder, the author of the flight attendant life and a digital nomad like myself. She has some amazing insights behind the community to be found in kiteboarding and travel. Before we get into the rules: A quick reminder, like driving it's always your responsibility to avoid a collision, even if you have the right of way. Yo …

Jake M has seen his fair share of kiteboarding blows. Last summer, after winds had topped around 30-knots, Jake ran to the beach for his "lunch break". Not only did the wind die, but he ended up having to swim a quarter of a mile back to shore as a result. With a rip current and five-to-eight-foot waves to fight against and no floatation vest, Mitchell found himself red-faced, short of breath and wishing that he had worn a vest.  What Jake Recommends Since my incident last summer, I've foun …

O'Neill - Don't Get Burned Summer is a great time to go out to the beach and to catch a few rays. Living only 5 minutes away from the beach, it's pretty easy for us to head out whenever we can. That being said, while we love being out in the sun we also know the dangers of being out in the sun for too long: heat exhaustion, sunburn, skin cancer...it can be hard to handle. That's why we always carry around at least some water, sun screen, or a light rashguard (O'Neill Superlite Jacket) like the …

In the second installment of the #AddAKite Series, Matt talks about the concerns he had getting into the sport after watching people get dragged down the beach by their kites on youtube videos and watching launches going bad on the local scene by untrained newbie/wannabe kiteboarders. The Best TS has changed all of that for Matt. Getting on the Best TS and getting great advice from a quality instructor has really put those safety concerns to rest. Matt acknowledges that the fear of the unknown …