Blog., Kiteboarding

Safety rules to prevent kitesurfing accidents

Kiteboarding is an extreme sport and is therefore potentially dangerous to both, the kiteboarder and others. Because of strong wind conditions, kitesurfers can be carried off, dashed against water, buildings, terrain or trees. Most kiteboarding accidents and fatalities are the result of being lofted or dragged out of control, resulting in a collision with hard objects.

Unfortunately, in Mexico there has been two deadly accidents:

1.- A 21 years old man was lifted more than 20 meters and crushed in to a house in Chicxulub Puerto, near Progreso, Merida, while he was trying to launch the kite, died for internal injuries at midnight. More info: http://www.progresohoy.com/noticias/imprimir?3794
2.- Christina Bockius, 43, died from injuries in a kitesurfing accident near La Ventana on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. She was treated in a La Paz hospital Tuesday after breaking her neck. She was reportedly a very experienced kiter. More info: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/12/hood_river_woman_dies_in_kiteb.html

To maximize safety, basic safety guidelines should always be followed, some of which follow:

Kiteboarding Safety Rules

-First of all, do not try to learn by yourself. Take some kiteboarding lessons.

-Do not kitesurf without a safety release system that allows you to disable the kite at any moment. Regularly check your safety releases by releasing them with no kite attached.

-Avoid kiting alone. Get a kitesurfing friend to share the fun with, and/or kitesurf at locations where there are other kitesurfers about. Let someone know before you go. Tell them where you are kiting and when you expect to get back.

– On strong conditions, do not hook in before launching, check your lines first. Depower your kite using the trim strap before launching or landing. Check your kite, lines and the set up before launching your kite. Make sure you use the correct kite for your weight and the wind strength.

– Don’t launch, ride or jump upwind of people or hard objects. Give yourself at least 1.5 line-length distance from those obstacles.

-Don’t ask a non-kitesurfer to assist you in launching or landing a kite. Get another kitesurfer to launch and land your kite if they are around. Do not allow an unskilled onlooker to attempt to launch or land your kite.

-Don’t ever use a board leash (except possibly in large surf for experienced riders). Learn to body drag upwind to recover a lost board.

-Don’t kitesurf before, during, after a thunder storm or in stormy weather.

-Don’t kitesurf in offshore wind. Practice and be proficient at self rescue before you really need to use it.

-Exercise great caution when landing your kite, especially in gusty conditions. Make sure that there is a “friendly” beach downwind from where you start.

– Avoid kite surfing in crowded areas, near rocks, trees, or power lines, keep away from boats, piers, groynes, buoys and other objects.

-Do not kitesurf in very strong wind if you are a beginner (in 20+ knots) and be careful even if you are an experienced kitesurfer (in 30+ knots).

-Flying lines can cut when the kite is flying. Never let yourself or others even having a chance of getting tangled up with the flying lines.

-Do not lend your gear to someone who had no instruction on kitesurfing.

The Best Spots

  TULUM
Kitesurf next to the Mayan Ruins.
  LA VENTANA
The new 'Tarifa' in México.
  PLAYA DEL CARMEN
Cosmopolitan tourist town.
  BUCERIAS
Strong and warm winds.
ISLA BLANCA
Caribbean Island near Cancun.

Kitesurf Vacation

We offer vacation rental properties and accommodations at the best destinations for kiteboarding in Mexico, along with all inclusive kitesurfing holidays, kiteboarding lessons, kitesurf equipment sale, tours, kite trips, info about each location and other services.

Kitesurf Vacation is part of a corporate group related to Real Estate and Tourism called Grupo–Valverde.

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