Am I Ready Ride?
27 Jan 2015
To kiteboard with confidence it takes a measure of self-preparation. The IKO has pulled together a poster that can be tacked up on the wall called the “Am I Ready to Ride?” poster. It displays 8 questions (with answers) that you can ask yourself to determine whether or not you are ready to ride for the day.
We will feature two of these questions in our newsletters over the next few months until we have presented all 8. In this newsletter edition, we will focus on, “Is the Wind OK?” and “Is the spot safe?”.
Is the Wind OK?
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Choose the right kite size. If you don’t know how, look for a rider your same weight. Use the same size as his board and kite. Use an anemometer to measure the wind speed, and then check your kite wind range chart. Don’t hesitate to ask your instructor or proceed by trial and error, starting with a small kite then change to a bigger one if needed. Keep an eye on the sky. If you see a big black cloud around: squall at a distance; go back to shore; land your kite; and wait for the cloud to pass before riding again. |
Is the Spot Safe?
A single “Yes” answer to the following should make you think of changing your chosen area:
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- Do you see anything that could hurt you if you fall on land?
- Are there buildings, vehicles or fences downwind to your launch and landing area?
- Are you unable to come back to shore downwind to your start point if something happens while riding?
- Is there anything under the water surface?
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If the land and water area are clear, then it’s time to rig up the equipment!
That’s our two questions from the “Am I Ready to Ride?” poster chosen for this newsletter edition. Stay tuned for future newsletter editions as we feature 2 more questions.
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