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Selecting the Proper Kitesurfing Kites

Wednesday, January 19, 2011 2:15 AM Posted by Andy Subandono

By Nitin Saini

The multihued kites pulling along people over water is a treat for the eyes of lovers of extreme sports. Extreme adventure sports have always held a special position in the hearts of teenagers hence it is no surprise the see the latest addition - kitesurfing - taking off in a big way. For those who are ignorant about this sport, the same involves harnessing the power of the wind, through a kite, to pull along the rider through the water on a kiteboard. These kiteboards are similar in build and nature to a surfboard. Like with all other extreme sports it is recommended that one first learns the rudiments of the same in the company of an experienced instructor.

The biggest advantage of this sport is that one can enjoy it anywhere where vast stretches of open water is available. However, you should check with the local people and learn more about areas which are dangerous and avoid them. The fun factor of this sport depends upon the type of kites used and hence it is necessary to ensure that you select kitesurfing kites that are suitable for your level of experience in this sport. During the early days of this sport there were no specifications about the kite and power kites were used by kitesurfers. As kitesurfing became more and more popular, kites specific to this type of sport evolved.

Nowadays one can find kites that can hold their shape... thanks to their inflatable sections. Since these kites do not have any rigid structure, they can be folded up into small shapes that are easy to carry. The kites used for kitesurfing come in two different forms: the foil kites and the leading edge inflatables. The foil kites are generally made from light weight ripstop nylon that has air cells to provide lift to it. They also have a fixed bridle which helps to maintain the arc shape of the kite. An advantage of using the foil kites is that it does not require bladders to be manually inflated.

The foil kites are available in 2 different configurations: The open cell one and the closed cell one. The leading edge inflatable kites are also manufactured from ripstop nylon. What differentiates them from the foil ones are their inflatable plastic bladder (the main bladder) which spans across the front edge of the kite along with separate smaller bladders that are arranged perpendicular to the main bladder. When inflated, the bladders give the kite their shape and also keep it afloat if it gets dropped in the water.

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