On-board Kite

Why, where and how to launch and recover kites from a boat.

Why to think about on-board kite?

Here is why I think that it’s an ideal combination:

If you can ride with a kite, ship sailing should be easy to learn and pleasant. The reverse is also true to my mind.
No better way than rent a (house on the spot) sail boat with friends (with or without skipper) to learn, practice, exchange experience on both.
For beginners: Handling the wing (connected to the boat) and body dragging facilitated.
Ride inaccessible by land spots, place for you to train !
The downwind (voluntary or not) could be facilitated…
And one day, the yacht anchored in flat water just behind the reef, sound of the surf for the nights…

How to quickly launch a kite from a boat? – Introduction

To be honest, in light condition, if you are a good kiteboarder and sailor, all help you need is provided by Kitecleat main functions and you know it as well as me.

Please see this tutorial video for details:

How to quickly launch a kite from a boat? – Details

For harder conditions (> 18Kts) and / or several riders on board, you could have safety and time gain on launches, exchanges and recoveries of the kites by stocking bar(s) with strained lines on the deck. You could see the used elements in the draft video, to do so kit is not yet available for retail, to be continued…

Where to practice on board kiteboarding ?

Here is where a “community” dimension could help developing the concept because I know we are still are a handful of adventurous enough kiteboarders” to think about having The home spot trips !
Not many (on French “main land”) anchorages are fully adapted to the point of not having to use the dinghy to reach the beach but some are and anyway, we need a map to get a better view on where it should be tried. If you have already, please tell us.
There so, I invite you to take a look at the “spots map” section where I wish to localise (forever freely) best areas for kiteboarding cruises, boat to be rent locations, adapted anchorages,…
To do so, I also invite anyone having such knowledges to exchange information on the Facebook group “Kitesurf Sailboat”. Discussion there is of course also free and accessible to all group members.
You are also welcome to send me a message any time.