Kitesurfing Rules & Safety

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1. General Common Sense Rules on the Water

* Avoid collision at all cost, even when you have the right of way.
* Keep clear of less manoeuvrable water-crafts:
All recreational water-crafts shall keep clear of large commercial ships.
More manoeuvrable motorized water-crafts shall keep clear of all sailing water-crafts.
* When it seems that an inexperienced boater is having problem controlling the boat properly, the experienced boaters should keep clear off the inexperienced boater even when the experienced boaters have the right of way (a boat with an inexperienced "captain" is considered as a less manoeuvrable water-craft).

2. Traditional Sailing Rules

* Opposite tack rule: A boat on port tack with the wind on the port side shall keep clear of a boat on starboard tack.
* Same tack rule: A boat to windward (upwind) shall keep clear of a boat to leeward (downwind).
* Overtaking rule: An overtaking boat shall keep clear of the boat being overtaken.

3. Wave Sailing Rules

* Opposite tack rule: A wave sailor coming in (surfing the wave in) shall keep clear of a wave sailor heading out (jumping the wave).
* Same tack rule (on the wave): All wave sailors shall keep clear of a wave sailor in front of or nearest to the peak of the wave (the breaking part of the wave).
* All kitesurfers shall keep clear of all surfers (surfers are less manoeuvrable than kitesurfers).

4. Minimum clearing distance for most water-crafts

WATER CRAFT	HIGHEST POINTS	MINIMUM CLEARING DISTANCE	OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Surfers	2.5 m	7.5 m	Kitesurfers have to keep clear of surfers all the times.
Personal Water-crafts	2 - 3 m	9 m	PWCs have to keep clear of the kitesurfer all the times.
Small to Medium Motorized Boats	5 m	15 m	Motorized boats have to keep clear of the kitesurfer all the times.
Windsurfers and Small Sailboats	5 m	15 m	Traditional and wave sailing rules should be applied.
Kitesurfers	2.5 m (upwind kite is high and downwind kite is low)	7.5 m	Traditional and wave sailing rule should be applied. Furthermore, the upwind kitesurfer should fly the kite higher than 45 degrees vertically and the downwind kitesurfer should fly the kite lower than 45 degree vertically.
Large Motorized Boats	10 - 15 m	30 - 45 m	Motorized boats have to keep clear of the kitesurfer all the time. If the large motorized boat is in narrow, restricted water for its size, the kitesurfer has to keep clear.
Medium Sailboats	10 - 15 m	30 - 45 m	Traditional sailing rules should be applied.
Large Sailboats	Very high	Line length	Traditional sailing rules should be applied. If the large sailboat is in narrow, restricted water for its size, the kitesurfer has to keep clear.
Commercial Ships	Very high	Line length	Kitesurfer has to keep clear of commercial ships all the times.

5. The Modern Beaufort Scale

BEAUFORT SCALE	WIND SPEED (km/h)	DESCRIPTION	WAVE HEIGHT (mt)	SEA CONDITIONS	LAND CONDITION
0	<1	Calm	0	Flat.	Calm. Smoke rises vertically.
1	1-5	Light air	0.1	Ripples without crests.	Wind motion visible in smoke.
2	6-11	Light breeze	0.2	Small wavelets. Crests of glassy appearance, not breaking.	Wind felt on exposed skin. Leaves rustle.
3	12-19	Gentle breeze	0.6	Large wavelets. Crests begin to break; scattered whitecaps.	Leaves and smaller twigs in constant motion.
4	20-28	Moderate breeze	1	Small waves.	Dust and loose paper raised. Small branches begin to move.
5	29-38	Fresh breeze	2	Moderate (1.2 m) longer waves. Some foam and spray.	Branches of a moderate size move. Small trees begin to sway.
6	39-49	Strong breeze	3	Large waves with foam crests and some spray.	Large branches in motion. Whistling heard in overhead wires. Umbrella use becomes difficult. Empty plastic garbage cans tip over.
7	50-61	High wind, Moderate Gale, Near Gale	4	Sea heaps up and foam begins to be blown in streaks in wind direction.	Whole trees in motion. Effort needed to walk against the wind. Swaying of skyscrapers may be felt, especially by people on upper floors.
8	62-74	Fresh Gale	5.5	Moderately high waves with breaking crests forming spindrift. Streaks of foam.	Twigs broken from trees. Cars veer on road.
9	75-88	Strong Gale	7	High waves (6-7 m) with dense foam. Wave crests start to roll over. Considerable spray.	Larger branches break off trees, and some small trees blow over. Construction/temporary signs and barricades blow over. Damage to circus tents and canopies.
10	89-102	Whole Gale/Storm	9	Very high waves. Large patches of foam from wave crests give the sea a white appearance. Considerable tumbling of waves with heavy impact. Large amounts of airborne spray reduce visibility.	Trees are broken off or uprooted, saplings bent and deformed, poorly attached asphalt shingles and shingles in poor condition peel off roofs.
11	103-117	Violent storm	11.5	Exceptionally high waves. Very large patches of foam, driven before the wind, cover much of the sea surface. Very large amounts of airborne spray severely reduce visibility.	Widespread vegetation damage. More damage to most roofing surfaces, asphalt tiles that have curled up and/or fractured due to age may break away completely.
12	≥118	Hurricane-force	≥14	Huge waves. Sea is completely white with foam and spray. Air is filled with driving spray, greatly reducing visibility.	Considerable and widespread damage to vegetation, a few windows broken, structural damage to mobile homes and poorly constructed sheds and barns. Debris may be hurled about.

Last Updated on Friday, 17 June 2011 15:26

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