Kited › Kitesurfing safety and self-rescue
Kitesurfing safety and self-rescue
Most kitesurfing accidents have a boring cause: offshore wind, riding alone, kit not checked or crowds. This page sets out the basics, drawn from RNLI and school guidance.
The RNLI's key advice
- Kite with a partner. If you must go alone, carry a way to call for help.
- Stay within swimming distance of the shore. Do not go further out than you could swim back.
- Prepare for equipment failure.
- Check the weather and tides, and stay out of conditions you cannot handle.
- Match your kite size to others on the water.
- Only let people trained in kites help you launch or land.
- Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back.
- Carry safety gear: a buoyancy aid, a helmet and a way of calling for help.
- Consider a tracking app such as RYA SafeTrx, which alerts your contacts if you do not return on time.
- Learn to float. The RNLI's Float to Live guidance describes steps for staying afloat if you get into difficulty.
In an emergency dial 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.
What self-rescue means
Self-rescue is how you get yourself and your kit back to shore without outside help when something fails: lost board, tangled lines, no wind, or a kite you cannot relaunch. In practice it means safely depowering and releasing the kite, then packing it down in the water and returning to shore (a deep-water pack-down). One BKSA-affiliated school says a self-rescue and deep-water pack-down is taught on the first day of a lesson at any BKSA school. Calshot expects riders to be around BKSA Level 2, independent and able to self-rescue in deep water.
Practise self-rescue with an instructor in safe, shallow, onshore conditions, then again whenever you change to new kit. Do not rely on reading a page like this. See learning to kitesurf to find a school.
Offshore wind: why it is different
With the wind blowing away from the beach, a failed session turns into a drift out to sea, often with no one near. Beginners should never ride in offshore wind, and many experienced riders avoid it. Read more on the wind and tide page.
Launching and landing
- Find a clear space upwind of people and obstacles.
- Keep well away from hazards; one guide suggests double the length of your lines.
- Do not fly over paths, roads, parked vehicles, campsites or buildings. Calshot's rules state this explicitly.
- Self-launching and self-landing are not recommended at Calshot. Use a trained helper.
- Wrap and secure your lines when not in use.
If you lose your kite or board
Calshot's rules say to report a kite or board lost at sea to the Coastguard. Other places will expect the same. A loose kite is a danger to others.
Before you go: checklist
- Forecast, tide table and local notices read.
- Partner, plan and return time shared with someone.
- Kit inspected: lines, bar, safety system, bladder.
- Buoyancy aid, helmet and communication device on you.
- Honest check on your own level, tiredness and cold.
If you are unsure, stay ashore. For gear, see the kit guide.
Check local rules and conditions before you go. Spots change: permits, closures, sea defences and tides all affect whether you can launch safely. This site is general information, not a substitute for a lesson or a local briefing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I kitesurf alone?
The RNLI advises kiting with another person. If you have to go alone, carry a way to call for help and tell someone your plan.
What should I do if I get into trouble?
Use your safety release and self-rescue if you can. Call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard if you need help.
How far out should I go?
No further than you could swim back, according to the RNLI.
What is Float to Live?
An RNLI guide to staying afloat in cold water if you get into difficulty. See the RNLI's pages for the five steps.