I get a lot of questions about long distance kiteboarding. Here are a few tips for people who want to do some long rides:
Planning is paramount. Wind direction for down-winders and for any distance ride can make or break the trip. You don’t want to be working up wind for 6 hours because the wind shifted direction in the middle of your ride. Planning your route, weather, and safety plan will make for a fun and safe distance ride. Keep track of weather patterns before you go and get some local tips if you’re not in your local area. It is also a great idea to scout of the area of the ride before you do it incase there are some obsticals that are new or not on the maps you used. I can tell multible stories of misadventures due to lack of planning. At the end of the day, you CAN’T plan for everything which brings me to the next point.
Safety and Emergencies. There is a certain amount of risk that is assumed by anyone undertaking a long kiteboarding trip. Fatigue will make any potentially harmful situation worse for sure. You can take precautions to give yourself the best chance of being successful in an emergency and a long kiteboarding ride is the time to take advantage of these. Wear the right gear. That means helmet, life jacket, whistle, booties, gloves, and hook knife. This also includes the no brainers like a kite leash, well maintained kite equipment, and supplies for the possibility of being stranded (ie cell phone, food, etc). Just like a marathon runner hits water and food stops during a race you should do the same during a kiteboarding endurance ride to prevent cramps and extreme fautigue. A camel back water system works great for keeping hydrated and power bars, gu’s, etc work well to keep your energy up.
Keep checking the site I’ll update with more helpful hints and some funny stories of problems I’ve had as well as other long distance kiters.
-Phil Midler