SAFETY
All members are required to follow the Kitesurfing Code of Conduct as displayed on the British Kitesurfing Association (BKSA) website. In addition to this we have put together a local safety guide. Please read this guide and the BKSA code of conduct thoroughly before kitesurfing.
THANK YOU
LOCAL SAFETY GUIDE
INSURANCE
Stop! Before you go anywhere near the beach are you properly insured? Every kitesurfer in this country should have 3rd party liability insurance from either the BKSA or from a recognised provider (e.g. the British Buggy Club). The insurance is very cheap and covers you for damages to 3rd parties to the value of £1m. There is no excuse for not having adequate insurance.
KITE SIZE
Launching an oversize kite for the conditions can have serious consequences before you've even got near the water.
If you're going to ask someone who's already been out 'what size are you on?' - just bear in mind their size, ability level and whether they are the sort of person who likes to ride 'maxed out'. With the advent of 'bow' or 'flat' kites, this question is becoming even more problematic. Best advice is to go with the smaller 'guestimate' and change up a size later if necessary.
Remember also - you've got a depower strap! The most dangerous time for a kitesurfer is the transition to and from the water. Make sure you've pulled in your depower strap while on land, then power back up once safely in the water.
KNOW YOUR KIT
Practice water relaunching in the shallows and progress to practicing in deeper water so that when you have to relaunch 50m out to sea everything will be second nature.
Know your safety system. Again, try this out in the shallows. Practice using your first level safety release and re-assembly.
LAUNCHING
Over the years - launching of the kite has often proved to be one of the most 'high-risk' procedures. Good habits to get into include:
1 Use the agreed hand-signals to your assistant rather than shouting instructions - i.e. 'thumbs-up' for launch, 'throat-cutting motion' for cancel / do not launch.
2 Always have one hand ready on your quick release mechanism during launch - and if anything seems even slightly wrong while launching - USE IT!!!
3 Distance is your friend. Whether it's hard-obstacles, fellow kiters or other beach users downwind of you - allow plenty of room. 3 line-lengths is a good rule of thumb. The greater the distance - the greater the number of seconds you'll have to react should things go pear-shaped.
4 Make sure your launch assistant knows what they are doing. If a non-kitesurfing friend or relative is launching you make sure that you brief them thoroughly beforehand. They need to know the signals for launch (thumb up signal) and abort (cut throat signal); how to hold the kite correctly; where to stand and how and when to let go of the kite. When launching and landing kites make sure that your assistant knows not to grab the lines.
HUNSTANTON GROYNES
Please DO NOT launch or land between the groynes (the concrete sea defenses with metal poles at the end). This can be extremely dangerous because in the event of a problem with your kite you could be dragged into the concrete. Please, for your own safety and the safety of others walk out further until you are clear of the groynes.
KITE BUDDIES
Everyone needs a kite buddy! Never kitesurf alone and when kiting with others always introduce yourself to a few people around you and ask them to look out for you. There may be plenty of people on the water but if no-one is specifically watching your back you could get into difficulty and find that you go unnoticed.
ONSHORE WINDS
For various reasons - onshore winds appear to have accounted for more kitesurfing accidents than any other direction. The prime reason is that if things go wrong (snag a line, equipment failure etc) - your chances of colliding with something hard are far higher.
To be fair, this is probably more relevant at typical south-coast beaches that are narrow with many downwind obstacles. Fortunately, at low tide, our beaches are wide and have a much larger 'run-off' area. Nevertheless, if you get lofted or jump a little higher than you expected - you could be in for a bumpy landing.
Another potential issue is high tide at Old Hunstanton in onshore winds. In these conditions the cliffs can generate huge updrafts. Just ask any of the paragliders, hangliders or 'Team Adrenalise'.
OFFSHORE WINDS
Although you are much less likely to collide with downwind obstacles - offshore winds have the rather obvious disadvantage that if something goes wrong (equipment failure, unable to relaunch etc) your next stop is possibly going to be Skegness or even Denmark.
Even just slightly cross-off winds at Hunstanton can be very sketchy - mainly because the wind has travelled across the relatively high ground of the town and can be very gusty and unpredictable.
ON THE WATER
1. Other water users ALWAYS have right of way. This means that if you are heading for a windsurfer, kayaker or swimmer either bear off downwind or turn around. Do NOT just keep on going thinking that they will get out of the way for you. Windsurfers usually keep downwind of kitesurfers - please respect their space and don't go ploughing through them.
2. When things get really busy (especially at Hunstanton) the windsurfers tend to keep downwind while the kitesurfers stay upwind. This is an unwritten rule which has evolved over the years and works well. Again, please respect their space.
3. Be courtious and respectful at all times. If you mess up and give someone a scare then apologise. Likewise, if a windsurfer bears off downwind to give you some room it doesn't hurt to give them a quick wave of thanks. These are simple things but not doing them can make you seem rude and give people the wrong impression about kitesurfing.
4. When two kitesurfers are heading towards each other, the rider heading starboard (travelling towards their right hand side) has right of way and the other rider must give way by bearing off downwind.
5. When two kites pass on the water the upwind kiter should keep their kite high whilst the downwind kiter should keep their kite low.
6. If you are riding fast and catch up with a slower rider be aware that they might not know you are there and that they have the right of way.
7. The kitesurfer on the beach has right of way over the kitesurfer on the water. If you see someone on the beach trying to get onto the water please let them in.
8. If you are a beginner and cannot yet keep upwind please keep to the downwind stretch of the beach.
COLD WEATHER
It's never a good idea to venture further from shore than you're able to swim. In the winter or abnormally cold weather this is even more vital. Also, keep your sessions shorter in winter and if you've got cold during a break, it's best not to go back out.
TEACHING YOUR FRIENDS
Whilst it's tempting to give your friends and family a go on your kit it's actually a really bad idea, especially when the water is busy. Instead, if they're keen to get into the sport then point them in the direction of one of the many local IKO/BKSA instructors for some lessons. Through proper lessons they will be able to practice and learn essentials such as how to properly pack down in deepwater, how to relaunch and much more.
THANK YOU
Thanks for taking the time to read this guide. One final thing - if you see someone doing or about to do something dangerous (such as launch a kite which is too big for the conditions) please have the courage to approach them with a few friendly words of advice. You will be doing them and all of us a huge favour.
Cheers.
HUB Committee
Updated 19/09/2007
