I have been Kiting since 2008.
From 2010 I have founded with 2 friends www.kitegeneration.com, kitesurfing school in Cagliari, Sardinia.
Kitegeneration has been established in Cagliari with the purpose to spreading kitesurf in Sardinia. If you like to learn to kitesurf, come in Cagliari and Kitesurfing Sardinia with us!
North Kiteboarding or Duotone?! What’s going on in the market with these kite brands? And why also Cabrinha is involved? Are you a bit confused? Yes for sure, that has been a bit confusing. Communication and information at times do not circulate in a clear way. Let’s try to simplify it a little for understanding what is happened between North Kiteboarding, Duotone and Cabrinha.
North Technology Group and Boards & More
NorthKB in the story with Duotone
Basically, there are two names involved in this story:
The North Sails / NTG is an American company owned by Oakley Capital and founded in 1957, San Diego, California. They are high-tech holders for sailor navigation equipment.
Duotone Logo
The Boards & More is a company with its headquarter in Austria founded in 2000, and owns Fanatic, ION, F2, Maui Project boards, A.R.T. and Arrows windsurf sails.
Licensing arrangement between North Sails and Boards & More for using the brand North Kiteboarding
The North Sails and Board & More had a trade agreement in which Boards & More could manufacture kites, name the models of the equipment, contract the brand-sponsored riders and perform all other processes, by paying Royalties to North Sails / North Technology Group for using the name “North” , already known and consolidated into the world of the sail.
In other words, around the 2000s, when kiteboarding has started to grow, Boards & More decided to launch a new kitesurfing product line. Due to the strong brand recognition of North, the North Kiteboarding was born. The North Kiteboarding name was licensed out from the North Sails / North Technology Group to Boards & More.
The licensing arrangement seemed to go well until recently. Around 2014 the North Technology Group came under new ownership. Now it is not clear if the new owners of North Sails had other ideas for the licensed brands or if there were some problems for unpaid Royalties from Boards & More to North Technology Group. The “real why” only knows who’s inside and is part of the process, but the fact is that, on late 2017, the licensing agreement between North Technology Group and Boards & More, for using the brand North Kiteboarding, came to an end.
After the ending of the licensing agreement between Bords & More and North Technology Group, Boards & More has decided to continue producing the kiteboarding products with the brand Duotone, recycling a brand that they already owned. The North Technology Group on 2018 has announced that they would be developing and launching a new line of kiteboarding products for the 2020 season with their famous brand North Kiteboarding.
And Cabrinha?
Cabrinha involvement in on NorthKB and Duotone Story
And why also Cabrinha is often mentioned in the Duotone – North Kiteboarding “story”?
On 2018, the North Technology Group, anxious to get into the kiteboarding market, after announcing that they would be developing and launching a new line of North Kiteboarding products for 2020 season, started recruiting a number of kiteboarding leading people. Several of these kiteboarding leading people came from / was woking for Cabrinha, owned by Neil Pride Group (NP Group): people like Klaus Warkentin (actually NorthKB Sale Director), David Mead (actually NorthKB Director Operations and Manufacturing), Mike Raper (actually NorthKB Director of Brand & Product), Hugh Pinfold (actulally NorthKB Director of Design and Engineering), that in the past were working for NP Group / Cabrinha, became part of North Kiteboarding Team.
This is the reason why Cabrinha is often mentioned in this story between North Kiteboarding and Duotone.
Are you wondering on a Travel Solo Adventure to some great destinations? Are you solo and do you like traveling and exploring? In this case, you can evaluate a Solo Traveler Kitesurfing Holiday in Punta Trettu, Sardinia!
Kitesurfing Holiday in Sardinia for Solo Travelers, not for Alone travelers
Kitesurf Holiday for Solo Travelers in Sardinia
When we talk about Solo Travelers, we mean Solo, not Alone. What’s the difference? Why we talk about “Solo travelers” and not “Alone travelers”?
Solo Travelers are people that likes to meet new people and friends while travelling, are people that like to share experiences and get involved with other people that would not normally meet. That is why we don’t talk about “alone travelers” but we talk about “solo travelers”.
So, if you are ready to enjoy a Solo Adventure, why do not consider a Kitesurfing Holiday For Solo Travelers in Sardinia?
Why choose a Kitesurfing Holiday for Solo Travelers
Kite Friends and Kite Best Friends
The great thing about kitesurfing is that the people that are into this sport are super friendly and helpful. There are many reasons for that: kitesurfing is really funny, launching and landing a kite is always easier with a friend, and all kiters share the same passion for sea, sun, water and sport.
Whether your friends don’t do kitesurf, whether are not able to kitesurf but you wanna learn it, whether you can never find a date that fits all your friends needs, you can consider a travel a on your own for kitesurfing!
Where to go for a Kitesurfing Solo Holiday?
So, after wondering about a SoloKitesurfing Holiday, now you are wondering “Where to go for a Solo Travel Kitesurfing holiday“?
To find the worlds best kite destinations you could have a look on internet, you could post a message on a Kitesurf Facebook Page or to some Kite Forum. For sure you will receive a lot of answers and everybody will suggest a place around the world. Now…. which kite destination to go? You can evaluate to come at Punta Trettu Kite Club Paradise in Sardinia!
Punta Trettu Kite Spot in Sardinia
Punta Trettu Kite Club Paradise is known for its relaxing atmosphere. It is seen by many travelers as a home away from home. The best proofs of this are the many guests that are retourning Punta Trettu in Sardinia every year and the several reviews that you can see on internet.
Kitesurfing is a passion to be shared with other people. At Punta Trettu Kite Beach and at Punta Trettu Kite Club Paradise , one of the best destination for kitesurfing in Europe, people, riders, singles meet each other. While drinking a beer or a cocktail, while having dinner together, while kitesurfing, you can meet new people and friends. Even if you are not a kitesurfer, you will get excited about this amazing sport and environment, just by listening stories and watching the kitesurfers.
At Punta Terttu Kite Club Paradise you will stay in a dedicated Kite & Surf centre with onsite sports facilities, a fun environment that offers great kitesurfing conditions and where you can meet new friends, a great atmosphere, nice instructors, and an array of additional activities to enjoy when you are not out for kitesurfing.
Punta Trettu Kite Club Paradise has four bedrooms, so it’s cosy and friendly – it’s your home from home. From a wind perspective the season is long: best period is going from March toNovember. When the wind doesn’t blow there are always something else to do: SUP, windsurf, bike, etc!
Punta Trettu is a Paradise for kitesurfing where people make easily contacts: also solo travelers will never feel alone!
Kitesurfing at Punta Trettu Kite Club Paradise is also for female solo travelers
Kitesurf Holiday for Solo Travelers in Sardinia
If you are a female traveler, a girl, and would you like to learn to kitesurf or enjoy kitesurfing and your holiday together with a bunch of people, in Punta Trettu you will be at the right place! In fact, every year, Punta Trettu hosts also many girls that like to learn to kitesurf or to improve their kite tricks or just relax and enjoy the holiday with new friends!
Finally, Punta Trettu Kite Club Paradise is a fantastic destination for everyone, whether you want to kick back and relax or party and meet new people. If you would like a holiday that allows you to get away from the routine of a normal day and to meet new people, then Punta Trettu in Sardinia is where you should go!
So, what are you waiting for? Just Book a ticket and come to Punta Trettu in Sardinia! Let the Solo Kite Adventure begin!
A New Duotone Kitehas been found in Cagliari, Sardinia.
Do you live in Sardinia or were / are you on holiday in Sardinia for kitesurfing and did you loose a kite?
We have found a new Duotone Kite!
This kite has been found in a street in the center of Cagliari. We don’t know if it was forgotten or it was stolen and abandoned by thieves who didn’t know what to do with it.
The fact is that the kite is not ours and we are trying to find the owner, that probably is very saddened by having lost it.
If it’s your kite or if you know the owner, you can contact us 🙂
If you are planning to come for your holidays in Sardinia, do not underestimate the idea to attend a course of kitesurfing: a healthy sport, in a direct contact with the sea, nature and … terribly adrenaline! On thhis page you could understand where to Kitesurf in Sardinia and where to Learn to Kitesurfin Sardinia. In short, where to enjoy Kitesurf Sardinia.
Spots to Kitesurf in Sardinia
Now the questions are: Where to Kitesurf in Sardinia? In which kitesurf Sardinia spots where I can learn to Kitesurf?
Sardinia, as well as being a beautiful country, rich in natural, cultural, culinary traditions and landscapes, has 1,897 km of coastline and is one of the windiest regions in Europe. Because of its location, in the center of the western Mediterranean, Sardinia is a very wind island where the most frequent winds are Mistral (NW) and Scirocco (SE). it is rich in great beaches, of which many are away from the bustle of the crowds of swimmers. With this conditions, Sardinia can be considered a paradise for kitesurfing: Kitesurf Sardinia, one word!
In Sardinia, you can therefore find many places that have the ideal characteristics for kiteboarding.
The main beach of Cagliari, Poetto, is perhaps the best known by tourists. It is between the Sella del Diavolo (Devil’s Saddle) and Quartu Sant’Elena. Besides being famous for its nightlife, it is also a great winter spot for kitesurfing (in the summer is too crowded and there are no kite areas / lanes).
At Poetto beach, during the winter times there is a lot of space, since Poetto is long approximately 10 km where Mistral, Scirocco and Levante blow almost every day. The beach is sandy and is easily accessible both by car and by public transport. At Poetto beach every year take place some kite events, as the Kite Foil World Championships 2017. To understand in which weather conditions and which kite lessons and courses are proposed in this Kite Spot of Sardinia, you can have a look at the Sardinia Kitesurfing Lessons page.
La Maddalena Spiaggia better knows as Petrol Beach in Capoterra, blown in the summer months by Scirocco, South Wind and Thermal Winds. On the hot days of summer it is an ideal spot for kitesurfing, even for beginners. To understand in which weather conditions and which kite lessons and courses are proposed in this Kite Spot of Sardinia, you can have a look at the Sardinia Kitesurfing Lessons page.
Another beach for kitesurfing, always in the south-west of Sardinia, is certainly the beach of Chia: white beach and crystal clear waters exposed to the Mistral and the south winds. Chia is usually a winter kite spot (in the summer is usually really crowded) and a Kite spot for expert. For there reasons, kite lessons and courses are hardly to manage, especially for beginners.
The bay of Porto Botte is another ideal place for kitesurfing, suitable both for beginners and experts. It is a long bay about 2 km where there are 3 kite spots: Il Fortino, Porto Botte, Is Solinas.
Among others, Punta Trettu, considered one of the best Kite spots in Sardinia. In fact, with shallow and flat water, Punta Trettu is a perfect Kite Beach especially for beginners, that can stand up and walk in case of need. A Kite Paradise! To understand in which weather conditions and which kite lessons and courses are proposed in this Kite Spot of Sardinia, you can have a look at the Sardinia Kitesurfing Lessons page.
Kitesurf Sardinia: Which is the best Spot to kitesurf in Sardinia?
Kitesurfing Punta Trettu, Sardinia
As seen above, in Sardinia there are many spots for kitesurfing. Many people will wonder: but which is the best spot for kite surfing in Sardinia, the most beautiful, the one where the wind always blows?
Well, there is not!
In Sardinia the wind direction changes very often. It may be that Mistral wind (north west, the best with Mistral are spots Porto Botte and Punta Trettu) or Scirocco (south east, the best spots with Sirocco are Poetto, Petrol Beach, Chia, Punta Trettu) for a whole week. Or it may be that the Mistral blows for a day, the day after will blow the thermic wind and then scirocco, Grecale or Libeccio (the best place with Libeccio are Geremeas and Villasimius).
As example of what has been said above, you can have look at the following image: it shows the weather / wind forecast for the days of 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 January 2018. As you can see, in those forecasts the wind changes direction and intensity every day.
In all cases, it is strongly recommended to have a car to move in the different spots, if needed.
NB: If you are not an expert on weather forecast / conditions of Sardinia, to find the wind in Sardinia can be not easy.
Kitesurf in Sardinia: join a Kite School
If you’re thinking about starting to practice kitesurfing, it is advisable to join a Kiteschool.
In fact, when we start to learn a new sport, which also has a discrete component of risk as the kitesurf, it is really reccommended to rely on experienced teachers and avoid DIY.
Moreover, even if you are already familiar with this great sport, it is important to know the right kitespots to practice it.
For all these reasons, KiteGeneration, kite school founded by people that have turned their passion into a profession, is the ideal group for learning kitesurf in Sardinia.
KiteGeneration Kitesurf Center is based in Sardinia, both in Cagliari and Punta Trettu.
Usually we teach Kitesurf in the spot around Cagliari and in Punta Trettu, by choosing the spot depending on weather forecast and wind direction. Between these two kite spots, most of the times, we can find the best conditions for kite lessons). Sometimes we could give kite lessons also in other kite spots of Southern Sardinia (e.g. Villasimius and Porto Botte), but only in particular cases and favorable weather conditions. So, definitely, we can guarantee our services only in Cagliari and in Punta Trettu.. In fact, even if Sardinia is a very windy island (for more info on weather conditions in Sardinia have a look at this article), it is impossible guarantee the availability of wind always in the same kite spot. But, moving between Cagliari and Punta Trettu and sometimes other kite spots, we can almost always reach a windy kite beach with proper windy conditions for Kite Lessons! Moving to different kite beaches, obviously, we cannot be 100% sure there will be wind all days, but we have a really high chance to offer kite lessons everyday.
Would you like to give an original and fantastic present for Christmas, a Birthday or any kind of Anniversary, Wedding or Event? The Kitesurfing Gift Voucher by KiteGeneration is the original, fantastic and ideal present you are looking for!
Give a unique emotion, with nature, made of adrenaline, happiness, freedom, accomplishment, challenge, fun, healthy.
This is what kitesurfing brings to the people: give the best mood ever.
Give a Kite Gift Voucher, one of the healthiest thing that can be done. Let felt your child, wife, brother or friend as happy and alive!
What is the Kitesurfing Gift Voucher?
Kitesurfing Gift Voucher
The Kitesurf Gift Voucher by KiteGeneration is a card / coupon to give to someone in order to entitle him to get a Kitesurfing Lesson or Course in Sardinia. The person that will receive the Give Voucher could enjoy a fantastic experience of Kitesurfing in Sardinia!
The Kitesurfing Gift Vouchers, a great Christmas, birthday, wedding or anniversary present, can be the full price or a contribution on price of kitesurfing Lessons or Course.
The Kitesurf Gift Vouchers are perfect for all occasions and can be purchased for any of our kitesurfing courses and lessons.
How to buy and how to receive the Kitesurfing Gift Voucher?
To create the Kite Gift Voucher we need the following information:
Name of Buyer / Sender,
Name of the person to who the gift voucher is addressed,
The king of Kitesurfing Course / Lessons to be included in the gift voucher,
The message to insert in the voucher.
The Kitesurfing Gift Voucher will be sent by email or whatsapp to the buyer or directly to the person(s) tto whom the gift is intended.
The Kitesurf Gift Voucher can be exchanged? How long are they valid?
If the person(s) you have purchased the Kitesurfing Gift Voucher would prefer a different course or a SUP tour in Cagliari or Villasimius, we can exchange it for free. The Gift Voucher can be also transferable to other people.
Kitesurfing Gift Vouchers are valid one year after purchase date.
KiteGeneration and Kiteboarding Sardinia have divided the kite learnig way in 3 levels in order to properly identify the abilities of kiters and students.
1. Kite Level 1 (Beginner) – Equivalent to IKO Level 1 Discovery
Learn to kiteboard by taking the Level 1 Course.
This course is designed for the beginner and is the first step toward learning how to kiteboard.
Students discover the sport and safety rules while practicing various skills on land before performing on water. You will learn to assess the wind and physical location; use the safety systems; manage proper equipment; set-up; and to control the training kite. This program thoroughly introduces kiteboarding as a sport progressing and preparing you for the next level where you will transfer your skills from land to practice on water in the safest way possible. All graduates of this course become a certified Kiteboarder Level 1.
Prerequisites: good health
Time to complete Level 1: 3 hours
Skills
1.1
Know safe wind directions and conditions for kiting
1.2
Know hazards on a spot
1.3
Know the wind window
1.4
Set up a pump kite (4/5 lines)
1.5
Know the use of safety systems
1.6
Pull quick release and active kite-leash
1.7
Pre-flight check equipment and settings
1.8
Carry and handle the kite properly
1.9
Launch the kite with an assistant and as assistant
1.10
Have basic flying skills with kite
1.11
Walk and change directions while flying the kite
1.12
Understand and use the international communication signals
1.13
Land the kite with an assistant and as assistant
1.14
Recover the bar and kite
1.15
in-flight check equipment and setting
1.16
Understanding of the de-power system
1.17
Advanced flying skills with the de-power kite
1.18
Show full control of the de-power systems in flights
2. Kite Level 2 (Intermediate) – Equivalent to IKO Level 2 Intermediate
It is time to get wet and feel the power of the wind gliding on the water.
The Level 2 is designed to transfer the skills you practiced on land to the water.
Students learn to gain power and body drag with control both down and upwind, acquiring the skills that lay the foundation for a safe ride on the water.
Completing Level 2 students will be able to glide and to change directions and recover their boards. Graduates will be able to practice under supervision and be certified as a Kiteboarder Level 2.
Students can then progress on to the next course to learn to ride independently and do a few tricks like the first jumps!
Prerequisites : Kiteboarder Level 1 certificate or an equivalent; able to swim.
Time to complete Level 2: 5 / 9 hours
Skills
2.1
Enter and exit from the water independently and safely
2.2
Water re-launch the kite
2.3
Maintain correct kite position in the wind window
2.4
Downwind Body drag
2.5
Upwind Body drag
2.6
Change direction to the left and right while body dragging
2.7
Self-rescue and full pack-down in deep water
2.8
Know the power stroke for a water start
2.9
Know the safety rules and theory forr water start
2.10
Put the board on the feet and maintain the correct position for water start
2.11
Water start in both directions and ride a short distance
2.12
Come to a controlled stop
2.13
Understand weather forecast
2.14
Determine the wind strength, direction and quality
2.15
Know the right of way rules
2.16
Know the equipment set up and choice according to the weather conditions
3. Kite Level 3 (Advanced) – Equivalent to IKO Level 3 Indipendent
The kitesurfer becomes Advanced with the Level 3.
Reaching the level 3 the students will feel natural riding upwind.
With the Level 3, students practice riding toe-side, attempting first jumps, and learning to focus on advanced skills like controlling speeds by edging the board, changing direction without stopping, self-rescuing, self-launching and landing safely. These skills are honed to make the kiter independent on the water. Independent kiters can explore the world’s different locations, water surfaces and wind strengths! Upon completion of the course, students are certified as KiteGeneration Kiteboarder Level 3.
Prerequisites: Kiteboarder Level 2 certificate or an equivalent.
Skills
3.1
Control the riding speed by edging the board
3.2
Toe side edging
3.3
Consistent riding in all directions including upwind
3.4
Ride amongst other riders respecting the right of way rules
It is time to plan your kitesurfing holidays? Are you wondering which is the best Kitesurfing Season in Sardinia? If you are looking for a long week or even months of strong winds, Sardinia, and in particular the south of the island, can offer among the best spots for kitesurfing in Europe. On this page you could understand which is the Sardinia Kitesurfing Season, which are the winds of Sardinia, which are the best Kite Spots of Sardinia and where to have Kite Lessons in Sardinia.
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. The coast of Sardinia (approximately 1900 kilometers) has a lot of beaches perfect for kitesurfing: great kite spots with great winds.
Sardinia can be divided in the four (4) zones: North coast, East coast, South coast, West coast.
With reference to the weather conditions for kitesurfing, we can say that the east coast of Sardinia is the less windy (for this reason it is also the greenest). The west coast, apart the zone of Oristano (and the famous spot of Capu Mannu, anyway not for beginners) has a morphology (many cliffs on the sea) that does not make it perfect for kitesurfing.
For the above reasons, the two best kitesurfing zones of Sardinia are the South and North of the island.
The main differences between the Sardinia Kitesurfing Spots of South and of North are mainly related to the quality of the wind, the air and sea temperatures, and the number of kite spots.
Best Sardinia Kitesurfing Spots
Best Sardinia Kitesurfing Spots
No long ago. Kitesurf in Sardinia was associate with Porto Pollo, famous for the glorious past.
In the recent past instead, Souther Sardinia has had an exponential growth as a destination chosen by people who like to practice and to learn to kitesurf. The reasons for this choice are:
the high number and diversity of southern Sardinia kite spots, beaches and landscapes;
high percentage of windy days;
good travel connections from the most of Europe’s capital and the airport and the harbor of Cagliari.
In addition, the kite spots of Southern Sardinia are more variables and less crowded than the kite spots of the Northern Sardinia. Considering all the kite spots between the south east, the south and and the south west of the island, the probability of finding wind every day is really high.
Cagliari with its Poetto Beach and Giorgino Kite Beach, Petrol Beach in Capoterra, Villasimius, Chia, Pula, Funtanamare, Porto Botte, Punta Trettu are ones between the the best known kite spots of Sardinia.
To get detailed information on each kite spot, go to the related page.
In North of Sardinia, the most frequent winds are Mistral (NW), Tramontana (N) and Grecale (NE). In the North, those wind are usually gusty because the nearby Corsica.
In South of Sardinia, the most frequent winds are Mistral (NW), Sirocco (SE) and, in some kite spots, the thermal wind. In the South, those winds are usually steady.
With regard to the thermal wind, this wind born from the difference in temperature between the masses of air above the sea and those above the earth. From April to September, in the hottest and clearest days, the warm air above the earth is moving up and and the vacuum generated by this movement is filled by the the cold air above the sea. This air movement is called Thermal wind. In some beaches (e.g. Poetto Beach of Cagliari, Petrol Beach, Giorgino), this thermal wind, in some conditions, can blow even more than 20 knots.
Wind statistics in Sardinia: kitesurfing in Sardinia throughout the year
Now that we have understood the most frequent winds in Sardinia, we will have a look at the wind statistics of Sardinia.
In any case, we need to underline that:
In Sardinia the wind is changing often in direction so the kite spot for kitesurfing could change even everyday:
wind statistics have been radically upset by the sudden changes in climate, not making very predictable a prediction that is only mathematical. For this reason, the experience of local is really important to make great satistics and to find the proper wind in the proper kite spot everyday.
Wind Statistics in the North of Sardinia
In the north of Sardinia, the most famous kite spot is certainly Porto Pollo.
Its strong winds from North West (intensified by a Venturi effect created in the mouths of Bonifacio) have made Porto, since the ’80s, a paradise for windsurfers. Now Porto Pollo has became even a beach for kitesurfing.
The percentage of days with wind stronger than 4 bft (11-16 knots) is more than 60% in July and September, the months, statistically, more favorable.
All the north coast of Sardinia has kite spots (e.g. Porto Pollo, Badesi, San Teodoro) with excellent wind statistics from April to October.
Punta Trettu and Porto Botte have similar wind statistics. Even thanks to the thermal winds, those kite spots have excellent wind statistics throughout the year, with peaks 90% of month windy days more than 4 bft. This is the reason why, Porto Botte and especially Punta Trettu are always in the first positions of the chosen destinations for kitesurfing.
Kitesurfing Lessons Sardinia
Going to the south of the Island, there is the Kite Spot of Chia, a heavenly location where kitesurfing is practiced in every season, with optimal conditions in autumn and winter with the winds blowing from East. in Chia, statistics say 50% of windy days above 4 bft / 11-16 knots, all over the year.
The area of Cagliari, from Poetto Beach to Giorgino and Petrol Beach, offers for sure perfect conditions for teaching and practicing kitesurfing: perfect winds and beaches allow you to kitesurf safety. The beast winds in the area of Cagliari are Scirocco (SE), Levante (E) and the Thermal Wind. in the area of Cagliari, statistics say 80% of windy days above 4 bft / 11-16 knots, all over the year.
Going further to the south-east of Sardinia, there are the kite spots of Villasimius, where the best winds is the Grecale (NE), blowing especially during the autumn season. In Villasimius, the percentage of days good for kitesurfing is approximately 40%.
Air and Sea Temperatures in Sardinia
The air temperatures in the North Sardinia could be even several degrees lower than the temperature in the South Sardinia, in all seasons.
Even the water temperatures are higher in the South Sardinia than the North. Temperatures of the sea in Sardinia are approximately 23-25°C during the Summer, between 21 and 15 °C during the Winter.
Here under you can find a comparative table with the average of temperatures in Souther Sardinia.
Month of year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Air temperature(°C)
12
13
17
18
21
26
29
29
26
22
18
15
Sea Temperature(°C)
16
15
17
18
19
21
23
25
23
21
19
Sardinia Kitesurfing Season: which are the best months for Kitesurfing Sardinia
In addition to the above, we can add something more to understand the Kitesurf Season Sardinia.
We can say that in Sardinia the mildest period with the highest percentage of sunny days, goes from March to October. November and December are months still good from the climate point of view, but the percentages of windy days are lower than in the other months.
January and February are months with pretty good percentage of windy days but the temperatures are lower than in the other months and the percentage of rainy days are a bit higher.
The percentages of Windy and Sunny days in Sardinia, can be summarized in the following graph and table:
Sardinia Kitesurfing Season
% of Windy Days (> 11 knots) in Southern Sardinia
% of Sunny Days in Southern Sardinia
January
60
65
February
60
65
March
70
75
April
70
80
May
80
85
June
85
90
July
90
95
August
90
95
September
70
85
October
70
85
November
50
80
December
50
80
Weather and Wind Conditions in Sardinia
By combining the experience with the above data (percentages of windy days, percentages of sunny days, temperatures), we can draw the following conclusions on Kitesurfing in Sardinia for each month of the year:
Kitesurfing Sardinia January and February: January and February can be or no (it depend on the day) a good months for Kitesurfing Sardinia: percentage of very strong days are quite high but temperatures and sunny days are the lower in respect of the other months; beaches are not crowded and so kitesurfing is allowed in all the kite spots; use of a long wet-suit is needed.
Kitesurfing Sardinia March: March is a good month for kitesurfing in Sardinia (high percentage of windy days and warm temperatures); beaches are not crowded and so kitesurfing is allowed in almost all kite spots; use of a long wet-suit is recommended.
Kitesurfing Sardinia April: April is a good month for kitesurfing in Sardinia (high percentage of windy days and warm temperatures); beaches are not crowded and so kitesurfing is allowed in almost all kite spots; use of a long wet-suit is recommended.
Kitesurfing Sardinia May: May is a very good month for kitesurfing in Sardinia (very high percentage of windy days and warm temperatures); sometimes beaches are quite crowded and for this reason kitesurfing it is not always possible in all the kite spots; use of a shorty wet-suit is always recommended.
Kitesurfing Sardinia June: June is a very good month for kitesurfing in Sardinia (very high percentage of windy days and warm temperatures); because the beaches are very crowded, kitesurfing is only possible in some kite spots with dedicated kite zones / areas; use of a shorty wet-suit is always recommended.
Kitesurfing Sardinia July: July is a very good month for kitesurfing in Sardinia (very high percentage of windy days and warm temperatures); because the beaches are very crowded, kitesurfing is only possible in some kite spots with dedicated kite zones / areas; use of a shorty wet-suit is always recommended.
Kitesurfing Sardinia August: August is a very good month for kitesurfing in Sardinia (very high percentage of windy days and warm temperatures); because the beaches are very crowded, kitesurfing is only possible in some kite spots with dedicated kite zones / areas; use of a shorty wet-suit is always recommended.
Kitesurfing Sardinia September: September is a good month for kitesurfing in Sardinia (quite high percentage of windy days and very warm temperatures); sometimes beaches are quite crowded and for this reason kitesurfing it is not always possible in all the kite spots; use of at least a shorty wet-suit is always recommended.
Kitesurfing Sardinia October: October is a pretty good month for kitesurfing in Sardinia (quite high percentage of windy days and warm temperatures); beaches are not crowded and so kitesurfing is allowed in almost all kite spots; use of a long wet-suit is recommended.
Kitesurfing Sardinia November: November is a pretty good month for kitesurfing in Sardinia (quite satisfactory percentage percentage of windy days and of temperatures); beaches are not crowded and so kitesurfing is allowed in all kite spots; use of a long wet-suit is needed.
Kitesurfing Sardinia December: December is a pretty good month for kitesurfing in Sardinia (quite satisfactory percentage percentage of windy days and of temperatures); beaches are not crowded and so kitesurfing is allowed in all kite spots; use of a long wet-suit is needed.
Which is the Top one of the Best Sardinia Kitesurfing Spot?
In Sardinia the wind direction could change even everyday. Mistral (NW), Scirocco (SE), Libeccio (SW), Levante (E), Thermal Wind, etc, can blow from a day to another one.
As example of what has been said above, you can have look at the following image. It shows the wind forecast for the days of 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 January 2018: those forecasts show winds that change direction and intensity every day.
Example of Wind Forecast in SardiniaExample of Wind Forecast in Sardinia
So what to do? The suggestion is to contact a Kite School e.g. KiteGeneration, that change the kite spot even daily depending on blowing wind. In any cases, it is strongly recommended to have a car to move to the different kite spots.
This professional kite school, has qualified and experienced Instructors., follows the professional methodology of IKO, FIV and VDWS for teaching kitesurf, and uses Radio helmets for a perfect communication Student-Instructor.
KiteGeneration proposes different kite services i.e. :
Sardinia Kitesurfing Spots: Kitesurfing Lessons in Sardinia, Petrol Beach Kite Spot
To guarantee the safety and to have the best conditions for Kite Lessons / Courses, KiteGeneration Kite School could move daily to different South Sardinia kitesurfing spots. In fact, the availability of wind always in the same kite spot cannot be guarantee. Instead, it can be almost always reached a windy kite spot with onshore wind and perfect conditions for kitesurfing. Depending on the blowing wind, Kite spots where the Kite Lessons / Courses take place could be:
New! Our Kite course for beginner has got two very important additional improvements to be added to the normal Kite Course!
The First improvement: After 4 hours of lessons, our kiteschool will lend you a Kite Trainer (totaly safe to be used after 4 hours of lesson) in order you could improve the kite control! In this way, at the second lesson, you will have a plus for the remaing kite course hours!
The Second improvement: After each lessons, we will send you some documentation/tutorial where you could see what you have learned during the kite lesson with the instructor and learn additional notions that usually are not part of the lesson with the instructor!
The two above listed improvements, would be added for free to the normal kite course for beginners here below described.
Description of the Kite Course for Beginners
The Beginner Kite Course is addressed to people who like to learn to kitesurf, from the kite controlling untill the hang glinding on the sea.
By the end of the Beginner Kite Course, you will practice getting up on the board for your first ride. During the course, you will improve kite piloting with power, one hand kite piloting, body dragging.
We have different kinds of Beginner Kite Course:
Beginner Kite Course (8 hours of kite course, 2/3 days)
Super Beginner Kite Course (12 hours of kite course, 3/4 days)
Pro Beginner Kite Course (15 hours of kite course, 4/5 days)
A longer kite course means better kite skills and level (here all the kite levels of the kite learning program).
The Beginner Kite Course of 8 hours is usually scheduled as follows:
1° – 2° hours
theory (rules and security systems, winds, meteorology, kite flight theory)
setting and unsetting the kite
taking off (or launching) and land the kite
controlling the kite during the flight in the different areas of the flight window
3° – 4° hours
managing the kite during the flight
adjusting the kite during the flight
body-dragging
re-launching the kite from the water
making the kite fly with one hand walking upwind
5° – 6° hours
making practice on flight and control of the kite
making the kite fly with one hand walking upwind with the board on hand
body-dragging with the table
7° – 8° hours
inserting your feet in the foot-straps while keeping the kite with one hand
first starts with the board (water-start)
hang gliding on the sea
maintaining the correct position with the body during navigation
Are you wondering How does a kite fly? On this page you could easily understand how a kite fly and learn the the kite is very similar the to the wings of an airplane.
I. How Wings Lift the Plane: how an airplane flights
Airplane wings are shaped to make air move faster over the top of the wing.
Lift of an airplane (itesurf) Bernoulli Equation
When air moves faster, the pressure of the air decreases (Bernoulli’s equation simlpified: P + 1/2 * V^2 / ρ = Constant; P = Pressure, V= Velocity, ρ = Density of fluid) .
On the top of the wing the velocity of the air is more than the velocity in the bottom of the wing. For the Bernouilli’s equatuion that means that the pressure on the top of the wing is less than the pressure on the bottom of the wing.
The difference in pressure creates a force on the wing that lifts the wing up into the air.
forces of flight | forces acting on a airplane
Forces acting in a airplane during the flight are 4:
Lift – upward
Drag – backward
Weight – downward
Thrust – forward.
To have more infos on How an aiplane flights and How to control the Flight of a Plane, look at this NASA link.
II. Differences between an airplane and a kite: How does a kite fly?
Like an airplane wing, a kite can fly due to various forces acting on it.
The main differences are that an airplane has thrust while a kite has line tension and an airplane is balanced by its weight around its Center of Gravity (CoG) while a kite is balanced by its effective tow points (which can be adjusted automatically by the kite or manually by the kiter) and its weight at CoG (center of Gravity).
The forces and torques that act in a kite and how they are acting:
Aspect Ratio (AR) is approximately Span/Chord of the kite or more exactly Span*Span/Area (see more info about a Wing Geometry Definitions at this NASA link).
Since Aspect Ratio determines the shape of the kite it is the most visible kite design parameter that the user will see.
Higher Aspect Ratio kites have less induced drag (upwash and tip vortex effects) than Lower AR kites of the same characteristics. Induced drag is inverse proportional to AR. So when stationary at the wind window, a low AR kite can generate the same amount of pull as a higher AR kite (of the same characteristics) but as soon as we need to move the kite for more power (for jumping or underpowered situation), a higher AR kite can accelerate faster therefore get more power sooner than a low AR kite.
As a rule of thumb, a higher AR kite has a larger Power Window (the difference between min power and max power) and a lower AR kite has a smaller Power Window.
Following are the recommended AR ranges:
Kite Type
Very Low AR
Low AR
Moderate AR
High AR
Very High AR
Foil
2.5-
3
4
5
5.5+
Inflatable / Arc
3-
4
5
6
7+
Note: Inflatable and Arc have spherical shape, a natural stable form, therefore their ARs are normally higher than foil’s.
2. Airfoil Profile
Airfoil has lift but also drag.
A profile with the highest lift when stationary will give the strongest pull when stationary at the wind window (AoA around 5 degrees).
A profile with the highest lift/drag ratio will accelerate faster and will generate strongest pull when flying across the power zone. A high lift airfoil is sometime labelled a “tractor” airfoil as it will pull like a tractor at the wind window.
A high lift/drag airfoil is labelled a “speed” airfoil as it flies very fast across the power zone and generate tremendous amount of pull while doing so. A speed airfoil may generate a lot of pull at the wind window but may not be necessary as much as a tractor airfoil.
The following table show the recommended lift and lift/drag ratio ranges:
Very Low
Low
Moderate
High
Very High
Lift Coefficient (at AoA = 5)
0.5-
0.7
0.9
1
1.1+ (Tractor)
Lift/Drag
40-
50
70
90
110+ (Speed)
Please note that these Lift/Drag ratios are the calculated ratio and not included Induced Drag. In reality, the “real world” L/D ratios are reduced by a factor of 6 or 7.
It’s better to use an airfoil design program (such as DesignFoil at http://www.dreesecode.com/) to design, analyze and select the airfoil profile to use for the kite (for kiting purposes, the Reynolds number is around 1,000,000 to 2,000,000). Some kite designers being shy from the complexity of airfoil design and analysis, uses the rule of thumb method of changing the profile thickness/camber for changing the lift and lift/drag characteristics of a profile. This methodis not accurate but maybe acceptable for kites.
As a general rule of thumb, increase the profile thickness/camber to increase lift at wind window and decrease a profile thickness/camber to increase the speed of the kite. The following table show the range of profile thickness/camber used for most kites:
Foil and Arc
Inflatable
Thin Profile (Speed): 14% or less
Moderate Profile: 15%
Thick Profile: 16%
Thicker Profile: 17%
Thickest Profile (Tractor): 18% or more
Thin Profile (Speed): 8% – 9%
Moderate Profile: 10%
Thick Profile: 11%
Thicker Profile: 12%
Thickest Profile (Tractor): 13% – 14%
3. Built-in AoA
A kite get more lift with a higher Angle of Attacked (AoA) to the wind (more surface projected to the wind and also from 0 to 16 degrees of AoA, the Lift Coefficient of an airfoil normally increase to an optimum value). Each kite has a “neutral” built-in AoA for the center of the kite and the wing tip when it is at the wind window straight over-head (with front lines and back lines of equal length).
The range of the built-in AoA is normally from 0 to 5 degrees.
Note that the wind-window angle is around 85 degrees such that the in-flight AoA of the center profile at the wind window is the sum of the built-in AoA and 5 degrees (or 90 – 85). Note that changing the built-in AoA of the kite may also change the wind window angle such that the two will “amplify” each other to have a “double AoA” effect. E.g., changing the built-in AoA from 2 to 0 may make the wind window angle change from 85 to 86; therefore the in-flight AoA of the kite at wind window is now 4 degrees instead of 7. It is interesting to read Peter Lynn’s Myth 1 and 2 in which he stated that the Lift or pull of the kite at wind window is proportional to the AoA of the kite and the L/D of a kite is inverse proportional to the AoA of a kite (AoA here means AoA within the “dominant AoA” range of 0 to around 20 degrees which is directly influenced by the built-in AoA of the kite).
A kite with a lower built-in center AoA has a larger wind window but can over-fly & luff easily and does not pull much at wind window (a Speed kite should have a lower built-in AoA around 0 degrees). These type of kites must have instantaneous AoA control for the kiter to prevent luffing and also for the kiter to “sheet-in” to get more power at wind window if needed.
A kite with higher built-in center AoA has a smaller wind window but generate more pull at wind window and hard to luff (a Tractor kite may have higher built-in AoA around 3 to 5 degrees for more pull at wind window)
An all-around kite may have a built-in AoA of 2 to 3 degrees.
Due to the upwash and the wing vortex phenomena, the built-in wingtip AoA of a kite can be 1 or 2 degrees higher than the center AoA. The upwash effect reduces the AoA of the wingtip a bit so add 1 or 2 degrees to the wingtip AoA to counter balance that effect.
For inflatable and Arc, due to their geometry, the wingtip AoA varies much different than the center AoA and therefore the built-in wingtip AoA can be designed independent from the center AoA and the designer should add 1 or 2 degrees to the desired built-in AoA to counter balance the up-wash and the tip vortex effects.
Very Low AoA
Low AoA
Moderate AoA
High AoA
Very High AoA
Range (in degrees)
0-
1
2 – 3
4
5+
Kite Type
Racing
Speed
All-around
Wave
Tractor (Wake Style)
4. Summary of the Aspect Ratio, Airfoil, AoA parameters
The following tables provide the summary of the AR, Airfoil, AoA parameters:
Low
High
AR
Small POWER Window
Large POWER Window
Lift (at wind window)
Weak pull at wind window
Strong Pull at Wind Window
Lift/Drag Ratio
Slow
Fast
Built-in AoA
Large WIND Window
Small AoA at wind window (less pull)
Luff Easily
Faster
Small WIND Window
High AoA at wind window (more pull)
Hard to Luff
Slower
and their uses in different types of kite:
Kite Type/Wind
Light Wind
(6 – 15 Knots)
Moderate Wind
(12 – 27 Knots)
Strong Wind
(27+ Knots)
Sled Kite Size (Foil)
16 m2 (10 m2) & Larger
8 – 16 m2 (5 – 10 m2)
8 m2 (5 m2) & Smaller
School (Stable, Low Lift, Slow)
Moderate AR
High Lift
High Lift/Drag
Moderate AoA
Low AR
Low Lift
Moderate – Low Lift/Drag
Low AoA
Very Low AR
Very Low Lift
Very Low Lift/Drag
Moderate – Low AoA
Tractor (Wake Style, Wave, Gusty Wind)
Moderate AR
Very High Lift
High Lift/Drag
High AoA
Moderate – Low AR
High Lift
Moderate Lift/Drag
High – Very High AoA
Low AR
Moderate Lift
Low Lift/Drag
Moderate – High AoA
All Around
High AR
High Lift
Very High Lift/Drag
High AoA
Moderate AR
Moderate Lift
High – Moderate Lift/Drag
Low AoA
Very High AR
High Lift
Very High Lift/Drag
Moderate – Low AoA
High AR
Moderate Lift
High Lift/Drag
Low – Very Low AoA
Moderate AR
Low Lift
Moderate – Low Lift/Drag
Low AoA
Other Kite Design Fundamentals
Center profile should be selected for optimum lift and optimum lift/drag ratio (optimum as according to the type of kite requirements specified in the tables above)
Wingtip profile should be selected for maximum luff resistance (e.g., reflex profile).
For sled kites (Inflatable or Arc in spherical form):
A sled kite has similar projected surface of around 63% (2/pi or 2/3.14159) of the flat surface regardless any other parameters of the kite (AR, Tip/Center chord ratio, etc.)
If the wingtips are wide enough (effective tow points of the back lines are larger than 80% of center chord), one can reverse relaunch an inflatable or Arc by pulling on the back lines.
For LEI (using traditional airfoil), if the wingtip are wide enough and the effective tow point of the front lines is so forward (normally less than 15% of chord) that it reduces the AoA drastically, the kite will not fly on the front lines alone (100% depower)
Arc Kite design at http://foildesign.org/Sled_Kites[please note that this page only discuss Arc which use mainly reflex airfoils due to problem with shoulder collapsing, some of its comments is specific to Arc and not applicable to LEI]
A Flat LEI has similar structure with a classic LEI except for the following differences:
A flatter canopy design (however most still have a deep canopy curve compared to regular foil, to take advantage of the Sled Boosting effect)
A bridle system consisting of a simple but somewhat elaborated bridle system for the front lines and a very simple bridle system for the back lines. The front bridle system has multiple connection points to the leading edge to support the leading (therefore Flat LEIs are also referred to as Support Leading Edge, SLE, kites)
The canopy is more or less equivalent to the center part of the classic LEI canopy (around 3/4 of the classic LEI canopy) and the bridle system is equivalent to the sides of the classic LEI canopy (about 1/4 or 1/8 of the canopy on each side).
Besides for the differences above, a Flat LEI design should be somewhat similar to a classic LEI in theory. It is then just a matter of properly design the canopy and the towing points via the new bridle systems.
Unfortunately current version of Surfplan does not provide full calculation and analysis of the tow points of the bridle for Flat LEI. So in the mean time, you have to design a flat LEI with some manual processes. Also, if you are interested in flat LEI kite design, read Bruno’s Flat LEI patent application at http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20050230556.pdf and the Flat LEI section.
Airfoil Database
Most kite design or foil design software come with some airfoil database; however should you want more, there are other airfoil databases and one of the most extensive airfoil databases is UIUC Airfoil Coordinates Database.
Day 4 – Formula Kite Foil World Championship 2017 in Muscat, Oman
It was another day full of drama and excitement at the Oman Formula Kite World Championships. The favored racers were, again, at the front of the pack. Find out more, below, with news provided by Oman Sailing.
With the top fleet stacked with the world’s fastest kite racers the battles at the Formula Kite World Championships in Oman just got a lot fiercer in awesome conditions that provided a perfect stage for the riders’ supreme athleticism.
France’s Nico Parlier dominated in breezes that freshened and hovered between 9 and 11 knots for much of the day off Muscat’s Al Mouj Beach on the Gulf of Oman, framed by a dramatic mountain backdrop.
On smooth waters, Parlier was pushed all the way by his friend and countryman Axel Mazella – who managed to overhaul his rival in race one – and Britain’s Olly Bridge. Often with just metres between them, the three had thrillingly-close finishes after high-speed sub-eight minute laps of the race track.
In the women’s fleet, the reigning International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) Formula Kite World Champion Daniela Moroz, from the US, showed she is human after all when she missed out on winning two of today’s five races. The 16-year-old’s superiority on the leaderboard is so dominant however, that a second and third place, plus a hat-trick of wins, was enough to cement her top spot.
The epic day at the 2017 IKA Formula Kite World Championships, hosted by Oman Sail with associate sponsor Al Mouj Muscat, was marked by fractious drama on the water when reigning IKA Formula Kite World Champion Maxime Nocher, from Monaco, collided with a number of other riders while on port tack.
The incident, the subject of a number of protest hearings in the jury room, forced the USA’s Riley Gibbs and France’s Theo Lhostis, to withdraw from racing for the rest of the day. Nocher also changed out of his wetsuit and pulled out of the fray for the remainder of the day.
Day three of the championship saw the leading riders divided into gold, silver and bronze fleets for the two-day finals series, seeded on the basis of the opening exchanges in the qualifiers. Day five of the competition, dedicated to a medal series, will pit the top 10 men against one another for the crown and the spoils.
the basis of Parlier’s near-peerless day, riding on his biggest 19m kite, he would appear to be in the box seat for the title. At one time, Parlier struggled in lighter breezes that perhaps favoured lighter rivals, but he now appears to have mastery of all conditions.
“It’s definitely been a little bit tighter today,” said Parlier. “It’s mostly between me and Axel Mazella as usual, but now that we’re competing with Olly Bridge and some other good riders, it changes everything.”
As overnight leader, Bridge, who had been competing in a different fleet in the opening qualifying series, knew he would have his work cut out for him with the French duo in the mix. He finished in second place on the leaderboard, splitting the pair.
“It’s definitely been more difficult today,” he said. “But I’m getting better. Nico Parlier is just very, very fast. Upwind, downwind, everywhere. But with Axel Mazella, I’m quite close, so I am happy with things.”
Check out the highlights from day two here, and follow our Facebook for the highlights from today.
Results after day 3 (Men)
GOLD Flight
Sailed: 14, Discards: 2, To count: 12, Entries: 18, Scoring system: Appendix A
Rank
Lycra Nr.
Name
Nat.
Sponsors
CT
QS
QS
FS1
FS2
FS3
FS4
FS5
FS6
FS7
FS8
FS9
FS10
FS11
FS12
Total
Nett
1
55
Nicolas Parlier
Ozone Kites Lynch Associates Investors Europe Black Dog Julbo MLfoils&boards NAKAPOWER #K1RPZ