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Read the wind

Wind & spot check

Every session starts before the kite is out of the bag. Kiters who stay safe read three things first: where the wind comes from, how strong and steady it is, and what is downwind of them.

7 min readWind check gameBeach drill

  1. 1Learn
  2. 2Practise
  3. 3On the beach
  4. 4Check yourself

1 Learn

1

Wind direction, from the shore

Side-onshoreBestSide-shoreGoodOnshoreCarefulSide-offshoreNoOffshoreNeverSea at the top, beach at the bottom. Arrows show where the wind blows.

Stand at the water’s edge and ask: where does the wind go after it passes me?

  • Side-shore — along the beach. Good for learning.
  • Side-onshore — along the beach and a little toward it. The best for learning: if anything goes wrong, you drift back to the beach.
  • Onshore — straight onto the beach. You drift toward the sand and whatever is on it; only with a clear beach and your instructor’s OK.
  • Side-offshore and offshore — from the land out to sea. Never as a beginner: a problem means drifting away from the shore.
2

Strength and gusts

Wind is measured in knots. Beginner lessons usually happen in roughly 12–20 knots of steady wind, with a kite your instructor sizes for your weight and the day.

Check the gap between average wind and gusts on the forecast. “15 gusting 17” is friendly. “15 gusting 27” is not — gusts are what overpower beginners.

Dark, fast-building clouds can bring a squall: sudden strong wind from a new direction. Get the kite down before it arrives.

3

Reading the wind yourself

  • Your face and ears — turn your head until the wind sounds the same in both ears: your nose points into the wind.
  • Flags and windsocks show direction and how steady it is.
  • The water — scattered white caps usually mean about 11–16 knots. Dark patches moving across the water are gusts on their way.
4

Space downwind

Kite lines are often 20–25 m long, so a kite can pull you a long way fast. Keep at least two line lengths (about 50 m) of clear space downwind — no people, rocks, reef, buildings, trees, cars or power lines.

Look for other kites, swimmers and boats too, and ask the local school about the spot’s rules and hazards.

2 Practise: wind check

Five beaches, five winds. Name each wind and decide: go or no-go?

3 On the beach

On the beach

Now do it for real

You need: No kite needed — just you, the beach and (ideally) your instructor.

Tick each step after you’ve done it with your instructor.

4 Check yourself

1The wind blows from the land out to sea. Should a beginner kite?
2Which wind direction is the best for learning?
3How much clear space should you have downwind?