We will be adding to our site new 'How to's' every week and we will start at the very beginning for all the newbie Kitesurfers or wanabe kitesurfers, Ok well here we go!
This time we are going to cover bow kites.
Getting Started - Bow Kites
With the advanced mechanisms and Kitesurf equipment that are used in Kite Surfing today, it is no wonder that the types of kites used are also evolving. One of these types is the Bow Kitesurf Kite.
Bow Kites were designed by Bruno Legaignoux. They are inflatable kites that have a bridle. Bow Kites are usually flat and with a concave trailing edge. The Bow Kites was first patented in France on March 2004 and in Canada and US on February 2005.
The earlier designs of Bow Kites have a lot of drawbacks. These kites can get inverted and are not that stable. Moreover, they can be difficult to re-launch.
Bruno Legaignoux took the bridle on the leading edge concept and improved it much further. Since a Bow Kite has a wider wind range compared to a C-Kite, it is more suitable for beginners. Its de-powering range allows for safe use and is great for wave riding. Another good feature of a Bow Kite is that it works well for all kinds of kite surfers.
With the advancement in technology, modern Bow Kites have more features than the earlier models, making Kite Surfing safer and a lot more fun. Nowadays, Bow Kites come with light bar pressure and better L/D ratio, and are very easy to re-launch. Moreover, they cannot be inverted easily and they are more stable.
Bow Kites are the newest and most innovative when it comes to kite design. Because of their huge de-powering range and safety mechanism, Bow Kites are used by a lot of kite surfers. They are actually used in Kite Surfing lessons. Keep in mind, though, that it is important to seek professional advice so you will know what type of kite suits your needs and ability level.
Thanks for reading and we hope this helps you.
S2AS Team
