Kitesurfing, Kiteboarding Equipment Tuning

Equipment tuning is essential in kitesurfing as in any other sport.  In kitesurfing, various kitesurfing components have to be tuned differently depending on the condition and the kitesurfer's skill. Following are the main components that need to be tuned:

• The kite
• The control device
• The lines
• The board and footstraps

Kite Tuning

A kite can be tuned to turn or fly either faster or slower.   Different kites have different aerodynamic characteristics and therefore have different tuning techniques and effect. Your kite vendor should be able to tell you more on how, why and when to tune your kite. For whatever reasons they can't, use the following general kite tuning guidelines:

• Tune the kite to turn slower:
  1. While learning
  2. In very strong wind if the kite is too nervous
• Tune the kite to fly slower:
  1. While learning
  2. In very strong wind
• Tune the kite to turn faster:
  1. In light wind
  2. When using a shorter control bar
• Tune the kite to fly faster
  1. In light wind
  2. If you prefer to use longer lines (40 m)
• Tune the kite to resist luffing and nose diving
  1. In gusty wind

2 Line Inflatable

2 line inflatable kites can be tuned to turn faster by tighten up the bridle and turn slower by loosen up the bridle.

Using a longer bar can also turn the kite faster and a shorter bar slower.

4 Line inflatable

Most modern 4 line inflatables have multiple connection points (usually 2) for the the front lines and back lines.

• Use the "front most" front attachment for more depowering capability
• Use the "back most" front attachment for more power on the harness line (chicken loop line)
• Use the "back most" back attachment for fast turning of the kite
• Use the "front most" back attachment for slow turning of the kite

Overall, use the connection points further apart for more control and wider wind range.  Use the connection points closer together for more stability and lesser bar sensitivity.

Foils

Most 3 line foils have both of the front lines attached to the ends of the bar and the brake lines attached to the center of the bar.  Such arrangement normally need a power steering line that attaches each front line to its corresponding trailing edge.  By tuning this power steering line properly (when the kite is flying straight overhead, the power steering line should have no tension nor slack), the kite can be made "unluffable" even in very gusty wind (the power steering lines are acting as an "automatic" brake to prevent the kite from overflying).

A foil such as the Concept Air kites can be tuned to fly faster or slower using the VSS system.  The Concept Air kite bridal consists of three sections, the front bridal, the middle bridal and the trailing edge bridal.  The front and the middle bridals are connected to the front lines and the trailing edge bridals are connected to the brake lines.  The VSS system with a number of attachment knots allow the kitesurfer to adjust the angle of attack of the kite by shortening the front bridal (less angle of attack - the kite fly faster) or lengthening the front bridal and shortening the middle bridal (more angle of attack - more pull, fly slower).

Control Device Tuning

2 Line Inflatable

If you are using a 2 line control bar, you have to select the right length of the bar for the kite you are using. Use shorter control bar for smaller kite and longer control bar for larger kite. You should be able to find the optimum lengths for all of your kite after a number of trials. As a general rule-of-thumb, if your kite is too nervous, use a shorter bar and if your kite is too slow to react to your command, use a longer bar.

4 Line Inflatable

If you are using a 4-line inflatable, you can tune the angle of attack of the kite by shorten or lengthen the front leader line.  Less angle of attack means less pull and the kite flies faster; however it's slightly harder to turn the kite.  More angle of attack means more pull and the kite flies slightly slower. You should tune the neutral angle of attack of the kite such that when the kite is flying straight above, the back line will get loose when you hooking in to the chicken loop and fully extending your arms (your hands are holding the control bar).  Both front lines and back lines should be in full tension when you are not hooking in the chicken loop and the kite should be a bit "flared out" (the front leading edge looks larger than the trailing edge).  You can adjust the AOA of the kite using the chicken loop or via a trim strap.

For the new Flat LEI, the trim strap and the chicken loop are much longer compare to the traditional bar as shown in the following diagram:

Foils

If you are using a ram air foil kite with a pair of 4 line handles, you can tune the "camber" of the kite while you hold the handles in their neutral position (the "neutral  camber"). You can decrease the neutral camber by connecting the main lines to the closer knots and back lines to the farther knots on the lines that attached to the handles. You can increase such camber by connecting the main lines to the farther knots and the back lines to the closer knots on the leader lines on the handles. You should tune the neutral camber of your 4 line kite such that when you hold the handles in their neutral position, the kite should fly forward with full power - the front lines are in full tension and the brake-line is slightly loose.  Increasing the neutral camber will make the kite generate more pull. 

For the new generation of foils using 3 line with a bar such as the Concept Air New Wave, you can change the "camber" of the kite by adjusting a strap while sailing thus change the characteristics of the kite.  Such arrangement increases the wind range of the kite.

Some newer generation of foil such as the Jojo Rage can have an optional 4th line which one can be adjusted to change the shape of the kite (neutralize the middle section) to reduce the pull of the kite. 

You can also use a foil/sled depowering system that can turn a foil into a sled.  More information about the foil/sled depowering system can be found in the Tips section.

Similar to inflatable, modern foils have the ability to change its AOA, thus use the same control bar as 4 line inflatable and require similar tuning.

Lines

You can use longer or shorter line length. Use the following general guidelines to select the right line length:

Using different line length increases the wind range of your kite.  The standard line length is 25m - 30m as such line length is best for all-around kitesurfing (going upwind, jumping, moving the kite to generate more power, etc.).  By using 15m lines, you can add another 10 - 20% to the upper wind range of the kite and by using 45m lines, you can add another 10 - 20% to the lower wind range of the kite.  So be adventurous and use different line length with your kites.  The only disadvantage of using too short lines (15m) or too long lines (45m) is that it would make jumping harder as you have to change the timing you normally use with 25m - 30m line (also jumping with 15m line is difficult as it's hard to generate enough power to lift you up using such a short line).

Line strength used is actually a function of your weight. The lines in a 2-line kite should have a minimum strength equals to 2.5 times your weight. For a 4-line foil, the main lines should have the minimum strength equal to 2 times your weight while the brake lines should have the minimum strength equal to your weight. For example, if you weights 200 lb., you should use at least 500 lb. lines for your 2 line kites and 400 lb. main lines, 200 lb. brake lines for your 4 line kites.  For a 4-line inflatable, all the lines should have a minimum strength equals to 2.5 times your weight.

Board Selection & Footstrap Tuning

If you have more than 1 kiteboards, use the following general guidelines to select the ones that is more suitable for the condition:

Use the following guidelines to tune the traps on your bidirectional board:

• The traps should be the same distance to the center of the board.
• Use a wide stance (the distance between the straps is larger than shoulder width) for more control of the board (for tricks).  This setting is useful for larger bidirectional board.
• Use a regular stance (the distance between the straps is around shoulder width) for more effective edging.
• Use straps when you first learn kitesurfing with a bidirectional board (don't use binding even thought you are a wakeboarder).

Use the following guidelines to tune the footstrap positions on your directional board:

• Front footstrap:
  1. Move front footstrap more forward for easy planning (while learning)
  2. Move the front footstrap more backward for easy turning the board upwind
• Back footstrap:
  1. Back footstrap should be about shoulder width apart from the front footstrap
  2. Move the back footstrap more backward (wide stance) for easy turning of the board
  3. Move the back footstrap more forward (narrow stance) for easy edging the windward rail of the board to go upwind.