In this how-to, we will elaborate on the question: how to land a kite for a kitesurfer?

We start by explaining the situation that occurs when you are standing on a beach where people are kitesurfing, and someone asks for your help to land the kite. In that case, you are the ‘kitecatcher’. After this, we elaborate on this question as if you were a rider that gets help from a kitecatcher (someone you ask to help you). At last, we explain how to land the kite yourself, in case no one is around.

Enjoy reading!

The pilot should give you a signal telling you he wants to land his kite. The international signal is patting on your head with one hand.

As a catcher, you should make sure you stay out of the wind window, near its edge but in an upwind position. The kite will be coming to the 3 or 9 positions depending on the side you are at when the kite is at the ground level approach it and grab the leading edge. Make sure you never grab the trailing edge, this can have unpredictable results and damage the kite. It also means you are inside of the wind window. Being in the wind window is something you should always avoid as it is a dangerous place.

Once you grab the kite put the tip on the ground and walk towards the pilot to take away the tension on the lines and be able to put the kite in the parked position with the central strut pointing to the wind direction.

After, the kite should be secured by adding weight to it. The best option is a, but the most common is to put sand.

As a pilot, once you decide to land you should ask for assistance, its always safer to have help and it’s always recommended to kite with friends. Signal this by tapping your head with one hand and put your kite near the ground in a 3 or 9 position. Make sure there is nobody inside the wind window and that the person catching the kite is in an upwind position. A lot of pilots pilot until the person grabs the kite. If you have excellent piloting skills, it is ok, but if you are unsure, there is a safer and more natural way. Just get the kite closer to the ground, and once it is almost touching just let go of the bar, the kite will be resting at the edge of the wind window for your catcher to grab the kite once he has grabbed the kite walk towards him to release tension on the lines and make it easier for him to put the kite in the secure position.

Thank the person helping you and help others when they require landing help.

There are 2 safe ways of landing the kite alone.

The first one is by using a fixed anchor point similar to the situation for launching. Put your kite near the ground at 3 or 9 positions and attach your chicken loop to the fixed point. Once this is done, the kite will remain parked, and it will wait for you to go to the kite and do the same as if you where the kite catcher that I described in the start of the video.

Another way is by using your safety system. This method will always work, but there is a way to, make it that there will be no tangles or very difficult to have them.

Make sure the safety line is on the top front line, so when you deploy your safety, the top front line is pulled, this works only with re-ride safety systems. That top line will determine the side you are going to put the kite at. Once the kite is at that side and near the ground, pull the safety system, the kite will rotate and land leading edge down. Even if it catches wind inside, it will flip once and land in the parked position. This can be done even in strong winds and its a perfect way to check if your safety system is working correctly. With practice, you will be able to land the kite perfectly almost all the time. Make sure the bar goes up at least one kite span. In light winds, the tension is sometimes not strong enough, and you have to help by pulling on the safety line. If it has gone 1 kite span, the kite will land safely. Make sure the area is free of obstacles downwind and that the surface doesn’t have sharp objects to avoid problems.

Once the kite lands correctly disconnect from the kite leash and walk to the kite, making sure there is tension on the safety line. If the kite landed perfectly towards the wind, sometimes it’s not even necessary as the kite will be sitting and waiting for you. If the kite is it in a perfect condition or there is too much wind disconnect the bar and go hand over hand over the safety line until you can reach the kite to secure it

We think that this an essential skill to master as you will land your kite several times during your practice as a kitesurfer. Making this easy for the person helping or also finding out how to do it alone is a super important skill to acquire.