If you are in the Winter season or heading into it, you may be wondering if the cold weather would affect you flying a kite. Yes, it can!
What is the windchill factor? It is the temperature that you feel due to the wind. For example, a thermometer or the weather forecast may read 65 degrees Fahrenheit outside, and there is a wind blowing at 25 miles per hour mph , the windchill factor would cause it to feel like it is 50 degrees F instead.
This causes your body to lose heat as if it was 50 degrees F outside, instead of it being 65 degrees Fahrenheit. It is important to factor in the windchill factor, especially in Winter, as it can be dangerous to go out in cold weather exacerbated by windchill and your attention is focussed on kite flying instead.
For other factors that you should consider when deciding to fly a kite in Winter, read here. Kites have changed so much today that we now even have kites that specifically do not need wind to fly. However, understanding wind speeds are still important for the budding kite flier who may enjoy flying kites outdoors.
It also helps to understand which are the easiest types of kites to fly. When flying a kite outdoors, you would be at the mercy of the weather as well. Check out our other articles on what is good kite flying weather, if you can fly a kite in the rain, and if you can fly a kite in Winter.
We have always loved flying kites in our childhood. When we grew up, we realised that kite flying is slowly being taken over by technology, and it was difficult for us to learn anything about kites. After years of trial and error, we bring to you what we've learnt. Kite flying was a typical hobby of many children, including us, when we were growing up. When we were older, we forgot how fun it could be to be able to control something that looked so close to the Whenever I buy a kite, either for myself or for someone else, there are so many factors to consider, and decisions to make!
It can be especially tricky if it is their first kite that you are buying, The Beaufort Scale Wind speeds determine how easy it would be to launch and fly your kite across all seasons. Click on the image above to zoom in. Delta kite with striking colors and a long tail.
Another point I want to mention regarding the minimum amount of wind you need to go out kiteboarding is sea conditions. My experience is that you typically need at least an extra knot of wind when riding in small waves.
In light wind, even small ripples can make the balance tip and keep you from riding back to the same point you started from on the beach. Having your kite stall and your board stop and sink as a wave is coming onto you can be scary!
You typically need much less wind when riding a surfboard vs a twintip board — assuming you master the skills for it. Surfboards or kitesurfboards generally have much more buoyancy than regular twintips and can start lifting you above the water with much less power.
This boils down to the same considerations as for twintips: the more floating surface, the less minimum wind needed. Of course, there are surfboards of all shapes and sizes — high wind vs light wind surfboards, offshore vs onshore etc.
Each board will have a different wind range taking into account rider weight and kite size. So the equation is just as complex as for twintips. When strapless your feet are not locked in so you have to stand upright much more and lean less than when strapped — sort of like riding a skateboard. Thus, you want less pull in your kite so as not to get pulled over the edge of the board.
Strapless riders thus prefer to be underpowered within a limit than fully powered, whereas strapped kitesurfers like to have more power namely for carving hard and jumping. As a result, a strapless rider might start going out in winds 1 or 2 knots lower than a strapped kiter with the same kite size. All this talk about how much minimum wind you need to riding is nice and all, but how do you actually assess wind speed?
For many beginner kiteboarders, the easiest way is just to pull out a wind meter anemometer — such as the popular Skywatch Xplorer Amazon page , get a couple of readings, and go by the book in choosing kite size — e. Measuring the wind with a meter is a good idea, but you should not rely solely on these numbers for deciding whether to go out and which gear to use.
For one thing, measurements will often vary depending from one meter to the other. First, you should start by observing the water and sand to try to wind strength. The following table is a Beaufort scale customized specifically for kitesurfing:.
Then you can adjust your own size choice based on weight and board size differences between you and them. Also, observe the riders already on the water and see if they seem to be riding easily without diving their kite too much.
If you like more accuracy, you can use your wind meter as a reference over time — not relying on the absolute numbers but comparing the current readings with previous days. Determining how much wind you need to kitesurf can be tricky as it involves a lot of different moving parts including kite and board type and size, rider weight, wind and sea conditions, experience level and flying objectives. As you progress in the sport, you will build up skills, change gear, discover new kitesurf spots with different wind situations, get into specific riding styles such as tricks or wave riding, etc.
As a result, your idea of the minimum wind to look for when going out kitesurfing will also evolve. You must be logged in to post a comment. This newbie thanks you for the time and effort Jesse! Hey Jesse, Thanks for the concise and thorough tips. Although I feel like I have been putting the hours in and studying the pieces, you have just put it all in order and I now understand things that before I was only seeing.
Thanks again. Search Search. Before You Start How does kitesurfing feel? How Difficult Is It to Learn? Can Anyone Learn? Then get outside and start flying it! If you don't want to buy your own kite, you can always jump online to learn How To Make a Kite. You'll need a few supplies, so be sure to read through the instructions first. A trip to the store may be necessary.
Have fun building and decorating your own custom kite! Can you guess how quickly the wind is blowing? While it's easy to tell the difference between a slight breeze and hurricane, it's not necessarily easy to differentiate between a 5mph breeze and a 10mph gust. Check out the Beaufort Wind Scale online for descriptions of different levels of wind speed.
You can also Make an Anemometer if you want to try to build your own device to determine wind speed! Did you get it? Test your knowledge. Wonder Words crisp brisk flag wind steer area autumn havoc breeze surface airborne average temperature rustling successfully obstacle turbulence downwind Take the Wonder Word Challenge.
Join the Discussion. Vivi Apr 2, I hope it is a good day to fly a kite with my cousins. Bryn Amelia Jul 30, We are going to try flying a kite at 17 mph for wind Definitely post an update.
Aug 2, Definitely let us know how it went! Bryn Amelia Aug 3, Aug 5, We hope you're okay, Bryn! Jim Apr 26, Robert Moore Nov 1, Nov 5, Wow, Robert! That's impressive!! Thanks for sharing! Apr 30, Ray Apr 8, My kite just flys for a few seconds to the side and then crashes to the ground help!!! Apr 11, Lauren Mar 30, How many miles per hour does the wind have to be blowing in order to keep the kite airborne?
Apr 5, Jun 22, Dec 11, Justin Nov 20, I can't wait to fly my kite to see it go airborne. Nov 23, Nov 20, Kaylee H Nov 20, Can you still fly a kite even when it is really freezing outside. Kavalunas' class Nov 20, Great story! We are still wondering whose job it is to design different types of kites? We agree, keri! Do you have any thoughts about who designs kites? Matt Greoning Nov 20, Kyla D.
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