CYC Home
Kiteboard racing appears to be taking off in Seattle.
A group of about 10 local kiteboard racers, whose organizers include CYC board member and Melges 32 owner Darrin Towe, is aiming to form a fleet to participate in the CYC Thursday night series at Shilshole.
A trial run, with Adam Vance sailing around the course by himself, will be held on an upcoming Thursday when the wind is right. After the trial, the group plans to meet with CYC Race Manager Kevin Cunningham to work out details on courses and safety.
Kiteboarders racing on San Francisco Bay in the Ronstan Bay Challenge June 12-13, hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club.
The kiteboarding group is energized by the fact that Seattleite Adam Koch won the kiteboard world championship in Corpus Christi, Texas, recently. Also, kiteboarding will be a demonstration sport at the 2016 Olympic Games.
"Kiteboarding is exciting - it combines flying with sailing," said Towe, a commercial pilot. "What I like most about it, being the owner of a boat that sails with eight or nine people, is that I can go out myself and sail for two or three hours, pack it up and go home. Or I can pack three kites and a board in a golf bag and go to Mexico.
The boards used for racing, unlike the twin-tipped models designed for tricks, are more like sailboards. They are about six feet long and have four nine to ten-inch fins on the back that provide lift and help the boards go upwind.
Racing boards cost about $1,200 each, about double the price of a normal kiteboard. The kites are another $1,400.
The leading edges of the kites used by racers, as well as the kites supporting struts, are inflated, making them easier to launch.
The greatest challenge in incorporating the kiteboards into a multi-fleet program like CYC's is keeping them separated from Lasers and other dinghies. The boards are fast, and when the wind gets into the 20s, they are capable of speeds up to 30 knots.
Seattleite Andrew Koch on his board during the Ronstan Bay Challenge.
"We will amend the rules to require that we stay out of others' way," Towe said. Other than that, their rules differ in only one way from the Racing Rules of Sailing. As in the standard rules, windward boats must stay clear of leeward boats, but the windward kiteboarder also must keep his kite in the high position.
As for safety, Towe said the group will race only in northerlies, to keep them from drifting into the shipping lanes. They also will talk to Cunningham about how and when to approach a downed kiteboarder.
"Most of the time, Kevin won't have to worry about us," Towe said. "We can pretty much take care of ourselves."