Kitesurfing (Kiteboarding) in Cayo Guillermo

Kitesurfing lovers gather in Cayo Guillermo since many years to enjoy the beautiful shoals (shallow water) and sustained winds of 20 @ 40 km/hour. The favorite sector is in near hotel Sol Cayo Guillermo (north-west part of Playa El Paso, the longest beach in Cayo Guillermo).

As it is currently impossible to rent kite surfing equipment at the hotel, fans bring their own equipment in the suitcases.

Courses are offered by organizations of kitesurfing. The price can vary from 50 to 60 CUC per hour. A Quebec school offers courses and organizes trips to the Caribbean for those who wish to perform this activity, consult their website by clicking the following link: http://evasionkite.com

Hotel Sol Cayo Guillermo is well suited for fans of kitesurfing as rooms near the beach have large lawns, ideal for drying your equipment. Sol Cayo Guillermo is the hotel that has the longest beach of the hotel zone of the island (Playa El Paso) with more than 1.2 kilometers of fine sand. This family-oriented hotel (3 ½-star) of the hotel chain Sol Meliá has 268 rooms, which opened its doors in 1996. Visit the Hotels on our site for more information.

What is the kite ?

The Kite or Kiteboarding is a sport of surface water using the wind to pull a person in the water on a small surfboard or a kiteboard (similar to a board).

There are different styles of kiteboarding including freestyle (most common), wake-style or wave-riding that focuses on big waves using a board designed for this purpose.

A kitesurfer or kiteboarder uses a board with or without fasteners (foot-straps), combined with the power of a large controllable kite to propel the surfer and his board on the water.

In 2006, the number of kites has been estimated of about 150.000 to 210.000, with over 115,000 inflatable kites sold during the same year.

This sport has become a little safer thanks to innovations in the design of the kites and release system. Still, every year numerous deaths and serious injuries have been reported due to the drag of the body on land and water, hitting obstacles on the ground or water or become entangled in the ropes.

It is strongly recommended that anyone wish to start the kite to do so through a school. Safety rules are essential and must be followed to avoid serious accidents or fatalities. Improper use of kitesurfing equipment can make the sport extremely dangerous for both the user and his environment.

During his introductory course that lasts about a week, beginners learn the basic safety rules.

Equipments of a kitesurfer ...

The wing

Thanks to the wing, surfers can jump up sometimes up to 20 meters above the water. The wing surface is usually between 5 m² and 18 m².
Both types of wings are used:
The dimensional wing: flexible profiles inspired paragliding. The cells of the wing inflate by themselves)
Wing width (C-shape, flat or hybrids): inflatable structure with a pump, which model the profile of the wing and allows the surfer to go around the water.

The bar

This is the part which is controlled by the movements of the wing. It is more or less depending on the size of the wing. It attaches to 2 or 4 line kite control and manages power.

The board

This can be directional or bidirectional.
Directional boards are relatively thick and require a rotation of the board at every turn while ...
Bidirectional boards (called twin-tips or tt) are perfectly symmetrical and often much finer.

The feet of kiting are connected to the board by the so-called foot-straps and rely on a layer of foam called pad. The twin-tips have four fins usually with a size ranging from 3 to 7 cm.

The harness

The harness is an essential element in kitesurfing. There are two types of harness:
Belt, or backpack: this harness does pass around the hip and not in the buttocks.
Panties: like a climbing harness, it passes under the buttocks and often avoids back pain to the rider. It is generally recommended for beginners for this reason.

Kirsty Jones set a kite distance record in May 13rd, 2006 when she traveled across 225 km from Lanzarote in the Canary Islands to Tarfaya in Morocco in nine hours.

(source: wikipedia)

La zone de prédilection du kitesurf à Cayo Guillermo est devant l'hôtel Sol situé au nord de Playa El Paso.

Click to see photos from our album, a video in Flash format and positioning with Google Earth in kml format (software required).

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