Kitesurfing Safety
UK-wide safety guidance in two parts: one for riders and bystanders, one for the emergency services who attend when it goes wrong. Compiled from RNLI, British Kitesports (BKSA), IKO, HM Coastguard, St John Ambulance and UK air ambulance guidance.
In a coastal emergency
Call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard
For someone in danger in the water or on the shoreline, ask for the Coastguard, not just "ambulance". The Coastguard coordinates lifeboats, lifeguards and rescue helicopters. On VHF, use Channel 16.
For kitesurfers
Reduce the risk before you launch, know your safety system cold, and know what to do if you or someone else gets into trouble in the water.
Read the guide →
For first responders
Attending a kitesurfing incident? Understand the equipment, the line and re-power hazards, how to make a kite safe, and what matters around a helicopter landing.
Read the guide →
Know the risks
Cold water and the kite itself account for most serious incidents in UK waters. Know both before you launch.
The injuries most associated with kitesurfing incidents in UK waters:
Cold water shock and drowning
UK sea temperature averages just 12°C. Below 15°C, sudden immersion can trigger uncontrolled gasping and a spike in heart rate. The effects pass in under a minute, but only if you don't panic and try to swim through them.
Head injuries
Impacts with the board, the water at speed, or the seabed in shallows. A helmet is mandatory in lessons and strongly recommended after them.
Fractures and impact trauma
A powered kite can lift a rider and drop them hard, onto water, sand or structures. Ankles, knees, ribs and shoulders take the brunt.
Line injuries
Kite lines are thin, high-tension and nearly invisible. Under load they can cut deeply: a danger to riders, bystanders and rescuers alike.
Hypothermia
A rider stuck offshore with a failed kite loses heat fast, even in a wetsuit, even in summer.
Being blown offshore
Offshore winds carry riders away from land; equipment failure far out turns a session into a rescue. Never ride out further than you can swim back.
This page is an educational summary compiled from the linked organisations' published guidance. Spotted an error? Please get in touch.