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Have you ever gone out kiting and stopped at the reef or wreck or wherever and put on a mask to look in for a while? If so post your experience here! Tips and tricks appreciated!!!

Ive had a good time occasionally taking a mask with me while kiting, as an excellent way to access reef areas, stopping and putting on the mask to look in, and even getting towed along nicely by the kite.

I pretty much ride out and stop at an interesting spot, put on the mask and body/board drag along with my face underwater. When the wind angle happens to be good for following the reef its been especially awesome.

I put the mask around my neck when up and riding. Ive used mask/snorkel if going out specifically to snorkel, otherwise Ive just carried a mask around my neck for an occasional stop and look see.

Ive body dragged letting the board trail along holding it near the tip with one hand and steering the kite with the other. And also board dragged using the board to gain edge and go where I want to see all the better. Either way it was awkward at first but quickly became easier to find a fairly comfortable position.

***It has occurred to me that it would technically be possible to use a tt as a submarine board (like you can behind a boat with a piece of plywood) to gain dive-ability-super-powers but to do so while kite powered is already superhuman. If anyone out there has done it, you are an official kite snorkeling maniac.
Please tell us all about it!!!

Interesting idea, I will have to try it some time. A small Peak 4 would be the perfect kite I think. You could even combine it with a kayak to reach further reefs with the kite.

This thread has been officially closed, please move on, nothing to see here !

I have practiced submarining while dragged by kite, but I must have done it wrong because it was very unpleasant

Greenturtle wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 06, 2020 12:06 am

***It has occurred to me that it would technically be possible to use a tt as a submarine board (like you can behind a boat with a piece of plywood) to gain dive-ability-super-powers but to do so while kite powered is already superhuman. If anyone out there has done it, you are an official kite snorkeling maniac.
Please tell us all about it!!!

You could join 2 x 25m line sets together. That way you could reach depth of 25m under water whilst still keeping the kite quite high...

Conditions for kiting and conditions for good snorkelling are pretty much diametrically opposite I'd say....

andylc wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 06, 2020 11:19 am

Conditions for kiting and conditions for good snorkelling are pretty much diametrically opposite I'd say....

Indeed the best condition is a light wind day following calm days, so the sediment is settled and visibility is optimal. Also many spots/lagoons/in-between-reefs areas are fairly protected from much chop.

Its allowed good access to areas not accessible by boat because of the area being boxed in by reefs or other factors that make it dangerous to get there in a regular vessel but easy by kiteboard. Or you just dont have access to a boat, then it’s awesome to get out to some great spots so easily, even though its on a windy day.

Thus its been on a big kite most times for me. Which is fine, as my 19 turbine has some nice body dragging grunt just static and sheeted in allowing most attention to be paid to whats under the surface and not flying the kite.

Kite snorkeling?
Why go half way
Kite Scuba is where it’s at!?!

Traditional snorkeling with fins, arms at sides, and body fully supported by calm clear water is one of the most relaxing and gratifying experiences one can encounter in the water. Why would anyone want to screw up that experience with wind and a kite? Sorry, I don't get it.