2013-2016 ISAF kite racing rulebook

Read it - there is a few important changes from the previous rules, and just a few important rules to know!

Just in summary...

1) Mark Room - No “3 boat length” rule at the marks, for mark-room you must purely be inside another boat at the top mark, and port/starboard rules still apply.
2) Overlap – you are overlapped when “hull AND equipment” are not clear astern of another kites “hull AND equipment”
3) Start - Sequence is now the same as sailing. 5 minute class flag up, 4 minute preparatory flag up (either P, I, Z or Black), 1 minute preparatory flag down, go class flag down. There are individual recalls (X) and general recalls (first substitute) . In the last minute before the start if you slow down you have no rights.
4) Propulsion - no swimming!
5) Penalties – Must complete a 360 of the board on the water if infringing on any rule

Unlike a sailboat that just bears away after going slow to speed up a kite needs to dive the kite into the power zone to get going, this is where all the line tangles would happen unless everyone can get in sync with each other.

It has been very successfull to have everybody moving at reasonable speed when approaching the line so when the start is go there is no diving kites, this is a very important rule for kites as unlike sailboats we can moving our sail about on the end of 25 plus lines in a big sweeping arc

It might seam odd at first but when you think about it kites have different abilities than normal sailing boats so some rules need to change to make it all work.