HKA Rules

By joining the HKA you undertake to obey these rules. Visiting kitesurfers must also comply.

Club Rules

1. To kitesurf at this location you must have both current BKSA membership and current HKA membership. You must be able to produce evidence of both.
2. Always launch and land your kites within the marked out launch and land area (this area may be moved further down the beach from the normal area when the beach is busy).
3. Never launch or land your kite when a member of the public is walking down wind of you. Wait until they have passed.
4. The beach is not to be used to practice flying kitesurfing kites, this must be done only while standing in the water at low tide.
5. When your kites are not in use for any length of time they must be fully disabled and placed at the foot of the shingle bank, no more than two deep, with the kite lines wound up on the bar, (lines must not be left out across the path of other beach users).
6. All kites must have an effective kite safety system.
7. Assist other members when launching and landing their kites.
8. It may be necessary to red flag the beach on occasions. No kitesurfing when the flag is flying.
9. Avoid kitesurfing two hours either side of high tide (at high tide there is very little space on the beach and the risk to other beach users is increased considerably).
10. On the water give way to other water users, swimmers and other watercraft.
11. You must know the ‘rules of the road’. See below.
12. Only licensed teaching can take place. Zero Gravity/Ocean Fusion and HI Kitesurf School are the only licensed schools permitted to teach.
13. No unqualified member will be permitted to teach a friend or other member.
14. Members who cannot maintain a course across wind must practice in the lagoon area of the beach three hours either side of low tide (other members will help and support these members until they have become independent kitesurfers).
15. No kite flying on the top of the shingle bank. This is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI).
16. No kitesurfing in either Langstone or Chichester harbours or Sandy Point.
17. No launching/setup near the groynes.

Rules of the Road (Rights of Way)

1. Give way to other water users, swimmers and other watercraft.
2. The starboard tack rider (the kite is to your right and your right leg leading) has right of way over the port tack rider (kite to the left, left leg leading).
3. When passing, the upwind rider gives way to downwind rider by raising their kite high to allow the downwind rider to pass underneath. The downwind rider must lower their kite.
4. Maintain a downwind buffer zone when jumping and performing a transition.
5. Always look before starting any manoeuvre.
6. Riders coming in to the beach must give way to those leaving.
7. When wave riding, the 1st rider on the swell line has priority. If 2 people begin riding a swell simultaneously, the rider closest to the break (usually upwind) has priority on the wave.