The great variety of the landscape, the changeable scenarios and a never the same orography, allow Punta Trettu, in the South West of Sardinia, to practice great spot activitiesfor a perfect kite holiday in Sardinia.
Kitesurfing in Punta Trettu Sardinia
If you like to be immersed in the sea, the thrill of “kitesurfing” above twenty knots, pulled by a sail in the sky pushed by the wind, is what you are looking for. The exceptional Punta Trettu Kite Center Sardinia will provide you with all the assistance you need to enjoy it and will transform the practice of kite surfing or wind surfing into a mine of emotions, whether you are expert or beginner. Constant and perfect winds, shallow and flat water and a breathtaking landscape, will be the ideal stage to prove yourself and have fun among the wind.
Kite Holdays in Punta Trettu Sardinia
Snorkeling, fishing, diving
Surely the beauty and transparency of the waters make snorkeling, underwater fishing, free diving, and scuba diving with unforgettable experiences.
Jogging, Running, Cycling
For lovers of jogging, trail running or road or cycling, the vast territory offers plenty of choice. Horseback ride on an almost endless track, given that for almost nine kilometers you will have the chance to gallop with the sea to your right and a splendid pine forest to your left. The essence of a holiday in Sardinia, the rediscovery of the bond with nature, with animals, with one’s body. Doing sport and at the same time discovering a culture, regenerating yourself in a vacation that will become a cure for your body and your spirit.
Punta Trettu Sardinia: Spot for Windsurf and Kitesurf
Kitesurfing is a fantastic water sport, born at the end of the 20th century. Now there are different disciplines of kitesurfing, e.g. Kite Wave, Kite Freestyle, Kite Speed, Kite Hydrofoil (How does kite hydrofoil work?), and Sardinia is a fantastic place where to Kitesurf. In this post, that describes the kite spots where to kitesurf in Sardinia, we have divided the Best Kite Spots of Sardinia in two categories: the kite spots where you can kitesurf in the summer and the kite spots where kitesurf is allowed only in the winter. In fact, In the “Winter Season” (from November to March) Kitesurfing is allowed everyehere, while in the “Summer Season” (from April to October) kitesurfing is allowed where dedicated kite zones and launch lane are present.
Summer Season Sardinia Kite Spots
Maddalena Spiaggia
Torre degli ulivi
Copperton (Copertone)
Porto Botte
Punta Trettu (considered the best Kite Spot of Sardinia)
Considered one of the best kite spot in Europe, Punta Trettu is considered a paradise of Kitesurf because the shallow water, the flat water and the steady winds which ensures safe activity with both Scirocco and Mistral winds. Once you arrive at the parking, you will have to walk about ten minutes to reach the kite zone; the beach near the kite zone changes its size with the tide. It can in fact extend for a few hundred meters or shrink to such an extent that it leaves the space to mount a dozen kites. But don’t worry! Just behind the beach there is a clearing where you can set your kite in case of overcrowding; your equipment will be safe as there are no rocks or branches that can damage it! But be careful: do not fly the kite directly from this space in case it blows Mistral wind! In fact, downwind there are trees that can be very dangerous. To avoid any possible damage, ask a friend for help and bring the kite and downwind lines to the obstacles. At the beach there are always qualified instructors who can help you if you have any problems or need some advice; don’t be afraid, just ask. The schools on the beach are also equipped with assistance boats; therefore do not worry if the wind changes direction (unlikely) you are always safe. If you have carefully read all the precautions we have described, all you have to do is have fun. One of the best Kite schools of Punta Trettu is the Punta Trettu Kite Center Sardinia.
Porto Pollo
Located at the foot of one of the most famous natural sculptures of our island, the Palau bear. The bay is completely dedicated to kite surfers and, even if the wind is often gusty, the spot is considered to be one of the best in northern Sardinia. In fact, in addition to being able to enjoy constant assistance at sea during the day, you can have fun at night in the many clubs scattered along the beach, which are frequented mainly by boys who practice sea activities.
Winter Season Sardinia Kite Spots
Poetto
The sixth stop is a large area of the Poetto that takes its name from the time the tram was still running along the coast and every area of the beach was identified by the stop. It is the widest part of the entire beach and having a central position with respect to the bay, it is characterized by poor winds, which will allow you to safely launch the kite. The sirocco (SE) arrives straight on shore and carries considerable waves only when it exceeds twenty knots of intensity. The sand banks move during the year and therefore not the best peaks are to be found along the sandy shore; often in front of the fourth there are steeper waves but which tend to ‘close out’, towards the fifth or sixth instead the waves are more open but with less shoulder. The sirocco can bring algae on the beach only when it exceeds 25 knots. The mistral (NW) blows off shore and does not offer the possibility of navigating without assistance from a kite school or someone qualified to offer the lift service. In case you have assured assistance and as a result you can safely go out to sea, it is good that you know that there are some areas in the bay where the wind is very gusty, others instead where the mastrale relaxes and gives you the chance to surf in complete relaxation. Between the area of the hospitals and the army establishment the wind spreads out, leaving you the possibility of making borders of a few hundred meters without the stress of a gusty wind. , provides the service, on request even in winter (contact them via the website or ask in person at the bar “Il Nilo” for more information).
Spot that rarely works, recommended for the more experienced looking for big waves. Excellent with N wind over 30 knots.
Calasetta
Funtanamare
Good with mistral with intensity greater than 20 knots. In fact, here the wind is always lower than expected and consequently due to the strong currents the bowline is not easy with light winds. The waves are surfable but it is difficult to find an open wall that does not “close out”, that is, that does not close all together suddenly.
Portixeddu
Suitable only for wave surfing, as the mountain on the N side of the bay protects the area where the wave fringes from the typical NW winds that create a swell with which the spot works well.
Putzu Idu
Beach of the homonymous village, in whose promontory there are the famous spots of Capo, Mini Capo and del Pontile. It represents an excellent base for the daredevils who want to surf the waves of the Cape; in fact, the wide shoreline is excellent for mounting the kite safely, as the wind is constant and the beach break is of modest size. On rough sea days it is also possible to surf the wave on the beach.
Mini Capo
Good spot with a mistral wind above 35 knots, gusty and suitable only for the most daring. Warning! With a lighter wind, the spot is dedicated to wave surfers, who can also be very aggressive. It is advisable to go out to sea only if no surfer is present due to the excessively strong wind (sometimes there are surfers with the wind blowing more than thirty knots).
Capo Mannu
Spot next to the mini Capo. When the wind is very strong you can share the spot with surfers and windsurfers, respecting the priorities and being more external than the area where you see the surfers (stay at least forty meters away).
Sa Mesa Longa (La laguna)
The spot is activated on any SW, W swell and above all with the MW swell NW characteristics. The main feature, which makes the spot unique, is the plank that encloses the gulf, forming a lagoon of crystal clear water. This, due to the sandy bottom, is characterized by a particularly blue and crystalline sea. Outside the lagoon, on a rocky bottom, a wave A frame (outside the islet) and a right, on the right side of the gulf (more frequented by the local) break. Spot more suited to surfing than windsurfing or kite, as when the on-shore or side-shore wind increases beyond 10 knots the wave easily loses its shape and the current increases considerably. The unpaved parking in the central area of the beach is forbidden.
Alghero (Porto Ferro)
Alghero (La Speranza)
Alghero (Lido)
Alghero (Bombarde)
Alghero (Maria Pia)
Alghero (Lazzaretto)
Stintino (La Pelosa)
Stintino (Le Saline)
Spiaggia di Costa Paradiso
Valledoria
Badesi
Porto Torres – Platamona (La Torretta)
Porto Torres – Platamona (Terzo Pettine)
Porto Torres – Platamona (Marina di Sorso)
Isola Rossa (Marinedda)
Vignola
Palau
Pittulongu
Marinella
Punta Saline
This spot is also located in the Gulf of Olbia, characterized by shallow waters and rocks (not dangerous) at the ends of the beach. It is not very well known by sports practitioners, in fact it is a little frequented place where you can look for the perfect breath to spend an unforgettable day.
Porto San Paolo
Spiaggia di Don Diego
San Teodoro (La Cinta – Puntaldia)
What might seem to be a fine strip of white sand with the color of the crystalline sea from the satellite is, in effect, one of the favorite places for inexperienced kiters to learn the first moves. Here you will find several schools that give daily lessons to anyone who wants to enter the world of the “kite”. The shallow water is king for tens of meters and the lack of rocks makes the practice accessible to all. Hundreds of stalls, bars and shops guarantee a service until late in the evening throughout the summer season. Spending a nice evening together is a MUST.
La Caletta
Cardedu
One of the few spots that work well on the East coast. It works well with SE winds, which when they exceed 20 knots also create considerable waves, which can be surfed in the southern part of the beach.
Marina Maria – Porto Istana
Location located within the Gulf of Olbia, is highly appreciated by expert kiters and novice subjects. This spot has the peculiarity of having a very long beach with shallow and sandy bottom. Exposed above all to mistral and tramontana and not too strong marine currents. Local windsurfers (local) can be aggressive.
Chia (Cala Cipolla)
Porto Pirastu
Costa Rei
Cala Sinzias
Simius
Porto Giunco
Campulongu
Solanas
Geremeas
It is a very good spot from October to April. In fact it is the spot closest to Cagliari where the mistral blows towards the shore, so in the months when there are not many bathers it is perfect to take a leap to the sea on one of the many days when the north-west wind blows over the city. White sand and blue water are the main features. The waves rarely grow beyond the meter.
The predominant winds of southern Sardinia are the mistral (north-west wind), the scirocco (south-east wind) and, in some locations, the thermal winds (which, in most cases, blow from the south * east ). Here in the south the winds are not very gusty and the temperatures of the water and above all of the air are higher than in Northern Sardinia.
Southern Sardinia, in the past little frequented and considered by lovers of sailing sports, has had a boom in attendance in recent years: fantastic places, almost always present wind and excellent connections from Italy and most of the European capitals thanks especially at the airport and port of Cagliari. The kitesurfing beaches in the south of Sardinia are more varied and less frequented than those in the North of the island and moving between the south-east coast, the south coast, and the south- west coast, the probability of finding, every day, wind suitable for the practice of kite surfing is very high.
Here underthe beaches equipped for Kitesurfing & Windsurfing and the others where you will be forced to have your own equipment or maybe for rent.
Regarding the rental of equipment the costs vary and depend mainly on the manager and on-site use or at other beaches.
Foil is a technology that allows a hull (propelled by a motor or in this case a sail) to emerge totally from the water, thanks to the hydrodynamic action of the submerged surface.
Hydrofoiling Kite Fin Example
In fact, the pressure of the water under the wings, combined with the depression that forms above them, generates a force of lift opposed to the weight, and allows a great reduction of resistance to motion and consequently an increase in efficiency.
Why An Hydrofoil Can Go Fast With Almost No Wind?
The curve in figure shows qualitatively the rapid reduction of the resistance, once, reached a certain speed, the hull comes out of the water.
Kitefoil is composed of the following elements:
Fuselage: It extends in length in the direction of motion and transmits the sustaining force to the hull through the mast, to which it is connected;
Kite Foil Mast
Mast or Keel: It transmits the sustaining force to the hull, connecting it to the fuselage and to the immersed surfaces that create the lift;
Supporting and stabilizing wings: These are the surfaces that create lift. The first is able to give all the lift required to separate the hull from the surface of the water, while the second balances the moment provided by the first, with a consequent stabilization effects.
History of the hydrofoil
Hydrofoils have been used in different types of boats for over 100 years.
The first person that designed and built an hydrofoil was an Italian named Enrico Forlanini, in 1906. For his hydrofoil Forlanini used a system of 4 groups of parallel wings (a pair in the bow and a pair in the stert) of decreasing width, unlike the single hydrofoil wings in use today.
History of Hydrofoil
Forlanini’s design was resumed and improved by various other inventors over the following decades (in particular Alexander Graham Bell and Casey Baldwin), until around the 50’s the world began to invest massivelyin boats using hydrofoil fins, for both military and commercial use. The boom was reached in the 60 ‘s- 70’s but since then their use in motor boats has gradually decreased, due to various problems; not only due to construction and maintenance costs, but also safety and environmental issues. Materials for hydrofoils were in fact metallic, the same used for the structure of the boat.
The same problems occurred for hydrofoils used in the sailing or hobby disciplines, that began in the 60s, but was soon abandoned.
Since the turn of the century investments in this technology have resumed. Mainly because new composite materials made it possible to produce extremely light and resistant appendages, different hydrofoil researches began again, in order to identify the best shape and structure for every hull and wind.
A wide interest in hydrofoil sailing technologyspread trough the media thanks to its use in the 2010 America’s Cup. Some sectors in which the foil has developed, however, are only now becoming popular. Unfortunately research has already reached a moment of stationarity, because the significant risks involved in the sector do not attract investors’ interest.
Hydrofoil in kitesurfing
The application of hydrofoil to kitesurfing dates back to the 2000s. The design of modern hydrofoil for kitesurfing varies in geometry based on its type of use. The main categories are:
beginner;
freestyle;
racing boards.
Hydrofoil Front Wiew
Kitefoils for beginners are designed to be stable at low speeds.
Those for freestyle instead are more suitable for performing acrobatics and jumps and therefore have greater maneuverability, in addition to being structurally more resistant, in order to be able to withstand impacts on landing jumps.
Racing kitefoils are designed to reach the highest possible speeds with the greatest stability for all the different wind conditions. To do this, the latter have a minimal design and are made of carbon fiber, to be as light and resistant as possible.
Hydrofoil for kitesurfing (also called kitefoil) is a combination of various components, each with a very precise function . Although it is easy to design a single fin suitable to a certain sea condition, it is far more complicated to create a kitefoil that is best suited to a wide range of wind conditions, and therefore to a larger speed range.
To best explain the operation of the components of a hydrofoil fin, it is important initially to understand the most important moments to which the board is subjected: roll, pitch and yaw.
Pitch Yaw and Roll in a Hydrofoil
To understand how kitesurf works we can consider just the first 2, roll and pitch. Yaw can be ignored because load conditions are approximately simmetric and the mast twist can therefore be denied.
Kitefoils must produce enough lift to rise out of the water, giving support to the kitesurfer, and at the same time produce a moment of such magnitude as to allow balancing. The lift created must be sufficient in a wide range of speeds from the starting speed (“take off” speed) to the maximum speed (“top” speed).
Hydrofoil Components
The take-off speed is the speed at which lift begins to be such as to allow the kitesurfer and the board to separate from the water. As resistance decreases, due to the fact that the board is now no longer in contact with water, but in the air (which density is about 1000 times lower than that of water), there is an increase in speed; this increase in speed corresponds to an increase in lift for the main foil, and a change in lift capacity of the stabilizer, which may vary depending on the type used, as will be discussed below.
There are two different functioning systems of the stabilizer, which can have a positive bearing capacity and a negative bearing capacity.
In the case of the positive flow stabilizer, in order to balance the moment of force Fp (Force weight of the kiter minus the force exerted by the kite) must have a arm smaller than the second case and therefore the kiter must have a greater ability to stay in equilibrium. The balance of the moment becomes evident in the behavior of each kitesurfer who uses kitefoils, which centers the back foot on the mast and uses the front foot to apply a force that balances the moment. In simplified terms, the board represents a lever on which the rider applies a force, while he balances the strength of the stabilizer with his front foot, counteracting the moment generated by load-bearing and resistant forces.
Positive Lift Hydrofoil
The stabilizer moment and the rider’s need to counterbalance it, leads to a more stable equilibrium, and the rider’s ability lies in maintaining the balance in situations of variable winds and during maneuvers such astacks or jibes.
Stabilizing Wing With A Negative Lift
Contrary to its name negative flow stabilizer improves stability because the proportion of the fin / lift ratio is reduced and therefore its efficiency decreases. The task of the kitefoil designer is to create a geometry that allows at the same time both:
A sufficient bearing capacity in a wide range of windy conditions;
Produce a stabilizing moment sufficient to allow the achievement of equilibrium.
So, ultimately it is required to maximize Lift / Resistance ratio without unduly compromising stability. The design of a kitefoil is subject to a number of constraints that must be considered in the optimization phase. If one wants to design a kitefoil for racing, he should consider the rules imposed by the IKA (International Kitefoil Association) which specifies that the maximum length of a kitefoil, (measured perpendicularly to the board) cannot exceed 5000 mm (in the current state of the art foils are about 1.2m long, that is far from 5 m). Furthermore, the appendices can be up to one, and their purpose must be mainly to create lift. No limitations are imposed regarding the materials. Other limitations that must be considered in the design of a kitefoil are imposed on the structural design, since the kitefoil must have an optimized geometry that has to be easy to build and at the same time must be able to withstand the stresses to which it is subjected.
Theoretical bases
To understand the functioning of the hydrofoil, we have to analyze the physics of a easy wing profile. The wing of the hydrofoil creates a lift force, perpendicular to the flow direction, and a drag force, oriented with flow direction. The angle of attack α is the angle between the flow direction and the contour string.
The lift produced by a profile is directly proportional to the area of the wing surface “A_L” and proportional to the square of the relative velocity of the flow “v”; it also depends on the density of the fluid “ρ” and the on the lift coefficient “C_L”:
F_L=lift=\frac{1}{2}\rho A_mC_Lv^2
Resistence is a function of:
wing surface “A_R”;
relative speed of the water “v”;
drag Coefficient “C_D”;
water density “ρ”:
F_D=drag=\frac{1}{2}\rho A_mC_Dv^2
Easy Representation Of Forces Over A Kiting Hydrofoil Wing
The lift and drag dimensionless coefficients C_L and C_D respectively, could be analytically, numerically or experimentally calculated, and are function of the profile shape.
