Can some water sports enthusiasts answer these questions?

Question

I was watching a documentary on the Golden Gate Bridge and saw some guys parasailing without the boat. They had what appeared to be small snowboards on their feet and were semi surfing and leaping around with the oblong parasail things lifting them.

1. What is this sport called?

2. What are the small snowboard things on their feet called?

3. One assumes they were barefoot; how do they keep them on their feet when leaping in the air?

4. I am assuming they don't swim out, 'cause how could the parasail catch the wind? Do boats tow them out, and if so, how do they get back to shore?

This is research for a story I am writing and I will appreciate any help I can get. I can't look it up on the web myself, since I have no idea what any of it is called. Thanks to all.

Answer 1

It's called kite boarding, and it's amazing to watch.  What they have on their feet is basically a wake board.  It's symmetrical, so it can go either direction in the water.  It's about the size of a park snowboard, and not much thicker.  

The kite is about the size of an average parachute, maybe a little smaller.  They put it out on maybe 100 feet of rigging, maybe more, I'm not quite sure.  It's not your basic kite, essentially it's a parachute with control lines that come all the way down to a boom that the rider holds.  The rider is harnessed in to the kite, and they lean into the pull.  

It's amazing to watch in person.  I saw this down in Aruba last winter and I was awe struck. They hit top speeds in about 3 seconds, can turn on a dime, and do jumps out of flat water 20 and 30 feet into the air.  

It take a couple days to learn I guess, if your athletic.  I want to try it some time, but my summers tend to be too packed (thus skiing).  There is probably a place to do it in Buzzards Bay, that's been a big Windsurfing spot for years, and most of the kite boarders were windsurfers first.

Answer 2

good question