Many riders have tried to use existing foil boards as well as a sit-kiteboard. The outline of those boards look like the outline of a sit-kiteboard (but isn’t the same!) and are in general cheaper than a dedicated sit-kiteboard. Therefore, I can understand the temptation to use mass produced boards.
But the lack of nose rocker and straight outline make those boards unsuitable to ride in chop or surf waves. Also, the nose of those boards is too long which makes the board unsafe when being dragged in the water by the traction of a crashed kite. The nose surface in front of the rider’s feet works as a drogue anchor, which prevents the rider from orienting himself into a safe waterstart position (feet oriënted in the direction of the kite). Also, the reduced volume of the sit-kiteboard is essential for safety. A board with too much volume implies that the rider floats butt up and head down, which means drowning.
Furthermore, to be able to go upwind properly, you need at least two fins 6-10cm deep. The Tuttle box, instead of a unibox system, enables beach landing without breaking fins or board inserts.
The combination of a wooden core (reduced volume) and the pronounced 3D nose rocker (longitudinal and transversal curvature) makes the design of the *sit-kiteboard* is unique and asks for a dedicated production process. The wooden (Paulownia) core is CNC machined in the twin-tip factory and the glass layup is done in the surfboard factory.
The 3D nose rocker makes the wave riding sensation very close to a surfboard, the rail is rounded in the front and ‘edgy’ in the back. The winger and swallow tail are also implemented for wave riding in small to medium size waves and chop (typical conditions of the North Sea). To make the board indestructible, a small deck strip / elevation has been incorporated to spread the local load of the frame into the board.
Furthermore, the deck layout and insert position of the *sit-kiteboard* is compatible with the Wolturnus sit-kitesurf frame and sit-kitefoil frame. The frame is made of anodized high-grade Aluminum (7030). The weight of the surf frame is 1,8kg and after 3 years of intensive use in all kinds of waves and salty waters, it has been found indestructible. Wolturnus is a high-end wheelchair manufacturer in Denmark.
The seats are manufactured by Tessier adaptive sports in France and are available in 4 sizes. The dedicated sit-kite cut outs make the Tessier seat especially adapted for sit-kiteboarding.
The (foot)straps and webbing to fix the spreader bar are custom made by my local sailmaker in Scheveningen. The shock absorbers connecting the board with the frame are standard shear-mounts APK type (TP080A70). Those shock absorbers enable that the frame doesn’t prevent the board from flexing. All nuts and bolts for assembling the different parts should be of marine INOX 316 grade (A4).
