Bernoulli’s principle is a fundamental law of fluid dynamics stating that an increase in the speed of a fluid occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure. In kitesurfing, it is positioned as the most important theory to explain the mechanism by which flying kites and submerged hydrofoils generate “lift,” the force that elevates them.
The canopy of a kite and the front wing of a foil are designed much like an aircraft wing, with a curved upper surface and a relatively flat lower surface. When wind or water hits this wing from the front, the fluid traveling over the longer, curved upper surface flows faster than the fluid passing underneath. Here, Bernoulli’s principle comes into play: the pressure on the faster-flowing upper surface drops, while the pressure on the lower surface becomes relatively higher. This pressure difference creates “lift,” pushing upward from below as if being sucked toward the low-pressure side.
In actual kitesurfing riding, this lift generated by Bernoulli’s principle is intentionally increased and controlled not just by the wing’s shape, but by applying an “angle of attack.” By tilting the leading edge of the wing slightly upward against the fluid flow, the pressure of the fluid hitting the lower surface increases while the upper surface flow accelerates even more, yielding significantly greater lift. Riders jump higher by pulling the control bar to deepen the kite’s angle of attack, and they control their elevation from the water surface (foiling) by shifting their weight on the board to adjust the foil’s angle of attack.
Search Aliases: Bernoulli's principle, Bernoulli'sprinciple