What Happens If There Is No Wind on a Kite Cruise?

If there is no wind, we move. That is the single biggest practical advantage of doing this from a boat instead of a beach: we are not committed to one spot. When the forecast is light where we are, we sail to where it is not, or we spend the day snorkelling, swimming, paddleboarding and going ashore.

It is a fair question to ask before booking, and the honest answer has two parts: what we do to avoid light days, and what a light day actually looks like when it happens anyway.

Following the wind instead of waiting for it

On a beach holiday, your accommodation decides where you ride. If the wind does not arrive at that beach, you wait, or you get in a car and drive.

On a catamaran, your accommodation travels with you. I read the forecast each morning and we position the boat for the conditions. Within a group of islands, wind is rarely uniform: one side of an island can be windless while a channel a few miles away is working. We move only when it improves the day, but we can always move.

This is also why the destinations we choose are archipelagos rather than single spots. The Cyclades, the Grenadines and Los Roques all give options within a short sail.

What a light wind day actually looks like

Some days the wind simply is not there anywhere within reach. Those days are not lost days, and this is what guests tell us afterwards more than anything else.

One guest described a week in Greece like this: “Tomaz went out of his way to find the perfect kiting spots and on non-wind days we were able to snorkel, swim, SUP and/or venture onto quaint Greek islands.”

That is a fair description. A quiet day usually includes some combination of:

  • Snorkelling straight off the back of the boat
  • The stand up paddle board, which is on board and included
  • Taking the tender ashore to a village, a taverna or a beach you cannot reach by road
  • Moving to a new anchorage, which is a large part of the pleasure of the trip
  • Doing very little, which on a boat at anchor is easier than it sounds

Light wind is also when wing foiling comes into its own. A wing gets going in noticeably less wind than a kite, which is one reason a lot of our guests now bring both.

Why we do not promise wind

No honest operator can guarantee wind, and you should be sceptical of any who imply they can. What we can do is choose destinations in their windy season, read the forecast daily, and move the boat. Over a week, that is what makes the difference.

We do not cancel or shorten trips for light wind, and we never have. Since 2013 we have not cancelled a single charter for any reason.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if there is no wind during my kite cruise?

We move the boat to where conditions are better. If there is no wind within reach, the day is spent snorkelling, swimming, paddleboarding, exploring ashore or sailing to a new anchorage.

Do you refund or compensate for days without wind?

No, and no operator reasonably can. The trip is a full week aboard a crewed catamaran with meals, guiding and activities included, and it continues whatever the wind does. What we commit to is moving to give you the best chance of riding.

How many windy days can I expect in a week?

It depends on destination and season. We choose each location for its windy months, and because we can reposition the boat, we are not dependent on one spot performing.

Is wing foiling better than kiting in light wind?

A wing generally gets you going in less wind than a kite, so light days are often wing days. Many guests bring both.

Written by Tomaz Belina, Founder and Skipper of Kiteboarding Cruise, running kite and wing foil catamaran cruises since 2013.