Kitesurfing Solo Across Lake Ontario

119km, solo, long-distance kitesurfing trip.

[@LonXplorer]

When you kitesurf alone across the lake, it’s actually fairly easy, enjoyable, and quite thrilling. But … for many good reasons … it had never been done before! So … Here is my supporting article about how I did it, my 8-year long journey of dream and determination. Hope you enjoy the read. lonekiter.com/2022/12/15/elusive-cross/

[@pedrocamachodandrea6230]

Awesome read! Congratulations on your achievement

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you. Much appreciated.

[@simonsimon4131]

Inspirational read!

[@reccecs4]

Dude, that's a crazy achievement. I mean just remarkable.

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you. I really appreciate your comment.

[@radekbaranowski8047]

what i like the most is the display of versatility - paddle off, start up a foil kite mid-water, the trip itself, de-gearing at the end. nice craft there, sir!

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you. And yes, that was my vision behind designing my board. More freedom, more safety, more versatility, new type of adventures. I appreciate your comment.

[@BruceHarms]

Still in good in 2024! Awesome setup man!

[@dasfliegen]

Congratulations Lukas! You did it truly extraordinary!

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you.

[@MikeBrown-dk7or]

Very neat adventure. A big thank you, Lukas. I especially like your board with attached paddle for extra safety.

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you. Yes, the board has proven to be fantastic, and I am having a lot of fun with it.

[@Rurik8118]

I figured you were up to something as I hadn’t noticed you on the water as of late. Aside from line inversion/algae harvesting, looked like the perfect day to chase the horizon ! Nice work !!

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you Kurt.

[@starfulgalaxy3008]

Awesome you sailed off across the horizon Nice kite surfboard/SUP

[@mowler8042]

NEVER could I imaging somone could hold onto a kite this long, you are the man.

[@JackXMULA]

Love your adventures, inspiring.

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you Jack.

[@Skerpful]

A man who thanks his wife and dog, buy that man a Bell's! Well done sire.

[@rupertpeers8938]

Thank you for posting this amazing video. I appreciate all the edits. It's a true inspiration!

[@LonXplorer]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@itisonlyaplant]

Inspirational! I want my buddy to go across lake Erie and back. Can't wait to show him this!

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you. Your buddy will need a passport, just in case he gets stuck on the other side ...😃

[@itisonlyaplant]

@@LonXplorer Nah. Between Michigan and Ohio, we would be good.

[@philippeschnoering5975]

beautiful! well done! wonderful!

[@scratchbuilder5952]

In my younger years I considered sailing a laser 1 single person sailboat doing the same route you did… never did it, due to the potential safety problems … but now I can vicariously live through your adventure… thanks for posting this ..bravo Liked and subscribed

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you.

[@Iz0pen]

Cool stuff, hope you filing a float plan with someone responsible 👍

[@ReesArtist]

that was great ! glad to see you have so much fun !

[@DrewSullivan87]

Dude you got there quicker than it probably would’ve taken in a car

[@norml.hugh-mann]

Awesome video...i bet that was an awesome experience

[@twokharacters]

This is incredible. Great video and effort.

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you. Appreciate it.

[@youreallthesame]

That sailboat out in the middle of the lake...the people must have thought they were hallucinating

[@LonXplorer]

I was thinking the same ... 😃😃😃 Especially, if they understood little bit about kitesurfing. (It did feel good, I have to admit.)

[@Bavariandeep]

Didn't finish a kite video. Nice one!

[@oliro]

Amazing journey man! I just got back from vacations in Magdalen Island. I saw some kitesurfers and windsurfers there and got really interested into getting into it. Seeing videos like yours is really making me more excited to get started.

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you for your comment. Yes, kitesurfing is a wonderful sport year around. Depending where you live, snow-kiting is a lot of fun as well. Frozen lakes or snow covered fields turn into playgrounds without ski-hill lineups and expensive permits …

[@TKM11370]

You're a wild man! love it.

[@comment8767]

I would be grateful for a video about packing the kite in such a way that you can deploy it in water, as you did. It takes me about 30 minutes to untangle the bridle.

[@LonXplorer]

Here is a quick tip: Wrap your kite from the tips towards the center - each tip separately. Wrap the bridles including the pulleys into the kite. Place them closer to the tips of the kite so that they stay separate and wrapped up in the kite longer during unwrapping. When you unwrap the kite in the water, start with the center and let the air go in. The air pressure will basically start unwrapping the tips on its own. The more air you get into the center of the kite before you drop it on the water, the easier the launch will be. If you are doing a water launch in a fairly strong wind and you anticipate that the kite will drift from you quickly, wind the lines on your bar so that the kite is back-stalled a bit. That way, it will sit on the water without a tendency to launch before you have time to fully unwind the lines. (To wind the lines on the bar for the kite to be back-stalled, start with one or two loops with steering lines only to make them "shorter.")

[@JogiJacob]

Sheesh that is a risky launch from toronto island… glad nothing happened

[@justaguyfromreddit]

Why so many negative comments, this is awesome

[@nicksowles8023]

So inspiring! You’re amazing!

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you.

[@RasKitchen]

This is amazing Lukas! Bad AF!

[@LonXplorer]

😃 Thank you.

[@denizatalay]

Exciting video! 🎉

[@raghuram2815]

Apart from what everyone already said, your custom board caught my attention the most. Almost the dimensions of a large Wing Foiling board or small SUP Foiling board. But you were so good Kite Foiling on it.

[@davidkerins]

Fabulous adventuring!!

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you David.

[@shalakabooyaka1480]

Such a cool looking sport

[@josephreilly6328]

This is amazing, fitness level is way up for anyone who could navigate this. Lesh for paddle even if it floats don't want be chasing it in windy open water

[@fungalspore]

Nice work man!!!!! Been wondering who was going to do this.....but a flysurfer...wow....bedsheet if it hit the deck.....

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you. Foil kites are re-launchable most of the time. So we all hope ... 😃 Cheers.

[@ui4287]

Hey Lucas...I'm an amputee...before that a Scuba Instructor at Catalina Island Ca...after the loss moved and live on Lake Superior...Dude your video grabbed me...how and where do you start learn to board sail? I'd love to try!

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you for your comment. Learning to kitesurf usually starts with a few lessons from an instructor. These are necessary to learn the basics (equipment handling, personal safety, etc) At first, you will spend some hours of flying the kite on the beach. Then you add the board and start learning on the water. After you learn going back and forth, you are basically on your own, enjoying all the fun of kitesurfing already. Every session is fun, you learn something new. It’s a wonderful sport. There will be some fantastic kitesurfing spots on Lake Superior. I would google where kite surfers usually like to go on a windy day, and then drive there and have a chat with them. Locals always know the best where to go, who to call for lessons, which spots are the best and safe to learn, etc. Good luck, I am sure you will love it. 💪

[@ui4287]

@@LonXplorer Thanks bro for your thoughtful reply... down the road it's all good... peace!

[@DroneXL]

Awesome!!! Well done! ;-)

[@eddieharcourt6049]

Great video! Looks like a great trip. I've always wanted to try kite surfing. Your gear looks unique. Can you include an equipment list?

[@LonXplorer]

There is a list of my equipment at the very end of my video. You will need a different and more “user friendly” gear when you learn but go for it, it is a wonderful sport. 👍

[@MMUS_23]

Holy smokes that blew my mind, what kind of board is that? haha amazing! thanks and keep riding!

[@smelltheglove2038]

You should do Manitoulin Island to Kettle Point.

[@LonXplorer]

That trip also crossed my mind! 😃👍

[@smelltheglove2038]

@@LonXplorer I think that guy Kai(? He’s from maui not sure if I got the name right) did a trip from Maui to Molokai to Oahu. That’s pretty rad, open ocean.

[@LonXplorer]

Yes. Kai Lenny. 👍

[@rydenkaye9735]

Amazing video! I’m just getting in to kiteboarding and saw one of your other replies saying a foil kite is better than a LEI for everything you do and I’m wondering if that applies to beginners as well cause I’ve done a few lessons and used a friends kite a few times and I’m looking to buy my first. For reference I can get upwind decently and do the basic transition but basically nothing beyond that, my home waters are pretty light wind normally 10-15 knots but pretty stable

[@LonXplorer]

Thanks for your comment. I can answer your question easily. Yes! I have never flown LEI kites. I learned on foils. They relaunch more easily than people want to admit. They are awesome for light wind conditions, you will be self-sufficient, you will have some floaty jumps … For me, there is no question. Go for Flysurfer Soul, very user friendly, good quality even for some beginner’s abuse. Foil kites are also safer (no death loops, etc.) except one condition: strong and gusty winds. There you have to be careful. Many people have LEIs for strong winds and foils for light wind kiting.

[@xNotLukas]

Was thinking about doing St.Catharines > Toronto > St. Catharines . Could you give more info on the board setup with add-ons? Such a great idea to increase safety margins by a ton doing such solo activities.

[@LonXplorer]

Hello Lukas. Thank you for your comment. You can find details about my board here: lonekiter.com/kite-trek-project/

[@xNotLukas]

@@LonXplorer this is awesome! Thanks a lot! Such good idea of a setup giving not only safety for long distance kitting but way to kite in offshore winds

[@niekvandierdonck]

Truly amazing! What device did you use for navigation?

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you. I used my Garmin Fenix 6X watch with an uploaded track to follow.

[@robmac3287]

Inspiring 🙂

[@berndbraun80]

Hi, great story, nice to read. Also interresting your selfmade board design. Is there any plan available or do you allow to copy it? Looks great and we've some places of small lakes where beach start is impossible as well. Thanks and hang loose.

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you. Feel free to copy my board, I am sure you will have a lot of fun with such a project. I definitely did! More info about the process is here: lonekiter.com/kite-trek-project/

[@berndbraun80]

@@LonXplorer Awesome, thanks for sharing! Did Martin shaped by hand of previously with a rooter?

[@LonXplorer]

Raw cut by CNC machine (EPS foam) and then by hand.

[@badhorse84]

Dobra prace!

[@LonXplorer]

Díky moc! Trochu větší Lipno, ale jinak stejný. 😃

[@hansmaier479]

Awesome, congratulations! What is the volume of the board? How difficult (in terms of balance) is it to paddle with the foil attached to the board?

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you for your comment. The board is 6.8’x27”, approximately 120L. The attached foil makes it much more stable. Without the mast, I couldn’t even stand up on it at first. It acts like a keel on a sailboat. But it also makes it a bit slower and not suitable for shallow water paddling.

[@normg2242]

Fistbump...! 👊😎

[@gurkanbaser3528]

Bravo... :))

[@bartholomewlyons]

No sharks hunting you ever when kiting outside the lake in seas/oceans?

[@LonXplorer]

I haven’t noticed any yet 😃… and I hope it stays that way.

[@NewoneFPV]

Huge respect, i was once stuck in the middle of a small lake. Did you have any backup plan when wind would die in the middle of a lake?

[@ianbardon8581]

I bet not, very risky

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you. Yes, my plan B was to paddle to the shore.

[@NewoneFPV]

@@LonXplorer😅 I would have similar plan but my wife would kill me after getting to the beach 🤣🤣

[@LonXplorer]

Yeah, understand fully. 😃 My wife is reasonably calm, but I also prefer to tell her about my adventures after they are completed ...

[@joblessalex]

Reported to FBI. Federal prison for the 5ft incursion.

[@LonXplorer]

😃 Love it. Will send you letters from behind the bars…

[@froste7952]

Ya now the Republicans will now be wanting to build a sea wall.

[@jacobsummers2664]

@BuzzLockjawAtleast we understand basic economics and biology

[@norml.hugh-mann]

So many americans think they are informants...and the crazy part is the people making such claims/theeats are often meth addicts that commit 10 felonies before the breakfast evwry 4 days

[@norml.hugh-mann]

Also wrong govt to report to

[@brentdavidson1]

backup plan for gear/wind loss?

[@LonXplorer]

Yes. My plan B was to paddle to shore (and I trained and prepared for looong paddle back to safety), plan C was to call SAR in case of some catastrophic failure.

[@daviddalechek231]

Congrats on your victory! Your board looks like the perfect all in one that I have been needing to cross the San Francisco Bay, do you remember how much it cost to make?

[@LonXplorer]

Well ... If you wanted to make it by yourself, I believe you could get below $2000 USD on material. However, it is not a simple task, you definitely need some board shaping knowledge and experience. It was quite tricky to balance the proper strength and weight of the board. We used the best materials we could find. I remember that Martin strategically placed different types of carbon, Kevlar, and other components to different board areas to achieve the needed effect. He did an amazing job, he is a pro. On the same note: With winging getting more and more popular these days, there are some nicely sized boards on the market that could possibly be fitted with a paddle and serve the same purpose? Just an idea but I didn't explore that avenue myself.

[@Stjohn909]

The foil kite seems like kind of a beastie. How long did it take you to figure out how to water launch it successfully and how much time do you have before it soaks through and won't fly?

[@ianbardon8581]

I give it 2 mins, but in a good wind maybe 5, been there many times , trying to kite in low wind. I do have one on the sea bed,, self preservation over rules everything.🤗

[@LonXplorer]

Foil kites are not as bad for water launch as people might think. When the wind is really light - yes, it becomes a bit tricky and you need to be fairly quick. But I am talking wind so light that all LEIs are done and sitting on the water at that point. When the wind is in "normal kitable range", a foil kite needs a bit of patience to drain the water through the wingtips. To launch a kite from a drifting board is yet another skill. It took me the whole season to be consistently successful.

[@ianbardon8581]

@@LonXplorer thanks for the reply, but I'll give it miss, no beach, no launch

[@shawnwhite1972]

Next time come down into Hamilton harbor and breath in some of our sweet cancer air

[@dustyak79]

I’ve been bing watching Mr Ballen videos now this is suggested. If you don’t know his videos he tells a lot of real life stories of this nature but the ending is usually shocking morbid flat out horrific

[@LonXplorer]

I am glad this video didn’t have similar ending 😃.

[@1979Spica]

What was your average cruising speed? Very efficient. How much control do you have over your course?

[@LonXplorer]

20km/h - and that is considered rather slow for kite-foiling. People go over 50km/h with racing equipment. Even though kitesurfing is dependent on wind, you can go anywhere you like, much faster and more upwind-efficient than a sailboat. Full control over my course.

[@1979Spica]

@@LonXplorer that’s awesome brother! As a paddler, this blows my mind. I can average 4-5kmh on a canoe and 7kmh on a kayak. I may have seen you last year at Sunset Beach, St. Catherines last year

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you. I love paddling as well - particularly for its slow speed and more time to absorb the beauty of nature. It is quite possible we crossed our paths on the water or that we will. When I paddled solo across the lake, I was much slower. 😃 kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpnTl4Z6eNZ4Zq8

[@maxaksenov7580]

Damn crazy))👍

[@LonXplorer]

😉 Thank you.

[@dannyisrael]

Whooooooaaaaaaaaaa!!!!

[@PatrickKniesler]

Do you think that would have been possible without a hydroplane?

[@LonXplorer]

Theoretically yes. It would take longer and it would be more demanding on your body. I had done much longer solo trips in the past when hydrofoil wasn’t available on kitesurfing boards yet. The biggest challenge of solo crossing such a big body of water is being able to self-rescue. So … with a twin-tip kitesurfing board, you would either have to have a support boat or you would be rolling dice with your life.

[@UnkleSi]

That's a long way to go to get away from people 😂

[@LonXplorer]

😃😃😃 Yes.

[@TapioBlue]

I'm not a kite surfer but glad Trudope cut me off and put this in my feed instead. Awesome journey/ voyage?

[@erebody]

What kind of foil set up are you using?

[@LonXplorer]

Moses Mast 101, W899, S425.

[@danpetro3155]

What’s the app you used for the tracking?

[@LonXplorer]

GPX Animator. gpx-animator.app/

[@LonXplorer]

I should have said that I used Garmin Fenix watch to record the exercise data. Then I imported the GPX file form Garmin to the animator ....

[@poione42]

Why not use an inflatable edge wing?

[@LonXplorer]

Once I deflate the kite, that’s it, no more relaunch. With a foil kite, I can relaunch any time. Why would I deflate the kite? If the wind died, for instance, and I had to go to my plan B, I would have had to wrap the kite, attach it to my board, take the paddle out, and paddle to the shore. With a foil kite, I am able to unwrap it again and relaunch it wet, providing the wind picks up.

[@george.carlin]

@@LonXplorer was always under impression that foil for winter (snow) and pump for the water (summer). I also heard that once foil is wet game is over - it cannot be relaunched. But you prove both assumptions wrong. 🪂

[@poione42]

I’ve always worried about relaunching a foil after it gets wet. Guessing that due to lack of experience. Use a 2 meter foil at the local lake. Have one hell of a time relaunching after a wet landing.

[@benbelman6984]

How do fly against the wind with a kite? Really looks like you are going against the wind at some points.

[@george.carlin]

Kites use the same two forces as sailboats and windsurfers use. It's a combination of wind and keel forces. If you put yourself on the round clock and imagine wind blowing from 6 o'clock into your back. You look 12 o'clock. You kite can fly anywhere between 10 and 2 o'clock and your board is going to 3 or 9 o'clock. You actually can even go to 4 or 8 o'clock so doing it in zigzag motion you can go against the wind. Not directly but in a zigzag runs.

[@LonXplorer]

The foil boards are so efficient that the upwind performance is quite amazing. A person feels like he has a complete freedom of movement. However, there still needs to be a zigzag if point B is located directly upwind from point A.

[@venturi934]

Do you have a plan B for emergency? Seems hopeless if you have equipment malfunction.

[@LonXplorer]

Thank you Venturi for your comment. And yes, I did have a self-rescue plan B. You are absolutely right, without it, it would have been just a life-threatening stunt. You can read my article about the cross here: lonekiter.com/2022/12/15/elusive-cross/

[@venturi934]

@@LonXplorer Cool! I am interested to try from Vancouver Island to the BC Mainland. I don't have any start/end points in mind but the thought always crosses when I'm on the ferry. It's about 50km also.

[@rupertpeers8938]

@@venturi934 Me too. I want to do White Rock to Sidney. I am from White Rock. I like to kite at the bear statue @ East Beach

[@johnnynephrite6147]

you started in Humber Bay Park and ended up in..... Humber Bay Park. So no "Across Lake Ontario" for you pal.

[@LonXplorer]

Ha! 😃😃😃

[@stefanmargraf7878]

Knee pain?

[@LonXplorer]

No. This ride was a breeze in comparison to some of my other adventures. I like "endurance sports" and I guess my body is used to it.

[@stefanmargraf7878]

@@LonXplorer Congratulations!

[@tvviewer4500]

How long did it take??

[@jonahneumann227]

11:15am-2pm to Port Weller

[@cheezo1372]

8:45

[@LonXplorer]

According to my Garmin data, the moving time was 5:17:56. (Round trip)

[@tvviewer4500]

@@LonXplorer you got balls. I don’t know if I’d attempt that in a honor car but now I want to try!!

[@tonymcflattie2450]

Watch out for sharks

[@ChuckD59]

Thinking the same thing at the end, it looked like shark shadows. Of course, fresh water, etc., etc. But watch out for Walleye!

[@spavliskojr]

@@ChuckD59 Id be more concerned with giant muskies lol

[@marshall8898]

how big is your board

[@ianbardon8581]

I've never seen anything like it.

[@LonXplorer]

6’ 8” x 27” x 5.5”, about 130L.

[@swerne01]

Why didn't you go behind the tanker? Looks like you took a big risk cutting in front of him.

[@brianjanku4549]

Anchored

[@swerne01]

@@brianjanku4549 Thanks.

[@LonXplorer]

Yes, it was anchored as pointed out in the video. But going behind a tanker at a reasonable distance (to avoid underwater turbulence) is definitely safer. 👍

[@swerne01]

@@LonXplorer Thanks for responding. Quite an adventure you had!

[@HellolBuffalol]

👍🏽

[@matthiasg4843]

that launch looks sketchy as fuck

[@LonXplorer]

A kite launch from a drifting board is definitely not pretty! It took me a while to figure out the ins and outs to be consistently successful. First, I doubted it was even possible. The board drifts with the kite and to get the lines untangled and under some initial tension is not easy. By the time the lines are unwound and the kite is in position to be launched, it is partially waterlogged and it needs some patience and love. Meanwhile, the board constantly wants to drift into the lines and hinder all your progress ... 😃

[@matthiasg4843]

@@LonXplorer even worse than I thought :) but well done on that trip

[@tonymcflattie2450]

Is this flat earth research? Lol… jk

[@Thomasuki267]

Well, technically, since you launched and landed offshore, you never actually crossed the lake. :) I hope you were prepared for the worst; pfd, some kind of offshore radio. Cheers.

[@sir.benzerlot4571]

You sound like a fun guy, it’s literally impossible to start from the shore on a foil.

[@LonXplorer]

Hey fun guy 😃. Yes, I was equipped for emergency. (iPhone, inReach Explorer+, and I had a point of contact for SAR, who was informed about every detail) This wasn't just a hop-and-go session. I was preparing for this cross for years. I was even leashed to my board, which could be considered very dangerous by many kiters. In my case, better dangerous than losing my board (my only lifeline) in the middle of nowhere. I like your humor, thanks for your comment. 👍

[@Thomasuki267]

@@LonXplorer I windsurf, no kiting, so the technical aspects are not that familiar to me but I can imagine it was physically exhausting. Glad you had safety in mind, it can be so much different in the open water than near the shore in the Great Lakes. I recall watching a video of a young guy windsurfing across Lake Michigan, he had a boat accompany him and I think he only went one way. Congratulations, mission accomplished!

[@ChadGatling]

Dude stop hyperventilating you are gonna pass out.

[@superhaainomnom8017]

How to wreck your equipment in 1 week 101

[@LonXplorer]

You think? 😃 Not really. As of today: Flysurfer Soul 10m: 4780km, 129 sessions, still flies perfectly. The hardest usage of that kite was when I kited from Toronto to Quebec City over 1000km. KiteTrek Board: 5802 km, 189 sessions. Still perfect ... 💪💪💪

[@dopium1770]

Noob here why isn’t your kite inflatable like the others I see? Or is it?

[@LonXplorer]

In general, there are two types of kites: LEI - leading edge inflatable, and foil kites. They both have advantages and disadvantages. You see mostly LEIs because they are cheaper, people usually learn kitesurfing on a LEI kite and then they feel more comfortable with it. Additionally, many people wrongly think that foil kites are not easy to relaunch from the water. In my personal case, foil kites outperform LEIs in everything I do on the water. I have been using them for many years and many of my adventures couldn’t have been done with a LEI kite.