A downwind is riding down the coast with the wind at your back, with boat or buggy support. It's the most beautiful way to ride in the Northeast — and it isn't for every level.
A downwind is riding with the wind along a route, instead of tacking back and forth in a small area. Rather than beating upwind, you ride down the coast: the breeze pushes you, and the goal is to hold your line to the finish point.
The classic Northeast routes run between 18 and 45 km. The shorter ones link neighbouring villages, like Cumbuco and Taíba; the longer ones cross stretches of dune and river, like the crossing at Atins, in the Lençóis Maranhenses.
Support is what makes the discipline viable: a boat, a buggy or a 4x4 follows the group by water or land, and the radio stays open the whole way. The day's route is decided by the wind's direction and strength — which is why a fixed itinerary isn't sold.
Before taking on a downwind, you need to tack upwind on your own, return to your starting point by yourself and be confident relaunching the kite on the water. If you're not there yet, the partner school itself will tell you when the time is right.
