Best time to kitesurf Houtribdijk – Trintelhaven

The best time to kitesurf at Houtribdijk – Trintelhaven is January, November–December, with about 20 windy days a month (15+ knots).

Lelystad, Flevoland, Netherlands

Sports: Kitesurfing, Windsurfing

Best time to go: January, November–December

The Houtribdijk is the 26 km dyke and road between Enkhuizen and Lelystad that divides the IJsselmeer from the Markermeer. Halfway along it is the Trintelhaven, a small harbour with parking and a restaurant. Rijkswaterstaat designated a kitesurf zone on the IJsselmeer side, north-west of the harbour, in April 2025, and the Dutch kitesurf association (NKV) has placed an information board there.

On this side the dyke faces north-east, so the riding winds are north to east, blowing onshore or cross-onshore. The water is much deeper than at the shallow IJsselmeer spots nearby and gets choppy quickly; windsurfers build speed along the jetty and use the chop at its end. The Houtribdijk weather station, next to the harbour, records 15 knots or more on about half of the days through the year, but most strong winds come from the south-west and west, which blow offshore here: only about three strong hours in ten come from the north to east.

Do not ride here in south-west or west winds, and as the water soon gets deep, it is not a place to learn. Stay inside the marked zone and away from the harbour entrance and the boats. The lake is cold outside summer: a 5/4 with boots in spring and autumn, a 3/2 in summer.

Month by month at Houtribdijk – Trintelhaven

January: 19 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 16 knots, air 6°C (nights 2°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 10 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 14; a day can have both
February: 16 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 15 knots, air 8°C (nights 3°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 12 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 13; a day can have both
March: 10 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 12 knots, air 11°C (nights 4°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 23 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 11; a day can have both
April: 12 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 13 knots, air 13°C (nights 6°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 25 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 12; a day can have both
May: 14 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 11 knots, air 18°C (nights 10°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 29 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 14; a day can have both
June: 12 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 12 knots, air 21°C (nights 13°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 27 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 14; a day can have both
July: 16 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 13 knots, air 22°C (nights 15°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 28 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 15; a day can have both
August: 14 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 12 knots, air 23°C (nights 15°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 29 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 11; a day can have both
September: 13 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 12 knots, air 20°C (nights 13°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 25 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 15; a day can have both
October: 17 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 15 knots, air 16°C (nights 10°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 18 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 15; a day can have both
November: 21 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 17 knots, air 10°C (nights 6°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 13 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 18; a day can have both
December: 20 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 16 knots, air 7°C (nights 4°C), sun (6+ hours) on about 6 days, rain (1+ mm) on about 14; a day can have both