Kiteboarding Lessons / Instruction  

(general information for anyone considering learning kite-sports)

 

  
IKO International Kiteboarding Organization


Professional Air Sports Association

On this page: 

Why you will definitely  "want" to take a lesson.
What to expect / What skills you'll learn.
Lesson prices - Average 
Tipping / Gratuity
Trainer Kites 
Locating a Certified instructor 
Link to Kitemares' own  "3-2-1 Kite School"  
WakeBoard lessons, 
Learn to Kiteboard .....  4 steps to getting started.

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Why you will definitely  "want" to take a lesson.

Lessons...   not only very important,  but necessary!

A good Kite lesson will...

***Save you money - kite repairs are expensive $$)  

Its better to make the normal novice mistakes with your instructors kite,
rather than you kite. :)

*** Help you to learn skills much faster than the trail and error method
Also called "the school of hard knocks"

***Save your butt - waiting for broken bones to heal is not the best use of your valuable free time.

***Save our sport  - more accidents = more kiteboarding restrictions or bans on our beaches.

Yes, I understand you may be on a budget.   Investing in a trainer kite and a good lesson will "save"
you big bucks in the long run.  Find a professional instructor, one who takes teaching seriously and
has a great safety record.  Many "self-proclaimed" instructors are excellent Riders but Crappy Instructors! 
Its a fact, the best instructors are not usually competition level riders.   There is one shop in the Tampa
Bay area that as of the is writing, 6-11-04, has approx 6 instructors, and NONE of them are certified.
Why? Because for them its "ALL"  about the money.  With Kitemare.com  Its all about you!   

There ARE Many Great instructors around the world who are true professionals, highly focused on the
student and always looking for ways to become the best they can be.   



 
Question: 

"Would you just TRY hang-gliding the first time by just running off a cliff and figure it out on your own on the way down?
Answer...    No, Hell No! ...  That would be suicidal !!!

Same thing with kiteboarding,   Its fun, but the power of a big kite is unimaginable!   
Docile and low power 1 second,  and 10x more powerful in the blink of and eye.

Maybe you do Killer loops on a windsurfer, maybe  you snowboard off cliffs, or maybe you launch 40 feet high jumps
on your dirt bike.  

You STILL need a kiteboarding lesson.   

If nothing else, you will need to learn the safety basics,
Things happen!  Lines break, weather changes,
accidents happen.  Its not an "if" ,  but rather  a "when".

When something goes wrong, you'll need to know what to do immediately.
without hesitation to avoid the not-so-pretty consequences.
See:  "Kitemares"

"Safety"  is a boring word for many, but if you want to keep your bones intact, its always priority # 1.   
If you chose put yourself at risk, that's your business.  Just don't take risks with the safety of others or risk
kite bans on "OUR beaches"

Here is a partial list of the things you need to learn:


-Wind orientation
-self launching,
-self landing,
-how to use your kite safety leash and to properly rig and test it.
-understanding the "power zone"
-securing your kite on the ground
-Sorting out your flying lines.
-Rigging your lines  (Mixing these up is like wiring your car stereo to the 
gas pedal and not knowing it.
-Tuning your kite.  (adjusting the relative length of your back and front lines).   
-Using a harness.  Hooking in and out while looking at your kite.
-Flying one-handed.
-Learning to use a fixed loop and trim loop.
-Right of way rules to avoid collisions 
-1-handed body dragging to retrieve your board
-Board skills
-Getting you and your kite in the water, and out of the water safely.
-Self Rescue, things don't always go as expected.

***Think about the consequences...  Destroying your new $1000+. kite,  getting the sport banned on your local Beach. 
Breaking bones, or hurting a spectator, Not a pleasant thought.  
Serious accidents and Bans have already happened in some areas.***
Kiteboarding Ban in Miami at Virginia Beach.  Read this.... and learn from it, so it doesn't happen in your back yard. 

******The following was copied from the yahoo "kitesurf" newsgroup:

"In my former post I told you about the accident of my friend  (beginner and very careful kitesurfer). 
Yesterday he died. He was a very good sportsman and very strong but  didn't take any lessons.. 
So for all beginners....  take a f..gn lesson before you start". -- Ben from Holland

"OK..   I'm no kook...  sold... sign me up for that lesson!"      .... excellent decision! :)     Yeah!  :) 

How much will lessons cost?

Good question!  Lesson prices average from $75 to $100 US Dollars per hour around the world.  
3 hours is the bare minimum for an intro class.  Plan on spending  6 to 9 hours.
Many instructors charge a flat fee,  and conduct their lessons on a skills basis.

Our school in St. Pete charges $280 per person for a small group lesson.
2 students and lasts about 4 hours.   Contact Us

9-10 hrs is now becoming the standard.  There's a lot to learn!  
Generally you get what you pay for.  Student-to-instructor-ration, Chase-vehicle, communication devices,
The latest kite designs,, Instructor Certifications, location, large school vs small school, or independant
instructors, and expertise all can affect the price.
Cheaper lessons do not equal a better value.
A Professional instructor with the proper training and teaching aids can teach you more skills in less time.


Details for our school are located on the next page.  "3-2-1 Kite School"   
But first, finish reading this page :)

Tipping / Gratuity
Tipping your instructor is never expected but always appreciated.
If you feel your instructor was above average, enthusiastic, knowledgeable,
and put forth the extra effort to insure your safety and provided an outstanding lesson, a tip makes sense.
There is no set norm like in restaurants but common tips are
a round of drinks, Dinner invitation, or cash ranging from $10 to $100.
$20.-$40. is the most common) depending on the level of service and type 
of lesson.  "Never expected but always appreciated."  Its totally up to you.

"BOARD" SKILLS

I Highly recommended that you learn to ride a wakeboard,
snowboard, or skateboard.
Focusing 100% on your board skills without having to think about 
the kite will help you learn kiteboarding much faster.  
Any practice with "board" sports helps quite a bit.  

Windsurfing and WaterSkiing skills are helpful but not nearly as much as wakeboarding, snowboarding, surfing,
and skateboarding. Trust me on this one,  Students with strong snow or wake skills skills tend to get up and ride
10, 20, 100+ yards the first lessons.   Windsurfers tend to flatten the board too much, lose their edge, and slide out. 

In Florida check out:

- Harwood Training in Stuart, Florida  Run by Scott Harwood.

- Orlando WaterSports Complex / Cable Park   Orlando, Florida

Kiteboarding Vacations / Destinations:   
In the USA,  The top 2 locations for learning the sport on the water are

(1) South Padre Island, Texas
(2) Outer banks North Carolina (kitty Hawk, Hatteras)

Both spots have wide open bodies of shallow, flat water, and consistent winds.
No place can guarantee wind, but these 2 win the top honors as the best in the USA.

SnowKiting is just now catching on, so most of the best locations have 
not yet been discovered or documented.   There are thousands of miles
of flat and rolling terrain in snow country to be explored.
The possibilities are endless.

****** The Kitemare.com  mobile Kite School conducts a variety of lessons 
in a variety of locations.  Special upcoming events will be posted to this
website, so its a good idea to make regular visits to Kitemare.com


Keep up to date with the Team Kitemare Newsletter.

Recommended USA Kiteboarding 
Instructors & schools 
Let them know you were referred by Kitemare

Recommended "Florida" Kiteboarding Instructors:  (other states listed above)

Other Locations
 

Orlando....  If your near Orlando , you have 2 options... drive East to Cocoa /Daytona /St. Augustine ,  
Or,  drive West to Tampa / St. Petersburg.

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A Kiteboarding or Snow Kiting Instructor in YOUR town.

Wanting to take a kiteboarding lesson but unable to find a
local instructor?

Have a few friends that want to learn as well?

The solution is simple. 
Have a certified kite instructor
fly to you!  destination city...  Your town!

Contact
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KITEMARE 3-2-1 Kite School

Demos, Clinics and Camps  are scheduled at various times throughout the year.

Meet student, Jack Hartje from Kauai and check out the small water proof 
radio on his chest.   Instructor to student communication on the water!   Since 
this photo we've switched to helmet mounted radios positioned over the ear 
for crystal clear reception.

Learn now...

Step 1)  Order a trainer kite like the , HQ Beamer, NewTech Ballistic, or Best 3m
or another recommended trainer kite. (Buy it here or somewhere else.
Either way, its important regardless of what others may tell you.)
These kites are designed for use on land to get your basic skills primed 
for a lesson with a full size traction kite on the water or snow
You "can" learn to fly a trainer kite safely on your own, although many 
people like to have an instructor for this step as well.

Step 2)  Get some board skills. Learn to ride a wakeboard. 
( snowboarding is a close second).
This step will get you comfortable with handling the pull on your arms, 
taking face plants,proper knee bend, and edge control.

Step 3)  Get a KiteBoarding lesson from a professional instructor. 
(see the list above to find someone in your area).  Save yourself a lot 
of time and money...   learn max skills in minimum time.

Step 4)  Get hooked up with your own gear.   Please talk with a professional "instructor" BEFORE making a purchase. 
The retail guys can be great, but "may" be more concerned with moving current stock rather than finding you appropriate gear.
Beginners:  Avoid high aspect Kite. (very high aspect ratio designs).
AVOID:  North Rhino, Wipika AMP, Naish X series, Cabrinha Nitro(black-tip),etc, and other high aspect kites.
The Brands are excellent, but choose a more suitable model.

Trainer Kite  "How To" page.
(Read it before flying your new trainer Kite)

Excellent photo's and explanations on set-up and flying of your trainer kite.
.....Yes, you will still want to get an actual lesson before attempting to fly
 an inflatable kite.

Next stop...  3-2-1 Kite School  or jump right to Kites and boards to learn more about gear.
 

Contact Us

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