Kite Surfing Lessons

Kite surfing is an extreme sport that some people think they can just buy the equipment and head to the beach and have fun. Kite surfing is easy to learn how to do safely but you will not be safe or successful without kite surfing lessons.

To become a kite surfer is really takes 8 to 12 hours of training to reach the beginner level. Some may take less but don’t get discouraged if it take longer. The process is very simple like anything worthwhile you must crawl before you can walk and you must learn to walk before you can run. Trying to shortcut the process does not work and is dangerous.

There are very good kite surfing instructors available all over the world that will help you learn safely. The process includes a lot of important things to learn but without learning each one safety and control will not make any sense.

Kite Surfing Equipment for Training

As a beginner you must familiarize yourself with the kit fundamentals when starting out. Kite surfing employs training equipment for beginners smaller kites are easier to control and larger boards in lighter winds are used in the learning process.

Wind Window Dynamics

The beginner must learn wind window dynamics to understand how to make use of it to control the kite. Here is where a good instructor will guide you through the learning curve. Being comfortable with the controls and all safety procedures before you hit the surf will help you to advance your kite surfing skills much faster.

Steering the kite does take a very good understanding of the wind window and practice with the bar using left and right movements. The beginner must learn what the power stroke is to be able to get up on the board which is the first step on the water. These things you will learn quickly with your first lesson mastering those takes a little longer.

Kite Surfing Safety

Kite surfing safety the kite surfing instructor will spend extra time teaching you the safety procedures. They must be committed to memory and be automatic for safety. Don’t shy about asking some extra questions here and spending extra time. For an emergency cut away or disconnect you must be able to do quickly without having to remember how. In strong winds it could save your life, so learn the safety procedures

Kite it is recommended that a beginner start out with a foil kite because they are less costly. They make the best trainer kites also. Inflatable kites are more complicated to make and more expensive and do not have as many options for the beginner. The kite check list: Look for small tears and unraveled stitching can ruin your day. Repair them with tape on both sides for small tears. Larger tears and tears on the leading edge have fixed professionally.

For the Inflatable kites they require an Air Pump. Check to see that the pump is in good working order. Some air pumps require oil or grease do this at the start of the kiteboarding season. Also double check for leaks or cracks in the tubing. Bladders in the inflatable kites that leak can be a real problem, imagine when your kite starts to fold in half because its leading edge bladder just went flat.

The control bar referred to as just the Bar does not get the attention it deserves from kiteboarders. They will spot problems seconds before the chicken loop is about to break. But as always it is too late to fix it then. Always inspect the Bar before use check for ware or thin spots in the chicken loop. Give a good once over leader lines and there connection to the Bar. If you see any frays in the spectra replace it. The center strap for micro adjustments to the kite should be checked out. Wash the Bar after every use will extend its life. 

Control Lines should be inspected before every use as part of your setup routine. Just think of all this double checking as a pilot check list that must be performed before flight for safety. So no frays or knots in the control lines if so replace them. Loss of control in flight can be dangerous for many reasons.

Kite Board All kite surfers lose foot straps from time to time and a little pre-flight check is in order for your board also. Foot strap screws get loose and should be tightened. Lock tight works wonders for this problem or some of your honey’s finger nail polish with do the job nicely in a pinch. The kite shops want you to use the Blue lock tight they sell because they say other types you will never be able to unscrew the foot straps again. The nail polish does not last forever and would need to be reapplied every season anyway.

Kite Surfers Harness requires a good once over a waist harness, seat or impact vest the stitching where the spreader bar is attached wares and it is a good idea to replace it every two seasons.

So until it becomes a routine you know by heart make a pre-flight check list and laminate it so you can keep it in your kite bag and go through it before you get on the waves. Airline pilots are required to read through their check list before every flight because we all can forget something when the list is long because of a distraction especially on the beach.