I'm so glad you are interested in kiteboarding!
Please take my advice, and be sure to take a lesson.
This is not a sport where you buy the gear and figure it out.
A quick search using the key word "kitemare" will prove my point.
TAKE A LESSON!!!!!!
In my previous post How to choose a kiteboarding school (part 1) I discussed some of the environmental factors to consider when choosing a school for instruction. Now I will go over What makes a good school . Please be sure to read both articles and I look forward to hearing your feedback!
costumes are optional
Part 1: Environmental Considerations
Water depth
Hazards
Wind conditions
Crowds
Part 2: What makes a good school
Equipment
A good coach
Radio communication
Buy local
Refund policy
Advanced lesson options
High quality new gear and safety equipment-
Chose a school that updates their equipment on an annual basis.
Having newer equipment is safer for the student, because the gear used in teaching lessons takes a beating with crashing and frequent use. The best schools are cycling their old gear out and new gear in each season to prevent situations of gear failure.
thats a lot of gear!! BEFORE
gear pile/pillow AFTER
I have witnessed 2 year old school kites that have ripped in half during a lesson. This takes away from the student experience and wastes valuable instruction time, not to mention it can be quite dangerous.
The gear has changed a lot over the years and the latest gear performs much better than the kite construction of the past. As a customer, you should expect to have the nicest and newest technologies to use during your lesson. That way you will have a basis for selecting and purchasing your own personal gear.
safety equipment -
At an absolute minimum the company you take a lesson from needs to provide personal flotation for the student. WEAR A LIFE JACKET. Ideally, the student will have a helmet, life jacket, and booties if the shore line has any rocks, or sharp shells.
Quality instruction: A GOOD COACH -
The experience you have for your first lesson is almost entirely dependent on having a good coach. Please take the time to read the reviews and testimonials of previous students. Spend some time talking with the staff at the shop or over the phone to see if they are friendly and helpful.
Good coaching = Happy students
There are some schools that have the pro athlete attitude and are less than friendly to newbies. I wont bash any businesses here, but those attitudes are evident with a little time spent researching. Don't automatically assume that the larger company is the better choice.
Also, IKO and PASA certified instructors are not ALWAYS the best instructors, but they have received a standardized training and are tested on certain curriculum. However, there is no certification for a plain and simple GOOD COACH. Check the reviews for the school and be sure that people are saying good things.
Radio communication-
Make sure the school you chose is using radio communication between the student the coach. Some programs teach using hand signals, but this is simply unacceptable. You will have SO MUCH new information to process as a student that having a direct line to your coach is an absolute necessity.
With each attempt at getting up and riding the coach can give you live input on ways that you can make adjustments and/or things you may be doing wrong. In this sport, everything happens really fast. With radio communication the coach can work directly with you as you are learning.
Also, as you progress you may be too far from your coach to talk with out radios.
Look at him go!!
buy local -
if you are taking a lesson try to support your local kiteshop. if you are on vacation make sure you support the company that pays a fair wage to local people.
No refund policy, No Thanks!!
Be sure to ask the school what their refund policy is in the event of inclement weather. DO NOT BOOK A LESSON WITH A COMPANY WITH A NO REFUND POLICY! In the sport of kiteboarding weather is a key element to your lesson day. Lets say you book your one weekend a year that you are able to make it out, and the weather doesn't cooperate. You should know that you will get your money back.
Options for advanced lessons and downwind lesson -
When you are learning to ride upwind you can maximize your lesson time by taking a lesson with boat or jetski support. These lesson options are called "downwind lessons".
Lastly, selecting a school that can work with you as you progress to new levels and new heights is important. Find out what kind of advanced lessons are offered at the school you select. A handful of different advanced lessons to be on the lookout for include; foilboarding, surf style riding, strapless free-style, park-style. etc...
Thanks so much for reading!
please note- all photos are the author's originals