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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - FAQS How do I get started with kiteboarding? Kiteboarding is 80% kite control, 20% board skills. The most relevant sports to kiteboarding are stunt kite flying, hang gliding, and paragliding. If you have flown stunt kites, snowboarded or wake boarded you will have an advantage. Once you master flying the small 2 line trainer kite (we recommend 6-10 hours of practice), then you are ready to take our 2 part 6 hour beginner land and water lesson on a full size kite. The average person takes between 20 and 40 hours of total practice and lessons (trainer kite, lessons, practice on their own) before the up and riding consistently. Kiteboarding has a steep learning curve, but once you master the basics, it's easy to improve very quickly. Our trainer kite lesson is $50, and our 2 part beginner lesson is $350 for a 6 hour lesson. Please visit our kiteboarding page for more pricing information. How does kiteboarding work? Kiteboarding was invented by 2 Frenchmen in the 1980s, and has evolved from simple 2 line kites with no depower ability, to today's kites with full depower, safety release systems and the ability to water relaunch. The kite pulls you along while you ride on a wakeboard style board with footstraps. Kiteboarding uses the same engineering principals as flying. The kite acts as a foil, and the wind creates "lift" in the kite that makes you glide along the water. The more wind in the kite, the faster you go. Turning is accomplished by pulling on one side of the control bar. If you want to turn the kite to the left, you pull in on the left side. If you want to turn the kite to the right, you pull in on the right side of the bar. The sport is very versatile and can be enjoyed in light winds (10mph) on flat water, or high winds and waves (and everything in between). Kiting can also be enjoyed on land (land boarding on a skate board with footstraps) or on snow (snow kiting with skiis or snowboard). What is the kiteboarding wind window? The kiteboarding wind window is the flying area of your kite. Think of it as a quarter sphere or concert dome. Along the front edge of the quarter sphere is the edge of the wind window. Downwind of you is the back of the wind window. Put your back to the wind and your arms out to the sides. On your right side is the right of the wind window or 3 o'clock, overhead is 12 o'clock, and to your left is 9 o'clock (think of being inside a big clock). Along the edge of the wind window, the kite has minimal power. As you fly the kite lower into the wind window, the kite is exposed to more wind and has more power. The area directly downwind of you is max power and you rarely fly a big kite in this zone.
Further down into the concert dome is called the power zone. You as the kiteboarder are at the edge and center of the wind window with your back to the wind. The lower you fly your kite in the wind window, the more power it will generate. If you fly your kite high in the wind window or along the edge of the wind window, it will have minimal power.
The inflatable kites launch at the edge of the wind window on either side (3 or 9 o'clock in diagram below) where there is minimal power so you can control the kite when launching and landing. When you are kiteboarding to the right (riding across the wind to your right) you will keep the kite on the right side of the wind window and it will pull you to the right. When you are kiteboarding to the left (riding across the wind to your left) you will keep the kite on the left side of the wind window and it will pull you to the left.
To generate power with your kite, you will learn a basic power stroke which involves signing the kite up and down in a figure eight pattern. This signing generates more pull when you need power. If you are fully powered on a windy day, you can simply park your kite on one side of the wind window and it will pull you along the water.
What should I practice with my trainer kite before taking lessons? Trainer Kite Flying and Practice Skills: How to self launch and fly a foil trainer kite:
What skills to develop on your trainer kite: The most important skill to develop on a trainer kite is generating constant pull on the bar. You will need to generate constant pull in order to stay up on your board. If you fly the kite erratically from one side of the wind window to the other, you may find yourself being hurled off your board when you try to ride it. To ride on a kiteboard, you need to generate constant steady pull in a controlled manner. That is why mastering a trainer kite accelerates your learning curve so well. Practice the following to develop good kite skills:
How to self land and store your foil trainer kite:
Now, you're ready for a lesson with a full size kite! How long does it take before I am consistently riding on the kiteboard? The average person takes between 20 and 40 hours of total practice and lessons (including trainer kite practice) before they are consistently riding on the board. Kiteboarding is hard to learn, but easy to master. Kiteboarding is all about the kite. Many people ask us, "can I just go right to the water and skip the land lesson?", and that is like asking to play polo without knowing how to ride a horse. You have to master the kite on land (first the trainer kite, then an inflatable kite) before you will be proficient enough to control the kite on the water.
How much do lessons cost? Our trainer kite lesson is $50, and our 2 part beginner lesson is $340 for a 6 hour lesson. Please visit our kiteboarding page for more pricing information. What type of equipment do I need? You will need the following for your kiteboarding:
Visit our gear page for more details on equipment. All of our students taking our 2 part land and water lesson receive $200 off a complete kite gear package. What is a C kite versus a Bow kite? A C kite is a leading edge inflatable kite that has a leading edge that is shaped like the letter C. The Naish Torch is an example of a C kite and uses a 5 line control bar. Most modern C kites today utilize a 5 line systems as the 5th line makes it easy to water re-launch the kite, and adds stability in gusty conditions. C-shape kites are the first choice for riders who demand constant high performance, offering a more direct feel, and a kiting experience that is more engaging. They excel for both hooked in and unhooked riding, giving quick pop and easy handling. 2008 Naish Torch
A bow kite is a leading edge inflatable kite that has a leading edge that is shaped like a bow (as in bow and arrow). The Naish Cult Sigma SLE (sigma shaped supported leading edge) is an example of a bow style kite. SLE kites are aimed at riders looking for a kite with the broadest wind range per size that is forgiving and easy to jump. Increased projected area is combined with the largest and quickest depower anywhere in the flying window, making them ideal for gusty conditions, freeriding, and waveriding. 2008 Naish Cult
Visit our gear page for more details on equipment. Can I rent gear or do I have to buy it? We can rent you everything except the kite (for liability reasons). We rent kite boards, harnesses, helmets, and wetsuits. You can purchase a closeout brand new 5 line (last year's) kite for as little as $600 (includes bar and lines) and rent everything else until you know you are hooked on the sport. Our beginner boards rent for $20, wetsuits rent for $10, and you can try various items to see what you like best before you buy. Visit our gear page for more details on equipment. How much does the gear cost? A complete kite package that includes kite/bar/lines/pump, board, harness, wetsuit, helmet, board leash, and knife runs approximately $2000-$2500 for all new equipment. We also offer used a closeout gear that is less expensive. Kiteboarding safety systems have progressed tremendously over the years, so be very careful if you look for used gear. Make sure you know who you are buying from and are getting the right kite and something more current. Visit our gear page for more details on equipment. All of our students taking our 2 part land and water lesson receive $200 off a complete kite gear package. What type of kites does Boardsports School teach on? We teach on both C style (kite shaped like the letter C) and bow style (kite shaped like a bow of a bow and arrow). We are a Naish, F-One, and Ozone kiteboarding dealer and teach on 2007 kites. This allows you to try different kite styles and brands before you decide to buy. Visit our gear page for more details on equipment. How important are safety considerations? Kiteboarding can be an extreme sport - so safety considerations are very important. We will teach you how to understand wind and site considerations to maximize your safety for your kiteboarding. These are the most important items to consider to maximize your safety:
Where are good places to learn and practice kiteboarding in the SF Bay area? Boardsports School enjoys exclusive teaching rights at the best beginner location in the Bay Area - Crown Beach Alameda. We have side on shore wind, a 2 mile long sandy beach, and shallow warm water. Learn at this ideal beginner location where you will come back to practice on your own. When you are learning, avoid sites with:
Once you have learned how to ride upwind and are an advanced beginner (making transitions, riding upwind, able to handle higher winds (15-20+) you may consider going to 3rd Avenue or Rio Vista (Delta). Alameda is the best spot for learning and practicing until then. How do I get started with windsurfing? How does windsurfing work? Windsurfing was invented in the 1960s by 2 California guys - a sailor and a surfer. They decided to try putting a sail on a surf board, and a new sport was born. The sport has come a long way, and now is easier than ever to pick up. The boards have become wide and stable, the sails light and easy to manage. Windsurfing uses the same engineering principals as flying and sailing. The sail acts as a foil, and the wind creates "lift" in the sail that makes you glide along the water. You learn to sheet in (bring the sail in closer to you by pulling in with your back hand) to increase power. You learn to sheet out (let the sail out away from you by letting out your back hand) to decrease power. With alternate hand movements, you control the angle of the sail to the wind. The more wind in the sail, the faster you go. Turning is accomplished by leaning the sail back towards the back of the board (go upwind) or leaning the sail towards the front of the board (go downwind). Do I need to be really strong to lift up a windsurf sail? Contrary to popular belief, windsurfing does not require upper body strength. The modern day equipment is light weight and easy to use. The boards are wide and stable, and the sails are light and nimble. All you need is balance, finesse and a good lesson from a certified school on modern equipment. How long does it take before I am able to practice by myself on a windsurf board? The average person can learn the basics of windsurfing in our 2 day beginner lesson. It is an easy sport to learn (with a good lesson and good modern beginner gear). We teach all ages (age 4-100) and windsurfing is all about balance and finesse, not strength. As long as you can swim and are in reasonably good shape, you will enjoy picking it up quickly. Then you can come back and rent gear from us to practice on your own.
How much do lessons cost? Our 2 day beginner lesson is $165 for a 6 hour lesson and includes all gear and wetsuit. Please visit our windsurfing page for more pricing information. What type of equipment do I need? You will need the following for your windsurfing (which you can rent from us after taking a lesson):
Visit our gear page for more details on equipment. All of our students taking our 2 part land and water lesson receive $200 off a complete windsurf gear package. Can I rent gear or do I have to buy it? We can rent you everything. We rent all size windsurf boards and complete rigs (sail/mast/boom) as well as wetsuits and booties. After you progress to the intermediate stage (using a harness) you may want to buy gear and windsurf at other places. All of our students taking our 2 part land and water lesson receive $200 off a complete windsurf gear package. Visit our windsurf page for more details on equipment rentals. How much does the gear cost? A complete windsurf package that includes board, sail, mast, boom, mast extension, universal joint, uphaul rope, harness, and wetsuit runs approximately $2000-$2500 for all new equipment. We also offer used a closeout gear that is less expensive. We also carry lots of used gear that is much less expensive. Visit our gear page for more details on equipment. All of our students taking our 2 part land and water lesson receive $200 off a complete windsurf gear package. What type of equipment does Boardsports School teach on? We teach on HiFly, Naish, Mistral, Hot Sails, and Loft. We have boards and sails of every size (beginner through advanced) and can teach all ages (ages 4 and up). Visit our gear page for more details on equipment. How important are safety considerations? Windsurfing is a very safe sport. These are the most important items to consider to maximize your safety:
Where are good places to learn and practice windsurfing in the SF Bay area? Boardsports School enjoys exclusive teaching rights at the best beginner location in the Bay Area - Crown Beach Alameda. We have side on shore wind, a 2 mile long sandy beach, and shallow warm water. Learn at this ideal beginner location where you will come back to practice on your own. When you are learning, avoid sites with:
Once you have learned how to ride upwind and are an advanced beginner (able to tack, jibe, use a harness in moderate winds (10-15mph) you may consider going to the Berkeley Marina or Coyote Point in San Mateo. Alameda is the best spot for learning and practicing until then. Boardsports School, LLC All Rights Reserved, 2006-2008 |
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