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#1
01-08-2008, 10:39 AM
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We have had over 70 folks take themselves out kiting over the years, quite a few more have seriously injured themselves. A number have been new kiters trying to figure out how to do it on their own. Not a good idea, don't do it. If you need to travel to take quality instruction, save up for it and do it. Would you teach yourself how to hang glide? Lots used to try back in the '70's. There are quite a few parallels in the two activities. A short list of things you should be aware of in kiting follow. More than you would want to try to figure out and thoroughly understand on your own. Knowledge Development 1. How kites, boards and gear work. 2. Insight into the wind, wind window and influences on kite performance and power. 3. What to look for in good launch, riding and landing areas vs. poor areas. 4. What is a safety buffer (DISTANCE), and the critical importance of maintaining one. 5. Wind, weather & water environment planning and monitoring. What causes unstable weather/wind and associated hazards, how to predict it and what to watch out for. What are suitable conditions and variables for riding, what conditions should you avoid and what to look for. 6. Minimum kiteboarder physical capabilities such as swimming, fitness, warm up and warm down procedures. 7. Kiting rules of the road, kiting responsibility & protecting access to kite. 8. Gear selection (kite, line, board, wetsuit/drysuit, etc.), for predicted conditions and kiteboarding safety gear (helmets, impact vests, gloves, knives, signalling devices, etc.). 9. Standard voice and hand signals e.g. launch, landing, rescue, etc.. 10. Kiteboarding hazards (lofting, dragging, etc., emergency scenarios, avoidance and management. 11. What skills to work on following the initial training, tips for achieving them and precautions. Some of this information may be conveyed while working with the instructor on the beach or in the water, during lectures or in hand outs. If your instructor doesn’t cover all this information you would do well to research these topics on your own. Quite a lot of information appears at: http://fksa.org/ and http://www.kitesurfingschool.org/ Skill Development 1. Gear setup & putting it away, preflighting, basic preventative maintenance. 2. Launching and landing unhooked and launch angle selection for conditions. 3. Capable stable kite flight under a variety of conditions both unhooked and hooked in. 4. Ability to vary and maintain constant kite power through kite positioning and sinusoiding. 5. Kite safety (emergency depower), activation in repeated simulated emergencies and rearming including an overview of current safety systems. 6. Harness and trim strap use. 7. Solo and assisted kite launching and landing. 8. Body dragging upwind with and without a board from point to point. 9. Self rescue techniques including using the kite as a sail to return to shore and securing the kite and lines and swimming into shore. 10. Ability to relaunch kite from water. 11. Beach starting and rudiments of water starting on a board. 12. Tips on how to ride upwind. There is still more beyond this. Kiting isn't as easy as it looks.
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FKA, Inc. transcribed by: Rick Iossi 
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#2
01-08-2008, 11:10 PM
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Thank you all for the replies.
I can assure you that I have never thought kiting was easy. I just want to make sure I know what I am getting myself into before I start. I live in the Jupiter area so I was planning on contacting http://www.jupiterkiteboarding.com/ for my lessons. It appears they are certified, any comments on this outfitter?
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#3
01-09-2008, 06:13 AM
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__________________
FKA, Inc. transcribed by: Rick Iossi
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