Newb's and Beginner's, here's a way to do it...

mamann · Since 16 Jul 2007 80 Posts Goldendale

If your wanting to get into, or are already into kiteboarding, but don't feel comfortable in the crowds or staying up wind on the water and want to progress in a comfortable fasion, then this is a way to do it.

Get a trainer kite of no larger than 3.5m and learn to fly it in a park or on the beach, until you are totaly comfortable and in control of the kite. You should spend many days or weeks doing this. If the kite's not pulling hard enough for you, go out in stronger wind. My 3.5m has lofted me quite a few times in high wind.

Once your ready to progress you can do one of two things:
-buy yourself a mountain board and head to the coast. recommended(smooth not gusty wind)
-Or get yourself a lesson on land or water
(I would recomend keeping to land, as I took a water lesson at this point of progression, on the river in gusting 30mph conditions back in '03 on a c-kite, and basicly didn't learn anything except getting teabagged sucks, and spending the rest of the time trying to walk upwind to regain ground on the sandbar takes up all your energy and you get nothing out of the lessons you paid big money for. And my lesson was pretty much "go out and kite by yourself, because that's how it works anyway")

Use your trainer kite and your board, and try that out at the beach. If that's not enough for you, buy a larger kite like a 5m or 7m foil kite(by using a depower foil you can totally kill the kite, launch and land by yourself, it's just easier and safer if you kite alone). Also by using a smaller kite, you learn how to fly your kite to get the most power out of it, which is a great skill for the water., and you don't need as big a kite on land because you don't have the drag associated woth water.
Now you'll also have to get a harness, helmet, knee pads, shin guards( the board just loves to nail your shins if you bail on a bad jump) and most important, hip pads. Also if you don't feel comfortable doing this yourself, there are people that teach KGB at the beach and you can get a good lesson for less than on the water.

If you've already had lessons, get yourself a larger foil that your comfortable with maybe a 9m.( you can always buy a bigger kite later, after you know what's going on)

I kited for a couple years on the beach by myself. You can go anytime of year, middle of winter is great for high winds and the temp is always in the 50's or 60's.
You don't need to worry about drowning or staying up wind, or waterstarts, your ready to ride all the time. You can progress superfast, because you can ride all the time. I was riding toeside and jumping in no time.

A great place to go is somewhere like sunset beach, lots of room to ride. You just have to time it when the tide is out, the swell is low, and the wind is onshore and between 10 and 20mph. And stay out of the soft sand, especially when jumping, as you will sprane or break your ankles if you land in it(I know from experience)

After you have it down pat and can enjoy kiting at the beach, you have most of the skills you need for the water.

NOW........ Go take a lesson on the the water(you need to do this if you haven't had water lessons). You will get the best bang for the buck. You will know what going on, you can learn about self rescuing, rigging, launching and landing, and anything else you haven't had to deal with on land.
You will be up and riding the first time, goind upwind with ease and will feel very comfortable knowing what going on.

This will keep you from beeing a complete kook at the sandbar, and you will most likely have a much better experience.

This is how I did it and it worked out great for me. You don't have to do it this way but it makes it easy and can be done any time of year.
( I did it this way becuase it was the end of the season in the gorge when I took my lesson, and didn't want to wait until the next season to try again)

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

Good info. We actually used a landboard as part of our first lesson with a 3m trainer. Really helped the students understand beforehand what goes on when riding in the water.

Reaper356 · Since 10 Dec 2006 781 Posts Salem / LC Oregon Opinionated

Yeah I started on the landboard - great for learning about staying upwind and kite power. On a good low tide on a hot day it's great to ride through big puddles at high speed! Kind of like you're on the water! Wouldn't recommend jumping over land to beginners or a foil over 5 meters w/o depower. I've almost broken myself enough times that I'm usually comfortable mowing the beach.

Inept_Fun · Since 14 Apr 2005 1417 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

I will also be writing land boarding tickets.

rich · Since 30 Nov 2005 306 Posts portland Obsessed

its a very patient approach to getting on the water. The kites are a lot different now than in '03. If you have the patience and an interest in landboarding, your approach sounds rockin'. If you can follow instructions, swim, and have a decent thrash level and enough cash for lessons, get some!

SoOR · Since 10 Mar 2007 56 Posts Ashland, OR

yeah im doing the learning process in reverse.....i learned with New Wind at sandbar in summer 2002 when they taught with wipika amp (i remember they said the Wipika Hydro was a sweet kite.....oh the old days). then i bought my 1st kite at ASI, a new 2001 12m Slingshot Torque(remember those, they could convert from 2line to 4line) and giant 157slingshot board.....man i was a giant missile at sauvies with a 2line torque and 157 board, but it taught me board skills real fast(like how to stomp when the 2line is pulling the shit out of you.........they i got a cutting edge 2003 fuel which was like heaven(although didnt depower worth crap- i remember i couldnt depower my 8m 2003 fuel with it at noon and bar fully pushed out on a strong Rooster early day, it was acutally pretty scary) but since moving to So.oregon and our flukey lake winds I bought a landboard to get more sessions and use my 3m trainer and 8m more than other kites.

i cant believe what i read on here how Sandbar parking is paved with permits and the amount of kites out there and ASI is no longer. crazy how fast things have changed and I think im the only one who still hasnt ridden a SLE or bow, still riding C-kites.

learning now looks so much safer, especially now that people can depower fully and dont use board leashes anymore Smile

.

this board is great

this board is great.

KidCorporate · Since 10 Jul 2007 563 Posts Addicted

Wow, all that to learn how to kite? I took three days of lessons and had a couple of kook weekends but got the hang of it inside a month.

mamann · Since 16 Jul 2007 80 Posts Goldendale

Yep, you can do it other ways and much faster if you want to be on the water fast.
For me, it was the end of the season when I took my lesson and I didn't feel like freezing my ass off in frigid water learning to kite by myself.
I posted this, as I've been reading everyone complianing and beginners trying to figure out where to go and what to do to stay out of everyones way.
What better way then to send the to them beach?