Newb here with q's about lessons

Raj · Since 13 Oct 2009 113 Posts Stoked

I've been flying my b3 trainer for the past few weeks and watching countless hours of instructional videos........Progression.Complete guide.Real.
I took my first lesson and was a bit disappointed. Shelled out $200 for 1 & 1/2 hours of "class time" (which unfortunately was all review for me) and 20 min on a 4m kite.

Never got a chance to have the teacher "tailor the lesson to my knowledge and abilities."
Is the first lesson always kinda a rip?

I'd love to book another lesson if I thought It would be more hands on...(something I can't get from a video) but I can't justify paying someone hundreds of dollars to tell me stuff I've already gathered on my own time. Is this part of the initiation into kiting? Paying through the nose.
I'm thinking I should lurk around RR and watch people and then I'd learn a lot. Perhaps bribe someone.
Any tips on how not to drop $900 on lessons but still enter the sport safely?
I've seen plenty of videos of people being dragged through rocks and flung in the air like a rag doll to not want that path.

And teach. if your reading this. Please don't take it personally. I'm just poor man trying to get into a rich mans sport. You understand right?

Chooch · Tue Oct 13, 09 9:01 am

Sent you a PM

pdxmonkeyboy · Tue Oct 13, 09 9:22 am **Re: Newb here with q's about lessons**

this guy teaches for free.

http://nwkite.com/forums/t-14229.html&highlight=free+lessons+woman

Raj · Since 13 Oct 2009 113 Posts Stoked

Thx PDX.
I've seen this. Funny, that he thinks this will work.

Where do these people come from?

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1692 Posts XTreme Poster

pm me!

pdxmonkeyboy · Tue Oct 13, 09 1:36 pm

[quote="Raj"Where do these people come from?[/quote]

Places without allot of women.

Chooch · Tue Oct 13, 09 1:52 pm

Raj · Since 13 Oct 2009 113 Posts Stoked

Gotten some good tips from a lot you through PM's Thanks!

Still trying to navigate the forum looking for Newbie info all in one place , without getting distracted down the path of .....interesting quarrels and bickering here and there......amusing at times....and ...informative!

Any particular thread one would recommend I read?
Also, My timing is terrible but I'm guessing some of you still kite in the winter months?
obsession+easterlies+5/4 wetsuit= getting ones fix?
Possible to learn in winter?
I can handle cold.....it's wind quality I'm not sure about.
Thanks!

Moto · Since 03 Sep 2006 2698 Posts Still a gojo pimp! Moto Mouth

You might want to hit up windpowermarcus - or his name is something like that - he is new the season on a budget. He could probably hook you up with some info.

Nak · Wed Oct 14, 09 11:25 am

It's possible to learn in the winter, just harder. You spend a lot of time in the water while you're learning. If you're not familiar & comfortable with cold water you might want to either wait for summer or take a vacation somewhere warm to learn. I'm not sure who is still doing lessons around here?

If you venture out, dress for the swim, not the ride. Be prepared to spend a long time in the water, because you might have to. Not so bad yet, but water temps are dropping every day.

Another risk to consider is river traffic. Bear in mind it's a lot harder to swim wearing cold water gear, and you'll swim slower. Getting out of the way of a barge might be difficult. My kite was down with not enough wind to relaunch yesterday. I could have waited for the wind to come back up, but I was in the channel. I decided to self rescue rather than risk still being in the channel when a barge came along... You gotta know when to fold. As a beginner, you have less experience to draw on when making tough decisions...

jackZ · Since 13 Apr 2008 355 Posts Devon Alberta ca. Obsessed

Hey Raj
Kiting on the snow is easier to learn as your able to not worry about drowning etc.
You need an open area with good snow cover ( unless you have junk skis or board to grind up )
It's easy to walk back upwind on the land too , even if you have boots on .
All your skills learnt on land will be put to use on water .
Go hard with a helmet and some pads .
I went out last winter ( early before too much snow on the ice ) with skates and my 12m Waroo , OOOOOOh boy hang on , thats a lot of kite with skates on your feet . When you do wipe out it takes a long way down the lake to stop , tons of fun when your padded properly .
Take another lesson it wont be a bad thing . Repitition is the key , so your review lesson wasn't a waste . Be aware the instructor (a good one ) wants to ensure you know the basics and safety's before you hit the water , it's better for everyone . Talk him through the steps to let him know what you know and move forward from there .
Good luck and stay safe

Raj · Since 13 Oct 2009 113 Posts Stoked

I've had a close encounter with barges while kayaking (crappy inflatable) and definitely don't want to have to swim out of their way.
Especially sporting a 5/4 suit.......paddling with those on is twice the workout!

Self-rescue. Apparently it's inevitable so I might just want to down my kite and self rescue in safer conditions on purpose to torture myself and get used to it.

Good point on not having experience to draw on for tough decisions. Surfing this coast line can be like that in a different way.....sometimes it takes one scary moment to know to call it a day. If your lucky to walk away.

Things I should be smart about:
1. Kite control in regards to wind window. Power,edge,(hindenburg)
2. Safety systems,self-rescue.
3.Rotors? Do I even want to go out where those could be present?
4. All other hard objects downwind, rocks,boats, people, etc.
5. Right equipment for the situation and knowing how to use it properly.
6. Currents

I'm a pretty good swimmer coming from the coast......but still need to know river currents and boat traffic...........and perhaps where I'm least likely to get some strange rash from the water!

Definitely looking forward to some snowkiting!

12m Waroo!....that does seem a bit excessive.....for me at least. I was thinking my B3 on a 15+ day would be ok....for snowboarding.........perhaps a 7m on days under 13mph.

I'm 155lbs looking to get my first set-up and am thinking somewhere between 7m-9m would be suitable 70% of the time between Jones and HR?
Any opinions? .......

Obviously very rarely around Jones and Sauvie but more so around Broughton, RR, HR? and a bow or hybrid of course.....T3,Waroo, Crossbow, Rev, RPM? I'm still researching models.

Thanks to those who didn't want to sell me your C kite!....I would have figured it out shortly anyway but you saved me some time and research.

I WILL get another lesson..but........I'm going to be more diligent on how to spend my hard earned $$ and let the instructor know what I DO and what I DON'T
know. WHEN and WHO.....That's my concern....super beginner lessons...sorry. Don't have the scrill for that. But yes....lessons.

Any personal reviews on the new wind school?

pdxmonkeyboy · Wed Oct 14, 09 2:02 pm

My only advice would be to watch put for the deadly rotors! Seriously dangerous stuff man!! Beware the rotor!!

Seriously though, I posted a fairly decent thread for newbs about what to look for when buying kites but I think you would be hard pressed to find one thread about how to kite as that is what lessons are for.

You could be motivted and learn in the winter but man, it's pretty brutal out there in the winter. I use to go out in the winter but now I'm pretty much over it.

Go to laventana during the kite expo. You'll get tons of experience, it's warm, and you get a massive dose of the "lifestyle".

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2103 Posts PNW Bigfoot

hopefall · Since 13 Feb 2009 79 Posts Couve

Moto · Since 03 Sep 2006 2698 Posts Still a gojo pimp! Moto Mouth

Dude named spike on the forum weighs about a buck fifty five. That dude only has two kites - 7 and 11 - and rocks out in pretty much any wind condition.

pdxmonkeyboy · Thu Oct 15, 09 7:30 am