Kiteboarding Lessons please help

rchristoff · Since 26 Jul 2011 1 Posts New Member

Looking for the best place to take lessons to learn to kite board in hood river George I have never kiteboarded before. I have Wakeboarded for 10 years and Snowboarded for 15 years and want to take about 12 hours worth of lessons it seems like most places do this for around 1200 dollars. The places on the internet are Kiteboard the George? George Kiteboard school? George Gradients? Cascade Kiteboarding?n Waterplay:? 2nd wind?and Brians Windsurfing/Kiteboarding school. aAny tips as to the most rerspected school with the most personal attention where I can get up and riding would be ap[preciated.

WINDUDE · Since 10 Jun 2010 558 Posts GORGE! Addicted

who's George?

use the search link on the top of the page, there are probably 68,980 threads on this topic!

It's Gorge by the way, not George

Although I was confused when I saw the Gorge Ampitheatre was located in George, WA for the first time!

Jonpnw · Tue Jul 26, 11 3:46 pm **New Wind**

Go see Jim at New Wind and sign up for his fast track training, you'll be up and riding in no time.

www.newwindkiteboarding.com

Justsmile · Since 20 Jul 2009 1530 Posts Not Portland XTreme Poster

Dont waste your time and go to Floras and have Andy Bolt spend some time. That will be progress!!!

D-Krep It Kiter · Since 18 Jul 2011 417 Posts Obsessed

I just took my first water lesson with AJ at Gorge Gradients. It was excellent. Its $300 for a two hour lesson, but I thought it was worth every penny. I got up and going on the board three times in the lesson, one run was actually pretty decent (I went for quite a while) and also learned how to body-drag upwind. The jet-ski assisted lesson is the way to go. They take you out into the middle of the river, away from the crowds so you kook out to the max (which I did for the first 30 minutes) and not have to worry about anyone being around. There were a few windsurfers coming all the way over from the Hatchery to give me a welcome buzz, but AJ always kept the ski between them and me. I also noticed that after I got launched, flew through the air and exploded that the windsurfers weren't an issue any more.

A few tips I'd offer:
-be well rested for your first water lesson... I was exhausted at the end.
-make sure you've practiced with a trainer, and then feel comfortable with the ground school lesson where you'll fly a 3.5 meter kite. In the water, its all going to be about kite control, so if your kite flying skills are good, you'll progress quickly.
-if you go with a different school/instructor, do your research... do they charge extra for a jet ski lesson? Do they say "jet ski is available if needed"? If so, ask for the lesson to be done with the jet-ski away from the Spit, and see what they say.. I get the feeling some of these instructors claim to have the jet-ski on "stand-by" when really its there to fulfill the Port's requirement.
-check on-line, and see what their lesson plan is... if they are talking about 45min or longer dry lessons (I think I saw one place talking about 90min land class) then avoid them like the plague. You don't need someone to tell you how to kite, you need them to show you. You should cover the safety and wind-window basics quickly, and then be flying a trainer.
-before taking a lesson, buy a good instruction video like Progression's Beginner Kiteboarding. This will help a lot with the basics, like what the wind-window is, safe launching etc.

What I liked about Gorge Gradients is that they are very assertive about getting you out on the water with a kite and board as quickly as possible, though they will tell you in the ground class if they think you're not ready for the water (ground class is $185... I thought it was ok... there wasn't anything I didn't already know from watching the video and practicing with a trainer, but it was good to fly the larger kite with an instructor beside me). The water lesson was a different story... totally awesome, AJ is a great instructor, and I couldn't believe he got me up and going so quickly. Craig, the guy that runs Gorge Gradients, is a really good guy too.. you can tell he's passionate about getting you out there kiting as soon as possible.

Good luck!

undertow · Since 15 Feb 2008 371 Posts BeaversBurg Obsessed

$150 per HR that's some high end lessons :O

Youkai · Since 08 Feb 2010 553 Posts Beaverton Addicted

First of all let me say; you have the right idea. Absolutely take lessons. Having said that though. . .

If you have been wake and snowboarding for years you don't need 12 hours of lessons. Hell most beginner lessons for people that haven't done much boarding at all are less hours than that from what I know. Just call up a couple schools and tell them about your experience and ask what they recommend.

Also I know there are some schools that have the option of having a "ride along" which is basically someone that will be around in case it hits the fan but they aren't actually teaching you. That should be cheaper after you take your actual lessons if you are set on having 12 hours of help.

With how many people are on the water though and how many people are on the forum you should be able to guarantee there is someone around that will keep an eye on you after you take your lessons, while you are still very green. Spend some time on the beach, make friends, offer someone a six pack to hang out around you on the water while they are kiting. You can get all the instruction and help you need for much cheaper than $1200.

D-Krep It Kiter · Since 18 Jul 2011 417 Posts Obsessed

D-Krep It Kiter · Since 18 Jul 2011 417 Posts Obsessed

hilton · Since 15 Aug 2008 801 Posts Opinionated

D-Krep It Kiter · Since 18 Jul 2011 417 Posts Obsessed

Ditto about the board control... and also the comments that you don't need to spend $1200 on lessons. Probably closer to $500, or even less if you find someone willing to put you straight in the water if you feel ready for that.

Hey, I have a 2m two line trainer "foil" kite, and a larger, waaay more powerful (but still called a 2m) 2m four-line Ocean Rodeo "Rise" trainer kite. The Ocean Rodeo is an LEI, so its essentially a miniature version of their big kites. Feel free to PM me if you'd like to meet up and try them out. I usually fly them at Bingen. If there's anyone else reading this thread that is a beginner that would like to try the trainer kites, feel free to PM me too.

You can go buy a kite harness right now, cause you'll want it for the trainer kites. Also, if you have friends that want to get into kiting, learn together... there are quiet times on the Sandspit that are great for beginners, but having a buddy with you to help you launch and keep you out of trouble is a must, at least until you get comfortable with launching and landing. One last thing... it may sound stupid, but make sure before you touch or attach yourself to any kite that you understand what a "hot launch" is, how to avoid it, and how to launch a kite properly. I had a nice helpful newb (I'm a total newb too..) at the spit go to give me a launch with my 10m kite, and was just about to hot launch me... I managed to let him know to stop, but it scared the crap out of me. My bad though, just like the video says, I should have gone over the launch procedure instead of assuming that he knew what to do.