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Lessons. Lisah's post got me thinking. How many took'm?

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makorider
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Lessons. Lisah's post got me thinking. How many took'm?

Postby makorider » Fri Jan 30, 2015 5:21 am

$750 to get to the point of body dragging IMO is ridiculous.

Who, like me, has never taken a lesson?

Granted, I had two kiter friends keeping watch over me. Occasionally sailing my gear back upwind avoiding the complete walk of shame.

And I'm still here. Anyone else?

Am I outside the norm?

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Re: Lessons. Lisah's post got me thinking. How many took'm

Postby Toby » Fri Jan 30, 2015 5:42 am

most of the early birds didn't take lessons.
I started in 2000...barely any kite instructor available...learned with a buddy who was into kite flying.
We watched a video with Robby and then went into the water...back to video, back to water.
After quiet some time we managed it. Still envious about the people who take courses these days and get to ride after few hours...what a difference to the good old times ;-)

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Re: Lessons. Lisah's post got me thinking. How many took'm

Postby Danydan » Fri Jan 30, 2015 1:50 pm

$750 is a rip off IMO. But anything in the $200-400 ( depending on skills) is reasonable and totally worth it. Let's be honest, kitesurfing is dangerous but can be practice safely with proper safety measures and including lessons. I agree with Toby that a decade ago it was a different story though!!!

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Re: Lessons. Lisah's post got me thinking. How many took'm

Postby Starsky » Fri Jan 30, 2015 2:19 pm

Learning on snow can be a really cheap, easy and safe way into the sport. For anyone looking to get into kiting that lives in a spot with a winter season. Give it some thought. Why not make winter an advantage !?

Typically you are able to progress in far less wind and drastically minimize the disaster quotient. From just flying to your first experience on a board or skis (whatever your more comfortable with) you can do it in lighter winds than on water in nice wide open spaces. Its the perfect training format for water. You get very adept at relaunching and your kite skills progress faster when there are no waves, swimming, upwind, body dragging for a board, or minimum planing speed required. It's really nice to already have the skill of riding upwind practiced before heading out on the water. Once you get decent at it on snow, it's not unrealistic to be holding your ground or going upwind in your first sessions on water. Stick to the right conditions and its fun as hell too. Safe ice, Good snow, light consistent wind, not too cold.

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Re: Lessons. Lisah's post got me thinking. How many took'm

Postby dwaynej » Fri Jan 30, 2015 3:18 pm

There are people who are coming to the sport without water experience and that can be a big chasm to cross. OK if you need the reassurance of a instructor/guide for a while.

Lesson plans can vary wildly in different localities especially where you are also dealing with liability insurance and beach permit use. So $400-$700 can totally be reasonable depending on locality and skill.

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Re: Lessons. Lisah's post got me thinking. How many took'm

Postby knotwindy » Fri Jan 30, 2015 5:37 pm

Toby wrote:most of the early birds didn't take lessons.
I started in 2000...barely any kite instructor available...learned with a buddy who was into kite flying.
We watched a video with Robby and then went into the water...back to video, back to water.
After quiet some time we managed it. Still envious about the people who take courses these days and get to ride after few hours...what a difference to the good old times ;-)
yea, this is how i remember it as well. lots of trial and error, mostly error. it built a certain respect for the sport and the people already doing it. It made safety more important, as well, since there really wasn't any in the equipment. Now people spend some money and a few hours and think they have it all figured out and really do not pay any respect to the danger that is involved and it deserves. Even though the equipment is safer now, i think it might have been safer learning the old way with out the paid for "lessons", when the lessons you got on your own were better remembered if you survived. Don't know that I would want to go back but there was something to be said for paying attention as if your life depended on it instead of some one saying, "it is easy and safe, anyone can do it" like they sell it now.

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Re: Lessons. Lisah's post got me thinking. How many took'm

Postby skullcandy » Fri Jan 30, 2015 5:44 pm

I took lessons and paid $500 for a two day course. I was riding upwind by end of second session (just barely) and was beyond stoked. Looking back I probably could of done it on my own or with some friends but glad I took the lessons.

Ive seen friends teaching friends - it seems to me like its a lot of work and time. Not something I would want to do. Days are limited when conditions pop up so I want to be out riding and not teaching.

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Re: Lessons. Lisah's post got me thinking. How many took'm

Postby 1950 » Fri Jan 30, 2015 5:47 pm

I did not took them. Not because i think they are not worth or "i'm not scared at all type of guy" or they are costly. It's just because it makes me more thrill to find it on my own. I just enjoy every moment spending time trying to learn something new, and that got me to kiting just after i saw guy ripping it.

Yes, it's dangerous. Already got 4 stitches and been one month off the water, but that did not change my mind or stoke.

Talked with local instructor, he sad me "one day and you'll be upwind, four days and you'll jump around". But i sad kind of: yeah i know (maybe) but what if i enjoy sense of finding it on my own. It's not the money it's kind of "what do you want of it".. Later on "while i was doing my downwinder" he show me "how to park it" while retrieving my board, later on he gave mi his old kite to get it repaired and fly cause my was 2007 12m C type XD

..that was about half year ago. now i got good 7m,9m, that relic 12m C and FS15(still not flew yet). During half year been about 6 hours on water with kite in the air and i'm thinking i'm close to upwind.

do i think they are worth it, yes. but in my case not really. i'll go upwind some day.. :)

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Re: Lessons. Lisah's post got me thinking. How many took'm

Postby geopeck » Fri Jan 30, 2015 7:01 pm

I took some lessons after 2 seasons of snowkiting, I didn't know anything about bodydragging, water safety, water starts, self-rescue etc. I was upwinding after about an hour, my instructor was able to gauge my skill set and we just focused on what I needed.

I could have probably learned water on my own but it was worth it to get help from an expert.

I got the PASA certification and started teaching about 5 years after I learned. My focus has always been to create value for my students money. Sometimes that means telling them that kiting isn't for them. Sometimes it means telling them to start with snowkiting.

I spent a fair amount trying to learn on my own buying the wrong gear. If I can keep someone from spending money on a kite that they won't use or can't use safely, then I've created value. If I can give someone awareness of when conditions are iffy or dangerous and can keep them stoked on kiting, value.

I've watched a few aggressive learners who learned by feel and getting tipped out by other kiters. They usually take longer to put it together and don't know how to deal with self-rescue situations until they experience them, at which point they become very interested in learning about safety.

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Re: Lessons. Lisah's post got me thinking. How many took'm

Postby plummet » Fri Jan 30, 2015 7:44 pm

I learned to kite landboarding. No lessons. Learn by falling over and over again. Falling off hurts more on the land than it does in the water.....
Then when I started to kitesurf I took a 1hr lesson to learn self rescue and get some tips on water starts and that's it.


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