A Little about Kiteboarding

Following is our efficient approach to help you learn the sport. By following these steps, you'll be taking the fastest and safest route to becoming a competent kiteboarder. We look forward to helping you have fun on the water!

Many people ask: Should I take Kiteboarding Lessons?

It looks so easy to do. I can surf and so on, Well to take kiteboarding lessons or not is a question that pops up all the time.

The fact of the matter is there is no question. Kiteboarding lessons are a must. Here are reasons why you should take kiteboarding lessons:

The first is Safety.
Kiteboarding is a dangerous sport. Taking lessons will familiarize you with the safety aspects of the sport and how your equipment works. Knowing this means that you will have a safer experience for yourself and those around you.

The second is:
Why take months to learn kiteboarding when you can be up and riding in as quick as a few hours? The quickest way to get on the water is to invest in kiteboarding lessons. You can learn at our School or you can look around for other schools. Kiteboarding instructors use proved teaching methods that will get you on the water in no time.

The third is that you will save money.
A kiteboarding rig can cost anywhere from $2000 and upwards. That's a lot of money to spend if you're not sure if this sport is for you. Kiteboarding lessons could cost in the region of $150, which is cheap in comparison to spending $2000. Taking kiteboarding lessons will give you an idea of if the sport is for you or not. At our School we are much less than that. Also if you buy a rig from us you will get Free Lessons as well. You can call us at: 754- CRETIN8 or 754-273-8468 and we will be more than happy to set you up with a package.

The forth is that you get to trash someone else's gear while learning.
The first few hours on a kite you are sure to give your kite a decent beating as you will be dropping it constantly. If you take lessons you get to use school equipment, which means you don't have to worry about dropping the kite and then once you buy yours, You will have everything down pack.

The fifth is that you will meet other kiteboarders
There's nothing more intimidating than starting a new sport without knowing anyone. Kiteboarding schools are a great place to meet other beginners just like you. Meet other beginners and practice kiteboarding with them once you're done with the lessons. How cool is that!

Six, Lessons from Switchside will get you cheaper gear
We have great beginners packages available to students. These packages are way cheaper than what you will find at a normal kiteboarding shop.

Seven: Our Knowledge
You didn't think you can start kiteboarding by reading your kite manual or browsing the net did you? No book or site can replace one on one instruction. Kiteboarding lessons will teach you valuable knowledge such as how to rig your lines, how to self launch your kite, how to relaunch your kite, how to kite safely, how to go upwind, etc.

Eight: Learn in safe conditions
If you start by yourself you will have no idea what kind of condtions are safe to learn in. How would you know if the wind is too strong, or even how to read the wind? Our kiteboarding instructor will take you to a beginner-safe beach that will make your learning experience safe and pleasant.

Nine: Try out different gear
We have a huge range of kiteboarding gear that is ready to try. Taking a kiteboarding lesson will give you the opportunity to try a wide range of gear before you buy.

Ten: Peace of mind
Taking kiteboarding lessons means a kiteboarding instructor is there to help when you need help. If you drop your kite or loose your board We will be there to help.

All of our instructors are PASA certified. As well as certified in CPR, RedCross first-aid and boating saftey. 

 
The Basic Lesson package consists of two parts:

land lesson and water lesson.

Land Lesson:
This lesson runs 3 hours with one of our professional kiteboard instructors, and covers everything from making the transition from trainer kites to inflatable kites as well as understanding the wind window, basic rigging, line management, site orientation, wind theory, general safety, and much more. We provide all the equipment for your lesson.

Water Lesson:
After successfully completing the land lesson, it's time to get wet! During the water lesson (approx. 3 hours), you will practice kite launch and landing, water re-launching, body dragging, power stroke, self rescue, water start and more. We'll provide all the equipment for this lesson as well.

Custom Instruction
(2 hour min.) This type lesson is intended for learning tricks, jumping, staying upwind, etc.
Call us anytime.

There are always questions going around on how to care for your kite.

While caring for your kite involves very little maintenance, following a few simple guidelines will increase the longevity of your kite.

1. Sand is the number one enemy. Before packing down your kite, be sure to wipe off all the sand from your kite. Sand causes abrasive wear on kite materials and can result in worn through kite cloth.

2. Don't pack down a wet kite. Washing your kite isn't really that necessary - but if you do decide to wash your kite every now and then make sure your kite dries properly before packing it down. Packing down a wet kite can cause mildew and smelly odors.

3. Rig and pump up on the beach. Walking towards the beach from a soft lawn usually means you'll encounter tar, lamp poles, dustbins and walkways on the way to the beach - all posing a threat to your kite. Kite lines snag around poles, kites scrape on tar - this all adds up to unnecessary hard wear on your kite. Rigging on the beach will keep your kite in much better shape in the long run.

4. Avoid Self Launching. Self launching on bows and C shape kites add a lot of wear to your kite in the long run. Each time you self launch your kite, contact is being made when your kite briefly scrapes along the surface of the beach.

5. Kite pump. When packing down your kite pump, remove the hose and store it seperately. Storing the hose with the pump normally puts the hose at risk from bending and forming holes on the bend, causing a leaky hose.

6. Bar and lines. Keep your lines knot free, and wash your bar in fresh water after each session. A knot in a line weakens the line by more than 50% and puts you at risk for a line break. Washing your bar in fresh water prevents the salt water from eroding your lines.

7. Avoid bladder twists. Make sure your kite is laid out flat before you start pumping up. Letting your kite unroll itself while you pump up is a bad habit as this causes bladder twists to form in your leading edge.
Also make sure to not put the pump nozzle too far down your kite valves as this stretches the valves.

8. Use your kite bag. Don't store or transport your kite without its bag, especially when it's in your car. Board fins and any other objects easily pierce through kite material. Use your bag to keep your kite at bay from sharp objects.

9. Waves. If you drop your kite in the waves, let go of your kite. If you don't the waves will stretch your material, and if the wave is big enough it will tear your kite. As long as you put tension between yourself and the kite there is a good chance that the wave will tear your kite - let go and enjoy the swim.

10. Sun and wind. Don't ever leave your kite flapping in the wind, and don't leave it in the sun. Too much sun causes your kite to become brittle and loose its color, whilst a flapping kite causes surface fatigue.

Following these 10 simple tasks will help you keep your kite in better shape for longer.