Here is our Top 10 list of Kitesurfing Myths:

Here is #1 - #5 of some of the most asked questions in kitesurfing

• Do you have to be strong or athletic to kitesurf?

• How old do you have to be to kitesurf?

• Is kitesurfing a dangerous sport?

• Do I need kitesurfing lessons?

• How long does it take to learn kitesurfing?

 

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#1. Do you have to be strong or athletic to kitesurf?

First of all, we have been teaching hundreds of students through the years, so we have gained a lot of experience teaching beginners. One of the biggest kitesurfing myths is that hold people back is that you have to be very strong or athletic to even stand a chance. This is NOT true. Actually we have found that the people that have the hardest time learning this sport is huge bodybuilder types. They use raw power trying to get out of the water or pick up more speed. You do not need power/strength to kitesurf, it is a lot more about the technical aspect. As we always tell our students, you can fly your kite with two fingers. We have seen people, who haven’t been to a gym a day in their life, still manage to kitesurf for hours straight. Compared to wakeboarding, where after 10 minutes my arms and legs feel like jelly. The important thing to keep in mind, is that you were a harness. The power of the kite is all in the harness and your back, which allows the pressure off your arms, letting smaller and less athletic people to kite hours on head.   

#2. How old to be able to kitesurf?

Like shoes, kites come in all different shapes and sizes. If you even have a basic knowledge of kiting, you know that you have to change your kite size depending on your weight and the strength of the wind. Basically if you are a bigger guy, you will need a bigger kite and vice versa. The point here is, that female/male, big/small, old/young, strong/weak can all get into this life changing sport. That being said some schools only teach students after a certain age, this refers to weight. Most schools say you have to be at least 35 kg. So if you have a brother/sister, daughter/son who wants to get into the sport but are too light or ‘’too young’’, then a trainer kite is the way to go.

A trainer kite is just a smaller version of a kitesurfing kite. 80% of kitesurfing schools start you out on a trainer kite. Same idea as a normal kite, just a lot less power. So you get the feel of flying a kite without the risk of getting thrown down the beach. As a beginner or intermediate , you can never use too much time with a trainer kite. I have seen riders up to 130 kg kitesurfing, they would just use bigger kites and boards than the average weight rider.  Height isn’t an issue. That being said, some shorter riders use a seat harness, so they are closer to the bar and closer to the power/depower strap. Age is not an issue either, as long as you can swim. I have seen riders in their 60’s, making the rest of us look dumb. For older riders who have experienced back problems, a seat harness is the way to go. It keeps a lot of the pressure of your lower back. Seat harness’ work great for anybody with back problems. Another one of many Kitesurfing Myths Busted!

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#3. Is kitesurfing is a dangerous sport?

This one is a bit tricky, because yes, kitesurfing is an extreme sport. While doing an extreme sport there is a chance of getting hurt, but it can also be dangerous crossing the street, if you don’t look both ways before crossing. Same with kitesurfing.

As long as you know the wind (direction,strength, gust), your safety system and any hazards on the beach, I can with confidence call kitesurfing a safe sport. If you follow these steps and stay within your skill range (don’t megaloop when struggling to do a basic jump), you will be alright. Keep in mind, if you never had a lesson and don’t know what you are doing, it can go wrong very quickly. Pro tips: When in doubt, don’t go out.  Never ride by yourself, doesn’t matter how experienced you are. We are nearly half way through the myths now. 

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#4. Do I need a kitesurfing lesson? (Kitesurfing Myths)

You might be a pro at surfing, wakeboarding, snowboarding etc, but that does not mean you are good at kitesurfing. Even though these board sports are familiar to kiting, you still don’t know how to fly a kite. I usually tell my students, that it is 20% board skills and 80% kite skills. So if you have done any of the mentioned sports, it will help you out a lot, as you can spend your time and energy on the kite. A trainer kite is a great way to get started, especially if you have done any board sports before. Kitesurfing is a very safe sport, if you know what you doing. If you don’t, you can get hurt pretty fast.  Seeing newbies on the beach for the first time with their kite bought off Ebay and a mate helping him launch, is something you will see every once in awhile. Entertaining to see them do the Superman 20m up in the air, but I can imagine it is not as much fun for them.      I would not compared kitesurfing to snowboarding or wakeboarding. More like scuba diving, except the fact, when you mess up, it is not only you that is at risk but also everybody else on the beach. I would recommend at least a one 3 hour lesson for all beginners. Anything else could be potentially dangerous.

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#5. How long does it take to learn kitesurfing?

This all depends on you. I have seen students get up on the board on the first day, some even riding in both directions. Usually it does take 6-8 hours for a student to get riding. Again, the trainer kite is the way to go. You can practice this alone, without the chance of getting hurt. You can try fly with one hand, closed eyes and some of the silly stuff you don’t wanna try on a normal sized kite. It will seriously improve your kite skills. If you wakeboard or snowboard, practise riding on your weaker foot/your opposite foot forward, because in kitesurfing you will need to be able to ride both directions. 5 myths busted and 5 to go.

Top 10 Kitesurfing Myths - Part 2

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