Hi there, i m girl - totally addicted to kiting. Agree with the other guys not to teach your girlfriend, get an instructor. They usually have new kitegear, which makes it for beginners so much easier. My first session flying a trainerkite with my ex boyfriend ended in a desaster.
Kind of shocked about the comments of some guys about teaching girls (Buy her a new teatowel instead - so that she stays in the kitchen!!! ). I hope this was a joke

... I picked up kiting very fast, took me only 3 weeks to go upwind, after 6 months i went with a surfboard into the waves and did big airs. Most kitechicks i know are considerate and graceful riders, who can keep up with the guys. Probably thats why some guys get scared...luckily theres enough space in the water for everybody of us. Getting into kiting is never easy, no matter if u are a girl or a guy. I m also sometimes annoyed by beginners, but then i try to stay away from the beach and do my jumps not in kneedeep water, 1 meter away from the shoreline, like so many others...
Anyways, i started to fly a trainerkite for a couple of days until i got my normal kite from my instructor, a Naish Cult, 9 m. I m 54 kg, 160 cm tall. It had great depower and is easy to relaunch in the water plus its very forgiving and has a wide windrange ( can go in about 16 knots up to 25). I started in 20 knots with short lines (15m) which helped a lot. Found out that i had a better sessions in about 20 knots. When it was too light, my kite often stalled because of oversheeting (what u usually do in the beginning) in high winds i got scared about getting yanked or dragged. I didnt get the board until i was able to bodydrag properly, have kitecontrol and know how to selfrescue.
I learned on this Naish Cult and i bought it afterwards because i loved it and still do, even after riding lots of other brands. Besides that i have a 7 m North Rebel 2010 which is also a great Kite with lots of depower, good for all kind of conditions, and a crazy 6 m Naish Torch which is more for the advanced riders and strong winds.
Would recommend to wait with buying a kite until she knows if she likes it or not, so u dont have to risk to buy a kite and she loses interessted afterwards. Good size for the winds here in OZ would be a 8 or a 9 for her.
Hope to see more girls in the water!!!! [}:)]