lesson should be cancelled and re-scheduled

When I had lessons and there was no wind they were just rescheduled.

Only paid when I actually had a lesson.

My students ring me one hour before their booking and we reschedule if the wind is not looking good for the stage that they are at. If it is a students first lesson I might give them the option to do revise the theory notes I send them out before hand - if THEY choose to. If the wind starts to drop out during a lesson I give the student the option to call it quits if they start finding it frustrating - they only pay for the time they use.


Cheers,
Ian Young
www.flysurf.com.au
0414 716 812

We will only run kitesurfing lessons if the wind is suitable. If not, we re book for another time.
Lessons are definatly not time wasted though.



Simon
[email protected]
www.gowindsurfing.com

Thanks for your replies.

Here’s my story, what would you do?

I booked a weekend away with Kitepower @ Forster Bay. It took me 7 hours to drive there cos of the Mooney bridge accident (condolences to those involved).

I booked:
==============================================
Weekend Away

Groups of 4 (Minimum)
Two full days (eight hours on location per day)
DVD analysis (night-time)
Boat use assist in deep water scenarios
Get ready to get up and going on a board!
$220/person/day + $110 accom + food
==============================================

Saturday after breaky we headed down to a beach where Tim explained about wind and obstacles, but nothing I hadn't already read in the IKO kiteboarding manual.
He then let us set up a kite explaining how the lines go, again nothing I hadn't read in my kites manual + their colour coded for simple people.
Then I launched the kite again nothing I hadn't already done with my training kite.
He didn't tell me what kind of strokes he wanted so I just played with the kite, there was plenty of wind.

14:00hrs lunch time.

15:30 went to a lake, no wind.
15:45 went to a beach, no wind.
16:00 went back to the lake.
16:30 they explained water relaunching (seen in Boost II & Kiteboarding 101 DVD).

DVD analysis (night-time) = Watch Boost II + Stance

Sunday.
10:00 Beach, no wind.
12:00 launched a 7m kite (I'm 90kg and 185cm)
12:20 put it down and practised self rescue on the beach.
16:00 Went wake boarding, but the 25hp motor couldn't get me out of the water.

17:30 Drove home.

That weekend cost me $780 all in or $980 including my Mrs and I didn't learn anything.

No body dragging.
No strokes.
No getting on the board.

“Boat use assist in deep water scenarios” I didn’t even get in the f’ing water with a kite!

Now I may be a whinger, but I expected more for the money. I expected to feel the pull of a large kite and I expected to at least attempt getting up on the board. I wanted to put into practise what I had seen on the instructional DVD's.

I explained to them before paying that I had seen a lot of DVD's and I was pretty competent with a 3m foil, I even filled in a questionnaire which as Tim put it had the most comprehensive answers. I asked if I could pull out if the wind forecast didn't look good, he said "Don't worry there's plenty we can teach without wind".

I'm trying to get Tim/Kitepower to give me a proper lesson, but he doesn't seem too keen.

I guess if he reads this it isn’t going to help, but I feel short changed. I could have bought a lot of cool stuff with that money, instead I spent it getting sun burnt.

The kitepower guys were really nice and they knew what they were talking about they just didn't organize the trip well, and after seeing it didn't turn out well they should have offered to continue instruction @ Dolls Point.

And my closing argument: “Get ready to get up and going on a board!”
Like f***!

For someone without prior lessons to expect to get in the water with an LEI after 2 days is not unreasonable - all things being equal, it could be done.

This particular weekend instructional tour was designed for both absolute beginners and beginners with some experience. Essentially 8 people came away with 2 IKO trained instructors, one level 2 and a level 1 instructor - both with hundreds of lessons under our belts....

The cost breakdown of the weekend went as follows;

Accommodation - $110.00 each (non negotiable/ non refundable)
2 x 1/2 days instruction - $316.00
2 x 1 days instruction - $440.00

I have a receipt for Ray here in the shop that is for $626.00 - that includes Accommodation for 2 people for 3 night minimum booking in a beachfront appartment & 2 x half days instruction. Also Ray paid for a NSI Reel leash RRP $90.00 which is included on his receipt of AUD $626.00. I am unaware of how he came to $780.00 or $980.00
Those details are misleading. He has included his food, fuel and miscellaneous costs...

For those in the advanced group and paid for the 2 x 1/2 day instruction and needed board instruction they will be credited lessons to ensure they become safe and independent kiteboarders.

For Ray and the two other beginners who have not had lessons before...would not normally be credited lessons as they each are now ready to go into the water and work with a board ( not to get on one, but practice self rescue and water re-launch with one).

Other beginners went from never having touched a kite before to being able to fly a 7m 4line kite in the chicken loop and being able to complete land based simulations of the water re-launch and self rescue...I think most kiteboarders would agree that those are ultra important ingredients to safe, independent kiteboarding.

If you divide the amount of instruction hours into 2 hour blocks and compare typical lesson prices to the cost of instruction on the weekend, the value is obvious.

Ray, you are ready to start working with a board now - you now know how to be safe!

Ray has since been into Kitepower and we have come to an agreement in regards to his expectations on how learning to kiteboard should be done and how we can continue to teach him to be safe.

If anyone would like more information, don't hesitate to call KP, the number's in the book.

Full marks to Tim for a great and subdued reply.

This shows the professionalism of the Team at KitePower.

Well done ! Also marks for to Ray for his honourable reply.

Its a tough sport to get into ive found if you want to do the lessons to get a good grounding on things.

Has been very frustraing to have about a %25 strike rate with actual lessons that have gone thru to the end from a booking for me. Has taken 12 months to do just 3 lessons from 11 bookings! I'm time poor but this is rediculous.

Maybe when the winds are too good being an instructor is the worst job to have. ;/

Or maybe SHQ in VIC aren't very god on their customer service.

Anyone know of any other good kitesurfing instructors/schools in vic/melbourne aera?

My two cents worth...
I had a lesson with a well-known Perth instructor at woodies. I asked for a solo lesson so i could get a focused instructor but turned up to find a shared lesson. Hmmmm, I didn't say anything as I just wanted to learn as much as i could, so got on with it.

Result: instructor spent about 80% of the lesson with the other bloke as he was struggling a bit. Also instructor had a smart-arssed know it all attitude and laughed like I was a dickhead every time I asked a stupid Q? (hey that's how you learn - by not being afraid to ask Q?s) So I got very little out of it... now here's the best bit then the guy charges me $80 instead of $70 as he had quoted me on the phone a shared lesson should be..

Once bitten twice shy.. have since confirmed the instructors attitude with others and I am now taking lessons with an excellent, patient instructor at Mullaloo (Rob Gannen if you want to know).
I have nothuing to gain from plugging Rob's lessons, but he is both extrememly professional, safe and informative. On top of that do a 4 hour course (over two dif days) and he charges only $125 per 2 hrs. A bargain. my 1st lesson went for nearly 3 hours for $125 and I felt excited, safe and like I was going somewhere.

Again i have nothing to gain but found Rob to be wicked so def recomend him for lessons...
Cheers and good luck

Hey Getfunky,

I reckon someone from Woodies is going to tell you to get something else starting with "F"

Maybe someone will resort to language. Good luck to em - it is still my own experiance with two instructors and it was like the proverbial chalk and cheese, so no mistaking the levels of professionalism, communication skills, safety info, etc, etc.

Note: my aim was not to inflame but to inform that is why the 1st instructor's name was not mentioned.

Everybody take a big breath and.... relax now.

Ultimately I found a good instructor, that's what some of the contributors to this thread were asking for so that was my purpose..
Maybe others have faired better than I, maybe some have gone off the sport because of the same learning experiances(I doubt those people would even know of this site so no comment from them).

Whatever - I hope everybody finds the right instructor for them and stays safe.

Cheers