Na, I got a mate to send me some old gear from the UK, he told me via the phone how to launch and land, using my car as a lauch post, then plenty more calls ,self rescue wind window etc etc, when I was ready to go in the water,he told me to spend 50 hrs body dragging,until I could do whatever I wanted.with the kite, if the was a body dragging comp i would of been world champion, but this made my board progression really quick as I didn't have to think about the kite, in an ideal world if i had plenty of money and instructors on my doorstep i would of got new gear and lessons, its down to the individual, I've been teaching 2 local kids with my new safe kites as they are in the same financial position I was , one is on his board after 4 hrs and holding ground, which shuts me he,s a freak, the other still runs his lines out wrong and scratches his head a lot, at the very least get some help off a local with knowledge, better still get lessons

yourl probably find that most of the experienced guys on here who advocate lessons are infact self taught themselves!... thats because there learnt back in the day before lessons were available in their area.


But they are advocating lessons because of how hard it was for them to learn... and the amount times they nearly killed themselves in the process.


I have had a grand total of 1hr of lesson to learn self rescue techniques. But i cam from 3 years of kite landboarding (self taught).

Im sure there are loads of guys that have self taught themselves and have been lucky enough to survive but these kites have an amazing amount of power and it only takes a minute for you to fly it in the wrong spot or when the wind is blowing the wrong direction and it can all turn to ****.The most important part of lessons isn't just about being able to fly the kite or ride the board but being able to do it safely so you or someone around doesnt get hurt.

Two guys helped you when you posted this: www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/Newbies-Tips-Tricks/Another-newbieno-lessons-available/
I guess their advice wasn't what you wanted to hear.

I notice from that post that you've "done the youtube lessons"..... LOL
So, after your most excellent tactile online lessons, if your kite goes into a death loop at launch because you had no clue, what are you gonna do? Right click your mouse, press ESC or Ctrl/Alt/Delete maybe?????

Oh fck it, I'm getting sick of replying to these dumb posts... Others have given good advice. Enough said.

As juicerider explained, most of the earliest kiters had no alternative, there were no schools, instructors, DVD's (in those days VHS) or You Tube. We learnt the hard way and copped floggings to within an inch of our lives .... regularly! This was part of the experience. We learned on empty beaches away from the public. We learned from our floggings and now this has been distilled into a simple and relatively fast education programme to help you avoid some of our near death experiences.

FF to today and many of the beaches are crowded and are sustaining heavy pressure from council. No one wants learners going it solo on these beaches as our existence is tenuous at best on so many popular beaches and this is mostly from experienced riders. No one will put up with "gung ho", "I'll be right", self learners as it is deemed the epitome of selfishness and carelessness.

The way to fast track your riding and make sure you don't get to learn some of the lessons that scared the hell out of hundreds, injured many and even killed a few, is to get professional lessons. If you can't afford the lessons, you really cannot afford the sport.

Trained instructors in accredited schools are the way to enjoying the sport sooner without the pitfalls. An old mate of mine Dave, whom suffered severe spiral fractured femur now wishes he had lessons as he has trouble walking without a stick and will never again do any boardsports, but at least he saved a few hundred bucks on his lessons.

DM

ok lest backtrack a bit...
1... I diddnt say I was not going to get lessons
2... I diddnt say I couldnt afford lessons
3... I am asking questions,thats what a forum is for
4... I listen and take in all advice ( not blindly ) if people say get lessons I would
hence my post on who trains in the Illawarra.
5... Read the questions properly before answering and the world will be a better place.
I have been in the surf for the best part of 35 yrs and know what inexperienced people are capable of

Thanks for the constructive critisim from those who actually read my questions....

Nicko82 said...

You're coming across as a butthead straight up.

Who cares if you have 35 years surfing.. Puff out that chest...

sorry guys ,I have had a shocker of a day. Diddnt mean to be a turd.
I understand the fact that you care so much that a newbi dosent kill someone and give the sport a bad name.
I will do the responsible thing and go lessons.

I took lessons. Put up an ad on gumtree and found someone who taught me with my own gear at a discounted rate. Not the best way to do it, but it is a happy medium.

Hey mate hows it going, i know the frustration of getting into the sport when no lessons were available. When I bought my gear i hung around the kite sailing schools for a week, but mother nature was not kind and every day the instructor cancelled. I ran out of time and travelled home. I tried for a good month to get local lessons but was told to wait for summer even though the wind was blowing almost everyday.So what do i do sit on the beach for 6 months waiting or have a go. So icalled the sunshine coast and was told the same thing. When I purchased my kite the store salesman was a keen sailor and we went down the beach and did the complete setup and launch with me. I have sailed for around 20 years plus but the difference between sailboarding and kitesurfing is a broad leap. So I practiced setting up joined seabreeze talked to as many people as possible with experience and had a go. I did spend many hours with training kites first and then did a lot of hours in the water just learning kite skills and self rescue. I bought a kite and bar with the best safety features and I kite on a beach so remote there is usualy just me on it with a large out giving me a large margin of error.
I plan to get more advanced lessons next time I go south. If I had a real choice I would have got constant lessons, I have scared myself a couple of times but at least if I stuff up I will only injure myself. If you are extremely cautious you can achieve self teaching, but if you can get lessons that is the much safer and better option for everyone involved. These guys have learnt the hard way and they know what they are talking about. Ps I have started traveling away more to be with other experienced kiters and they have always been great with advice. Just be prepared to listen.

Try this ...
What can U use to get you up and planning on water on a twin tip...?
A kite.
A speedboat / jet ski.
A cable park.
A winch / jury rig tow line.

Which one does not have an off button or key?

The main aim is to take knowledgeable advice, not ignorance and wishful thinking.
There is an article on training in issue 57 (June-July) of Kiteworld magazine. Have a browse next time U R in a newsagency - a few minutes well spent.

Once you have a solid basic understanding through being trained (commercially or otherwise) suck up as much advice as you can from locals most are more than willing to have a chat / offer a hand.
All main stream kites after 2007-08 are well designed and have good safety systems. Another bit of the training jigsaw is getting a good understanding on what is suitable equipment for you where you plan to use it. You do not want to be on the beach with an over priced pre-2007 second hand dud with little clue on how to use it. Or if all the bits which are meant to be there are (in safe working order).

The people who make a living out of training are normally on the money for doing it the right way. If you are spending hard earned coin on equipment do your own research too (much easier once you have an understanding of what it is all about).

Your water experience will stand you in good stead.
Cheers
AP.

There is another way of looking at it if you are time poor as many of us are these days have lessons as you will progress so much faster under instruction I have seen guys banging their head against wall trying to get going and making the same mistakes for weeks I am sure another lesson or two would make all the difference for so many

winter said...

There is another way of looking at it if you are time poor as many of us are these days have lessons as you will progress so much faster under instruction I have seen guys banging their head against wall trying to get going and making the same mistakes for weeks I am sure another lesson or two would make all the difference for so many

Hey winter
Now thats a great way to look at it. Being time poor and not picking it up quickly is a combination for people quitting.
Cheers

Subculture said...

fingerbone said...

Looks like it wasnt such a dumb Question after all ...LOL...

Depends on whether you can take the overwhelming advice or not.

On the other hand..
A good friend of mine flies 747's. He taught himself - I swear. Simply climbed into one when it was sitting at the ramp unattended one day. Off he went, smooth as you like.
Said he'd watched the 'how to' online.

Here's your sign.

Pmsl...You crack me up...And you have some very talented friends...

I did lessons.

However, after watching an IKO instructor teach two students at once the other day I am unsure as to how much value they are.

The instructor was running in between the students while they were flying,one student launched in the power zone and was pulled over and crashed the kite about two meters behind the other. I am still unsure what the instructor was trying to achieve and I believe that in this case it was safer for the students, and the people surrounding them, not to take lessons.

Oh,did I mention no helmets either ,this should be lesson number one IMO.

Hi guys,

The school thing is a pain if you are trying to make a $$ out of it. A school, even a larger school like ours, is not profitable enough to run on it's own as a stand alone business, this is why we started retailing. The retail business basically subsidises the cost of lessons in hope that students will then come and buy their gear from the shop.

In order to make ends meet as a stand alone school, you have to do multi student lessons, where in most cases, the quality of lessons or tuition takes a steep nose dive.

There is literally no reason why any student doesn't have a quality helmet, a proper PFD and preferably a radio helmet. This stuff is essential, not optional.

Over the last 12 years, we have trialled practically every form of lesson scenario from one-on-one, to two-on-one, two-on-one and one-on-one from boat lessons, groups with multiple instructors working together, 2hr lessons, 3hr lessons and we have eventually come full circle back to a 2.5hr one-on-one lesson which gives optimal safety, progression and value for the customer.

If there is a better way to teach, I'm yet to discover it.

DM