I've invested in learning a new hobby - kiteboarding. Initially I was calling it kitesurfing, but I think the sport is evolving to differentiate between those words, as well as add a few new ones. So what have I learned so far and what are the surprises?
First, I would differentiate kiteboarding - that which is done on a board similar to used in snowboarding, from kitesurfing, which is generally done on a board more resembling a surf board. And as the name kitesurfing implies, that's done on waves, with the kite being an additional factor allowing the surfer to pull in and out of waves more easily. Kites are being specifically designed so they will drift - which is to say, continue hanging in the air with minimal input while the kitesurfer concentrates more on the wave than the kite. While I may kitesurf in the distant future, the surfing component adds to the complexity. As a sidenote, Wikipedia is now sending the kitesurfing page to the kiteboarding page, using kiteboarding as a more generic term.
What are the surprises I've found? Most obvious, to the casual observer it appears that the kiteboarder's propulsion is due to holding onto a bar. This observation is misleading, and becomes the first major point in learning to kiteboard. The power of the kite is transmitted to the kiteboarder primarily by lines that go to a metal hook worn on a belt near the waist. Beginners generally attach the hook with a harness similar to used in rock climbing. More advanced riders attach the hook with a belt around the lower waist, leaving the legs with more freedom. Since beginners generally spend more time with the kite higher in the air, the waist harness tends to ride up and press uncomfortably against the ribs. So the first lesson involves developing the instinct to let go of the bar, not hang onto it! And a second part of letting go is developing the instinct of activating the quick-release so that an out-of-control kite doesn't drag you somewhere unsafe.
Letting go of the bar leads to the first instance where I believe I wasted some money on the learning curve. I had read, and was convinced by the first kite shop I went to that I should buy a trainer kite (or at least rent one). To be honest, I think it was a waste of money. The rationale for a trainer kite is to learn how to steer the kite. The reality is two-fold against that. First, the training kite is much smaller and steers differently from the regular kite. Not only does the normal kite have some lag due to the larger size and longer lines; there is also a major difference in the power, and how you must react to and control that power. Second, the full-size kite will transmit its power to the hook connected to your waist, with the bar being used only for steering and trim adjustments. The learner kite I rented and bought had a center line for de-powering the kite, but this was very different from having a center line that's the primary power-connection to the kite. Unless you want a kite to use later for pulling snow skis or a skateboard (which cannot be done anywhere there are power lines), my advice is to buy yourself a lesson that includes equipment rather than buying a learner kite. This will give you a much better sense of whether the sport is for you.
My initial thoughts were to buy the kite from the store that would throw in a free lesson, and off-you-go to practice on your own. After dealing with a $300 learner kite, I decided to take a different route before investing another estimated $3000 in equipment. Another outlet offered a package deal of three lessons - or you could buy one lesson and then decide whether you wanted the package deal. That's what I did. After the first lesson, I definitely wanted more - because the first lesson was only on the beach! The second lesson was in the water, but I felt like I was going to drown several times coping with the kite as well as an instructor who was by necessity attached to me and not necessarily helping with my balance in the water. The third lesson was in a boat that took us out into the bay and followed us as we flogged around in the water. I was pretty nervous about being in the middle of the bay, but the boat driver was amazing and it was very reassuring having a boat with assistance via radio-helmet; ready to pluck us out of the water when we'd had enough flogging. One of the big lessons of that day was how far you drift in the water when you're trying to get your equipment together and kite back into the air.
Out in the bay, after four hours of previous lessons, I was probably up on the board for about three seconds. I spent a lot more time wrestling with the board trying to get it onto my feet. The big thrill / surprise / fright out there in the bay was accidentally looping the kite, causing it to yank my body from the water and shoot me across the surface 4-5 meters. I probably did this 3-4 times. I got a lot of practice re-launching the kite from the water, including one time when it landed on the trailing rather than leading edge. This requires different tactics for turning the kite over.
In the first two lessons - on land and learning to body-drag in the water without a board - it didn't matter whether the kite was slightly underpowered. But in the third lesson, the size of the kite and the size of the board had to be appropriate for the weight of the person. For this reason, they would generally take out two students of approximately the same weight so they could share equipment. The other guy with me had had previous lessons a couple of times and was much farther along the learning curve. He got up on the board a few times - though not for a long distance. The parting advice he was given: if you can find a place where there's water shallow enough to stand after you crash, you're good enough to practice on your own. The advice I was given? Keep practicing learning how to control the kite - which is something that requires a full-size kite to do. I decided it was time to buy equipment so I could practice on the beach or in shallow water.
I ended up getting a new kite, new harness, and used board. After having the board in the water, I am happy to report that the board I bought is thinner than the one used during lessons, so it has less flotation and is easier to maneuver to get onto my feet. Beginners usually use larger boards, and later, these boards can still be useful for lower wind situations. I bought a new kite because it came with a warranty, and a new harness because I liked the style and fit of a particular model.
I live fairly close to the water, but via the lessons and subsequently, I've learned more about critical weather factors. One big factor is though a kiteboard can go upwind, it cannot do this as effectively as a sailboat. This creates some critical safety factors which are common sense, but you don't think about going in. Until you are very experienced, you're going to be drifting downwind. This means for the duration of your session, the wind should be parallel to the beach or at an angle blowing towards the beach (completely perpendicular isn't optimal either). A kiteboarder must always be aware of what's a couple of line lengths downwind, or as you move farther into the water, where you will end up if something goes wrong and you are forced to either drift or swim in. Mind you, beginner kites currently have an inflated edge, so the kite can potentially be used as a float. And even if you're sitting on the kite, you can pull one edge up to make it into a sail. But the wind direction is what will take you back to shore, out to sea, or into a place you don't want to go.
I was aware when I took lessons that it was the end of summer. The reliable, thermal sea breeze driven by land heating up would be ending. In the weeks since then I've been watching the weather continuously, learning how the wind shifts directions as fronts pass through, and figuring out which beaches are best for which wind directions. Some of the people who give lessons have left the southern hemisphere winter and headed for northern hemisphere summer; following more reliable breezes.
Overall, kiteboarding is a sport that works best and allows you to progress if you live near a large body of water that offers non-turbulent wind (generally flowing towards the land). If you took a week-long holiday to somewhere with reliable wind; lessons were offered and you had access to equipment all week, you would potentially be up on the board by the end of the week. After three lessons, when I bought equipment and took it out on my own, I realized that the instructor had launched the kite for me every time - so I didn't have the critical details on launching. I watched some videos, but also, another hour of free lesson came with the purchase. This ended up stretching into 90 minutes, and the instructor also taught my wife how to help me launch the kite. Still, on our own we had trouble launching, but realized it was because the wind in that location was turbulent - part of it coming from over land and part of it streaming around a headland. Also in the post-purchase session, the instructor informed me that I had been attaching the lines incorrectly; a loop goes over a knot, but what happens when an end has a loop AND a knot?? I did do it consistently enough that the kite could fly, though maybe not optimally.
Why kiteboarding? I water skied when I was young. I love being in the water. I've also sailed, and who doesn't like flying kites?! It seemed like the best of all of that. When I first decided to learn I was living in a tiny apartment, so I was happy to pursue something with equipment that wouldn't take up much space. I can load it onto my motorcycle. Learning to control the power of the kite is a bit trickier than I expected. Having it accidentally launch you out of the water into the air is exhilarating. This could be fatal if it happens on shore, which is why lessons are critical. There are plenty of accident videos on YouTube - I would say it's best not to watch these before taking lessons. There are also lots of lesson videos, but the problem with learning through various videos is you don't know what details were left out of any particular video; it's better to use them as a review. A reputable instructor will cover and maybe even over-emphasize certain safety practices. Many of the accident videos are people who may have been self-taught or decided not to heed various safety practices. Also the new equipment has more safety and stability features built in than older equipment. The best spots to kiteboard near major cities are starting to get crowded - though still not as crowded as the surf breaks.
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