When Can I Practice Kiteboarding On My Own?

When Can I Practice Kiteboarding On My Own?

A common question is “when can I practice kiteboarding on my own”? There are some critical skills a kiteboarder needs to know before they can kiteboard on their own. But, before a kiteboarder goes out, one should develop situational awareness. This covers the awareness needed to reduce the chance for injury. In our kiteboarding lessons, we cover everything from situational awareness to the fundamental skills required to become a safe and independent kiteboarder.

This article will be divided into two categories. The beginning of the article will cover the situational awareness to assess the environment. It is important to choose the correct environment to practice in. The end of the article will cover the necessary skills to begin practicing on one’s own.

Situational Awareness for Beginners

A person cannot kiteboard any time, any day, or any place. There are situations where the conditions are ideal, and scenarios that are not safe. This section will go through the process we use to assess the appropriate conditions.

1. Wind Strength: Is the wind strong enough and not too strong? We recommend beginner kiteboarders practicing in 10 – 20 kt winds. The kiteboarder’s kite size is the ultimate determinant for the right wind conditions. Kite size is a combination of the rider’s weight and wind speed. Check out this interactive calculator to determine the right sized kite for your weight.
2. Wind Direction: Do not get blown out to sea! Make sure that the wind direction is blowing towards the beach. In case of a worst case scenario, the wind should blow the rider back to shore. The technical terms are an onshore, cross-onshore, or side shore wind.
3. Water Depth: Waist deep water is ideal for practicing. Deep water adds a whole new challenge to practicing on one’s own. We do not recommend practicing in deep water until the fundamentals are mastered. St. Petersburg offers ideal waist deep water for any wind condition.
4. General Weather: Make sure there are no storms or inclement weather that could create a dangerous situation.

Situational Awareness at the Beach

The first thing to do is to assess the wind and weather conditions before driving to the beach. At the beach, there are things to be aware of that will help reduce the chance for injury. If unsure at any stage, seek help from a more experienced kiteboarder. Another important rule, when in doubt don’t go out.

1. Observe Other Kiteboarders: Are there other kiteboarders at the beach? If there are not any other kiteboarders, reevaluate going out to practice. A beginner should not practice on their own without anyone there to help. If there are other kiteboarders, find someone similar in weight. Observe the kite size of riders similar in weight to you.
2. Launching: Find a place to setup and launch where there is the least chance for injury. Each scenario will be different. Look around and try to see potential hazards. Watch other kiteboarders launch their kites. If unsure, ask a more experienced kiteboarder for help.
3. Hazards on the Water: Try to find potential hazards on the water. This can be done through viewing Google Earth Satellite or talking to the local kiteboarders. Avoid the hazards and position yourself in a safe environment. Throughout your session continue to observe your surroundings.

Critical Skills for Kiteboarding on Your Own

There are two ways to look at kiteboarding on your own, riding upwind and having fundamental kite control skills. The fundamental kite control skills are the minimum skills needed to go out on one’s own. This section will cover the basic fundamental skills needed to kiteboard on your own.

1. Launching/ Landing: There are two main ways to launch a kiteboarding kite. One way is with the assistance of another person. This is the most common way that kiteboarders launch their kites. Another way to launch a kite is to do a drift launch. A drift launch is a good way to launch the kite on your own. Read the environment and choose the option that is the safest for the situation.
2. Kite Control in Neutral Zones: Make sure to comfortably fly the kite in the neutral zones. A kiteboarder should be able to keep the kite in the neutral zones. This will be important when walking upwind after launching the kite. The kiteboarder should be able to fly the kite without crashing long enough to walk a safe distance from the beach.
3. Water Relaunches: Crashing is inevitable so it is important to know how to perform a water relaunch.
4. Safety Systems: If water relaunching is not working or a dangerous situation arises, it is imperative to know the safety systems. Do not be afraid to engage the safety systems. Modern safety systems are designed to work and be easy to put back together.
5. Body Drag Upwind: This is very important if there is any deep water. Upwind body drags will help maneuver the kiteboarder safely to shallow water. And if there is no shallow water, upwind body drags are critical to maintaining control of one’s environment.

Conclusion

We understand that kiteboarding lessons can be expensive. But one thing that separates us from other places is how effective we are at teaching the fundamental skills to make safe and independent kiteboarders. Once the necessary skills are developed, we offer abbreviated lessons with supervision. Our main focus is on creating safe and independent kiteboarders in the most effective way possible. For more information on our lessons, fill out the form below!

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