Hey guys,
I have been very interested in Kite boarding for quite sometime now, and this year I finally took the leap and purchased some equipment. I have been flying my 2.5 meter trainer kite as often as possible and I've gone through the a few hours of lessons with a pretty cool IKO instructor. The transition to water is what is making me really nervous, I am so excited about getting out there and sliding around, but at the same time, when I think about it my stomach does flips. I'm not sure about how I should proceed. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers heaps :)

been kiting for years, and every time i approach the beach my stomach flips.
that's the exciting bit
just embrace it

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Kiwiburger said..

Hey guys,
I have been very interested in Kite boarding for quite sometime now, and this year I finally took the leap and purchased some equipment. I have been flying my 2.5 meter trainer kite as often as possible and I've gone through the a few hours of lessons with a pretty cool IKO instructor. The transition to water is what is making me really nervous, I am so excited about getting out there and sliding around, but at the same time, when I think about it my stomach does flips. I'm not sure about how I should proceed. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers heaps :)

Practice your upwind body dragging every time you go down to the beach before you take out the board so you know you can get it back.
Also practice your self rescue until you feel confident that you can do it successfully in all conditions.
This should give you the confidence to know you can get yourself back to the beach if things go bad.

Those two second from the moment the kite leaves the sand till it flies steady at zen.

Then you're sweet!

well, as long as you don't, ***insert possible fu&k up here***

Go for it buddy!

Perfectly normal... This is the barrier you must push through... Then the barrier just moves up 5 knots, then you push through that... Learn to self launch and more importantly self land, this will help heeeeaaappsss... Puts you in control of the start and end of your session without relying on anyone else... Them kiting is all yours... Have fun....

Have you done board starts and self rescue? If not. do some more lessons.

Also go and me a kite launcher at your local beach. Launch kites, land then. hand dudes their boards. build a report with your local crew and yourl find some friendly locals that will keep an eye on you.....

Agree with the other comments… I had the same nervous thoughts and that wasn’t that long ago. Easy now but back then I found it challenging to manage the kite and board while getting hit around by the waves/ chop also in the back of my head someone was asking what I would do if I did get up and going and then stacked it in the deep water out there near the shark buoys!! I ended up finding a shallow beach (a lake would do) that was protected from the swell, then I could concentrate on getting up onto the board. Did this for a few times then went back to the surf area- sorry no inspirational idea but it worked for me…

1) Launch in nice open spaces where if anything goes wrong uve got plenty of room downwind

2) launch 90 degrees into the wind the third time i went out my dad hot launched me still have a grass burn scar on my foot 3 years later

3) Get someone who knows wat ur doing to launch ur kite tell them ur a beginer and they will give u good advise. I would not recommend learning self launch/land yet as u need to get used to how the kite reacts

3) watch videos on self rescue and go practice it easier if u have shallow water

4) right kite size for wind for a beginer you waste a bit of wind so u want to be powered

These are just tips to keep u safe as far as kiting goes ur skills get better the more u perservere just dont be afraid to swoop kite hatd when water starting and know how to body drag
Goodluck

All great advice. Can I just add, reserve a focused span of time where learning to safely kite is your top priority. Starting out, has this threshold, once reached, you develop really fast. But I see and have seen a lot of crew pissing about with it and a year later are 'still gonna kite' sh1t they still even have the gear, because they didn't allocate a focused amount of time to get past this threshold.

Make it your absolute mission to safely stay upwind with of course all the other procedures mentioned. Then you are at a point where the learning will take care of itself.

It's not a sport when you start that you can fck about in the early stages, a bit there and bit here, a session this month another two weeks later..(or worse go down their and sit around talking about kiting) or you will still be as good as day one and need to start all over again.

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Kiwiburger said..

Hey guys,
I have been very interested in Kite boarding for quite sometime now, and this year I finally took the leap and purchased some equipment. I have been flying my 2.5 meter trainer kite as often as possible and I've gone through the a few hours of lessons with a pretty cool IKO instructor. The transition to water is what is making me really nervous, I am so excited about getting out there and sliding around, but at the same time, when I think about it my stomach does flips. I'm not sure about how I should proceed. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers heaps :)

I feel your pain buddy.
Today I did my first solo body drag at the local haunt, met some locals who gave me some pointers. Helped launch and land some kites. And let me say I was crapping my pants when I got there, but once I met a few kiters they calmed my nerves a bit and I felt comfortable enough to give it a go. I have only ever had 2 lessons and have experience in skateboarding, wakeboarding and sailing.
All I can say is take a deep breath and just dive off the deep end regarding water action. After today I feel a lot more confident (still very respectful of the dangers) and ready to do it all over again.
Bring on the wind!

As what everyone else says.
I will add this...at your level you still need some qualified lessons. This will help ease your fears and the instructor should be able to help settle you down in the water. Don't even think about a board until you can body drag up wind both ways, can launch the kite in the water from any crash, (meaning learning how to swim toward your kite when you have choked and stalled it to get it to swing around), and also have learned to do a self rescue. Having all those skills makes it easier for you to relax. Once those skills are set, the board part will be easy enough. Use short lines to start with if you are able, this will help a lot in the beginning. Go for it, the fear is healthy and normal. You will get over the initial fear and turn it into respect.

Great words of wisdom from eppo and dafish.....go with it. What you are experiencing is normal. It really is all about time at the beach, lake or wherever it is you kite, setting up, packing down, talking to people and trying new things. I think if ever you lose that butterfly feeling before a session or before a launch in decent wind then you have become complacent and that's when accidents can occur regardless of your experience.

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kitebt said..
I think if ever you lose that butterfly feeling before a session or before a launch in decent wind then you have become complacent and that's when accidents can occur regardless of your experience.

The butterfly feeling does get progressively higher and more extreme.


Excited yes. Butterflies. For me 28+knots and or massive swell.

You'll get to a point where you'll just have to close your eyes and take that leap of faith. I am talking about jumps and tricks, especially the front and back rolls. Once you do it and land it properly, there is no turning back.

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Loftywinds said..

You'll get to a point where you'll just have to close your eyes and take that leap of faith. I am talking about jumps and tricks, especially the front and back rolls. Once you do it and land it properly, there is no turning back.

I think that goes for the more complex tricks as well for experienced riders.....only thing is you know how much it's gonna hurt if you stuff it up, but someone knew and indeed young ...sometimes ignorance is bliss.

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Kiwiburger said..

Hey guys,
I have been very interested in Kite boarding for quite sometime now, and this year I finally took the leap and purchased some equipment. I have been flying my 2.5 meter trainer kite as often as possible and I've gone through the a few hours of lessons with a pretty cool IKO instructor. The transition to water is what is making me really nervous, I am so excited about getting out there and sliding around, but at the same time, when I think about it my stomach does flips. I'm not sure about how I should proceed. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers heaps :)

Honesty without bravado and no BS, nice kiwi.
Dont let this put you off, but i cracked a couple of ribs early on(awful RRD type 2 kite) and still makes my stomach flip 6 years later, you will get there.
I quite often found myself talking myself out of going down to the beach, just do it, just get to the beach and meet others and before you know it you will be flying.

When i was beginning i felt so much more comfortable doing it in the river.

Every single kiter you see out there has gone through the same thing. Good advice above. Take baby steps early on, get the basics of kiting and self rescue dialled in. Then, one day,, when it feels right bite off just a tiny bit more than you think you can chew...not too much. You'll probably surprise yourself. That's life.

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Calvin6m said..

When i was beginning i felt so much more comfortable doing it in the river.

You know the reason so many people are kiting. It is because it's a easy sport to learn. Keep at it you will reach a certain level then your ability will accelerate. Then you will be king of the point in no time. Happy day's.

I just wanna say thanks to everybody that commented! All your advise has been awesome. I'm still not on a board yet but I have been enjoying bodydraging quite a Lot. Self recuses , water launches and water pack downs. Have really boosted my confidence and I have to say a massive thank you to all the people in kurnell for your patience and time especially Rory and Alex, you guys are awesome.

you are what I wish all beginners would do and post it here. I Began and I Respect wall would be nice.