Monday, November 26, 2007

Kite surfing conclusion and tips.


After a hard kiting session!!

Well, I though I would put a few pictures of me kite surfing up, so that you can see that the course has indeed brought some results.


I'm on my way...

In addition I believe a few comments regarding kite surfing and the course should be mentioned, in case anyone else gets inspired by my results.


First you have to pump up the kite..

The most important thing to remember about kite surfing in my opinion is that this can be a dangerous sport, and not to treat it too lightly. Of course that said, I think pretty much anyone who has the mind to it, can learn how to do it.


Make sure everything is ok, and lay out the lines..

First, find a good teacher. This sounds simple, but can be pretty complicated affair. A good starting point is to find out if they are accredited by an organization (IKO for example).


Time to practice..

Second, when meeting them, ask them a lot of questions and if they answer competently (or appear to) and communicate in a patient manner which you understand, then the chances that you can get along with him/her is good.


This isn't so hard after all..

Additionally, have a look at the equipment, have them show you the kites, boards, bars, flotation device, and harness. If it fits and is in good shape then you are off to a great start.

Lastly, discuss costs up front, know exactly what you are getting into. How many hours, what is included. Options after the course; can you rent from them, and what additional services can they provide. For example after the course, it is not certain that you will be surfing, but all you may need is some additional practice, how much will this cost, and can they provide someone to help or supervise you, should it be necessary.


Alex the Kite Cabana kite surf teacher

As far as my course was concerned. Alex is very competent, and the Kite Cabana Kite Surf School is a pretty small operation, so you get a lot of personalized service (this can be good or bad, depending on your point of view). One of the best things I found was Alex would make sure that you could master the various exercises before allowing you to move on. The course is not about just completing the 10 hours, regardless of your confidence and competence. Rather, he makes sure that you are ready to move on to the next stage before letting you continue.


Up and moving, and sometimes just moving...

On the downside, his equipment is in rather poor shape (read the previous blogs for examples of broken lines, kites etc..), and the choices are definitely limited. Also on the downside Alex would often get called away or interrupted by other students/teachers or whatever while giving class, leaving you there waiting.

Finally, there were two things that I missed in this course. The first was a syllabus. It would have been nice to have an outline of how the course is structured at the beginning. Of course if this is required, you can just ask. Nevertheless, I think that it is a good idea that they provide it up front.


Getting dragged along in the water is easier than standing up..

Also, I think some more time should be spend on explaining the equipment itself, in particular, care and maintenance, different setups, advantages and disadvantages and other details regarding the sport itself and what you need to know to practice it safely and competently.

All in all, would I do this course again at the Kite Cabana Kite Surf School, the answer is yes.


It isn't all about kite surfing...


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