Re: Trainer kite bfore lessons?
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:20 pm
I think it all depends on what you mean by "master the trainer kite"
interpretation 1: You learn to fly the kite, can control it, can make it do figure 8s, can launch and land with it.
interpretation 2: You can do everything in #1, but you can also fly the kite with your eyes closed for several minutes. You can fly the kite with one hand while holding a conversation with a beautiful woman. You can spin around with the kite above you. you can pass the bar behind your back without dropping the kite. You can run around with the kite in one hand, let go of it, spin 360 degrees and catch the bar again.
most people choose route #1. This is sufficient. It teaches you how to fly a kite. I believe this is what EvanOR is talking about. However, if you can do #2, it will help you considerably.
So, Jay83, it's up to you. If you're just gonna fool around with a trainer for a few days, no, it's not worth buying one. better off just borrow one for a day and then spend the money on lessons. if you want to get the most out of your lessons, commit to mastering that trainer. really mastering it. I'm serious about the eyes closed thing.
I learned to kiteboard on a 2 line ram-air foil. If you dropped it in the water, your session was over and it was time to swim. For that reason, I spent months with the trainer and got insanely good at it. When it got time to get in the water, I never dropped the kite...Trainers were crucial back then, because you wouldn't dare get in the water without stellar kite control skills. (esp cause there were no lessons or jet skis to come to your aid). Nowadays, the new kites relaunch and the lessons are awesome, so you can learn those same kite control skills on the water with a real kite.
So, in response to your question about KWS saying to get a kite and WOW saying you don't need one? they're both right. You'll maximize your lessons if you practice with a trainer first, but you don't need to. Just remember, if a lesson is 6 hours and you're a rockstar on land, then you end up with say 5.5 hours of water time. If you suck on land and have to learn to fly the trainer, then you have say 4 hours of water time.
so, if you end up borrowing a trainer, fly it with your eyes closed with one hand. it's the most valuable practice the trainer can give you IMHO.
interpretation 1: You learn to fly the kite, can control it, can make it do figure 8s, can launch and land with it.
interpretation 2: You can do everything in #1, but you can also fly the kite with your eyes closed for several minutes. You can fly the kite with one hand while holding a conversation with a beautiful woman. You can spin around with the kite above you. you can pass the bar behind your back without dropping the kite. You can run around with the kite in one hand, let go of it, spin 360 degrees and catch the bar again.
most people choose route #1. This is sufficient. It teaches you how to fly a kite. I believe this is what EvanOR is talking about. However, if you can do #2, it will help you considerably.
So, Jay83, it's up to you. If you're just gonna fool around with a trainer for a few days, no, it's not worth buying one. better off just borrow one for a day and then spend the money on lessons. if you want to get the most out of your lessons, commit to mastering that trainer. really mastering it. I'm serious about the eyes closed thing.
I learned to kiteboard on a 2 line ram-air foil. If you dropped it in the water, your session was over and it was time to swim. For that reason, I spent months with the trainer and got insanely good at it. When it got time to get in the water, I never dropped the kite...Trainers were crucial back then, because you wouldn't dare get in the water without stellar kite control skills. (esp cause there were no lessons or jet skis to come to your aid). Nowadays, the new kites relaunch and the lessons are awesome, so you can learn those same kite control skills on the water with a real kite.
So, in response to your question about KWS saying to get a kite and WOW saying you don't need one? they're both right. You'll maximize your lessons if you practice with a trainer first, but you don't need to. Just remember, if a lesson is 6 hours and you're a rockstar on land, then you end up with say 5.5 hours of water time. If you suck on land and have to learn to fly the trainer, then you have say 4 hours of water time.
so, if you end up borrowing a trainer, fly it with your eyes closed with one hand. it's the most valuable practice the trainer can give you IMHO.