FREE Kiteboarding LESSONS!!!

San Francisco Bay Area kiteboarding lessons, learning and support.
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HelmKites3rd
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FREE Kiteboarding LESSONS!!!

Post by HelmKites3rd » Fri Sep 18, 2009 2:18 pm

Free Lessons!!

Learn the basics of kite-flying while having fun with the trainer kite!
We provide the gear!

When: Tuesdays and Fridays from 5-6pm.
Location: 3rd Avenue in San Mateo at the Upper launch.

Call Helm of Sun Valley to reserve a spot.
650-344-2711
Helmsports.com

NewBkiter
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Re: FREE Kiteboarding LESSONS!!!

Post by NewBkiter » Tue Apr 13, 2010 8:54 pm

Alright, so I may be about 6 months late. 7 if we are being technical. I will be moving to Sunnyvale from Virginia in June when my sons Kindergarten is out. My wife has a ton of family out there so we are going to make sure our 6 year old has that big time family influence. In the mean time, she asked what I wanted to do there.

I wanna live!! Adrenaline is missed from my blood stream and I do so desire it. I googled California adrenaline rush and ended up here after lots of clicking.

We took a trip to Cali for about 2 weeks during which I purchased my trainer kite at your location in San Mateo after a long walk in the rain that we didn't quite expect! Good thing it wasn't raining too hard. Slingshot B2. It is very familiar as I used to fly trick kites at a younger age. I have absolutely no board experience so that will be an issue at first I am sure.

Before I ramble on and on and on... I have gotten a bit bored with the trainer kite though I probably only have about 10 hours on it so far. Are the free lessons still being offered?

P.S.
Helmsports,

Thanks again for calling the cab for my wife, son and myself. We will be back!

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Re: FREE Kiteboarding LESSONS!!!

Post by HelmKites3rd » Fri Apr 23, 2010 11:32 am

NewB-

We are happy to hear from you! Free lessons will still happen when you come back to california. But if you are starting to become bored with the trainer kite here are a few more techniques you can utilize using the small kite.

1) walk with it--- meaning walk left and right with the wind, walk up wind, and practice this with one hand and then switching them. This will allow you to locate your board with your free hand; practice with both on both sides of the window.

2) fly it w/o looking at it---easier said than done! if you can keep your kite above the ground to your left or right, while not looking at it, this will translate into you looking where you are going versus staring endlessly at your kite. Other kiters and windsurfers appreciate eye contact when sailing opposed to the person staring off at their kite.

3) Watch the DVDs--- Progression: Beginner or Zero 2 Hero are fantastic instructional videos that provide you a bit more technical background info. There is a ton of information that you can miss if you skip out on any instructional DVD.

This may or may not assist you in what you are looking for, but drop by when you are settled in or respond to this post!

Cheers!

Greg @ Helm

NewBkiter
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Re: FREE Kiteboarding LESSONS!!!

Post by NewBkiter » Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:14 pm

Ty for the tips and suggestions.
Lately, I have been walking back and forth and running back and forth while sineing (sp?) to generate power while I'm on the move. It's certainly not the same as standing still. I also fly it at the bottom of the wind window zipping it from left to right just 1-3 feet off the ground. I'm not sure if that is a required skill or not but it sure is entertaining!

I read someone else's tips at once point and have been tracing clouds and tree lines. Sometimes I'll find 2 clouds close enough to trace figure 8's around them. Add the occasional airplane and I have all sorts of things to trace!

Done some practice with flying while my eyes are closed or flying with it behind me while I am walking away. For instance when I need to grab a drink from my van I will fly one handed either in neutral or just off to one side. I ran into a kiter at an office park I was flying at in Sunnyvale and carried on quite the conversation with her, keeping eye contact and not crashing until I lost the wind.

I'll do some more work with flying w/o looking add in while walking and definitely check out the videos. While they are not a hands on kinda thing they will give the info you speak of. It may sound corny but I love information. Since my discovery of this potential hobby for myself, I have spent hours in the evenings reading the forums, equipment reviews, instructional pages and watching videos. My favorites folder has grown quite a bit!

Thanks again!

Aaron

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rvv
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Re: FREE Kiteboarding LESSONS!!!

Post by rvv » Fri Apr 23, 2010 9:42 pm

tips for you:
1) hands always in the center of the bar (a thumbs width across)
2)control kite at neutral positions(9,12 and 3 oclock)
3)practice 11-1pm diving power strokes with follow up turns to same side of window (do both sides, kite to 12n neutral in between) keeping kite well above ground. wind conditions here will require flying traing in the "pocket" or more at a 45 angle while piloting.
4)repeat same as #3 while walking in the lateral direction (lt,rt), cross wind, repeat.
5)powerstroke the kite from seated position pulling your self up to your feet with powerstroke.
6)always be in control even when not looking at the kite
7)done get on a bigger kite and don't look back (cept to practice tricks)
:) :)
cya at the beach newb
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Re: FREE Kiteboarding LESSONS!!!

Post by NewBkiter » Mon Apr 26, 2010 9:02 am

rvv wrote:tips for you:
1) hands always in the center of the bar (a thumbs width across)
Is that to be ready for when I am flying with one hand? I think I understand that with them in the middle I will need to put less input to the bar in order to get the kite to respond.
2)control kite at neutral positions(9,12 and 3 oclock)
3)practice 11-1pm diving power strokes with follow up turns to same side of window (do both sides, kite to 12n neutral in between) keeping kite well above ground. wind conditions here will require flying traing in the "pocket" or more at a 45 angle while piloting.
I've been hearing of the diving power strokes. But when I picture diving from 11 to 1 I dont see a dive at all, instead I see it zipping from one side to the other. Is that correct? I'm not trying to get smart with you or question you but make sure I understand. I have been doing other dives from 10-4, 11-3, 1-9 etc.
4)repeat same as #3 while walking in the lateral direction (lt,rt), cross wind, repeat.
5)powerstroke the kite from seated position pulling your self up to your feet with powerstroke.
6)always be in control even when not looking at the kite
7)done get on a bigger kite and don't look back (cept to practice tricks)
:) :)
cya at the beach newb

Thanks for the tips! Will be hitting the beach today to get some practice with stronger shore winds and self launching with sand instead of random objects weighting down the trailing edge.

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Re: FREE Kiteboarding LESSONS!!!

Post by kiteaddict » Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:00 pm

I hope I'm not too late, but are you still doing the kite trainer lessons? they're not for me, they're for my boyfriend who wants to learn. I have the gear and ride but I'm not going to let a complete newbie use my gear without going on the trainer kite first. Let me know if you're still giving trainer kite lessons or if I can check out a trainer kite. We hope to be in the bay area this weekend. thanks.

PS: we're actually in the Salinas/Monterey area. I don't even know the good beginner kiting spots for the Bay area. I hear Santa Cruz has too many waves this time of year for beginners.

PS: to the guy flying the trainer kite, I advise just going all out and getting a kite. I flew my trainer to the point where I was overstearing when I got my 9m kite. I was used to my tiny trainer kite and I had to re-adjust to the slower turn time on a bigger kite. Of course, my trainer kite was probably only 1 m long. REALLY tiny.

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