Water lesson at KWS

San Francisco Bay Area kiteboarding lessons, learning and support.
Proparoo
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Don't whine, just do it. Practice, practice, practice.

Post by Proparoo » Thu May 18, 2006 9:50 am

"The lesson learned? Don't whine, just do it. Practice, practice, practice. Anything what looks like a kite will do. Go out and enjoy, don't complain. There will be lots of frustration, you'll swallow lot of water and unidentified objects.
Well....Others are never in charge for your success or level of happiness in anything. If it's right for you then you will know from the first second on. It's only up to you to make the best out of it and to enjoy. Well - like everything I guess. Kiting is Zen. "

KiteChick has summed it up totally.. I commend you! =D>

No one ever said it would be easy and as I am new to kiteing I too get totally frustrated and pissed but I know in the long run it will all be worth it. I see the writing on the wall, this sport ROCKS!!!

I have been windsurfing for 25 years and talk about frustrating, Hell, it takes you 3 years to just learn to turn...

So what I guess I am saying, stop your whineing, pissing & moaning,
It's going to be a lot of work (at the beginning) but as most good things in life, you have to work at it and not complain.

Sure it's easy to bitch at your instructor and blame it on others ( I know sometimes I want to) but really, you have read the replys from others that have had a good experience with your school and frankly, if they were really bad they probably be out of business by now just from word of mouth.

Rich
Rich "ATOM" Baum

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OliverG
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Post by OliverG » Thu May 18, 2006 10:14 am

Paul,

Thanks for your insight and contribution to the discussion, well said.

Ollie

michael
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Thanks

Post by michael » Thu May 18, 2006 12:04 pm

Thanks to all for the replies! I am really glad there were so much discussion, and different opinions.

I just want to clarify one thing. I posted a very specific question about my confusion with the learning process - "Where do I start ?" Some of the replies gave really good answers and advice. However, there were postings advising me not to complain, or whine, or blame the instructor - all these have pretty much nothing to do with my question.

The bottom line is that I have learned pretty much nothing from the water lesson with KWS. This is not to blame anyone, but rather to find out why. This is not to complain or whine, but rather to get an idea what to do next.

Well, by now I learned a lot from these postings. To those who were happy with the water lesson with KWS - your feedback was especially helpful because it showed what was so different in my case, and I can discuss this with KWS offline.

Thanks again!

Michael.

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OliverG
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Post by OliverG » Thu May 18, 2006 6:18 pm

I think this is a productive post with great replies from everyone showing the wide breadth of teaching methodology and available options. If a student ends up finding a lesson to be lacking in certain aspects or feels it wasn't productive, I'd bet that any school would want to at least try and put forth the effort to make it right. When it comes down to it, more teaching options is better, regardless of how they are doing it. I think all the schools in operation are doing a good job. Just think, where would we be if there was a lack of options available to new kiters?

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Post by andyandmarlys » Thu May 18, 2006 6:43 pm

I know that Jeff and Emily are in the process of making things right for you. I'd be happy to take you out myself... I have lots of experience on the bow kites and have lots of tips...


Andy

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Re: Water lesson at KWS

Post by Buzz » Mon Jul 31, 2006 8:35 pm

michael wrote:I was practicing with the trainer's kite, took a land lesson, and last weekend took the water lesson. During the land lesson I obviously discovered that the trainer's kite has little in common with the real kite. The water lesson is where I finally had a chance learning how to control the kite I practiced only for 20-30 minutes during the land lesson, and even with a totally different kite (the land lesson was with a C-kite, water lesson with a bow kite).

It is very nice KWS have jet ski and they give you a 30-minute ride to the middle of the bay, so you can get a good wind. Call me crazy, but this is the last thing a beginner needs. I needed a light wind, and while being in the water in the middle between Alameda and San Mateo, I couldn't see anything, and it made it very hard to memorize the direction of the wind.

I talked to other 2 people who were taking water lesson that day. They told me they were practicing before, did body dragging, took classes last year, etc., etc. Of course, if they ALREADY got some skills practicing with the real kite - a water lesson from KWS is the right thing for them. But for beginners like me it simply made no sense.

Also, I don't understand how this works. No lessons can teach me the most importan skill needed - controlling the kite (the real kite, not the trainer's kite). Therefore, I need to buy one (because nothing can be rented), and start practicing. To start practicing in the water, I have to take the water lesson first. And to take the water lesson (especially, ESPECIALLY with KWS), I already have to have good skills controlling the kite. So where do I start ?
Ditto and ditto. Very similar experience with my first water lesson. Very very surprised at the teaching technique and methodology. But I still want to learn how to kitesurf. So what did you end up doing to learn?

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Post by dewey » Mon Jul 31, 2006 9:07 pm

Buzz if it were that easy it wouldn't be very cool now would it.
Dewey

Don Bogardus
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Post by Don Bogardus » Mon Jul 31, 2006 10:05 pm

Conditions in a boat lesson can be mellow or otherwise, depending
on the day, at least when offshore, there are no hard objects, or people around to endanger with
your lack of developed kite skills.

Kiteboarding safely in difficult conditions takes lots of practise, every
time is different, and you gain useful data everytime to build upon!. :)

michael
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Post by michael » Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:01 pm

Buzz,

just read your message. My advice - get a Cabrinha Simulator kite. I am not sure they make them anymore, but you probably can get one of their 2004/2005 models. I bought 2004 from Aquan Sports in San Carlos - I checked with them recently, all were sold out long time ago. I guess I was lucky. Hopefully you can find a used one. I sold mine for almost the same price I paid - it was the best investment I have ever made.

This is a 4-line inflatable kite just like the real one, but small - only 2m. In my opinion this is THE best approach, and I am very surpised it's so hard to find it. KWS has a very similar kite flying outside of their store, but they don't sell anything like it.

Also, I don't want to make a wrong impression about KWS. These guys are really the best, and they do everything they can. They gave me a complementary water lesson, and I was able to get on board with them - for the first time! However, I had been practicing with Cabrinha Simulator for at least 2 weeks, and then had 2-3 sessions on the water by myself practicing body dragging (with 12m Cabrinha Element I also bought from KWS).

I noticed one thing though - I gave the simulator to my friend who never flew ANY kite in his life, and in 2 hours he was as comfortable with it as I was after practicing for 2 weeks. I have another friend who was able to snowboard on double diamond runs after being on snow for the first 3 days in his life, while others can't do it even after 3 years. I believe these are kind of people able to get on board with KWS on their first water lesson. But I am definetely not one of them ;-)

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Post by panzerfaust » Tue Aug 01, 2006 3:28 pm

Great advice michael, the issue here is not technique but preparation. Sure, you can fly a two line trainer until you are blue in the face but once you switch to a four line inflatable it's a completely different ballgame. Inflatables cost more so it's your choice on what to buy. Going for a water lesson with no kite flying skills is a waste of time.

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