View |
SO, YOU WANT TO BE A KITESURFER?
KNOW THE FACTS AND DO IT RIGHT:
Don't say you haven't been warned -- Kitesurfing WILL change your life.
Once you pull the skills together and master flying the kite, controlling the board, going upwind, jumping and riding waves with a kite, everything in your life will become different. It's an incredible buzz like no other. Be prepared: your life priorities will change, your friends will change, your holidays will change, you'll probably change your car and you might even end up ditching your partner if they don't follow you along on the wild, new ride. (Or, more likely, they might ditch you if they don't see what you're so excited about) (You know you're addicted to kitesurfing when...)
PLEASE READ THIS:
When practiced according to established guidelines, the chances are you'll be safe while kitesurfing, and statistically it's s a very safe sport (safer than rugby and rock fishing for example...) But make no mistake -- if you don't do the right thing, or when things break or you make a mistake or someone else near you makes a mistake--things can go wrong and you can get hurt and badly. In the hands of an untrained person kitesurfing kites can be VERY dangerous -- bad things can and do happen very quickly. Broken ankles, legs, arms, necks, backs, skulls and yes, people do die. Every year people are seriously injured and killed in this sport. You can be dragged through fences, smashed into trees, launched into parked cars, rocks, houses or any number of other hard object. No joke--it DOES happen. And you need to be prepared. The "secret" to safety is to regularly practice using your safety gear -- when something goes wrong you need to be able to respond instinctively--and that means being able to react INSTANTLY and KNOW what you are going to do in a emergency before it happens so that you don't need to think about it. Chances are if you have to pause to think about what to do, it'll already be too late. If there is one thing I can suggest that is more important than anything else in this sport its that you should REGULARLY spend time learning how your safety gear works and REGULARLY practice using it. It could save your life.
So, if you're not put off by all this and you STILL want to do it, here is some advice:
- GET EXPERT INSTRUCTION
You wouldn't try to teach yourself to fly a plane so why would you try and learn to kitesurf on your own? If you can't afford lessons, you can't afford to be a kitesurfer. Firstly, it's just too dangerous and second, there's no point. Trying to learn yourself will waste a lot of your time, create a lot of frustration and potentially endanger your own welbeing and that of others. A qualified instructor will get you up and going far faster than you could ever do it yourself and chances are the time you'll save will pay for the instructor fees and the safety aspects you'll learn may just save your life. I used to teach and I'm a qualified IKO instructor but because of all the absurd regulations that exist these days, I've stopped teaching. However, there are some good schools around and If you want a recommendation of a good school or a good instructor in your area, email me: lessons AT [change the AT to @ and remove this bit] kitesurfing. [REMOVE THIS] com.au [SORRY FOR THE HASSLE BUT SCAMMERS AND SPAMMERS ARE CONSTANTLY SENDING SPAM ROBOTS TO COLLECT EMAIL ADDRESSES OFF THIS SITE] and I'll put you in touch with someone in your area.
- LEARN THE THEORY BEHIND THE SKILLS:
a. SPEND TIME STUDYING THE THEORETICAL INFORMATION BEFORE YOUR LESSONS and you'll be better prepared once you begin your lessons. There is a lot of free information available online here: http://www.kitesurfingschool.org
b. ON THE LINKS BELOW IS PART 1 AND PART 2 OF A USEFUL TRAINING MANUAL THAT WILL GIVE YOU SOME ADDITIONAL HELP. (a few years old but most of it is still relevant)
CLICK HERE TO READ THE BEGINNER MANUAL
CLICK HERE TO READ THE INTERMEDIATE MANUAL
- COMMIT TO DOING IT RIGHT.
To become reasonably proficient and self-sufficient you'll need at least three months of practicing every weekend. If you don't have the committment from the beginning, don't start as you'll just be wasting your time.
- JOIN YOUR LOCAL KITESURFING ASSOCIATION THROUGH THE AUSTRALIAN KITESURFING ASSOCIATION (AKSA) AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ADEQUATE PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE.
No one likes having to pay for insurance but this is one instance when your really do need it. You will be kiting in places where there are other people around. Kites are powerful and potentially dangerous. Sometimes things just break without warning and accidents do happen. You don't want one accident to ruin your life, and possibly someone else's as well. Join your state-based organisation via the AKSA and you will receive public liability insurance along with the other benefits of membership.
JOIN HERE CLICK HERE
Hope to see you on the water!
Cheers,
Rob
|
