Kite PROGRAMS

KITING is an incredibly expansive sport that can be practiced on ground (traction kiting), snow (snow kiting) and water.  When kiting on the water, you can ride a twin tip (kinda like a wake board), a surf board (aka a directional board) or a foil board (flying above the water).  The typical stages of progression are as follows; first you learn to ride a twin tip and develop your kite control, then once your kite and board control is good enough, one usually moves on to a directional board.  This is when you feel like an actual surfer, but you get to ride the board way more than if you were just wave surfing without a kite.  Finally, kiters eventually choose to learn kite foiling to take advantage of lighter wind conditions and/or the reduced physicality of riding a magic carpet above the choppiness of rough waters.   These stages of progression aren't set in stone, but we've learned that progressing through skill sets and not jumping ahead too much makes it easier to learn.  Learning one to two skill sets at a time improves your experience and overall stoke for the sport.

Below is a breakdown of how we teach you each skill (twin tip, surf or foil) and how long you might expect in each discipline.   We teach according to IKO (International Kiteboarding Organization) curriculum where safety and developing the core skills that are needed for you to progress safely while having the most fun.  If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate in contacting us at contact@rastabeachkiteboarding.

Kiteboarding (with a twin tip) is the first step in the kiting journey.  Now the first two lessons are usually without board and you'll learn about the wind, the spot, and environment you're in while you're developing kite control skills we'll be getting you really confortable in the water.  We will take you in the water with us (tandem) to demonstrate the exercises that will help you acquire the kite control needed move yourself around in the water and recover your board.  We will go through essential safety skills that will increase your comfort level with the kite and in the water.

Before you know it, you'll be in the water with a board in your hands, getting ready to attempt your first water starts. Successfully achieving a water start is a complex coordinated skill that can be considered to be the first major milestone of kiteboarding  Being able to achieve this consistently takes a bit of time and perseverance, especially if new to water and wind sports.  It's not impossible for anyone to learn, but you will be put to the test at this point; several different things need to happen at the same time to achieve success here.

Once you are consistently able to get on the board and ride, it'll be time to hone in the kite and board skills.  Staying in control regarding your speed and ability to ride the board is essential to eventually achieve the 2nd biggest milestone; staying up-wind.  

The feeling you get when you go out on the water and eventually return to where you started is life changing.  At that point, you can be considered a somewhat independent kiter, however it is imperative to remember all of the skills you learned to get to this point, because there are a lot of them.  Turns, transitions and even jumping are next on the list of skills to conquer.

A great recipe for success is building on top of the skills learned in the previous day's lesson.  That's why doing lessons several days in a row (if conditions allow) is essential for progressing quickly.  Additionally, doing more than 2-3 hours of lessons per day is not recommended because students tend to get physically and mentally tired, which can lead to added and unwanted risks.  Due to these inherent risks, when taking lessons, one should be alert, physically ready and not under the influence of any substances.