How'd you get in?

[abetanzo]

Hi BWD peeps... as a newbie I'm curious how people got into the sport? Did you have a background in windsurfing/surfing, or sailing, or no experience and took lessons or worst of all just taught yourself.
I plan to take lessons once the thermals are in and believe I should pick it up quickly as I have been snow boarding for 10 plus years and sailing my own Thunderbird for three years (and sailing yachts for almost 5 years now)
I'd like to influence people at the Royal Vic YC to get into it, and because of the recent changes to the Olympic class board events, there could be a HUGE POTENTIAL to hold races out at Cook St.
The other angle is to get those kiters that are interested to join the yacht club to enjoy the benefits of racing together in a fleet and potentially representing CANADA in those 2016 Olympics!
Thanks for your time and attention!
Eagerly awaiting safe learning winds at Nitinat!!!

[JL]

For a lot of us former windsurfers kiting started as an alternative to light wind windsurfing. A lot easier to bring a kite along for when the wind dropped below 18 knots. We seem to be going full circle now. Supping & suking (stand up kiting) & even dragging out the old 12 foot windsurfers as an alternative to light wind kiting

[juandesooka]

I'm still a newbie too. My interest is from surfing, sitting on the beach watching my friends rip it up when it got too windy to surf. Seems crazy not to use it, with SUP, surfboard, and kite, ready for anything.

From what I can tell, a week of solid riding everyday and you'd be pretty much good to go ... competent low level intermediate. But it's harder than it looks, especially if you only do it in dribs and drabs. 3 days straight of lessons, then 3 or 4 days straight of practice, and you'd advance way quicker.

Highly recommend getting a 4 line trainer and flying it every chance you get until your lessons. This will give you an intuitive understanding of how the kite flies, before you're attached to a real one (like that counter intuitive thing of sheeting out to keep it from stalling, that's a head scratcher). You can also practice the safety settings in a safe no-fear situation ... what happens when you let go of the bar, how the quick release works, how to self-rescue. Launching and landing. Even down wind body dragging. Then when you get on the big kite, you'll find it feels the same, only a lot more power.

The schools may say it's not needed, and it probably isn't on the fast track program. But I found it super helpful, in feeling more comfortable with the kite and knowing how to resolve dangerous situations by practicing it first without danger.

For getting up and riding, wake boarding water starts seem to me the closest approximation. Practice riding opposite stance, as that's crucial! (and a weakness of mine)

Good times....looking forward to the summer.

[juandesooka]

PS to JL: I enjoy watching the full circle thing develop.
First realize you can paddle a big old windsurfer standing with a paddle.
Then evolve the stand up board into a specialized ride.
Then realize that for downwind SUPing a sail would sure come in handy, so put in a mast track and call it a hybrid.
And back to where you started. :-)

[thankgodiatepastafobreaky]

Hi Abetanzo. You have the perfect background for kiting. Like John said - take some solid lessons and keep at it for a while with not too many breaks to build that muscle memory. It isn't hard if you keep at it, and soon it's easier than driving your car to the beach to go out.