Trainer said no more lessons, just buy

[Kiterookie]

ok, so looking for some advice. I live on the coast and kite surfing is pretty big. I started a course 2 years ago but it took forever to finish due to conditions not being right, and me traveling for work etc.. I added lessons in in other locations when and as. In the end I managed to finish, I had good control of the kite , could drag easily , can launch a kite in the water, can even get up, but that was about it.. Last month I went to Greece and did some additional lessons and for the first time ever managed to surf for about 50/60 meters, right and left with a size 12 kite, Control was not great and I figured some more practice and it would just come together. So there is a place about 4 hour drive from me that has constant wind and very little in the way of waves so went there this weekend to do an additional lesson. It did not go well they set me up with a 10 meter kite (I'm 88k by the way) and explained that I needed to practice my technique and this would help. I was actually hoping to be able to get up and actually surf some more , like I had done previously but I was left so frustrated, the Instructer kept telling me to do big dives and 8s and the problem I had was I kept forgetting my leg positions and ended up either doing a supperman or bottling it and putting the kite back on 12 after like 5 meters, basically I was to stuttertry

After the lesson the Instructer told me not to take any more lessons and to just buy equipment, he said my control of the kite was good, my start position and initial transition was good, I just needed more practice to put it together and more lessons wouldn't improve me now and would be a waste of money.

The thing is... I'm not sure, I had kind of told me self i would only buy equipment when I could conformal kite downwind and could consistently get up. Where I live the wind is not so consistent and you can some times have waves, which looks like it will make starts even harder...

I'm currently so frustrated , I used to be the kind of person that coil pick sports up so quickly and this is not coming quickly at all

Looking for opinions from those that May have been where I am now, would you be inclined to agree with the Instructer ...

[NYKiter]

Purchasing used kites is a good way to stay committed.

If instructors see your safe enough to practice water starting on your own (can let go of the bar, relaunch off the water, pull the emergency etc.), then perhaps its time to leave the nest?

[FLandOBX]

Kiterookie:

Can you rig a kite and launch/land consistently without crashing?
Can you re-launch from the water without losing control?
Do you know how to self-rescue and have you practiced that procedure?
In general, do you have good kite control?

If the answer to all of those questions is "yes", then I agree with NYKiter and your instructor. Get some water-time on your own without any more lessons.

To progress, you'll need to kite more than once every couple of months. Try to get on the water at least 3-4 times per month (preferably twice per week)......then you'll see progress. Don't worry about riding a board until you are very comfortable with the kite. Use a small kite with a large board to start. It will all come together for you if you put in the time.

[Kiterookie]

Yes to all the above except for the self rescue which no one across 4 schools has tried to teach me, quite disappointing as a quick look on YouTube shows it to be quite important.

With regard to launching from water I feel like I'm to good at that haha , to many crashes of the kite

[foilonfoil]

"Just do it" is appropriate here. You need to start working on skills independent of an instructor. Purchase some used gear - Instructor should be able to help. Purchase the Progression app and review initial beginning videos and start practicing.

Kiteboarding is hard to learn and if you don't have the weekend time to put in the practice, it will be a long slow slog before you are up to speed. At least one session a week minimum initially would be helpful to get over the learning hump. Going on a kite boarding vacation would also help.

[NYKiter]

That self-rescue bit is critical. When everyone else is in the water, no one wants to come in and land you.
Better off learning the proper way to pull the trigger and wrap up in the water for those sessions when no one is around.
Im stunned at how many students come to me after multiple lessons and have never pulled the release.

[Jollydriver]

That self-rescue bit is critical. When everyone else is in the water, no one wants to come in and land you.

Hi

+1 I agree with the great advice your getting above!

For the OP, I agree that self rescue is a critical skill, and a true self rescue is not always covered to the appropriate level. Going to your safety to de-power/flag out the kite is just the first part of the skill, which can be used to self-land if your the only person recovering. Typically in that scenario though, you will get close to shore, and will be either in shallow water or close to shallow water. To practice a good self rescue, here are some questions I think you should ask yourself from time to time.

1. Do I kite in deep water, or generally in shallow flats?
2. How far from shore do I kite?
3. How cold is the water I kite in and how are the currents, tides, and other conditions?

I will accomplish a self rescue from deep water, to include at least a .8-1.0 Km swim at least once a year (either real, or just for practice). The issues you deal with in that scenario include line management, kite use (will you deflate, roll-up, and 'package' with your board for the swim, or use it as a sail to get back to land?), and swimming management. I don't currently use foil kites in water, but if you do, you should practice self rescue with those kites as well.

I got my most recent practice about 2-weeks ago, when the winds died to the point where staying upwind became difficult toward the end of my session. I had a bail-out beach about 1.5-2 Km downwind, but I elected to punch to safety and go through the drill, because it was a nice day, with warm water, and I haven't kited very much in the past 6-months, so I knew I could use the practice. I got the lines on the bar, deflated the leading edge bladder, and rolled up the kite and got it on the board, and began the long slow swim to the beach. I actually had one boat and one PWC ask if I needed help, which was nice, but you can't count on that. One of our locals did hydrofoil out to me, and once the thumbs up was given and pleasantries exchanged, he zoomed back up wind (although I believe the other hydrofoil rider that day had to self rescue as well, as a lull put his foil kite in the water, and he couldn't get it relaunched). For me, this gives me confidence should a line break, a bladder pop, the wind dies, etc. I was pretty fortunate my instructor believed in these skills and made me demonstrate all of them. It also helps me to make good decisions (cold water...no whale watching far from shore even with my best wet suit unless I have boat coverage for example).

As a final note, its always good to kite with friends as you learn, both for social and safety reasons, so plug into your local kiting network, buy some gear, and get out there!

Best

JD

[Mossy 757]

I was at your stage when I bought some 1 season old gear and decided to start practicing on my own. It's not an easy sport, but it sounds like you're ready. YouTube and Vimeo are your friends for learning and understandimg concepts.

[ChrisKiter]

Perhaps for the first few times with out teacher you could hook up with someone else you did lessons with of a similar level and then just take 1 kite out between you. Then you can take it in turns and you will always have someone keeping an eye on you.

You can get a descent second hand 12m kite for £200-300 , bar for £100, board for 200 etc. Then your set.

If your getting to the point in lessons where all your doing is the teacher is supervising you, then your probably ready to go out on your own.

But like said above, you need to know all the safety stuff that tends to get overlooked by some instructors. If you know the safety stuff and you have descent kite control then it doesn't matter if your riding or not, your an "independent" kite surfer and your ready to go out and practice.

-landing/launching (ideally self landing too)
-safety release and why it works
-self rescue
-full pack down
- body dragging with board
-walking up the beach whilst flying kite with one hand (used a lot at first!)
-upwind body dragging

Progress seems pretty slow. But just wait till your riding upwind. Then your ability will accelerate.

[LetsFlyaKite]

I don't know, I think that if money is involved and the man wants lessons he should get what he pays for, no matter what his skill level is. I've never heard of an instructor turning down money because someone know's too much, if he's that skilled, then bump his lessons up. Teach him some intermediate techniques, don't just push him out the door because he knows the basics. Teach him some better techniques and build his confidence up so he can go off on his own.

Don't let others tell you what's best for you, if you're uncomfortable then get another instructor. That nervousness might get you in trouble.