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Ban Half Day Lessons III

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 11:45 am
by Sea&Sun
I would like to thank everyone for his or her comments and support on the last two post. Great news is I have seen some of the schools with half-day lessons now change their ads on web sites to at least two lessons needed. I think this is very good for the sport and the safety of all. This months Kiteboard magazine claims kiting CAN NOT be learned in a single session most students are requesting 3 to 6 lessons. If you know of any schools still claiming you can learn it in half a day please post them on this thread. We will put pressure on them. Again thanks and great work!!!

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 11:56 am
by Toby
good work!

Our sports needs things like this!

And hey, it is a quite expensive sport, so they should have the extra bucks to learn it right!

Thanks
Toby

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 1:46 pm
by Chris@sharkless
here's the question though. Will you have more people going at it without a lesson, when they see a price tag of $400 for a lesson then $200? There are more people getting into it now that are college students, most older people look at it and say wow I think I'm to old for this. I would still prefer people to have some training then none!

I do support the 2 day lessons, but believe people also need more reference material after they leave the lesson as well, like a laminated line setup card, and other quick reference stuff. It's better to have someone look at something to remember, then just try it and see if it's right. I know I couldn't remember everything from a 2 day lesson.

Just some thoughts.

Chris
http://www.sharkless.com

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 2:10 pm
by Toby
of course it is better to have abit rather than none.

But I think we are moving now onto having a license.
This way everyone need to have a full course with test!!!

Sucks, but for the sport it will be the best....

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 5:43 pm
by murdoc
so then just offer half day lessons. but don't claim to teach somebody the whole shebang in half a day.

90% of the students will see for themselves that they need more lessons after half a day.

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 6:56 pm
by fokiten
Regards,,

The only thing worth paying for is fully assisted watertime.

This teach the basics to sell them gear and send them out "to practise" on their own is just bul-shit.

If you do not have the skills to leave the beach you're just playing Russian Roulette.

If you take money from them and tell them to go play Russian Roulette you're a criminal, they don't know any better,,,you do.

It's time we stopped pretending,

Putting an innocent on a kite could cost him or her their life.

Provide them the assisted watertime they need to become a kitesurfer.

Nobody can be taught how to be savy,, that takes time, the important thing is to stay alive long enough to pick it up,,,

AND that suggests playing Russian Roulette is not your best interest.

Hey,,,Nobody forced you to teach,,don't make excues, if you're going to do it do it right, or do it not at all...

Regards
fokiten

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:24 pm
by Sea&Sun
Fo this is one of the biggest pimps i have ever seen. Who could ever say they can teach all this in two hours. We need to hammer this school!!! Look at this Ad it really sucks!!

Kiteboarding Level One - Sans Souci (NSW)


Description

This is where you build on the skills learnt in the Intro to become fully independent. At the end of Level One, you should be proficient to go out and fly a kiteboarding kite on your own, including rigging, launching, re-launching, body-dragging and self rescue, and have a great time along the way.

Located right on Botany Bay, Sans Souci is one of Sydney's premier kiteboarding locations. Rich, Dave and Tim make up the Kitepower Instruction Team and are highly qualified kiteboarding instructors with Level 2 IKO accreditation. Everyone in the team has been kiteboarding for more than 3 years and love what they do.

When you order a lesson online, we send you a gift voucher, lesson pack, with information for you to read up on before you come along to the lesson. If you are purchasing the voucher for someone else please remember to add their name and phone to the fields below. We won't call the person before the date of the gift!

Kiteboarding Level One - 2 hours, $140 pp
Requirements: Previous experience or 'Intro to Kiteboarding' Essential
Includes: - Review of Intro - Setup, launching and control of the kite.
- Learn how to launch, land and recover a kite independently.
- 'Body Drag' with and without a harness.
- Water relaunching
- Self rescue and self pack-up
Once you complete the above requirements, then you'll get a chance to try a board!
Location: Dolls Point, Sans Souci (The Grand Pde)

What you need to bring: - Strong, sturdy clothes
- Wetsuit & booties (booties optional)
- Towel & change of clothes
- Drinks, sunscreen, lunch, etc.
We supply all kiting gear, helmet and PFD's

Note: To become proficient at an IKO 'Kiteboarder Level One' standard - you might require more than one lesson. It takes time to master all the aspects of the course. Any kite experience helps, so get practicing with those trainer kites.

At the end of level 1, you should be proficient to go out and fly a kiteboarding kite on your own - but it doesn't make you a kiteboarder. We get you most of the way - the rest is practice, and time on the kite. If you need further lessons, then we are still available to help $70/hour (your gear or ours).


Please read our 'Terms and Conditions' before purchasing this product:
• Vouchers are valid for 12 months - contact us prior to this date if you wish to extend this.
• Kiteboarding is extremely weather dependant. Your lesson may need to be postponed if Kitepower feels that conditions are unsafe or unsuitable. However, we cannot refund vouchers for weather conditions OF ANY SORT.
• Don't purchase a voucher unless you are willing to travel to any of the location above.
• Remember that you won't be getting up on a kiteboard in one session - it takes several sessions and attempts to develop the necessary skills with the kite. Kiteboarding is 70% kite, 10% board - The rest is confidence, coolness, courage.


Details

SKU: KB988
Length: 2 Hours
Price: $ 140.00

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:44 pm
by fokiten
Pretty blatant pimping eh?

Glad you think so too.

I was shocked when I first saw it,,,that was almost a year ago.

I like the lead-in>> SAFE SAFE SAFE> Just want to give kitesurfing a go?

NO EXPERIENCE NECESARRY,,,we'll teach you how to rig launch and,,bla bla bla SAFE SAFE SAFE, the rest is up to you...

YIKES!!!!

I'll warn you now, K/p accuses you of being me...

Prepare for a bit O' character assisination coming your way soon.

Hey,It's all IKO sanctioned too???????

imagine that?????????

(we've foxes in our hen-house)

fo

Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2005 5:17 am
by fokiten
Toby wrote:good work!

Our sports needs things like this!

And hey, it is a quite expensive sport, so they should have the extra bucks to learn it right!

Thanks
Toby
So,,,,You got someting to say to me?

Better say it soon, or you just may have to ban me.

Thanks
fokiten

Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2005 5:37 am
by Trant
fokiten wrote: NO EXPERIENCE NECESARRY,,,we'll teach you how to rig launch and,,bla bla bla SAFE SAFE SAFE, the rest is up to you...
I hate to argue with Mr Fo, but from the Website (and the quote above)
Kiteboarding Level One - 2 hours, $140 pp
Requirements: Previous experience or 'Intro to Kiteboarding' Essential
and
To become proficient at an IKO 'Kiteboarder Level One' standard - you might require more than one lesson.
So no guarantees, at least 2 lessons and the suggestion of having more.

Training method aside, this doesn't sound too bad to me. At least, I got by on 2 lessons (not Kitepower)