Beginners in Cabarete

[Flyboy]

Wetstuff: I sincerely hope you've seen something better than a "topless Walmart greeter" in Cabarete!

mrfrosty: my recipe for a beginner: kite on snow/ice first (if possible), then take a trip to Hatteras (Napeague Bay on Long Island also a good option). I honestly believe that having the right conditions - flat, shallow water, steady wind - is more helpful than lessons (once you have learned the basics about setting up & flying your kite). Having lessons in difficult conditions: shorebreak, choppy water, onshore wind, deep water, crowded shoreline, can be a recipe for frustration...

Once you are able to get up on your board & ride consistently, then Caberete is great.

[Stefanofly]

cabarete is not the best place for a beginner in my opinion as it is too crowded... It is okay but there are better spots to learn

[Mr Wicked]

Cabarete might not have the perfect conditions to learn but the learning curve in Cabarete is no difference then on other places.
Basicly everybody gets on the board in 6 hours of lessons. If not, quit often its the instructor that fails.
Beside that there is a group of people that wants to but just doesnt get it, unfortunally.
The good thing is, if you learn in conditions not so perfect you can really rip it under perfect conditions when youre on the board.

Its better to learn somebody to drive in the city and then send them to the country side then the other way around.

[badmrfrosty]

Cabarete might not have the perfect conditions to learn but the learning curve in Cabarete is no difference then on other places.
Basicly everybody gets on the board in 6 hours of lessons. If not, quit often its the instructor that fails.
Beside that there is a group of people that wants to but just doesnt get it, unfortunally.
The good thing is, if you learn in conditions not so perfect you can really rip it under perfect conditions when youre on the board.

Its better to learn somebody to drive in the city and then send them to the country side then the other way around.

Unfortunately I'm a corporate slave so I only get 3 weeks off a year and trying to go on the weekends is almost impossible as the wind doesn't want to coroporate with my schedule.

I think I've decided on Cabarete. Even if it is not the best conditions, if I can not ride within a week then I'm selling my stuff. I can go to Cabarete and get the same amount of instruction and housing as Hattras. Around 11-1200 for transportation/lessons/housing.

Why go to NC when I can go to DR for the same price. Yes I might not learn as fast but I'd say it is a good tradeoff. Nightlife/surfing/girls/other things to do are all much better in DR.

Since lodging is so cheap I'm thinking about staying two weeks.

[Wetstuff]

Stefano & Flyboy - I am in total agreement that clearly the best place to learn is where you pertty much stay in knee-to-waist deep water ..for however long - 'till you're staying upwind. Howz'eva ..

Every new person I've helped was pretty much whipped after an hour of so of getting their ass handed to them and inhaling 20L of the local polution. My suggestion has always been: On an hour - Off an hour: Watching.

It also seems the typical new person is not an 18yr old, minor league soccer player, so what would you give them before fatigue starts to effect their timing and concentration? That leaves 20+ hours to trim their toe nails...

As nice as HAT is - it's a snooze compared to Cabarte. IMHO

Cheers all

j i m

[badmrfrosty]

Stefano & Flyboy - I am in total agreement that clearly the best place to learn is where you pertty much stay in knee-to-waist deep water ..for however long - 'till you're staying upwind. Howz'eva ..

Every new person I've helped was pretty much whipped after an hour of so of getting their ass handed to them and inhaling 20L of the local polution. My suggestion has always been: On an hour - Off an hour: Watching.

It also seems the typical new person is not an 18yr old, minor league soccer player, so what would you give them before fatigue starts to effect their timing and concentration? That leaves 20+ hours to trim their toe nails...

As nice as HAT is - it's a snooze compared to Cabarte. IMHO

Cheers all

j i m

I agree about the snooze part. Any suggestions on the best exercises to do to get in shape for it. I want to maximize my water time. I've been running but I'm guessin I need to start doing upper body stuff.

[canadakites]

I would recomend just going to hatteras first on the cheap, you can get really good prices on houses there especially if you go with a few people. If you went in late april or may youl most likely get great wind so you can just do huge downwinders all week and get the board riding solid. Then just go to cabarete in late june with all your progress fresh. Hatteras highly recomended, pray for southwest winds. IMHO