New to Kiteboarding need some instruction Please advise

Daily Wind forecasts, questions about weather, gear, locations, etc.

New to Kiteboarding need some instruction Please advise

Postby Peter Bellos » Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:45 pm

Hi All
I am new to the area down from Canada. I just went and bought a Waroo 11m and board. I would like to find people that could help get me started kiteboarding and also good places to go to start kiteboard?
Anyone out there?

I am up in Logan but could travel some. I have done a lot of windsurfing over the years. Also I would be interested in people that windsurf and kite in the Logan or Ogden area?
Would appreciate your response. Thanks
Peter Bellos
bellos36@msn.com
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Postby Chris Hedquist » Tue Jun 26, 2007 10:09 pm

Get in touch with Billy Bordy. He is a great local instructor with a lot of patience. You can contact him through utah kiteboarding at http://www.ukbinc.com/kiteboarding_lessons.htm
or just pm billy on this site. His user name is bordy.

...and buy a helmet

Have fun,
Chris
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Postby joshgubler » Wed Jun 27, 2007 12:35 pm

Personally, I feel like I gained a lot more from studying kitesurfingschool.org than I did from any formal instruction. I spent countless hours on that site before I took lessons. Honestly, I don't feel like my instructor actually taught me anything. But that's just my experience. Lots of people have nothing but positive things to say about instructors.
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Postby btjsfca » Wed Jun 27, 2007 1:06 pm

I also learned a great deal at kitesurfingschool.org, but I know that I would have benefitted from an instructor. There are so many nuances to flying a kite, and an explanation of the dynamics of what the kite is doing as well as someone to watch what you are doing wrong is invaluable. You know how you think you blasted some 20 foot jump, and someone comes up to you and tell you how rad your 6 footer was? Yeah. It's hard to know what you're doing when you've only got your eyes.

It's a huge boon to know a lot before you walk in, but the lessons themselves will teach the same as hours and hours of reading in a much shorter period of time. Also, if you do take lessons (and Chris got it right: Bordy rocks) after reading all you can, it's still super important to have an open ear otherwise, don't bother with the lesson at all. Take it from me: self-taught on land on homemade gear, professional instruction will save you much time and potential injury,

... and buy a helmet. ;)

-J
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Postby lesvierra » Wed Jun 27, 2007 4:04 pm

Hey Peter,

I'm in Ogden Valley not to far via the Avon divide. Id love to hook up, maybe bear lake. Have you already had lessons?

Its tough if not impossible to get all the knowledge you'll need to go out on your own in a lesson. If you can afford it get multiple lessons. Reasons:

1. The odds are your instructor will get you out when the wind is blowing, thus saving time instead of trying to figure out the local meterology by trial and error, also saving gas money.

2. Your instructor will should have the right size kite for the wind condition, possibly a different size from your kite.

3. Get a lesson devoted to self launching, landing, and self rescue. You've already got the board and kite telling me you're ready to do what ever it takes to to learn even if that means going out on your own to figure things out. There are alot of things that can go wrong, and a good instructor with enough time left in a lesson can warn you about some of these. Quote from this issue kiteboarder mag "if you dont know what could go wrong, you dont know how to prevent it".

4. Finally, I think we live in a hard place to learn on water, northern Utah. The good folks down south have rush in the spring, awesome place to learn with hella knowledgeable people around, and Utah lake, we'll read the posts, they are loving it. What do we get, Pineview, Willard (great places to kite if you can get the good wind, but not exactly beginner territory and plenty of hazards), Bear Lake (great place to learn if there is good wind). I learned alot trying to figure it out on Pineview. Crazy launches, long swims and tangles. I didnt really get it until I went to rush. If you can afford it, get a couple of lessons from Bordy. If you cant (who can after purchasing a kite and board) get at least one water lesson (if you haven't already) and read as much as you can, ask lots of questions here, and go kite where others are kiting even if you have to drive half the day, ie Utah Lake.
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Postby tjacques » Wed Jun 27, 2007 7:24 pm

i agree with instruction. i learned on snow after 15 years of hard corp windsurfing. two different animals. kiting can get you really hurt if not properly instructed. if i could do it over i would fly a trainer till i could fly with one hand eyes closed. i did not do this. i decided to kite and took a lesson, it just took longer. but i feel i have a good safe background now from taking three lessons. utah this time ayear could be hard to learn. if you wait till snow it is so easy.
good luck, and buy a helmet
todd
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Postby Kenny » Wed Jun 27, 2007 9:06 pm

Peter,

I agree with the advice to hire an instructor. It will really jump start your riding. Before you take lesson, follow the advice of learning to fly a trainer kite (1 - 2M 2-line kite). Fly it for 4-5 hours at least. Leave your Waroo in the bag until you have taken lessons. Trust me, it can kill you.

Be patient, take your time. If it doesn't come together for you on the water this year, the snow is even better for learning. Utah is an excellent place for snowkiting.

Kenny
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Trainer

Postby bordy » Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:55 am

Fly your trainer intill you have it mastered! Then take a lesson, You can make it happen through ukbinc.com. The lite summer winds are perfect for learning, but just a bit hard to predict. Most student I teach need more kite skills when they take there first lesson. The more kite skill you have the faster your learning curve will be.

PS get a helmet. We provide them during our lessons but you really need your own.
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Postby Johnny Maw » Fri Jun 29, 2007 12:08 am

Billy, correct?

UKB is not getting back to me, can you call me? 553-4518 (day)
Thanks, John
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Great Suggestions - I want lessons

Postby Peter Bellos » Fri Jun 29, 2007 6:49 pm

I really appreciate all the suggestions about lessons. Just a little background - I do have a 2 m trainer kite we have flown for the last couple of years. I and my son have done about 3 miles of body dragging a 7 meter kite. An I do have a helet which I wear and I have windsurfed for 25 years.
I realize I need to take another lesson and I will contact Bordy.
Thanks again.
Peter Bellos

PS
Is there any others that windsurf or kiteboard in the Logan and Ogden area and if so where do you go?
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