Finding and choosing a good kitesurfing school could be a challenge for a beginner kitesurfer since you will be dealing with professionals. Аnd your main mission will be to figure out whether you are dealing with professional kitesurfing instructors or with professional tricksters.
So, how do you choose a good kitesurfing school? Here is a list of questions that you may want to ask before booking your class. The list is rather long and you probably wouldn’t be asking all of them while on the phone with the school. But some of the questions will be more important to you than others, so, compile your own list before making that call.
- What is the location of the training playground?
- What kind of equipment will they give you?
- Will they teach you board-riding separately?
- What kind of weather conditions do they choose for practicing?
- What is the competency level of your instructor?
- What will be the lesson structure?
- Will it be a group lesson or private?
- What is their rescue plan?
- What is their liability coverage?
- What is their business structure?
- What is their cancellation policy?
- What type of payment do they accept?
I created this list based on the importance of each question using my personal experience. I used SAFETY as the main decision making factor here. Your safety! Let’s dive into the details.
Location of the training playground.
The spot, the location, the area where Kitesurfing School will be conducting your training directly impacts your safety. Large obstacles, wind direction, bystanders, water depth, currents… let’s look at them one at the time.
- Leeward vs. windward side of a bay or an island
The safe direction of the wind is when it is blowing ON-shore. Whether it is a straight on-shore or cross on-shore is a question of convenience while you are learning, but from the safety viewpoint, the air should moving on-shore, period. The land, the safety, should be downwind from you when you are out in the water.
I am personally responsible for saving a life of a kitesurfer on Aruba when a student drifted far out downwind and his instructor lost sight of him. That student was learning how to ride upwind with little success and his next piece of land would have beet Panama, hundreds of miles away. The reason it was happening is that most schools on Aruba are teaching on the leeward side of the island and the direction of the wind there is off-shore. Read: danger! This should not be practiced.
This is your first question to ask. Once you know the location, look it up on the map, check the dominant wind direction on a website like www.windfinder.com and make sure that it’s safe.
- Deep or shallow waters
This question is more about convenience, that is if you can swim. You will find it to be way more convenient if you can stand on the bottom while being about waist-deep in the water during your lesson. You will have more leverage against your kite. Downwind drifting will be minimal and you will save preserve your energy and save time and learn faster since naturally we, humans, are better walkers than swimmers. It’s easier to walk upwind than body-drag. Don’t get me wrong, body-dragging is an essential skill to have for every kitesurfer and should learn how to do it and practice it every now and then. Yet being able to stand up and walk is just much easier.
- Currents - are htere any at the location
Currents could be dangerous. Whether they are related to tides or stream, currents are not noticeable while you are standing on the shore, yet when you are our there a few hundred feet or more away from the shore you may be drifting, and drifting fast. You can easily outrun virtually any current while you are riding because you will be moving fast. But what happens if you lose your ability to ride for one reason or another? What if you end up sitting in the water and have to do body-dragging or even self-rescue? In this case, you may find yourself pedaling against the current, so, it’s good to know the direction where the water is moving before getting in the water. More info on this topic HERE. Usually, Kitesurfing schools and independent instructors are aware of their local currents and it’s a good question to ask for your own safety and to verify their competency.
- Waves or flat water
Hands down waves are fun to ride and they give you a good workout, but it’s much easier to start on the flat water. Waves add one more dimension to the picture, an additional variable to the equation if you will. In other words, waves take the complexity of kitesurfing to the next level. You’ll get there when you are ready. So, make it easier for yourself and practice at the spot that is sheltered from the waves. And just a heads up, we do not use waves to jump. Kitesurfers can jump from completely flat water. It’s all about kite movement and timing, and not about the use of a wave as a ramp.
You can lookup wave direction on Windfinder.com or some similar websites and then use Google maps to find out whether the beach is sheltered or not by an island, a sandbar, or something else. Put differently, you may be looking for a bay that is both, exposed to the wind and sheltered from the waves. There are not that many places like this and you may end up traveling a good distance to find one, but trust me, sometimes it’s well worth it to spend extra time on the road and then learn a new trick or technique quickly because the conditions were right.
- Open Space vs. trees and power lines
I took a lesson in Hawaii a while ago and to my surprise, the beach was very tiny there. The strip of sand was very narrow and palm trees were everywhere (surprise-surprise, you are in Hawaii). The launching spot was not on the water and was separated from the ocean by a row of trees and I had to navigate between them to get to the water. At that point, I remember regretting that I exaggerated my kite control skills while booking that class.
This is kitesurfing 101 and you probably know about this requirement: kitesurfing spot should be as open and as clear as possible from any kind of obstacles. Trees, power lines, boulders, buildings are not your friends while learning to kitesurf. Flat, clear, and open spaces are.
- Crowded vs. deserted beach
I love people. I am a people person and I believe that we all have more in common than not. Yet other kitesurfers and regular beachgoers are turning into even more challenging obstacles than trees because you may hurt them and because they move. My point here is simple. The fewer people there are – the better. The more deserted the beach is the more you will be able to focus on learning to kitesurf. Find that beach that is not so popular. The one with live music, a large bar, and pretty girls is great for a different type of activity (or passivity). Let’s show off a bit later, after you’ve mastered a few kitesurfing tricks, okay? 😉 Just verify with your kitesurfing school where the training will take place and make an educated decision if they offer several options for you to choose from.
What kind of equipment will they give you.
- Age of their kites
Hands down new kites are better than the old ones. New ones perform better, they are more reliable and they are safer. Also, kites with a crisp new canopy and tight kite-lines simply fly closer to the edge of the wind window. Kites that the school will be lending to you should not be older than two to three years.
- Selection of kite sizes
This should go without saying. Kitesurfing schools should have and offer you a selection of kite sizes. You should change kites when wind speed changes. In short, the stronger the wind the smaller the kite should be. And it’s a personal preference too. Some people like to have more power than others, just like in life.
- Selection of kite types
There are two general types of kites out there: “C” shaped and bow-shaped kites. Each of them has its use and purpose yet bow kites have a lot bigger de-power range. This is why they are much safer, especially for beginners. If a school offers a selection you should definitely go with bow-shaped kites in the beginning.
- Boards selection
Just like with kites, boards come in a variety of sizes and you should change for a bigger board when the wind dies down. The shape of your board should be selected depending on the wave’s situation. The rule is simple: flat water – the board should be flatter, it will be easier to ride upwind. More concaved boards are more forgiving and easier to ride in waves.
- Foot straps
Foot straps should be adjusted in two ways. The size of the strap should allow you to easily slide your foot out, in case of an emergency eject. At the same time, they should not be too loose. Also, the straps should be adjusted if you take your booties off or put them on, this is kind of obvious. Another type of adjustment is the position of those straps on the board. You’ll need a screwdriver to make this adjustment (I am not talking about the drink here). Straps can be moved more apart or closer together, also towards the heel side or toe side of the board. The angle of the straps can be adjusted as well. This may sound like a bit too much, but you should be comfortable on your board.
- Harness
Sure thing they will provide a harness, as it is an essential piece of equipment. You can’t go kitesurfing without a harness. The question is what kind of harness will they give you as there are four types of harnesses we use in kitesurfing. A waist harness is the most popular type, least expensive, and most versatile, so one size fits many. Yet it’s not the most stable and not the most comfortable for a beginner as this type has a tendency to slide up from your waist to your chest. See if the school offers seat harnesses to their students and maybe even request one if at all possible. HERE is our detailed post on harnesses.
- Wetsuits
This is a very individual question and it depends on how you approach your hygiene. If you don’t have your own wetsuit and are okay renting one see of the school offer wetsuits. Wetsuits are especially useful in colder climates as they make you more comfortable, your session will be longer and they add buoyancy, helping you to stay afloat. VIDEO
- Life-vests and impact vests
Are you a good swimmer? A life-vest will definitely keep you afloat and preserve your energy as you would not have to pedal as hard. But you will feel heavier and bulkier wearing one, naturally. The second reason we wear vests is for protection from impacts. Especially useful when learning jumps but may want to give it try in the beginning as well, as you never know what may happen. Feel safe!
- Helmets
Another controversial accessory. Although most schools will have you wear a helmet for their insurance purposes. Just check if they have your size, especially if you need an extremely small or extremely large one. There are helmets that can be adjusted you your size, yet there are those that don’t.
- Radios
This is one absolutely useful accessory. Expensive one too, so, not every school will invest in these. Yet it’s very, very helpful when you can hear your instructor right when the action is happening, especially when you are working on the timing of your moves.
- Boat or Cable Park
This is a very important aspect for your progression. Pay attention, as many kitesurfing schools DO NOT offer this option and you may want to take this step separately elsewhere. The most challenging point in learning to kitesurf is when it’s time to put kite and board together, do the water-start and begin riding. This is when you literally combine two sports together. Mastering your board riding skills is a step that is best learned without a kite when you can have your full attention on the board. I am talking about wakeboarding here. A boat or a cable park is required for this step and as you can imagine, those are no small investments, this is why most kitesurfing schools skip this step altogether.
Weather conditions during your session
Kitesurfing is a weather dependent sport like no other. Some kitesurfing locations have very stable and predictable weather with accuracy close to 90%. Other places are not so lucky and you may want to find out about cancellation or rescheduling policy if the weather changes. Some schools will take you out in almost any condition and will teach the topic suitable for the current weather just to collect your money. But is this what you want? Ideally, you should book your class after you checked the weather, in this case, you are risking to fall into a “short notice” price range. Just beware of this dynamic. The safe wind range for beginners is arguably from 10 to 15 knots. Anything less than 10 knots may be good for practicing kite control skills but not for riding. Winds above 20 knots can generate a very strong pull and could be dangerous.
Level of competency of their Instructors.
This is a human factor. We all are unique as humans yet there are several points you may want to check about your instructor before heading out on the water and even before booking a class.
- Certified or not
Kitesurfing instructor certifications are issued by various certification authorities. IKO, PASA, REAL certify kitesurfing instructors and they have a number of tiers of those certificates. Depending on the level of training you should verify that your teacher has an appropriate level of certification.
- Years of experience
This is a very straight forward checkpoint. The more years an instructor has the better. Pay attention that there are two types of counters here. The years of riding and the years of teaching are not the same. Being able to ride and being able to teach are two completely different skill sets and one does not automatically lead to another.
Of course, you want the most experienced instructor to guide you, but usually, schools assign less experienced coaches to train beginner classes and more seasoned ones teach advanced material. Do not exaggerate your experience just to get a better instructor. You need to go through all the steps in order.
- Teaching style (Video)
Every instructor has his or her own teaching style. One way to learn about their personality is to watch a video with them teaching. Ask them is you can have a quick Skype session with your instructor before signing up, so you can hear their voice, learn their accent, and some other details that are not available from their profile photo.
Lesson outline and structure
Lessons could be structured differently from school to school and from level to level. Some may begin in a classroom talking about the theory, some will take you straight to the water assuming that you already know everything. This is a ‘must ask’ question as you want to know what to expect and maybe there will be some homework for you to do before your first class, like watching some instructional videos or reading some articles.
Types of lessons – group and individual (private).
There are usually two types of classes out there: group and private. Private ones are more expensive (go figure) yet group classes are more fun. During a low season you may get lucky by signing up for a group class and be the only student in the group. You may end up paying less and have an instructor all to yourself.
Means of a rescue.
This is an important question to ask. A must, if you will. Ask the rep about their plan in case of an emergency on the water. Do they have a boat or a jet ski with a dedicated driver? Do they have radios to dispatch an emergency? Do they have the means of getting you to the hospital if need be? Do they have a dedicated person who is always on a lookout, overseeing everything what is happening on the water? In short, are they prepared for the plan “B”?
Liability insurance.
Liability goes two way: You and their equipment. What happens if you lose their board or break their kite? Who will be paying for it? As you know, kitesurfing equipment is expensive and you do not want to see a bill for a few thousand dollars when you only signed for a few hundred. And what if you sustain some injury? Are you covered? What is the deductible? What is the max coverage? This info is usually in the fine print of the contract that you will be signing before the class. If they have insurance, and if they have a contract, to begin with. Most of the individual freelance trainers will have neither and some schools may not have them either. Even though bodily injuries are rare, losing a board or damaging a kite is common, so, learn where you stand in terms of liability.
Business structure.
Do you want to be trained by a man in a van or by a reputable business establishment? Usually, both are available to choose from. Pricing is different too, and it will be up to you to choose who to go with. Will they charge you in advance, before the class or after, when you are completely satisfied? What happens if your instructor becomes unavailable? Do they have a substitute teacher? Will they take you to the beach or will you have to find your own means of transportation? Some schools even include free lunch and water. Drinking water that is, sure thing, water for riding will be included J What is you need to cancel? What is their return policy? Will it be a credit or a refund? You may not want them to keep your money until you come back on your next vacation.
Type of payments accepted
Many kitesurfing schools prefer cash payments on the spot. Some may not even have an option of credit card processing leaving you with cash only option. Know this in advance if you need to money with you as it may be challenging to produce some hard currency on the beach. And bring some extra to tip your instructor, as they do not make that much coaching and sure thing will appreciate your generosity.
The closing lines.
This is one long list of pointers for you and I do not think that you should go over the entire list when booking your training session as they may flag you as a difficult customer. Instead, focus on the questions that are important to you given your unique situation and preferences when selecting a kitesurfing school.
And when it comes to selecting an instructor, the best way is to hang out on the beach and to observe them in action. You will learn a lot more about their personality, teaching style, accent, and all else in person. At the end of the day what counts the most is the personal connection between you and your coach, so find the one you click with and you will learn a lot faster and the process will be more enjoyable for you. This will take some additional time yet it will be time well invested. You may also privately question their students after their session is over. They will give you their independent opinion, letting you know the highs and the lows they just went through first hand.
As always, get out there, have fun and be safe! And I shall see you on the water!
