If you have ever seen a kitesurfer out on the water and wished that you could join them, this guide is for you. Lots of people are put off kitesurfing because they assume it’s much more complicated and difficult to take up than it actually is, but there is really nothing to fear. Here’s everything a beginner needs to know in order to take up kitesurfing themselves.
What Is Kitesurfing?
Kite surfing is a watersport where surfers use a kite and the power of the wind to propel themselves along on a surfboard. Despite being called kitesurfing, this is a sport that you can do on a completely flat body of water without a wave in sight.
What Skills Do You Need To Get Started?
In the interests of safety, you should be able to swim before you go anywhere near watersports. However, beyond this, many of the people that try kitesurfing for the first time have absolutely no experience with other boardsports or watersports. This is something that any confident swimmer can take up.
How Fit Do You Need To Be?
You don’t need to be in particularly great shape to kitesurf, the sport doesn’t demand much in terms of strength. However, as with any sport, having a reasonable level of general fitness will make the experience much better for you.
What Equipment Do I Need?
You don’t need to buy anything straight away. As we will come onto shortly, you should take lessons before you head out on your own, so your instructor should be able to provide you with everything that you need in terms of the board, helmet, kite, etc. However, some places will want you to provide your own wetsuit.
Do I Need To Take Lessons?
Yes! This is very important. Kitesurfing is not the kind of sport that you can just jump into on your own steam. Sure, you can go out and buy all the necessary equipment if you want, but you won’t get very far on the water without the benefit of proper instruction beforehand. Not only will you find it very difficult to kitesurf without training, but it is also dangerous to do so.
It doesn’t take long to learn how to kitesurf safely. In fact, most kitesurfing courses offer 3-4-hour sessions for 12 hours total training time. This is plenty of time to get you up to speed, so it is well worth investing in training. Completing training will ensure that you know what to expect and what equipment you need, and at the end, your instructor will sign off on your competence and give you the green light to ride the waves yourself. You will also have the opportunity to meet other kitesurfers. Once you have finished your lessons, why not celebrate your newfound status as a bona fide kitesurfer with a kitesurf t shirt from somewhere like kitesurfshack?
Once you have finished your kitesurfing lessons and your instructor has certified your competence, you’re ready to start kitesurfing yourself. You will need to buy or rent equipment, which can cost anywhere from £500 to thousands of pounds, depending on whether you purchase new or used. Once you are up and running, kitesurfing is by far one of the most fun watersports out there.
