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Costa Rica Kite Surfing Programme
Day 1 Lesson 1 (3-4 hours, with max of 4 students) – Kite flying and safety knowledge
Using a learner kite, this lesson focuses on teaching the basics for flying. You will learn important skills related to the set-up/break down of the kite, basic steering, launching and more. The lesson will cover the following things:
| Knowledge learnt |
Skills learnt |
| Wind theory – strength, wind selection, direction and “window” theory |
Basic “piloting” skills and how to launch and land a kite with assistance, how to fly in neutral position etc |
| The beach – awareness of other beach users, other water users, location selection |
Safety procedures and safeguards such as unhook and release bar, how to untwist lines |
| The kites – differences between kites, terminology, how the kite works, line lengths |
How to set-up and pack up a kite |
| The bar - steering |
Simulation of water starts |
Your first lesson is completely land-based and will not involve the board or going into the water. The focus is the piloting of the kite and how to achieve differing levels of power from it.
Day 2 Lesson 2 (2 hours, with max of 2 students) – Body dragging
Using 4 and 5 line Leading Edge Inflatable (LEI) Kites, you will:
• Learn flight techniques in the water such as launching and landing a kite
• Body drag with the instructor
• Body drag independently (using waterproof walkie talkies for contact)
• Learn control of the kite with one hand
• Learn one-hand control
• Be taught safety and self-rescue skills Day 3 Lesson 3 (2 hours, with max of 2 students) – Water Start
The third lesson is the first step towards full kitesurfing. Learning about the different board types, you will:
• Receive demonstrations how to start from the water by the instructor – this covers learning the water start position, using the power of the kite to stand up, how to tie the leash alone etc.
• Do your first water starts using the above learnt principles
• Discuss the principles behind sailing - start and return with the board in linear sailing, discussion about wave sailing, jibing (changing direction by turning downwind until you are facing the other way) and jumping techniques Days 4 to 10 – 1 hour lesson each day
These 1-hour lessons are there to supplement any independent kitesurfing you wish to do. You can learn new tricks, improve your technique or learn how to use different types of kite. Hire of the equipment is included for the remainder of the day, however, this depends if the instructor feels that you have reached the required standard to kite surf independently.
After about 12 hours of lessons, students should be able to kitesurf in both directions and be reasonably experienced to handle a kite on their own in stable conditions. After 20 to 25 hours of lessons and independent experience, students should be able to go upwind and back to the same spot where they started. So, you can expect to be a reasonably competent kite surfer by the end of this programme.
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