Learning to kite board at Blackheath - FAQ’s

• - Do I need any experience of kites or boards?
• - I’ve done a bit of skiing / snowboarding / roller-blading / cycling before, is that any use?
• - I don’t own any kite equipment or land boards, can I still have a lesson?
• - Is kiting dangerous?
• - Is Kiteboarding easy to learn?
• - What do you call it?
• - How many lessons will I need?
• - Am I too light or heavy to do it?
• - Do you need to be especially strong to do it?
• - Am I too old / young to try power kiting?
• - Am I too tall / short to try kite boarding?
• - How much does the equipment cost?

- Do I need any experience of kites or boards?

No, you will be taught everything you need to know. If you already have experience of kites or boarding, we’ll adjust the lesson content to suit your level.

- I’ve done a bit of skiing / snowboarding / roller-blading / cycling before, is that any use?

Absolutely. Any sport which requires awareness of your balance, will help speed up your progress, at piloting a kite board.

- I don’t own any kite equipment or land boards, can I still have a lesson?

Yes you can. Blackheath Kiting & Boarding Lessons includes free use of all equipment necessary to fly and ride on the heath, including boards, safety gear and a selection of power kites to suit the wind conditions.

- Is kiting dangerous?

Yes and No. Like most things in life, even just crossing the road, involves some risk. The pilot (kite flier) can make informed decisions to have a 100% injury-free and safe kiting experience over their entire flying career.

Factors which increase the risk and danger are; inexperience, incomplete meteorological knowledge, erroneous judgement, leading to bad decisions, inability to respond to fast changes in weather, including matching the wrong kite to the wrong wind conditions. The best way to reduce these risks and increase your relevant knowledge is to take a lesson.

- Is Kiteboarding easy to learn?

Kiteboarding demands two physical functions; piloting the kite, and piloting the board. That sounds obvious, but these are distinctly separate skills which need to be combined. Some people excel at one and not the other, some people need guidance with both. Blackheath Kiting & Boarding Lessons investigate your individual situation, and teach what you need to know.

- What do you call it?

There are a whole bunch of lables and names for the same thing; kite boarding, kite landboarding, all terrain boarding with kites, traction kiting, power kiting, call it what you like.

- How many lessons will I need?

It’s really dependant on the individual, how many hours you want per session, the wind conditions during your lessons, your progress rate, and what experiences you have.

- Am I too light or heavy to do it?

No. Each rider has an ideal combination of variables unique to them, this includes; kite type, kite size, board set-up, riding style, wind conditions and rider weight. To know how all these variables balance, requires tuition on their interaction.

Sometimes people offer their kite to someone else to fly, this can be dangerous if the above variables are not reasonably synchronised.

- Do you need to be especially strong to do it?

No. If you are a smaller or lighter person concerned at the forces involved, be assured that logically, you weigh less, which means you need less force from the power kite in order to ride / manoeuvre / jump / move.

If you feel over-powered at any time, simply release the kite, and kite-killers take-over to ensure a de-powered, calm and safe resolution.

- Am I too old / young to try power kiting?

Most people should be able to try power kiting. The usual common sense applies for any prohibitive medical conditions. You should have adequate heath and fitness levels to begin with. Contact us regarding any queries, before booking a lesson.

If you want to introduce your kids to power kiting, lessons will be conducted with parental supervision. Again, please contact us regarding any queries, before booking a lesson.

- Am I too tall / short to try kite boarding?

No, height is not a prohibitive factor. Shorter people benefit from a lower centre of gravity, and taller people benefit usually from more weight and longer limbs to absorb the pull from the kite and board.

- How much does the equipment cost?

It depends who you talk to! Power kites products currently have a huge profit margin against their retail price. Some stores bamboozle a newcomer with their kind of bias advice which usually relies on the “you get what you pay for” assumption (which is sometimes false), and will try to get maybe £350 - £800 out of your wallet to start-up.

Ask during your Blackheath Kiting & Boarding Lesson, and gain the trade secrets and contacts of how to get started with a board, power kite and equipment for much less than that. Your lesson will save you £££ hundreds in good advice!