But even here, there are days where the wind just won’t show up. Now, before you take off your wetsuit and go home to watch Netflix instead, wait a minute. South Africa offers a variety of exciting activities on and underwater that you can turn into lifelong memories.

In this article, we’ll introduce you to 5 watersports and fun adventures that every Cape Town traveller and local should try. Let’s dive right in!

Stand Up Paddle Boarding With Seals

There are many watersports shops along the coast where you can rent a foam paddle board or inflatable SUP for a day. If you are a complete beginner, you may want to take a SUP lesson or two, but in calm waters it won’t take you long to learn the basics by yourself. Whether you are lying, kneeling or standing on your board, there’s no better place to enjoy the peacefulness of the ocean and watch the wildlife around you do its thing. If you want to take your experience to the next level, pick a location where it’s likely to see seals, such as Big Bay Beach (Bloubergstrand) or Waterfront (Cape Town City). There is also a number of guided tours offered by different operators to choose from.

Snorkeling In The Kelp Forest

Also known as sea bamboo, you can find Kelp Forests all along the Cape Peninsula. They are one of the most productive ecosystems on earth and home to countless sea animals, including fish of all sizes, crabs, octopuses, colorful sea anemones, and many more. Snorkeling here will make you never want to get out of the water and take off your goggles again!

Surfing Some Waves

This list wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t include the ultimate classic of watersports – surfing. Since Cape Town is one of the world’s best surf locations, it would be a waste not to give it shot. Whether you have never touched a surfboard before or are a pro looking for the next challenge, Cape Town has got you covered. Some of the best surfing locations here include Muizenberg beach, Big Bay beach, Llandudno, Dungeons, and Glen Beach.

Wakeboarding At Blue Rock

You are planning a day with family and friends but can’t decide what to do? Spend some time in watersports paradise! Blue Rock offers a variety of activities for everyone. The adrenaline junkies can practice their waterskiing and rock jumping skills, while everyone who wants to relax has enough space to suntan, have a picknick and swim in the freshwater lake. You can even dive or freedive there!

Sunset Champagne Cruise

There’s no better way to end a day than to sail into the sunset with an ice-cold glass of champagne in your hands. I mean, come on.

There are several different operators offering such tours at the V&A Waterfront. Check it out!

We hope that this list has inspired you to spend a day or two in, under and on Cape Town’s oceans. And as soon as the wind is back, get in touch and kitesurf with us!

The post 5 Water Adventures For Your Cape Town Bucket List appeared first on Coastline Kitesurfing.

Coastline Kitesurfing has had the joy of working closely with Kangaroo Kite from Peru, and we would like to introduce them to you.

They are an IKO certified kite school offering kitesurfing lessons in Peru, Prascas.

Their main objective is to teach kitesurfing in a safe, yet fun way. All of their instructors are certified by the International Kitesurfing Organization (IKO) and the school is insured.

The equipment they use is the latest 2020 models. Additionally, they also have a rescue boat, plus instructors available at all times to help you whenever you need!

Below are the following services they offer:

EQUIPMENT RENTAL

Below are the kitesurfing lessons prices.

BEGINNERS PRIVATE COURSE

1 Hour — $70
3 Hours Pack — $200
6 Hours Pack — $380
9 Hours Pack — $510
12 Hours Pack — $680

1 KITE / 1 PERSON / 1 INSTRUCTOR

If you are new to kitesurfing

For those who are unaware I’m going to give you a quick breakdown on the history of kitesurfing.

In the late 1970s, the development of Kevlar then Spectra flying lines and more controllable kites with improved efficiency contributed to practical kite traction. In 1978, Ian Day’s “FlexiFoil” kite-powered Tornado catamaran exceeded 40 km/h.

In October 1977 Gijsbertus Adrianus Panhuise (Netherlands) received the first patent for Kitesurfing. The patent covers, specifically, a water sport using a floating board of a surfboard type where a pilot standing up on it is pulled by a wind catching device of a parachute type tied to his harness on a trapeze type belt. Although this patent did not result in any commercial interest, Gijsbertus Adrianus Panhuise could be considered as the originator of Kitesurfing.

On 28 August 1982 Greg Locke and Simon Carter, from Brighton UK, set the world record for kite traction at sea, travelling nearly 26 miles under wind power alone along the English channel. This followed a successful crossing of the English Channel from Sussex to France by Locke & Carter the previous year.

Throughout the 1980s, there were occasionally successful attempts to combine kites with canoes, ice skates, snow skis, water skis and roller skates.

Jumping straight to the year 1999, kitesurfing had finally become a mainstream sport with the entry of key windsurfing manufacturers namely Robby Naish and Neil Pryde. Single direction boards derived from windsurfing and surfing designs became the dominant form of kiteboard.

Today you will find all sorts of fascinating kitesurfing equipment out there, with thousands of people looking to master the art of kitesurfing it’s no wonder there are so many schools out there offering to teach this amazing sport.

Covid-19 has put a major dent in tourism these last couple of months, but with schools like Kangaroo Kite leading the way in safe teaching methods, you can be assured that the sport will make a comeback sooner, rather than later.

If you would like to get in touch with Kangaroo Kite you can contact him on his contact page.

The post Introducing a Kitesurfing School in Peru, Paracas appeared first on Coastline Kitesurfing.

Everyone should learn kitesurfing – and we are going to tell you why.

Here are 12 really good reasons why you need to take kitesurfing lessons in 2020!

Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. If you would like to learn more, please read our affiliate disclaimer.

1. It’s Healthy 

Kitesurfing is super healthy on many levels, as you will be physically active while breathing in the freshest air you can possibly imagine. 

There are a number of kitesurfing health benefits: Building up strength in your abdominal area will obviously have it’s effects on your general shape – kitesurfing will make you fit and tone your body. Focusing on several tasks simultaneously will increase your concentration and coordination, while riding the board improves your balance at the same time. The navigation of the board, bar, and kite, as well as performing sometimes difficult jumps will benefit your reflexes and adaptability.

And on top of all of that, the adrenaline rushes you get from kitesurfing are the perfect stress relief and will benefit your mental health. 

2. You’ll Travel To Beautiful Destinations

Travel enthusiasts, pay attention: Some of the world’s most beautiful destinations are great kite spots at the same time! Turquoise lagoons, white sandy stretches, breathtaking sceneries and the most beautiful sunsets you can imagine are waiting for you. 

If you decide to chase the wind and travel with the seasons, you can even combine your kite trip with your work (if ‘home office’ is an option). Alternatively, working as a kitesurfing instructor will allow you to explore our planet’s most stunning corners, all while earning money with kitesurfing. 

I know, that’s planned pretty far ahead, given the fact that this is a list of reasons why you should learn kitesurfing in the first place. But hey, dream big and be aware of the opportunities that kitesurfing has to offer. And for now, start with a few kitesurfing lessons in Cape Town or wherever else you are currently based. It will be worth it. 

3. You’ll Soak Up The Sun

Kitesurfers pretty much spend their whole day on the beach. Could be worse, don’t you think?

Being out on the water allows you to soak up the sun (at least most of the times) and get a good portion of vitamin D (or *ahem* vitamin sea). By the way, studies have shown that the sunshine vitamin can boost weight loss, fights disease, and reduces depression. Definitely good reasons to learn kitesurfing. 

Just always make sure you are equipped with sun protection. Especially on the water, you can get burned easily. One of our all-time favorites is the organic and reef-safe sunscreen from Raw Elements. You can check it out here.

4. You Get To Experience Nature At Its Best

Unlike indoor sports, kitesurfing allows you to enjoy nature at its best. Depending on where you are, you will be able to share the water with whales, dolphins, seals and all other kinds of aquatic flora and fauna.  

Kitesurfing reminds you of the beauty nature holds and fosters your respect for the environment. 

5. It’s The Best Meditation

Just you, your kite and windy stillness in a breathtakingly beautiful scenery. 

Kitesurfing requires full focus and empties your mind of anything, but the present moment.

There is no better activity to get away from daily stress and city life. After a session, you will be exhausted (but the good kind) and your body and mind completely relaxed. Kitesurfing is your guarantee to find the perfect work-life balance.

6. It’s A New Challenge

Kitesurfing allows you to challenge yourself and give your body the adrenaline rushes it needs!

With every time you get on the water, you will become more confident, which will make you want to try out something new. 

7. You’ll Make New Friends

The kitesurfing community is large, spread across continents and pretty awesome. 

By learning how to kitesurf you will automatically become part of a global network, which makes it much easier to connect with like-minded people worldwide.

Whether you are looking for the perfect kite spot while traveling or just hanging out in your hostel or on the beach – sooner or later you will meet fellow kitesurfers – and probably make some new friends.

Pro Tip: Check out KiteCloud – The Social Network for Kitesurfers.

8. The Sky Is (Not) The Limit

Probably one of the best reasons why you should get into kitesurfing: You will learn how to fly! 

Nothing beats the feeling of endless freedom and joy, the connection with nature and the pleasant ease of getting high on your board.

And there is so much to try out and explore. One of the benefits of this sport is that there are countless possibilities and it never gets boring.

Plus, it is less dangerous than you might think. Throughout the past few years, the sport has become a lot safer than it used to be, thanks to the development of new safety systems.

9. It’s Less Expensive Than You Think

Yes, kitesurfing lessons and kitesurfing equipment are an investment in the beginning. But once you know how to kitesurf and have your gear, it’s basically for free!

Unlike most winter sports that require you to buy a day pass, or club sports where you pay a monthly fee, kitesurfing allows you to just rock up and ride the waves – anywhere in the world.   

10. Anyone Can Learn It

Kitesurfing might look like a really complicated activity for crazy fit superhumans, but that’s not true. Almost everyone who is really keen to get into the sport can do it! You don’t need extraordinary strength to control the kite; you just have to steer it with your hands. 

Coastline Kitesurfing has taught students of all ages, weights and fitness levels – why should’t you be able to learn how to kitesurf, too? 

Are you ready to learn kitesurfing? Come learn how to fly with Coastline Kitesurfing!

Can you add more reasons why everyone should learn kitesurfing to this list? Let us know in the comment section below!

The post 10 Reasons Why You Should Learn Kitesurfing In 2020 appeared first on Coastline Kitesurfing.

Softback Travel is a newly launched wildlife conservation and sustainable travel blog. They write about sensitive scientific topics such as climate change, wildlife conservation, and ocean/atmosphere science. Topics that are scientifically fascinating yet sadly, scientifically boring too. Softback Travel aims to captivate their audience in a interactive, minimalistic way, to cut out the jargon from their articles so that everyone without a Phd can understand them. That’s most of us folks.

Why are we promoting Softback Travel?

Our world needs us, it needs us to educate ourselves on subjects like climate change, overpopulation, wildlife conservation and human rights. Our world needs us now more than ever.

This is why we are promoting Softback Travel, to share topics like these to people from all around the world. To educate you and ourselves at the same time.

Here is a short excerpt from one of their latest articles – Climate change the lethal effects on animals

“The distribution of animals is also affected. Warming global temperatures force all sorts of animals to migrate closer towards the poles or to higher altitudes. They do this out of desperation, to escape the heat.

While at first this doesn’t sound too bad. You’ve got to imagine the very serious dilemma migrating animals will face when encountering man made obstacles on their journey to cooler climes. History has proven that animals do not fare well when sharing human occupied space. Modern infrastructure will simply not allow it.

The below map shows the migration routes desperate animals will be forced to take in order to find cooler climates.”

The more people who educate themselves on matters like climate change and ocean acidification, the better. After all, all life on earth depends on people like you, not being indifferent to the real life struggles many of us will soon have to go through.

Are you a blogger?

If you are a blog owner yourself and would like to write for Softback Travel or better yet, let them write for you, you can contact either Kyle or Leoni on hello@softbacktravel.com.

Check out their 2 latest articles:

• Snowfall in Ceres (All you need to know)
• Best places to travel in Africa

The post Check Out This Newly Launched Wildlife and Sustainable travel blog appeared first on Coastline Kitesurfing.

This guide will allow kiteboarding, for beginners to be much easier understood. I will share with you all the tips and information I’ve picked up over the years of teaching kiteboarding. I’ve  broken the guide up into simple sections, with each section covering a certain kiteboarding topic.

Understanding The Wind Direction

There are 5 main wind directions, as seen above. What’s important for you to know, is which directions you can safely kitesurf in.

Side Shore

• This is the perfect wind direction to start kiteboarding in & the most popular direction amongst kiteboarders.

Cross Onshore

• This wind direction is okay to start kiteboarding in, however it is reccommend to walk atleast 10m into the sea before you attempt your water-start.

Onshore

• This wind direction IS NOT recommended to learn in. But is ride able for most adept kiteboarders.

Offshore

• This wind direction is NEVER recommended to learn or kitesurf in. Exceptions are only made on a confined lagoon, which offers boat support.

Cross Offshore

• This wind direction is NEVER recommended to learn or kitesurf in. Exceptions are only made on a confined lagoon, which offers boat support.

Understanding The Wind Speed

Most kiteboarders, check wind forecasts apps such as Windguru or Windfinder to prepare 1 – 3 days in advance for their session.

There are 4 main things to pay attention to when looking at the forecasts.

Wind Speed

• This metric can be changed from Knots to Beaufort to Kph, whichever makes sense for you. For this section I will be using the knots metric as an example. If the number shown is higher than 25 you can be sure that the conditions are starting to become to much for beginner kiteboarders. The best wind range for beginners to learn kiteboarding is 12 – 23 knots.

Wind Gusts

• Again I will be using the knots metric as an example. Wind gusts is the number shown under the wind speed number. A gust in the wind is simply a short change in the constant wind speed. Usually gusts are stronger than the constant wind speed. So the closer the wind speed number is to the wind gust number the more consistent the wind is predicted to be. Consistency in the wind is a kiteboarders best friend, no one likes kiteboarding in “gusty wind” Rule of thumb, if the difference is more than 10 – 15, you are in for a very bumpy ride. Beginners should not attempt learning in winds this gusty.

Wind Direction

• The arrow is the direction of the wind, and is unique to each kite spot. You can change the arrow to actual wind directions, such as SE, SW or NW in your settings, if you forget what the arrows mean. It’s important to learn your own spots directions in the beginning of your kitesurfing journey. This is easiest done by taking lessons, or simply asking the local kiteboarders on the beach.

Wave Height

• Not shown on the graph above, however is usually represented as “wave (m)” any number here over 1.5m will start making your learning progress much harder. For beginners it is not recommended to go out in anything more than 2.0m. If you’d like to see an example, simply click here.

Understanding The Wind Window

During your first kiteboarding lesson, your instructor will explain to you what the wind window is. From experience, I know that without diagrams, this concept is sometimes hard for beginner kiteboarders to grasp.

Above I have added a video, which explains the wind window concept in greater detail, enjoy.

Kiteboarding Right Of Way Rules

Kiteboarding Safety

• Which cloud cover should you be worried about. 

The main cloud you should be concerned with is the Cumulonimbus. These clouds are typically massive in vertical expansion, generally, as a result of a Cumulus cloud. Cumulonimbus can lead to precipitations in the form of rain, hail or snow, and often also to thunderstorms and can be the cause of violent winds that can reach a speed of up to 100 km/h.

When you see these clouds approaching in the distance, it is always best to land your kite immediately and wait for the system to pass.

• Launch your kite slowly.

The main cause of kiteboarding accidents happen when launching the kite. To prevent an accident from happening, simply make sure you always launch your kite slow and controlled, making sure you do not pull to hard on the bar.

• Crashing into another kiteboarder.

Rule of thumb, if at any time you crash into another kiteboarder and your lines get entangled, (which is very likely) immediately use your quick release to release your kite. If you do not do this, the kites will usually enter a loop which will generate alot of power.

• Other beach goers.

Always be aware of other beach goers, make sure to always set up your equipment downwind of them. That way if anything goes wrong with your setup, they are not in harms way.

• How far should you go out.

I always tell my students, never kiteboard further out to sea than you are prepared to swim back.

• Always carry a safety knife.

It is very important that you have a line cutter attached to your harness. Most new brands come with one, if yours didn’t, you can buy one at your local kiteboard shop.

I hope this guide – kiteboarding for beginners will answer some of the questions you may have. I will updating this blog regularly so stay tuned. If you have any immediate questions you’d like answered, checkout our  FAQ page.

The post Kiteboarding For Beginners – The Complete Guide appeared first on Coastline Kitesurfing.

You always read the same stuff on Facebook groups and boards: “I am going to kitesurf in Cape Town next week – Who wants to join?”, “Anybody know, if there is good wind today at the beach?”, “Anybody found my board this afternoon?” or “Who wants to join me for a down-winder and some beer after that?”. You know these situations? Wouldn’t it be nice, if there was a platform, where you can communicate with other kitesurf-dudes & chicks?

Well, from today there is! The new Social Network for Kitesurfers named Kitecloud. It helps in all the situations mentioned above and even more.

Kitecloud – The Social Network for Kitesurfers

The idea behind this app is to give kitesurfers the opportunity to connect and communicate with other like-minded people. The app is divided into hundreds of different spots. Cape Town, Dakhla, El Gouna. are waiting for you! Just pick your home or favorite spots and you’re part of the community.

Features Overview

Live-Communication

The live spot communication feature is the heart of Kitecloud. It has never been so easy to connect and communicate with other kitesurfers. In the app, you simply search for your favorite spots, mark them as your favorite and from that moment you are part of the community. You can share your questions, tips, pictures or quick reports. Or just browse the news and pictures.

Spot-Reports On The Fly

No forecast and no webcam is as reliable as this report. Who can give you the most accurate information about the wind, wave & weather? You guessed it: The kitesurfers themselves, who are currently on the spot in real time. Anyone can report the current conditions directly on the spot in the app to help other kitesurfers.

Worldwide Network Of Spots

More than hundreds of kite spots are available in the app. To find a kitespot easily, you can simply use the map. You can enter the spot you are looking for or search for it directly on the map. Your spot is not available? No problem, just enter a new spot.

Multi-Language

In the app, kitesurfers can connect to each other around the world. For this reason, the app is available in German, English and Russian. More languages will follow soon. Someone writes Spanish in a chat and you don’t understand the language? No problem, you can simply translate messages into your own language.

Push Notifications

You don’t want to miss anything? Then activate the push notifications in your favorite spots. So you get the latest news when you need it most.

Do you like this idea? Then support the inventors and download the app in the App Store or Play Store and use it on your next kite trip.

Do you have any suggestions? Or constructive feedback? Then join the Facebook group “Kitecloud Community” and share your thoughts.

(This post is sponsored by KiteCloud)

The post KiteCloud – The Social Network for Kitesurfers appeared first on Coastline Kitesurfing.

Get the most benefit out of your first kitesurfing lessons by documenting the experience so that you can learn even when you’re not out on the waves.

People have many different learning styles, and we’ve found that those who gain confidence most quickly are those who use all the tools at their disposal to maximize the learning experience. We’re committed to making sure that you not only complete a course efficiently but also have the confidence to enjoy the sport on your own.

Here are some of the ways that you can stack the benefit of different approaches to grow your skills and enjoy the freedom and excitement of kitesurfing more quickly and skillfully.

• Of course, in an activity such as kitesurfing, at least part of your learning has to be hands-on. You’ll learn by doing, and our experienced instructors work hard to provide you with the safest and most informative kitesurfing lessons in Cape Town. Our priority is to guide your learning so that you can gain skills quickly, but also in a safe environment.

• Familiarity with the gear and the conditions is important and is gained through a combination of information and guided experience. You’ll also develop the muscle memory as you practice safe and effective movement so that you can get the most out of your kitesurfing learning experience and move on to independence sooner.

• If you find that you learn well by reading, then we can point you in the right direction, but one thing that can really help all types of learners is visually documenting lessons. Capturing photographs, and especially video, of your own lessons can help you look back at your experience, reinforce the right technique, and pinpoint what went wrong and where you can learn from your mistakes.

• There’s a lot going on in the moment, and you can be pretty busy trying to listen to an instructor, manage the gear and navigate the conditions, so looking back at still images and footage after the fact prompts your memory, solidifies your understanding, and gives you a different perspective that can bring clarity and help you correct mistakes. It’s an excellent tool for visual learners and one of the best ways to supplement hands-on lessons.

• Motivation is another factor in pushing through the learning process to confidence. Double your benefit by not only capturing photos and video of your first lessons so that you can reflect on the experience, but also going on to use them to make videos with Biteable that you can then share with friends or on social media. Sharing goals with others is motivating, helps you stick to your plan and make better progress, and can spark some friendly competition for added incentive to stick with it. Not to mention the fact that you’ll have some killer shots and footage to pad out your feed.

Kitesurfing is an extreme sport and requires a more involved learning process than some. Get the most out of your lessons and finish with the confidence to get out on the water and have a great time by supplementing our safe and informative training with footage of the first lessons.

The post How to make the most out of your kitesurfing lessons appeared first on Coastline Kitesurfing.

If you are currently reading this and deciding whether to take up the art, which is kitesurfing. You probably have a lot of questions! I know I did when getting started. Questions such as: Am I strong enough to  kitesurf? How long will it take me to learn? Is kitesurfing dangerous?

So, I decided to answer the top 10 most commonly asked questions for you!

1. Is Kitesurfing dangerous?

There seems to be a major misconception on this topic, partly thanks to YouTube crash videos and partly thanks to a lack of quality information out there.

Kitesurfing is an extreme sport, plain and simple. However the sport has seen huge growth in popularity, each year. This means one thing, commercialization.

Back in 2000, when kitesurfing was still a foreign concept, it was dangerous yes. There was a lack of safety features/equipment. Now days due to commercialization, massive corporations spend millions of dollars each year designing new and safer equipment, equipment that allows everyone to try the sport out.

Modern equipment alongside certified kitesurfing lessons means there are far less risks involved when learning to kitesurf.

Answer: Kitesurfing has inherent risks just like any other active sport, but is 100% more safer to learn today. 

2. Is kitesurfing an expensive sport?

If you were to go online right now and buy a brand new complete 2018 setup, it would cost you approximately, R47 000/€3200/$3900.

However if you were to go out and buy a complete second hand 2015 setup, you could spend approximately, R12 000/€800/$980.

Answer: Yes, but there are ways to reduce costs significantly!

3. Do I have to be strong to kitesurf?

I get this one a lot over the phone or by email, and is completely understandable!

It’s important to know, when kitesurfing you are wearing a harness which is attached to your waist. The kite and bar/lines is attached to your harness. Meaning your body weight is what holds onto the kite. The less you weigh, the smaller the kite you use and vice versa.

The answer: No

4. How long will it take me to learn kitesurfing?

After teaching this sport for over 6 years, I can generally say it all depends on your personal level of progression. I’ve had students who could ride after 2 lessons and I’ve also had students who could ride after 10 lessons.

Each individual learns at a different speed unique to their own.

On your 3rd day of lessons you’ll be attempting to ride the board and will understand all the most important aspects of how to kite. However you will need further practice on your own to hone in on your skills.

Answer: 2 – 4 weeks depending on the individual. 

5. What age can my child start learning to kitesurf?

This depends per learning location, is there flat water is it a lagoon. However Coastline Kitesurfing’s general rule of thumb is, children from the age of 9 – 16 require their parent to take atleast 2 lessons with them in order for us to teach them.

It is critical that the parent understands the basics of kitesurfing in order for the child to practice safely.

Answer: 9 years old. (Location dependent) 

6. What is a IKO certification?

Kitesurfing schools & instructors that are IKO certified are able to supply you with an IKO certification at the end of your course. Having an IKO certification is important only in two situations. 1. If you’d like to become an IKO instructor in the future or 2. Want to rent gear around the world.

IKO stands for “International Kiteboarding Organizations”. Their qualification is the most recognized by kitesurf schools worldwide.

Answer: Allows you to rent gear around the world & is the first step in becoming a IKO certified kitesurfing instructor. 

7. I’ve done surfing and wakeboarding in the past, will this help?

Wakeboarding and surfing will certainly help with your center of gravity and confidence with riding a board.

However kitesurfing is 80% kite control and 20% board control. I’ve found teaching people who are completely novice to board sports are sometimes easier to teach than ex surfers or wakeboarders.

As the saying goes, “old habits die hard”.  However being a water baby is a great advantage.

Answer: Being a surfer or wakeboarder does help, but wont necessarily allow you to learn faster. 

8. What are the best conditions to learn kitesurfing in?

When learning to kite, the 2 most important factors to consider are, 1. your location and 2. the wind conditions.

Attempting to learn in the ocean comes with a hefty price, the waves. This will prolong your learning curve significantly. Flat shallow water is paramount when just starting out.

Learning in wind too strong or too light makes kitesurfing much harder to grasp. The optimal wind speed to learn in is 16 – 20 knots.

Coastline Kitesurfing takes all their students to Langebaan lagoon for their water lessons.

Answer: Flat shallow water & 16 – 20 knots wind speed. 

If you’d like answers to any of your questions, feel free to contact me directly on kyle@coastlinekitesurfing.com or simply leave a comment with your question below.

The post 8 Most Commonly Asked Kitesurfing Questions Answered appeared first on Coastline Kitesurfing.

How do you accurately choose the correct size board and kite for your kitesurfing session?
To begin with, you have to choose the correct size board and kite that fits your weight, height and experience level.
Kitesurfing is an exhilarating sport, but you need to respect some basic safety procedures in order to protect yourself and predominately all others out on the water.

To learn all the safety procedures, it is quite important that you purchase yourself a complete kitesurfing course in an official IKO school, like Coastline Kitesurfing. Kite schools, like Coastline Kitesurfing will guide you through everything you need to know in order to kitesurf safely while having fun!

How to pick the right kite board?

Kitesurfing beginners are recommended to buy a larger kite board and a smaller kite. It’s much easier to get used to flotation, balance and centre of gravity on a larger kite board.

However, from my personal experience teaching people how to kitesurf, I generally see fast progression and thus recommend purchasing a slightly smaller board than recommended for beginners. A 140-142 will do just fine. This way you’ll spare some money from buying 1 board instead of 2.

Understanding the kite

Keep in mind however intermediate and even advanced kitesurfers need larger kite boards and kites, when the wind is too light, for example, on very rare occasions in Cape Town.

Smaller kites will consume less wind & generate less power, kitesurfing beginners will have more control over the equipment. Trainer kites are also great for practising your kite flying skills on the beach with a small risk factor.

Buying two different kite boards and kite sizes – small and larger models – will allow you to ride in totally different wind conditions, depending on your location, you can quite accurately judge what sizes will be optimum!

Kite board chart

Here is a chart to help you decide on what size board to buy.

What are the 4 main types of kites in kitesurfing?

1.C Kite

The first and foremost original inflatable kite. This kite features square corners in a C-shaped arc when launched. The C Kite gets its shape from the kite lines, which are attached at the four corners of the kite.

2.Bow Kite

The Bow Kite is an innovative concave kite with an almost flat look, after being launched in the skies. Sometimes it is called “flat kite” and its shape offers a near 100% de-power and large wind range features.

3.Hybrid Kite

The Hybrid kite is a fusion of the best characteristics of the C Kite and the Bow Kite.There are a great number of Hybrid Kite variations and some are almost identical to its own inspirational kites.

4.Foil Kite

A Foil Kite doesn’t have air bladders. A classic foil kite is made of open cells that

breath air and inflate the kite. Therefore, it can’t get in the water and is usually used as a beginner kite to train with on the beach.

Kitesurfing Chart

You can use this chart to help you decide what size kite to take out depending on your weight and wind speed.

I hope these charts came in handy, if you have any further questions, regarding the purchasing of your own kitesurf equipment, simply contact me by email kyle@coastlinekitesurfing.com

The post Kitesurfing Equipment – Guide For Beginners. appeared first on Coastline Kitesurfing.

Coastline Kitesurfing would like to introduce our new IKO leveling system.

When you’ve completed your kitesurfing lessons with us you will receive your IKO certification card. This certification card is internationally recognized  and allows you to rent gear at IKO recognized kite schools around the world!

On the back of your card you’ll notice different leveling systems which doesn’t make much sense on its own. However we’ve made this blog to help you understand what each level signifies.

Please use the chart below, to get a deeper understanding of what your cards level means.

I hope this allows you to better understand what your IKO card means.

A quick word by the  IKO organization.

Learn, Progress and Teach Kitesurfing.

The post Introducing our new IKO leveling system appeared first on Coastline Kitesurfing.