Professional Kite Boarding Lessons
Troy Schafer, Professional Kiteboard Instructor
Can you kite? Yes, if you want it and I would hope that you want it. Because I think it is important for your to go to the beach, to feel the sun warm your skin, to connect your feet to the sand and feel the water release your tension. While kiting you will be the connection point between two forces of nature, the wind and the water. How you choose to connect these forces and where you choose to take them is up to your imagination. Some people just want to sail in a beautiful bay. Some people want to fly a rhythm or pattern under a sunset. Some people want to jump high and float softly down. Many people, myself included, just want to kite-surf waves all day. A few people want to cross the ocean. I don't know where you want to go on your journey but I can say the journey is worth your time.
First off, don't give yourself an excuse no to have fun. Kite boarding is a sport for the old, young and everyone in between, including you. Some people mistakenly think that it is a strong person's sport. It is not. In all honesty, it is kind of a lazy person's sport. For the most part, you are resting half of your body at a time while leveraging your weight against the pull of the kite by leaning back in your harness. Your arms are relaxed and will lightly pull the bar a little to the right when you want the kite to move towards its right side. Lightly pull to the left if you want the kite to move to the left side. When you are not sure what to do, just let go of the bar and sit down. In my experience, people who can be lazy and do nothing will have an easy time learning to kite board. If you are a control freak or a muscular person, you can still learn to kite. But, allow yourself more time.
I have been teaching people of all ages and skill levels to kite board since 2003. Whether you are a nervous and timid beginner, a comfortable intermediate kiter or are looking to master professional tricks, we can set up a lesson for you.
I can show you how to align you kite, board, bar, body and hands to succeed kite boarding. Also, I can show you the common mistakes of every step that is making it difficult for you to kite.
Are you concerned about safety? I'm the only school on Maui that uses a 5th line dedicated for safety.
When you are on a 4-line kite, you are using a power-line that doubles as your safety-line. If and when your safety jams or fails, you will find out why they are called "power-lines." I promise not to put you are risk with a 4-line kite.
While you are in the water, I use 2-way radios to guide you through every step along the way.
For those of you on a budget. Here are some cost saving activities to do before you book your first lesson:
1, Buy a small $30 two-line stunt kite and a chair. Find a place with steady wind and fly your kite. If kite flying becomes a relaxing activity, then buy a 4 line stunt kite.
2, If you have never ridden a board in your life, buy a skateboard and ride back and forth holding onto a friends hand or a hand rail. It is important to be comfortable traveling with your left foot in front as well as with your right foot in front. Because when you are kite boarding, you will be riding "regular" foot going one direction and "goofy" traveling the opposite direction.
3, If you do not know how to swim, buy a life jacket. With a friend present, practice. Learn the back stroke, as it is easier to do in a life jacket. Learning the breast stoke could be valuable too. Just for the record, kiters rarely swim. For the most part, swimming is a last resort, when all else fails.
contact Troy for a lesson: kiteboardmaui@gmail.com
First off, don't give yourself an excuse no to have fun. Kite boarding is a sport for the old, young and everyone in between, including you. Some people mistakenly think that it is a strong person's sport. It is not. In all honesty, it is kind of a lazy person's sport. For the most part, you are resting half of your body at a time while leveraging your weight against the pull of the kite by leaning back in your harness. Your arms are relaxed and will lightly pull the bar a little to the right when you want the kite to move towards its right side. Lightly pull to the left if you want the kite to move to the left side. When you are not sure what to do, just let go of the bar and sit down. In my experience, people who can be lazy and do nothing will have an easy time learning to kite board. If you are a control freak or a muscular person, you can still learn to kite. But, allow yourself more time.
I have been teaching people of all ages and skill levels to kite board since 2003. Whether you are a nervous and timid beginner, a comfortable intermediate kiter or are looking to master professional tricks, we can set up a lesson for you.
I can show you how to align you kite, board, bar, body and hands to succeed kite boarding. Also, I can show you the common mistakes of every step that is making it difficult for you to kite.
Are you concerned about safety? I'm the only school on Maui that uses a 5th line dedicated for safety.
When you are on a 4-line kite, you are using a power-line that doubles as your safety-line. If and when your safety jams or fails, you will find out why they are called "power-lines." I promise not to put you are risk with a 4-line kite.
While you are in the water, I use 2-way radios to guide you through every step along the way.
For those of you on a budget. Here are some cost saving activities to do before you book your first lesson:
1, Buy a small $30 two-line stunt kite and a chair. Find a place with steady wind and fly your kite. If kite flying becomes a relaxing activity, then buy a 4 line stunt kite.
2, If you have never ridden a board in your life, buy a skateboard and ride back and forth holding onto a friends hand or a hand rail. It is important to be comfortable traveling with your left foot in front as well as with your right foot in front. Because when you are kite boarding, you will be riding "regular" foot going one direction and "goofy" traveling the opposite direction.
3, If you do not know how to swim, buy a life jacket. With a friend present, practice. Learn the back stroke, as it is easier to do in a life jacket. Learning the breast stoke could be valuable too. Just for the record, kiters rarely swim. For the most part, swimming is a last resort, when all else fails.
contact Troy for a lesson: kiteboardmaui@gmail.com
Looking to buy a Kite, Bar or Board?
email me at kiteboardmaui@gmail.com and I'll see if I can get you the best price.
Remember, e-mail me at kiteboardmaui@gmail.com and let me see if I can get you the best price on Kite gear!
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