Kiteboarding How To Videos and More

Kiteboarding How To Videos and More 

Aloha~ We have been working hard to create "How To" videos, Check out our website at http://www.actionkiteboarding.net/videos/ On the left is a tab that says "videos".  Click the link and choose your video.  We also have our "You Tube Channel" that you can watch and please subscribe to https://www.youtube.com/user/ActionSportsMaui/videos .  Let us know if there is any video you would like to see as a "how to" and we will create it~ 

Happy and Safe kiteboarding!!!! 

Learn to ride a Kite Foilboard on Maui

 

Learn to ride a Kite Foilboard on Maui by: David Dorn

Foilboarding, kitefoiling, foiling, or hydrofoiling are different names for one of the fastest growing segments of the sport of kiteboarding.

Why are foilboards so popular?

Kite foilboards are super efficient and can go in much lighter winds than conventional equipment. This means that kiteboarding is more accessible for people living in light wind areas. It also means that people can kite more often, and when their schedule allows.
The kiteboard foil, is a hydrofoil system attached to the bottom of a directional board. The foil system lifts the board out of the water at speed, and then provides enough lift for the rider and board to be out of the water riding. Without the board dragging along the foil can accelerate swiftly and provide a smother ride. Foilboarding feels like flying. Foilboards are becoming popular for racing, foils can sail much closer to the wind than regular equipment. A kite foilboard points much higher, like a raceboard, and is great for people racing around an upwind-downwind course. Foils are being raced on local and national levels, and even a world racing series. Foils may even be the next kiteboard to be selected for Olympic competition. Foils are not just for going fast. Foilboards are also being used for freeriding, freestyle and waves. Each foilboarder, will express their personal style and ride their own unique way. There as many individual ride styles as there are riders.

So what does it take to become a kite foilboarder?
Forget everything you think you know about kiteboarding. A kitefoilboard is very demanding to ride. It requires constant focus and concentration. Any kitefoilboarder will tell you that learning to foil is far from easy. Many compare it to starting to kiteboard all over again.  The best way to learn to foil is with some lessons from an experienced kitefoil instructor, this can really shorten the learning curve.
You could go and buy yourself a foilboard and try to teach yourself, but in that case you must be prepared to invest a lot of time and bumps and bruises until you get it down. There is no magic bullet, foilboarding is a totally new experience, and it takes a lots of “T.O.W. Time On Water” until you get it down. Getting a few lessons from a Kitefoilboarding Instructor is usually the best use of your time.

Prerequisites to become a Kitefoilboarder: 
Ideally you should already have completely mastered kite flying. That means that you can fly most kites instinctively, and you can react quickly to kites back-stalling, and do quick redirects. You should also be able to powerstroke the kite efficiently. You must be able to fly fully in control “one-handed” (including power-stroking the kite one-handed). You should be able to  relaunch the kite from any position, and relaunch in light wind. You can fly in under-powered and overpowered conditions. And it is really helpful if you can also power-loop the kite, downloop when needed to get extra power. As with any kiteboarding, you should be able to deal with problems, like tangled lines, stuck bridles, be able to perform a complete self-rescue, and have a full mastery of all of the safety systems in all kinds of situations. Foilboards tend to get stuck in the kite lines more than other types of boards, so you should be comfortable dealing with depowing a kite in a tangled scenario. As for board riding experience, you should already be able to ride a directional board. Because Foilboards have a direction, so you must also be able to jibe a directional, and switch your feet without crashing, as well as ride for extended periods in the toe-side position. You should also be prepared for the physical exertion of multiple wipeouts and some hard swimming.

TIPS for Foilboarding:
• Of course you should wear as much protective clothing as possible to prevent injuries.
• A helmet should be considered mandatory.
• Start out in steady winds.
• Gusty conditions are way more difficult to handle on a foilboard.
• Try to find calm, flat water. Waves and chop make it harder.
• Go out with an underpowered kite at first.
• Keep your sessions short because you will be exhausted quickly.
• Stay in deep water, you must have enough water under your foil at all times.
• Avoid foils with sharp edges, some are razor sharp.
• Kite with other foilboarders, and share your experiences.

Here is a video of David Dorn foilboarding on Maui a few weeks ago.

About the Author:
David Dorn is the owner of Action Sports Maui, Maui's first kiteboarding school. Originally from Australia David moved to Maui in the 80's for windsurfing and surfing and began kiting with the kite pioneers in the 90's. David is a Training Master for the International Kiteboarding Organization and is available for private lessons for all levels of kitesurfing, beginner to advanced. 

Kiteboarding’s 10 Worst Bad Habits

Here is a list of Kiteboarding’s 10 Worst Habits. This Top Ten is some of the worst things we see daily on kite beaches that make us cringe or shake our heads. Why do people do it, when there is clearly a better way or at least a better looking way to do it? These bad habits were submitted from our pro-team members as some of the worst examples of sloppy or just plain ugly kite technique. There are many more bad habits not on this list to be sure. Here we have listed ten of the worst in no particular order.
1) Poop stance: we have all seen it most of us have done it at one time, but it is preventable. Poop stance is kiting with your butt sticking out and almost dragging on the water. Maybe it is because your harness is too loose and slipping up under your armpits. Maybe your kite is 5 sizes too big, or maybe your arms are just way too short. But damn! It really hurts our eyes, so can you please get some better gear or some training please.
2) Hot launching and moon walking:
Ok we are not making a reference to Michael Jackson here, we are talking about the typical kook launch where the kite is soo overpowered that the kiter runs toward the kite in huge bounding steps on the verge of being lofted. This is typical of someone severely underestimating the kite’s power on launch. If you launch right you don’t have to run towards the kite, and “moon walking” is totally unnecessary. Launching out of control like this is not cool. Maybe you will fall on your face, or maybe you step into my kite and rip a hole in it. So please stay far away from me and my gear if you launch this way.
3) Not Signaling to launch:
Is it really so hard to give a thumbs up? Or maybe raise your board. Giving a clear launch signal is actually vital for your safety as well as those around you. We are not mind readers, so how do we know when you want to launch your kite. It is also not our responsibility to choose when to launch you. If you don’t give a signal, maybe your launch assistant gets bored and throws the kite up and walks away. Don’t blame the other guy if you are not ready, and get worked.
4) Not having A Plan:
Ok so now you are riding, but just not going upwind all the time. So you are going to do some “downwinders”, and may come ashore at some undetermined spot. So don’t just hope for the best without a plan. We see too many people just kiting along and then coming into the beach with no clear plan how they are going to land the kite by themselves. What are you gonna do? Take aim at the nearest person, kiter or not?. Please have a plan before you launch, and try to be self sufficient on landing, it is really not that hard if you know how.
5) Gadget Guy:
Safety is important, and so is having the right safety gear. Carry a spare kite leash too if you want. But some people think that more gear and gadgets is better than less. So they keep adding onto their safety gear. Extra gadgets and added items hanging off their harness are just going to get tangled in the lines. Especially carabineers and snap hooks. These are little traps just waiting to get stuck in your kite lines at the worst possible moment. So keep it simple and try to stay streamlined.
6) Reverse launching:
This usually happens when a person is kiting in a new location for the first time, and they do it like they are used to at home. The definition of a reverse launch depends on the location and the site setup. With a true crosswind launch like on Maui kiters should always launch with their kite towards the water, this is where the good wind is and the safest direction to get pulled away from land in a gust. So reverse launching is doing the opposite of what is safe and practical. However in onshore wind locations the other direction may be preferred, according to local conditions. Then reversing the launch puts you onshore with your kite in a bad position. To prevent this you have to watch how the locals launch, and ask them why they do it that way. There are usually good reasons as to why one method is favored. And you would be foolish to do the opposite. Ask an instructor or safe local rider to explain the local launching methods to you.
7) Reverse grip:
We have all see the guy with the underhand grip. Probably he was a windsurfer, or waterskier in a former life. But it is not right for kiting. Underhand grips are way too common and they are a bad habit learned from other people with bad habits. Like a virus bad habits like this spread. So unless you have a medical issue that limits your arm/wrist movement, you should be able to hold you kite bar in the normal way. Hands over the top kangaroo style. It is better for your brain, and for proper bar function too.
8) Crossed grip:
Why would you hold the left bar with the right hand, or vice versa?
This phenomenon tends to be regionalized to specific groups. It serves no practical function in fact it can have negative consequences when quick reflexes are needed. Like accidentally un-hooking, or a kitemare line break. When split seconds count you need to have technique and reflexive training on your side. But when you see people holding their kite on a launch with their front hand on the back of their bar, and their board in their back hand. You know that they are either self-taught or just copied their buddy who tried to teach them. This one really hurts the eyes for instructors and experienced riders. *The upside is that when you see someone trying to lunch like this, you can take it as a red flag warning so you to get out of their way, and to expect that a mishap will likely occur. Sadly once a kiter starts down this dark path, chances are they cannot be rehabilitated.
9) Using board Leash:
It is amazing and disturbing to me that some people still do this. There are so many reasons to not use a kiteboard leash, and you need go no further than a “Google search of kiteboard leashes” to know why. But some people are still too afraid (or ignorant) to stop using their board leash. Sometimes these people know that they shouldn’t do it, but they cannot give it up. Like a smoker denying the known health consequences. You also see some people “kinda-sorta” using the leash. The guys with the reel-type leash still attached to their harness, but they say “I don’t use it anymore”, or “I only use it occasionally when I need to”. Usually these guys were never trained to “not need one”. These days most beginner kiters are taught to upwind bodydrag on their first day. If you have good technique you don’t need a leash. Better yet always have a kite buddy around to help you get a board back. Again anytime you see a board leash, it is a red flag to stay far away from that person, and maybe you shouldn’t even launch them (for their own safety).
10) Talking During a launch:
In Golf you would never talk to someone during a their back swing. When a person is fully concentrated and committed to taking the shot, there is nothing you can say that will not detract from their shot. Same in kiteboarding. Way too may people try to talk or shout advice to people in the process of launching. For the most part this is just noise. Or worse you could distract them just enough so they look at you instead of their kite, then have an accident caused by you. If you want to chat or give someone some tips, the time to do that is well before they are actively launching. Most people appreciate a tip or two now and again, but half a dozen people shouting stuff at a stressed out person launching a kite is a recipe for disaster.
Better to hold your comments for later. Pick your moments when you talk to a kiter. And try not to interrupt their launch, or you could be the cause of an accident.
Most of our pro-team agrees that bad habits like these can sometimes be broken, But it takes concentrated effort and lots of discipline to overcome some of them. The first step is recognizing that you have a bad habit.
AK.

What do Kiteboarders Wear?

Kiteboarding is an outdoor sport that requires protection from the elements.
Knowing what to wear will help you to enjoy the sport more, and in some cases be safer.
There are differences in what to wear depending on where you are going and what type of kiteboarding you are planning to do. Keep in mind that not all of your time will be spend on the water kiting. You will need to have appropriate clothing to wear before and after your water time. You will also need a way/place to change into your water wear, and you may need some dry clothes for wearing afterward.
Clothing is for protection:
Clothing will protect you from the cold, the sun, the impact of boards, water injuries, and the kite lines. Kiteboarders are exposed to cold water as well as a high degree of wind chill. So although the ambient air temperature may seem relatively high, the kiter can still lose body heat faster in strong wind. Colorful clothing will help you be seen, this is especially important when kiting in remote areas, where rescue may be required.
Do not go underequipped or underdressed:
Make sure that you have enough kite wear for the environment you are in.
Cold water will require a wetsuit, very cold water will require a thick wetsuit, or even a drysuit, and maybe booties, gloves, a hood.
What to wear in warm water:
In warm water like Hawaii, you should wear sturdy swimwear like a bathing suit, covered with boardshorts, and a rashguard. Kids and small people or people with low body fat will need some sort of thermal protection. A thin shorty wetsuit, hot skin, or vest will be needed if you want to enjoy extended kiteboarding sessions.
Proper board shorts:
These should be the type of shorts that tie up on the front. This is to keep them on in a high speed crash. The snap type fly on shorts will not hold them on in a crash. Also the try to avoid the type with a velcro fly as they can open, or cause abrasion. Most modern shorts have a false fly that has no velcro. Stretchy shorts with flex fabric are best as they allow better range of movement. Do not have shorts that are too tight as they restrict movement and could rip if stretched too far.
Kiting Pants:
Long Boardshorts called kite pants were very popular in the early days of the sport. These often had shin-high cuffs to allow for wake style bindings. These kite pants offered more protection from bumps and scrapes of kiteboarding. Kite pants are also starting to make making a comeback.
Avoid loose clothing:
Avoid clothing that is too loose as it will be pushed around and be displaced in a wipeout and not offer much protection. Loose shirts can get stuck over your head and cause problems.
Double layers:
It is a good idea to dress in layers especially your pants. If wearing board shorts it is s good idea to also wear a bathing suit underneath to reduce friction, but also to prevent unwanted water penetration in case of a severe wipeout. Kiteboarders often have high speed wipeouts and skip along the water on their butts, or have butt-first landings from high jumps. So layers of added protection like neoprene pants will help prevent unwanted water penetration problems or injuries in your body cavities. This is why water-skiers and jetskiers wear wetsuit shorts.
Safety shorts:
Another layer is also a good way to reduce discomfort of seat harness leg straps. Leg straps from seat harnesses can cause chafing and irritation to sensitive areas. So a pair of lycra shorts worn under board shorts will reduce problems there. Boardshort rash happens when a lot of walking and other movement rubs on unprotected skin. Any skin that gets repeatedly rubbed by the fabric will tend to chafe, so think about at least wearing Speedos (or bikini) under your board shorts or get some safety shorts.
Wetsuit Shorts:
Not just for warmth, but also for protection. Neoprene shorts are great for protection from chafing, cold, harness straps, and impact, and water penetration. Wetsuit shorts are comfortable to wear and can be worn discreetly under boardshorts if desired.
Harness rash:
Wearing a waist harness without a shirt can cause friction against the skin that can lead to harness rash. In some cases open sores can develop on the skin especially near protruding hip bones or ribs. Wearing a rashguard shirt under a waist harness will help stop this from happening. The shirt needs to be long enough to cover the exposed areas of skin. Waist harnesses slide on the skin so the fabric of the shirt worn under a waist harness should be soft and untextured. A shorty wetsuit will also eliminate harness rash.
Boardshorts over wetsuits?
Some kiteboarders will wear boardshorts over their wetsuits. This is a matter of personal preference. Some wear board-short-harnesses, so they are integrated harnesses. Some kiters wear boardshorts so that they can have pockets to carry their car keys, or kite-knives or whatever. And some people will simply prefer the aesthetic of wearing boardshorts.
Sun Protection:
A rashguard shirt is designed to also offer some sun protection. Some shirts offer the same protection as wearing a 50 spf sunscreen. These are rated as such on the label. Wearing a white tee shirt does not offer sun protection because UV rays can easily penetrate most fabrics.
Wearing a swim shirt or rashguard is better than wearing sunscreen because it does not wash off. This is better for the environment because most Sunscreen can be harmful to marine life. Sunscreen is also not good for kiting equipment. Wearing a rashie or sunshirt means that you can use less sunscreen and have more sun protection. Wear a long sleeve rashguard for maximum coverage. Some people like to wear full length lycra pants and shorts for sun protection. This has added benefits for protection from jellyfish and other irritants.
Jellyfish pants:
In many kiteboarding locations jellyfish are a real problem, Northern australia and Thailand are a couple or locations that come to mind but jellyfish stings can happen almost anywhere. So think about wearing jellyfish pants. Jellyfish pants are simply tight fitting lycra pants that help stop the stinging tentacles of a jellyfish from directly contacting the skin. In areas with known jellyfish problems it is also necessary to wear a tight fitting lycra shirt tucked into the pants. You should  wear booties too, preferably ones covering the ankles as well for maximum protection. But remember that your hands and face are still exposed too. There is special sunscreen that helps protect against jellyfish stings that can be used on the remaining areas of skin that are exposed. Full length wetsuits can offers even better protection from jellyfish sting than lycra clothing, but it is not always practical to wear wetsuits in hot climates. Many people wear the jellyfish pants under their boardshorts.
Stinger Suits:
A stinger Suit is a full body suit of lycra/spandex that covers ankles to wrists, some may have feet or “sox” sewn in. These suits usually with a zipper down the front. These stinger suits are usually worn in high risk areas.
How to Wear Sunscreen:
You will still need to apply sunscreen to exposed skin areas. A good waterproof sunscreen for watersports should be used. Use a reef-safe brand, that is not animal tested. The face will need protection especially the nose and cheeks, but all areas will need some protection. Make sure you cover your forehead sparingly as excess sunscreen can get into your eyes. Many sunscreens will be painful if it gets into your eyes. But there are some that are non stinging. Use these for the face. Generally a gel or clear type stick sunscreen is best for faces and foreheads. Don’t forget to apply to your ears, and back of your neck, legs, back of calves, and tops of feet. Use sunscreen sparingly on lower legs and feet as it can adversely affect the footstraps or bindings. Apply sunscreen to the back of your hands, but try to avoid getting sunscreen on the palms of your hands, and wash it off your palms before kiting so you do not get it onto your control bar.
Wear a hat:
A hat with a stiff brim will offer some protection from sun on the face. The brim must be stiff or the wind will fold it down over your eyes. Many people wear a baseball cap, and it can be worn under the helmet as well. There are many other surfer style hats that are also suitable for kiting as well. A leash is a good idea to stop it floating away after a wipeout or a gust blowing it off your head.
Wear eye protection:
Wear eye protection, in the form of “Sea-specks”. These are waterproof sunglasses designed for waterports. These stop your eyelids getting burned, and protect eyes from sun, If you expose eyes to wind, and sun over the long term a medical condition called “Pterygium” can develop where tissue starts to grow over the eye that may need to be surgically removed.
Face protection:
Some people will want to wear face protection. This is fairly new but makes sense,. Anything that reduces long term sun exposure can help prevent sun damage, and possible skin cancer later on. Some countries wear face lycra coverings, and some people wear paintball type masks for protection. There are even full face helmet visors that block the sun and also some impacts from boards etc.
Helmets:
Of course we all know that helmets can offer a lot of protection for your head. They prevent many small injuries and they also help reduce severe injuries from the board impacting you, or your hear hitting hard objects like the seafloor etc. Helmets can also protect you from the sun, and prevent cuts from kite lines as well. Some helmets can protect the ears from direct impact, and may even protect your eardrums from bursting on a hard impact with the water. Only a proper water sports helmet should be used. Kiteboard specific helmets are best, Wakeboard helmets, and surfing helmets work too. Helmets also help you to keep warm in cold conditions, and are a great place to mount your go-pro camera.
Impact jackets:
An impact jacket is a thick neoprene vest that is padded. It protects your torso from impacts and can help prevent broken ribs and some chest injuries. Some impact jackets also offer added floatation which is always good to have. Especially when you have just cracked some ribs, and you can barely breathe, and can’t swim back to shore easily.
Life jackets:
There are Life jackets, buoyancy vests, and floatation aids. The classification depends on the amount of floatation. Whether they are coast guard approved or not, most jackets designed to be worn while kiteboarding will not save your life all by itself. You still need to be a competent swimmer for kiteboarding. But buoyancy aid jackets can help you to increase your chances of survival until rescue arrives. Sports type life jackets called “Type III”, are comfortable and the most common type used in kiteboarding. A jacket must be tight fitting so that it stays on after impact, and so it does not slip up over your head or mouth. Short-bodied kayaker’s jackets are also used for kiting and work very well. Test your life jacket by swimming in it and see if it stays in the correct position when swimming. Some jackets have a strap that threads through your harness or spreader bar to keep it from riding too far up on your body. The general rule is the further you ride away from shore or from rescue, the more flotation you will need. Some US states and certain countries have specific laws requiring the use of a specific type of jacket. Like a coast guard approved Type II for example. Long distance kiteboarders and kite adventurers may consider using a type I (type one) “offshore jacket” or even an inflatable rig.
Booties (foot wear):
Water shoes, like neoprene booties can keep your feet warm, and protect them from cuts on shore and whilst riding. Booties offer better grip on the board, especially for skim board, or strapless surfing. Style riding. Booties come in different styles and thicknesses. Check to make sure that your booties fit unto your footstraps.
Gloves:
Gloves like leather sailing gloves for protection from blisters are good for people with sensitive skin. Neoprene gloves are good for cold water kiting. If you cannot feel you hands from cold that is a sign you need gloves.
Hoods:
A neoprene hood is necessary for cold water kiting. They increase your safety by slowing the onset of cold water exposure and hypothermia. The head is especially vulnerable to wind chill, ears will get super cold without a hood in cold water and strong wind.
Hoodies Lycra,
Lycra hoods are built into some heavy duty rashguards, these are great for super hot sunny locations to reduce sun exposure. Separate lycra hoods are also available too.
Face/neck tubes:
Turtle neck style lycra tubes, can be worn around the neck and pulled over the face as needed for sun protection.
Over Jackets:
Neoprene Over jackets are made that can be work after you stop kiting to help you stay warm between sessions while your are still wearing your wet wetsuit. These might also good for instructors or support boat crews driving jetskis or dinghy’s in rain and spray conditions.
Changing Ponchos:
Getting in and out of a wetsuit is difficult, there are changing mats that help stop you getting sandy feet into a wetsuit, and there are terry toweling ponchos that you can wear to cover yourself while changing into/out of a wetsuit. These not only keep you warmer, but they also offer some degree of privacy as well.
Caring for your Kitewear:
Always have your kitewear ready to go. Take it out each night and wash it in soapy warm water. If you do not wash your rashguards and boardshorts you will get bacteria buildup and strong ammonia stink, and you can even get a skin fungus. Keep a spare set of your kitewear handy and rotate it as needed. Never put lycra or neoprene in the clothes dryer. Instead allow it time to drip dry. Do not use chemicals of strong soaps on lycra or neoprene. Follow the garment care instructions on wetsuits, lycra, bathing suits, or any specialized clothing.
Know before you go:
When traveling to a new location contact the local kite school or shop to ask about the best kitewear and protective gear to wear when you get there.
Aloha,
AK

Instructor: Martin Verrastro - Waterstart lesson. Maui. Hawaii September...

Learning Windsurf in Maui, Hawaii. July 2010. Instructor: Martin Verrastro

IKO Kiteboarding Instructor Course - Maui Hawaii Sept 2013

David Dorn, IKO Training Director and Action Sports Maui are offering a 5 day International Kiteboarding Organization (IKO) Instructor Training Course is being offered in sunny and windy, Maui, Hawaii. IKO offers a reliable and professional training program. The certification is recognized as the international standard in teaching.
At the end of the training, you will have developed abilities in the following major areas: safety, practical environment, analysis, technique, teaching psychology and live situation.
We have a few spaces left so book now! We are also offering the IKO assistant training course September 3rd-5th, which is a pre-requisite for the 5 day ITC. Contact us for more information on housing, car rentals etc!! 

Email us now, we have a few spaces left!

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