Forums > Kitesurfing Victoria

KS school for a beginner in Melbourne - Which one?

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Created by hurfi > 9 months ago, 14 Jan 2017
hurfi
VIC, 3 posts
14 Jan 2017 8:09PM
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Hi,

I've been wanting to learn how to kitesurf for ages and I finally have the time and money to do it. I'm super keen to learn as much as I can from an instructor before I drop cash on gear and put myself or anyone else in danger

I'm after any feedback and recommendations on where is the best place/person to get lessons from in Melbourne, I'm centrally located so I can do St Kilda or Altona. I've had a look at the packages offered by the schools in St Kilda but cant really find much in the way of reviews/feedback from the community.

I would really appreciate any advice to steer me in the right direction (PM me if you don't want to publicly post)

Cheers,

Hurfi

slyfox
VIC, 318 posts
15 Jan 2017 12:21AM
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I'm currently on a Kite Republic progression weekend. 20 like minded people having an amazing time while getting instruction to improve on the water. (Novices through advanced.) They do individual ride days too.

I'm not aware of any other schools that run such conclusive progression sessions (some do ride days, don't know any that do weekends) so if you start with KR you can build a relationship with their team from the beginning.

FYI besides being a student and customer I have no affiliation with KR.

Kitearmada
VIC, 4 posts
15 Jan 2017 1:52AM
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Hi Hurfi , you cant really go too wrong in St.kilda all the schools down here offer great programs and similar value for money.

If your after more reviews then hit up Melbourne Kiteboarding Hookup (MKH) on facebook , just be aware that "Some" schools will have a shed load of their own staff reply about how good they are

Saying that we would be more than happy to hook you up with some lessons , we offer some great packages and are the only Kiteboarding Australia Accredited School in Melbourne , We are also the only School in Melbourne that use Bbtalkin' action sports headsets in our lessons , google them , they make a huge difference in the time it takes for you to learn and how safe you are while learning.

We currently run beginner lessons in St.Kilda but once you are at the boardstart level we can offer lessons in Altona too.

I'am the Center Manager at Kitearmada , Anthony , Ant to you and have just returned to Melbourne in 2015 after 15 years away in the UK , the Last 6 of which I was working as senior Kiting Instructor at Essexkitesurf School just 45mins out of London and one of the UK's longest running , largest and busiest Kitesurfing Schools. On a busy weekend we would have over a dozen Instructors on the water and around 200 punters , needless to say its alot busier/more popular than here.
Prior to that I taught snowboarding here in Victoria , Mt Hotham , in the early to mid nineties and then moved to Turoa in the North Island of New Zealand during the later 90's .

Anyways just abit of back ground on me , feel free to drop by the trailer in St.Kilda and have a Chat.

Regards
Anthony
Kitearmada






surpher
VIC, 81 posts
15 Jan 2017 10:27AM
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I joined a ride day with KR when I first moved to Melbourne. Yep. We went down to Inverloch.

Haven't seen beginners, or more advanced riders, pushed into so much trouble and dangerous situations by KR organisers in my 8 years riding before that day nor since! Beginners pushed out on the water with 10m kites when it was squalling from 10kn to a few 40kn rainy squalls (every 30 minutes. I mean, you could see them coming right at us!) that swept everyone off the water, and whoever wasn't attached to a kite, frantically and screaming, ran down the beach and tried to catch those poor blown away souls and hanging on to them and jumping on kites so they don't fly off again. I won't forget this one mom grabbing and pulling her sons, beginner, bar as if she knew better what was to be done in that situation. Well, the kite went up in the air again. Anyway...

"She'll be right, mate! Go ride! It's windy, woooooo! Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

I won't go into how an instructor took a kite off my girlfriend and went out for a 30 minute ride without permission.

At other occasions, when I happened to be on the same beach as KR, instructors/staff riding back in so their kites would brush against other riders kites. Get tangled into sailboats. KR's kites consistently being blown off of the beach into the trees, cars...

That's my experience with KR. Since then I've done my best to avoid the spots where KR was so I'm hoping they've improved and started taking safety and security more seriously.

I seriously don't get it why they're so popular.

slyfox
VIC, 318 posts
15 Jan 2017 12:59PM
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Select to expand quote
surpher said...
That's my experience with KR. Since then I've done my best to avoid the spots where KR was so I'm hoping they've improved and started taking safety and security more seriously.

I seriously don't get it why they're so popular.


I guess if that was the status quo for how they operated they wouldn't be popular.

surpher
VIC, 81 posts
15 Jan 2017 1:49PM
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I do find them "loud" and "super extrovert"-like, trying to spend as much time as possible hanging out together. Their location also helps heaps. I guess some people like that and flock together. Nothing wrong with that.

Weighty
VIC, 3 posts
17 Jan 2017 10:39AM
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Hurfi

I have sent plenty of friends to do kiting lessons at TheZu (www.thezu.com.au/) and all have had a great experience.
Their shop is located right on the beach at West Beach, St Kilda.
It's a great week to get on the water!

skywalker3d
VIC, 228 posts
17 Jan 2017 2:32PM
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KR are great to go to ride days and camp weekends with. I have had no problem with them at all if any thing i find them a little over the top with safety but i guess running a kite boarding weekend with a large group of people you have to do all the right things. I highly recommend them for progression if you want to learn something new. Im not sure what happened in SURPHER's case maybe they burnt his sausage?? Not sure but it is nothing like i have ever encountered the 8 or so times i have been with them.

hurfi
VIC, 3 posts
17 Jan 2017 4:00PM
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Thanks for the feedback and advice, I really do appreciate it.
Is it worth me picking up a second hand trainer before I start lessons so I'm not starting from absolute zero? Do any of the schools hire them out prior to lessons?

Cheers,

Hurfi

NorthernKitesAUS
QLD, 1061 posts
17 Jan 2017 4:16PM
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Definitely mate.
Get a trainer or ask the shops if you could hire it (most should), and give it a go on your own.
Practice as much as you can on it, like figure-eights, up and down, side to side, launch and land, edge of the window, know your 3, 9 and 12 oclock positions and everything in between, and get to know and feel the power-zone (the place in front of you downwind).
Learn everything about the "wind window" (youtube and google)
Have a friend with you to help not damage the kite when it crash lands or when you need it launched again.
Even a trainer kite in the wrong hands with above 20knot winds could be risky. Trainer kites are best in moderate winds below 15knots.
Above all have fun and stay safe.

surpher
VIC, 81 posts
18 Jan 2017 12:56PM
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Select to expand quote
skywalker3d said..
KR are great to go to ride days and camp weekends with. I have had no problem with them at all if any thing i find them a little over the top with safety but i guess running a kite boarding weekend with a large group of people you have to do all the right things. I highly recommend them for progression if you want to learn something new. Im not sure what happened in SURPHER's case maybe they burnt his sausage?? Not sure but it is nothing like i have ever encountered the 8 or so times i have been with them.






Haha, yeah, sausages are really not my thing.

< here we go again >
I suppose, and I hope, that it was an odd occasion on a dodgy weekend weather-wise. And having the more 'junior' KR staff running the show due to their van breaking down and their more experienced staff not being able to arrive at the spot. NNW direction at Inverloch with squalls sweeping through, kites in the air nervous as f*** in gusty conditions... but beginners still being pushed out on the water in those conditions because it was "pumping, woooo"... That's what really bugged me with KR. And the general "she'll be right, mate" attitude when I'm near a KR staff member is what bugs me. Newsflash: people seriously injured themselves and even died making seemingly harmless mistakes while being attached to a kite.

I had a chat to Chris and Cesar (prior to my KR experience) and Cesar post-experience. Good guys. But I avoid the red t-shirts as much as possible due to observation of their MO.

Another thing that bugs the s**t out of me is seeing instructors (not being KR specific here) take the kite off of the student and go for a ride to "get back upwind" to the starting position... as if it will be "easier" for the student to start at the upwind point again. That's not how you learn to handle a kite, by watching others ride. Either you progress quickly or slowly, there are no safe shortcuts!

< / end rant >

Back on topic... Regardless of who you go with @hurfi, yes for the trainer kite and following what @DylanJamo wrote will greatly improve your progress and getting onto the water.

hurfi
VIC, 3 posts
18 Jan 2017 10:49PM
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Thanks DylanJamo ans Surpher.

Any idea where to pick up a cheap trainer? Dont want to blow too much cash on it.

@kitearmada do you rent them out if i went with you for lessons?

Kitearmada
VIC, 4 posts
19 Jan 2017 10:57AM
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Hey Hurfi ,
Dont want to turn this into a AD , soooo I'll PM you :).

But yeah for sure Trainer kites are a great start , some will argue that after a point there is other better ways to spend your time/money if your end goal is Kitesurfing .

But there is for sure alot to be learnt from flying small foil kites and lets face it they can be alot of fun.

Best of Luck on your Adventure

Ant

kiterepublic
VIC, 203 posts
Site Sponsor
20 Feb 2017 3:09PM
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Hi Hurfi... sorry, have just seen this post. Hopefully by now you're well on your way to becoming a safe and independent kiter and you're having a blast! If you haven't got their yet and you're looking for a great option for getting started we'd love to help. We operate 12 months of the year (although it's a little chilly in winter - hence our Cook Island Tours) and have a fantastic and all inclusive kite club to make sure you're meeting a fantastic group of like minded kiters and safely learning a lot along the way.

Regarding trainer kites, while you're doing lessons with KR you have unlimited access to use them as much or as little as you'd like. Obviously the more you get out there and fly them (with a good purpose of course) the better, however a lot of people tend to do a little bit of this but are very keen to push on and move through the lessons. It's your choice and you take as much or little time as you'd like for this.

If you have made a start Hurfi, we hope you're having fun learning a new skill and we invite you to check out the upcoming KR CLUB activities at www.kiterepublic.com.au/product-category/kr-club/kr-events/

See you on the water soon!!! :)

@SURPHER - unfortunately as people don't put their names on this style of website it's very hard to tell if this is actually a true piece of feedback/criticism or a clever act of 'trolling' by one of our competitors. If you were to speak to any of our hundreds of members that have been on KR CLUB events, ride days or camp weekends over this season (or those prior) we are certain that you will get fantastic feedback in regards to safety, coordination, inclusiveness, clinic info etc. We work very hard to go above and beyond in these areas and we work very hard to make sure new kiteboarders are entering the sport in the safest and most supportive way. In saying that, if you are indeed an actual person and believe what you wrote to be somewhat true we can only improve these areas via our observations or more importantly by feedback from our members. To help us improve further it would be fantastic if you'd like to email us on shop@kiterepublic.com.au or call us at the shop on (03) 9537 0644 so we could discuss any issues that you feel could be improved upon.

surpher
VIC, 81 posts
22 Feb 2017 8:43PM
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Select to expand quote
kiterepublic said..
@SURPHER - unfortunately as people don't put their names on this style of website it's very hard to tell if this is actually a true piece of feedback/criticism or a clever act of 'trolling' by one of our competitors. If you were to speak to any of our hundreds of members that have been on KR CLUB events, ride days or camp weekends over this season (or those prior) we are certain that you will get fantastic feedback in regards to safety, coordination, inclusiveness, clinic info etc. We work very hard to go above and beyond in these areas and we work very hard to make sure new kiteboarders are entering the sport in the safest and most supportive way. In saying that, if you are indeed an actual person and believe what you wrote to be somewhat true we can only improve these areas via our observations or more importantly by feedback from our members. To help us improve further it would be fantastic if you'd like to email us on shop@kiterepublic.com.au or call us at the shop on (03) 9537 0644 so we could discuss any issues that you feel could be improved upon.




I haven't promoted any other kite school around here, have I?

I talked to Cesar about it a year or even more ago packing up at St Kilda Beach. Not sure if he passed it on. And sure, I can also spill even more of my frustration with the red T's behaviour on the water that I observe directly to the contact info provided. And just did...



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Forums > Kitesurfing Victoria


"KS school for a beginner in Melbourne - Which one?" started by hurfi