These are some notes that I made after each of my 1st kiting lessons on Boracay, Philippines, where I had the pleasure to be taught by Kerem, a globetrotter from Istanbul, who had temporarily settled there to live his dream of kiting for living. The below notes are basically the contents of the IKO Level 1 training.
Lesson 1, 28.12.2011, 15:55-17:00
1. Putting on a harness
2. What to check about wind?
a) Direction (with ears)
b) Strength
i. 5 knots minimum
ii. 12 knots: waves show white topping
iii. 25 knots: objects like debris fly off the waves
iv. 5-20 knots: kiting range
3. Explain on shore and off shore wind (see graph below)
4. Explain down wind and up wind in relation to another object or kiter (see graph below)
5. Security distance to other persons and objects: radius of two kite lines (50m)
6. Wind turbulence security distance in regard to objects
a) times 8 of object height down wind; e.g. building 30m high, downwind 240m
b) times 3 of object height up wind; e.g. building 15m high, upwind 45m
7. how to hold the bar
a) left is colored, right is black
b) thumbs touch each other
c) arms bent, bar at chest height
8. body, bar and kite are always in parallel position
9. 2nd and 3rd dimension of wind window
a) 12-11-10-9
b) 12-13-14-15
c) Slight decrease of wind power between 9 and 10 / 14-15
d) Putting kite more into the depth of the wind window results in more wind power
10. Start kite / land kite
a) Tumb up
b) Pat head
11. Take off – circling eights (training without board)
a) 12-10-12-10
b) 12-14-12-14
Lesson 2, 29.12.2011, 16:10-17:30
12. Setting up the training kite
a) Steering lines and
b) power lines
c) main tube facing bottom
d) enough space: kiter faces kite exterior
e) not enough space: kiter faces kite interior
13. chicken loop / chicken stick
14. safety leash
15. sweet spot
16. Body drag left – circling eights
17. Body drag right – circling eights
18. As soon as kite hits water – release bar
19. Kite out of control – release bar
20. Yield to kiter with right foot in front
Lesson 3, 30.12.2011, 16:15-18:00
21. Criss-cross body drag upwind to get board
a) Kite 10 o’clock
b) right hand holds bar at the right edge
c) right elbow high
d) body balance with left arm into upwind direction
e) kite 2 o’clock
f) left hand holds bar at the left edge
g) left elbow high
h) body balance with right arm into upwind direction
22. start position
a) bend both knees
b) good hand on bar
c) bad hand on board
d) if feet in board leashes, both hands on bar
e) board, body (shoulders/feet) and kite are parallel
f) sweet spot
23. take off
a) 12:30 > 10 o’clock and back to 12 until enough speed then stall kite at 10 o’clock
b) 11:30 > 2 o’clock and back to 12 until enough speed then stall kite at 2 o’clock
c) Move hips forwards when kite pulls
d) Stretch front leg
e) Start to carve upwind only when enough speed
f) Until then board normal to kite
Lesson 4, 31.12.2011, 16:05-17:25
24. Keep kite stalled at 10 or 2 o’clock after having gained speed
25. Pay attention to sweet spot
26. Keep body more or less straight after start
27. Front foot completely straight
Lesson 5, 1.1.2012, 14:05-15:45
28. Move kite more if less wind – juxtaposed bar movements
29. Board, kite and harness/hook should form a triangle
30. Get up, don’t sit, front leg always stretched
31. Shoulders back, let the harness pull you, don’t use arms
Lesson 6, 2.1.2012, 14-15:15
32. Even 13m2 kite is no fun, if wind around 10 knots
33. Keep distance to other kites (had a bad crash)
34. keep eyes/head in direction of board, this helps to get body into right direction
35. Karem made me feel better: he said it took him 3 months to learn kiting (he lied, but it worked)
Lesson 7, 3.1.2012, 9:15-10, 10:30-12:30
36. IKO Level 1 = coming back to the spot from where you left = kiting upwind
37. Kiting is addictive, because you dream of it (has something like meditation or a pilgrimage)
38. I want to be back asap
39. Stall kite deep at 12 o’clock to turn from 10 to 2 or vice versa
40. Gain height by edging with the back of the board (push back foot)
41. Twist shoulders and hips upwind (parallel to head)
>>> see also sports/kiting
Lesson 1, 28.12.2011, 15:55-17:00
1. Putting on a harness
2. What to check about wind?
a) Direction (with ears)
b) Strength
i. 5 knots minimum
ii. 12 knots: waves show white topping
iii. 25 knots: objects like debris fly off the waves
iv. 5-20 knots: kiting range
3. Explain on shore and off shore wind (see graph below)
4. Explain down wind and up wind in relation to another object or kiter (see graph below)
5. Security distance to other persons and objects: radius of two kite lines (50m)
6. Wind turbulence security distance in regard to objects
a) times 8 of object height down wind; e.g. building 30m high, downwind 240m
b) times 3 of object height up wind; e.g. building 15m high, upwind 45m
7. how to hold the bar
a) left is colored, right is black
b) thumbs touch each other
c) arms bent, bar at chest height
8. body, bar and kite are always in parallel position
9. 2nd and 3rd dimension of wind window
a) 12-11-10-9
b) 12-13-14-15
c) Slight decrease of wind power between 9 and 10 / 14-15
d) Putting kite more into the depth of the wind window results in more wind power
10. Start kite / land kite
a) Tumb up
b) Pat head
11. Take off – circling eights (training without board)
a) 12-10-12-10
b) 12-14-12-14
Lesson 2, 29.12.2011, 16:10-17:30
12. Setting up the training kite
a) Steering lines and
b) power lines
c) main tube facing bottom
d) enough space: kiter faces kite exterior
e) not enough space: kiter faces kite interior
13. chicken loop / chicken stick
14. safety leash
15. sweet spot
16. Body drag left – circling eights
17. Body drag right – circling eights
18. As soon as kite hits water – release bar
19. Kite out of control – release bar
20. Yield to kiter with right foot in front
Lesson 3, 30.12.2011, 16:15-18:00
21. Criss-cross body drag upwind to get board
a) Kite 10 o’clock
b) right hand holds bar at the right edge
c) right elbow high
d) body balance with left arm into upwind direction
e) kite 2 o’clock
f) left hand holds bar at the left edge
g) left elbow high
h) body balance with right arm into upwind direction
22. start position
a) bend both knees
b) good hand on bar
c) bad hand on board
d) if feet in board leashes, both hands on bar
e) board, body (shoulders/feet) and kite are parallel
f) sweet spot
23. take off
a) 12:30 > 10 o’clock and back to 12 until enough speed then stall kite at 10 o’clock
b) 11:30 > 2 o’clock and back to 12 until enough speed then stall kite at 2 o’clock
c) Move hips forwards when kite pulls
d) Stretch front leg
e) Start to carve upwind only when enough speed
f) Until then board normal to kite
Lesson 4, 31.12.2011, 16:05-17:25
24. Keep kite stalled at 10 or 2 o’clock after having gained speed
25. Pay attention to sweet spot
26. Keep body more or less straight after start
27. Front foot completely straight
Lesson 5, 1.1.2012, 14:05-15:45
28. Move kite more if less wind – juxtaposed bar movements
29. Board, kite and harness/hook should form a triangle
30. Get up, don’t sit, front leg always stretched
31. Shoulders back, let the harness pull you, don’t use arms
Lesson 6, 2.1.2012, 14-15:15
32. Even 13m2 kite is no fun, if wind around 10 knots
33. Keep distance to other kites (had a bad crash)
34. keep eyes/head in direction of board, this helps to get body into right direction
35. Karem made me feel better: he said it took him 3 months to learn kiting (he lied, but it worked)
Lesson 7, 3.1.2012, 9:15-10, 10:30-12:30
36. IKO Level 1 = coming back to the spot from where you left = kiting upwind
37. Kiting is addictive, because you dream of it (has something like meditation or a pilgrimage)
38. I want to be back asap
39. Stall kite deep at 12 o’clock to turn from 10 to 2 or vice versa
40. Gain height by edging with the back of the board (push back foot)
41. Twist shoulders and hips upwind (parallel to head)
>>> see also sports/kiting
RSS Feed