Learn To Fly - Take Up Kite Surfing!

Have you been kite surfing or are you planning to go soon? If so we would love to hear all about your experiences (perhaps with a photo or two). You can contact us via our contact page.

 

If you fancy giving it a go, head on down to the Essex Kitesurf School (Telephone 01797 225 238) at Southend On Sea. They offer one day and two day kite boarding courses for beginners as well as one to one tuition and are International Kiteboarding Organization (IKO) affiliated and a British Kite Surfing Association (BKSA) registered school.

The one day course is an introduction to the sport of kite boarding or kite surfing and includes how to control a kite, using the power of the kite to pull you through the water (what’s known as body dragging) and kite boarding safety.

It lasts about six hours and costs £125 including use of a wet suit and boots and all the other equipment you will need. By the end of the day you will have reached IKO / BKSA level one in kite boarding proficiency and have the certfificate to prove it.

The two day course costs £200 (again includes all equipment) and will take you from complete beginner to your first kite board ride and as far as IKO / BKSA level two. There is also the opportunity to work towards level three on a further course (includes your first jump!).

Southend is only an hour from London and an ideal location to learn to kite surfing because of its shallow waters.

There are similar three day courses available at centres in Norfolk, Kent, Dorset and Pembrokeshire if any of those are closer to home.

On Day One you will go through the basic elements of safety and some basic physics to do with flight. After that it is into the water with the kites where you can put all this theory into practice.

You will use 2-line inflatable kites - ideal because they can be relaunched from the water. And for the remainder of the day you’ll be flying the kites, learning how to “body-surf” using the kite for power, and learning to relaunch them.

After practising self-rescue techniques on Day Two, you will get back on the board and will be taught how to water start, plane and edge. You will get plenty of practise riding on Days Two and Three to perfect your techniques and, if you are looking to purchase some kitesurfing equipment yourself, advice on which would be best for you.

The three day courses cost £329, minimum age is 13 (those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult) and you will be taught in a group of four or less. Click here for full details.

Return To The Before You Die Water Category