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Hi everyone
Apologies if this post appears twice.
Got some time off at the end of September. Thinking about heading abroad and trying something different. I'll be travelling solo.
I've been looking at kitesurfing (I wanted to do it years ago but never got the opportunity). I have flown powerkites in the past and have experience of mountainboarding, snowboarding and surfing. I have a knee injury but wear a donjoy brace on the occasions when I do manage to get in the water.
Google is showing up results for learn to kitesurf holidays in Tarifa, Morocco, Greece, Croatia etc.
Anyone done one of these and can make a recommendation/suggestion?
Thanks
🙂
Yep, did a three day (from memory) course in Tarifa. Was a good way to get the basics and tuition was good too, there’s a lot kite schools there so if you’d like me to try and remember which one let me know.
Added bonus was that evenings were spent in Tarifa which is a lovely spot in the old town, plenty of bars and nice places to eat.
Not an intensive course, but have a look at Neilson Beachclubs I am sure some offer kite surfing along with many other sports
Yes in Fuerteventura. I was pretty amazed by the power of them kites. Took a day or so to learn to stand up on the board and then you take off.
I’m sat in Fuerteventura airport just now heading home. Haven’t been kite surfing but the whole island is littered with surf and kite surf schools. Reliable wind, lots of grades of conditions , warm water, great atmosphere and loads of accommodation options. I plan to come back to kite surf at some point.
was chatting to one of the instructors and he said that as the island is small they can easily move to the right beach for wind conditions on any given day so they always have the right wind for the students
Kinda...I was working frequently at Cape Verde (Sal) a few years ago and took some lessons there...my g/f came out on holiday with me and she took lessons. Atlantic Star or Miu school on Kite beach a good recommend
Currently in South Brittany and there's an excellent setup in Penvin near us. Mainly been wingfoiling lessons this week but got a kite session in...great safe beaches
Thanks for the information folks.
Looks like Tarifa or Fuertaventura are the best options at the moment. Finding flights that aren’t painfully expensive is the next challenge…
Have a look at Egypt for consist wind and shallow wave free lagoons.
Myself and my mate did a beginners course last year in Portugal. Based in Burgau in the Algarve we were mini bussed to a lagoon about half an hour away for the lessons. It was such good fun. We were meant to go to Morocco but EasyJet ruined that one. Might be going to Morocco to do another one this year. You’ll absolutely love it.
Have a look at wingfoiling too. It seems to be popular with all the kiting, windsurfing and foiling types and has the advantages of being something you can do on any suitable lake or beach, and a lot less hassle.
Any given Sunday at Tarifa will see windsurfers, kiters and wingfoilers all getting on just fine.
Thanks for the suggestions everyone.
That wingfoiling looks epic. Closer to home, saw a bunch doing it last summer in the waters off Red Wharf bay in Anglesey. Looked odd and a bit cumbersome initially, but as soon as the boards rose out of the water they really (and almost literally) started to fly.
Out of interest, which would be easier to learn, kite or wing? I’m assuming wing as you don’t have to learn how to control a kite?
Also, which would be cheaper in terms of cost of equipment? I’m assuming the foil boards won’t come cheap, but are they that much more expensive than a kite board. And does a sail cost more than a kite?
Finally, I’m assuming that the wing is attached in some way to the boarder. Is it easy to drop it out of the wind if it all gets a bit much, like you do with a kite?
Hoping someone can answer these and apologies for partial thread hijack!
@Creg; Sorry for the delay but I had nothing to offer in the discussion, but today I asked a couple of guys who've done all the relevant sports, including Jack from Boardwise (one of UK's biggest board sports shops). Both agree that wingfoil is a) quickest to learn, b) cheapest, c) the sport with fastest take-up, d) great fun, e) none of the grief of kiting, f) the sport that windsurfers, kiters, windfoilers are all migrating to.
Cost of a decent first time set-up about £2000 unless you can find decent second hand stuff, which is becoming harder as the sport is increasing in popularity.
And to answer those questions; yes, a leash on both board and wing. And there's a handle on the front of the wing that you just hold and it trails behind you, with no drag. Check out some YouTube vids and it'll all be clear.