Now you’re done with your basic kitesurfing lessons and you can get up and ride in both directions it’s the time to learn how to effectively change the direction of travel. When starting out, you will end each run by slowing down, bringing the kite to 12, dropping back into the water and performing water start in the other direction.
So, you’ve been riding for a while, cracking those upwind tacks, doing your first transitions and maybe even boosting your first jump? Sweet! But then you get home and you feel that your knees hurt a bit or the hips are letting you know they’re there? It might be your foostraps that give you some bother.
Following the government guidelines we have decided to pause all our lessons from March onwards. It looks like the lockdown might last good few weeks but we are hoping to resume kitesurfing lessons in Scotland in some shape or form as soon as the government will allow us to do so. Having said that – as soon as we’re allowed back on the water we’ll resume the lessons in full force!
We’ve had a bit of mixed bag with winds over the last few months but winter has kicked off to a great start. Kiting in the cold has lots of benefits – aside from looking like a badass! Our local kitesurfing community is out all winter too, it’s all down to having a decent wetsuit (like the Mystic Majestic here), gloves (see video below!), boots and you’re ready to go!
Knowing rules of way on the water is crucial to staying safe and keeping others safe too. As kiteboarders we tend to move faster than other vessels, we can jump higher than windsurfers and we have far greater manoeuvrability than surfers, sailboats, kayakers and others. This also means that we are the ones who should be watching out for other water users.
Seems like a no-brainer but under or over inflating kite can not only cause it to underperform but also can cause a lot of headaches. Including bursting mid-air leaving you stranded in the middle of the bay. Here are some helpful tips from Cabrinha team on how to correctly inflate a kite, what’s the correct pressure for a kitesurfing kite and how to maintain the inflation valve to ensure its longevity.
Winter’s over and we’re back at teaching in a full swing! Not that cold temperatures stopped some of our students from progressing in the colder months though. We’ve been surprisingly busy and super stoked that so many of you decided to take a plunge when temperatures dipped below 3C. Hats off to you brave souls!
Legends tell of people all across the land displaying their prowess on the water. Some jumping high in the air, others performing acrobatic tricks and those who race across and above the water’s surface. We sometimes hear tales of those who are the highest, the most technical and the fastest, but which area could hold the accolade as having the ultimate team… we’ve never known, but that’s about to change. Read more “Kitesurfing Weekender, Scotland”
We love teaching kitesurfing in Scotland but it’s good to pack just shorts and t-shirts and head over somewhere sunny! We’ve just came back from our first this season trip to Tarifa, Spain, with the next one coming up in February (check it out here!). It’s an amazing place – warm waters, constant winds and incredible food to refuel after whole day on the water.
It’s also a true kitesurfing mekka, especially during summer with hundreds of kiters taking to the water. After years of kitesurfing in Scotland we very much prefer less air traffic. Think of it as Three Airport vs Heathrow. There are days at our local spots – Longniddy near Edinburgh or Troon near Glasgow, when 12 kitesurfers on the water equals “busy day”. Hence why we avoid summer crowds and travel down south outside the season. It’s still very mild and way less congested. Here’s how our stay looked like in November!
Kitesurfing is generally a fairly safe sport where risk mostly depends on the kitesurfer himself. After our lessons you’ll know how to control the kite safely and you’ll know how to perform effective board recovery so you can continue progressing on your own. However, a very small number of kitesurfers feels like adding a potentially lethal piece of equipment to the game – a board leash. Wearing one is a dangerous and stupid idea.