Be prepared for any problem while out kitesurfing!
Out kitesurfing on the water it is important that you can self-rescue to get back to the shore with your equipment. When you are kitesurfing you are often a distance out on the water. Ideally, you get back to the shore with your kite and your board. It can happen to any kitesurfer that you get a problem: The wind dies, The wind changes to offshore, a line breaks, you kite breaks, the wind is too strong, you are in a thunderstorm or you have lost your board and cannot bodydrag upwind to it. Whatever problem you might have, with the Self-rescue and Safety lesson for kitesurfers of Windriders you will be prepared. Self-rescue and safety for kitesurfers is offten forgotten. It is more fun to learn jumping then it is to refresh your selfrescue. Luckily IKO insists on have it checked off. So if you rent equipment abroad they will check your iko level to make sure you are safe to go out.
Every kite brand has a different safety system
If you have no previous experience with using the safety systems and making a self-rescue, you will learn it during this lesson. How do they safeties work? In which situations should you use them? What happens when you use the safety systems? How do you rescue yourself? This is all covered with 1-hour theory on the land and one water lesson. If you have already done the self-rescue before but you want to practice it again because too many years without doing it have passed or you have new equipment. Or you are about to sign up for the IKO assistant course and need to perfection your self rescue. Then please sign up for the advanced safety lesson. A one hour theory lesson about the weather, cloud formations, and wind effects to be aware of when kitesurfing. On the water you learn how to kite and recover someone else board, someone else kite, a person in the water and how to make a self-rescue and a full pack down!
Safety is something you need to stay up to date on!
Don’t wait for problems to happen, think ahead and be prepared 🙂 Don’t thank us for teaching your these important techniques and knowledge, thank yourself for prioritizing safety over a jumping lesson! Self-rescue and safety needs to be a priority for kitesurfers. If you have booked a 5 day kitesurf course, the self- rescue is always included and will be checked off on your IKO level. The self-rescue is IKO level 2h. If you have booked 2,3,4 days of lessons with us, it depends on the wind conditions. We prefer to teach your first self-rescue in no wind/ light wind conditions because it is not an easy thing to learn in strong wind. So if you have strong wind with all your lessons there is a change it is not included. If you need it included please advise your instructor or the manager of Wind Riders beforehand!
It’s better to be safe on land… regretting not to be on the water, then it is to be on the water … regretting not to be safe on land.
Remember a self-rescue is not possible in all conditions. Always check the forecast before you go out. It is possible that the wind on Lake Garda turns too strong for the kite size you have. During our lesson, you will learn how to depower the kite by activating the first safety and using your body position and board to choose a direction where you are getting dragged too. It is important at all times to have your phone number (with country code) on your board and on your kite! This way if people find your board or kite they can call you and find out if you are safe. A nice bonus is that it highers your chances of getting your lost equipment back.
Wind Riders recommends:
- never kite alone, always kite with a kite buddy.
- Don’t go further away from the shore then you can swim back.
- It is smart to have a phone in a waterproof case. So that you can call for help.