Ideal Wind Conditions for Learning Kiteboarding
Ever wonder what the best conditions are for learning how to kiteboard? The ideal conditions that we go out and teach in are 12mph to 25mph. We choose these conditions to decrease the length of time it takes for you to learn how to kiteboard. We’ll break down what happens when the winds are too light or too strong.
Under 12mph Winds
The winds need to be at least a consistent 12mph for you to get the most out of a lesson. If the winds are 7mph gusting to 12mph, then the winds are still too light. Even 19m kites or RAM AIR kites have trouble staying in the sky when the winds are under 12mph. If you have to constantly move the kite to keep it in the sky then the winds are too light. Water relaunching will be super difficult and very technical to do in such light winds and may get discouraging. 11mph to 14mph is okay and the kite will fly the way it is meant to.
*** If you find yourself with the kite on the water more than in the air then chances are the winds are too light for your lesson.
Over 25mph Winds
When the winds pick up to over 25mph, everything happens much quicker. This is when experience comes in and you want to know the controls on the bar before going out in these conditions. A common tendency for new kiters is to pull in on the bar when they experience a pull from the kite and this can be very dangerous in over 25mph. If you feel a pull, you want to push away to depower the kite. This sounds easy and it is easy to do if you have the muscle memory, but when you’re new and the winds really blowing, it’s easy to forget everything. At our school we really focus on creating the muscle memory needed so if you wanted to go out on breezy days you can do it safely and comfortably.
Kiteboarding should be easy if you learn the right way. If you find yourself struggling or working hard then you’re doing something wrong. Choosing the right conditions to go out in makes the experience much more enjoyable. Having kiteboarded in the St Petersburg area for over 10 years we have experience knowing the wind tendencies and forecasting. For scheduling your lesson send us a message and we’ll get you kiteboarding during those nice windy days.
