Kitesurfing Lesson FAQ

These are certain questions that seem to come up again and again by our clients. Below are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding sports training and the work we do at Windhunters Kitesurfing North Wales. However, if you don’t find the answer you are looking for, please send us a note and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Items you will need to bring with you:

  • swimwear
  • towel
  • sunscreen
  • sunglasses with retainer band/strap
  • wetsuit (if you have one otherwise we will provide)
  • windproof jacket (to help you stay warm when not kiting)

  • snack/lunch

We will provide
  • safe/fun/tailored tuition
  • wetsuit (if you don’t have one)
  • kite, harness, board
  • buoyancy aid
  • helmet

If you have to cancel with 24 hours or less notice we will provide you with a voucher so you can come kite anytime in the following 12 months.

This is our day job. So, if your lesson is cancelled it will be because the wind/weather conditions are no longer suitable for teaching you. You can choose whether to have a full refund or whether you prefer to receive a voucher to come kite with us when the conditions are right.

  • 10-25 kts wind (approx. 11-28mph) the Introduction can be done in less wind
  • South-Westerly, Westerly winds – these are the prevailing winds in North Wales
  • 8 degrees (at least; with wind chill it feels colder)
  • flat water (we aim to time the lessons so you can practice in waist deep, flat water. Although with the changing conditions it can’t be guaranteed)
Unfortunately sometimes during a session, the conditions can change making it impossible to continue. When this happens we will provide you with a “half lesson” credit so you can come back again to finish your session.
We will welcome you and ask you to complete a brief personal details form and health questionnaire. We want you to get the most out of your session so we will talk through any relevant experience you might have (sailing, windsurfing, snowboarding, wakeboarding) and what you want to achieve then we will kick off with some land based theory before we hit the beach with the kite.
Whilst we are trained first aiders we are not doctors. If you have any doubts about your ability to kite please speak to your doctor. We would ask you to let us know if you have any medication which you might need to take whilst with us.
There is not much swimming involved in kiting however you should be comfortable in the water. There is no swimming “test” involved in our sessions. During a session we will be spending up to three hours in shallow waters wearing a wetsuit and life preserver. As you progress you are more likely to be kiting in deeper water hopefully surfing on the water rather than floating in it!
There is no minimum fitness level but the better your core strength is the easier you will find it. Don’t worry about signing up to a yoga class or hitting the gym before coming to see us – kiting is a great sport for increasing your fitness and there is no better way to get “kite fit” than by coming kiting!
If you weigh more than 35 kilograms and are interested in learning to kite then you are the perfect age to start learning.
We love sharing kiting with children and to make sure they are not overwhelmed with information and have fun learning we keep the sessions shorter and focused. This way children progress quickly, safely and have a great time. Please speak to us if you have siblings who want to learn together.
We are IKO (International Kitesurfing Organization) qualified instructors and will work to help you achieve the IKO Independent kiteboarding qualification. For some, often those with sailing/ snowboarding/ wakeboarding experience, you may progress within four or five sessions to independent status. It can also be the case that it takes longer. We hope you love the sport as much as we do and every session progresses your kiting. Once you progress to stage two we may suggest you come along and kite with us rather than have a lesson so you can practice the things we have been teaching. If you are kiting with us we will be “keeping an eye on you” rather than teaching you. Once you have mastered this stage you can then book in for another session to progress your learning.
We are more than happy to talk to you about buying kit whether new or pre-owned. Be aware that buying used kit online can make sense financially, but only if you are buying kit appropriate for your kiting ability. Most people start to think about buying kit once they want to start practicing water starts on their own. We are happy to discuss renting kit to our students who are not yet completely independent.
We are happy to rent kit to independent riders/students who can ride upwind.
During your lessons you’ll be using either Star Kites or RRD gear. Check out the Shop for more info on pre-loved and new gear.
Whilst experience with board sports will help you with your board control, 80% of kiting is about flying the kite. Confidence safely flying kites which are six to seventeen meters is best learnt from an expert not the internet to avoid any unpleasant experiences.
You wouldn’t want to go down on a black slope on your first day snowboarding…
Absolutely we can help. Reaching a plateau when learning a new sport is common. We can work with you to establish a way through your sticking point. Sometimes this may involve taking a step backwards and reviewing previous learning before moving forwards.
Check out our Refresher lesson.
We have specialist sports instruction insurance cover with public liability cover up to £5 million with professional indemnity cover up to £1 million. A copy of insurance certificate is available on request.
Szabi was born in Hungary and he will pretty much answer to any pronunciation of his name. For those who want to pronounce it correctly – it has two syllables Saa-bee.
The ‘Saa’ as in Sabrina, and the bee as in the lovely honey-making flying insect.
Or if you’re a foody, just think of Wasabi…

I picked up a trainer kite in 2006, then quickly transferred those skills into mountainboarding in North Wales. A few years later I saw some kiteboarders at West Shore and I knew I had to give it a go…