Kiteboarding Lessons

kiteboarding lessons

When Jeff Kafka, founder of Wind Over Water Kiteboarding, opened up shop in 2004, he started a school that has remained at the forefront of kiteboarding evolution ever since.  And much has changed since the early days; kiteboarding has gone from being a radical thrill-ride exclusively for extreme athletes, to being a mainstream sport where everyone can decide just how extreme he or she wants to be. 

“Anybody can learn to kite board,” Jeff says.  “What took me years to figure out, you can now learn in a matter of hours.”

Qualified instruction is the only way to achieve these stunning results.  “Trial-and-error doesn’t work,” says Jeff.  Self-taught kiteboarders spend a very long time struggling, and it only takes one mishap to wreck a would-be rider’s expensive gear or even cause a physical injury.   “When you consider that you have several thousand dollars invested in equipment, it’s worth a little more to get the right training.”

Since the beginning of Wind Over Water, Jeff has worked to develop the most safe and effective training possible for kiteboarders, especially the beginners who need the most help.  Jeff personally selects and develops the best kiteboarding instructors in the business.  And Wind Over Water brings pioneering technology to improve teaching efficiency and safety.

Radio helmets make for seamless teacher-student communication, even in surf or windy conditions.  

Radio helmets allow the instructor and learner to communicate in normal speech, not shouting.  Even better, many courses are taught with the support of a Personal Watercraft (Jet Ski).  This innovation improves safety and easily doubles the instructor’s effectiveness as a teacher.  On Maui, where kiteboarding originally developed, Personal Watercraft happen to be illegal.  So, ironically, no school on Maui can offer this level of support.

Wind Over water can ceritify students with the International Kiteboarding Organization (IKO). This organization (IKO) provides certifications which are recognized world wide and can help at some shops renting gear or taking more lessons, but this certification is not mandatory in the USA and most consider Wind Over Waters regular program of building your fundamentals from the ground up is a better and safer approach. Getting on a personal basis with the student, learning the way they learn and their background and taking it from there. Go at your own pace instruction.

Unlike many kiteboarding schools, where most instruction is at the overview level and class sizes may range as high as twenty, Wind Over Water provides one-on-one, in-depth instruction.  Locations and lesson times are individually selected to get ideal learning conditions and make the most of every minute.   The result is extremely fast progress for learners.

Whether you’re a raw beginner just considering taking the plunge, or an experienced shredder who wants to try new things, Wind Over Water is here to help you take your kiteboarding to the next level.  Let’s get in the water…you’ll be amazed at what you can do!