![]() Learn to control your speed by edging, ride upwind, ride toeside, turn, self-launch, and more. Independent: Kiteboarder Level 3 (8 hours) (opens in a new tab) ![]() Learn to enter and exit the water while controlling the kite, body drag with the kite including upwind, body drag while holding the board, attempt a water start with the board, and more. Intermediate: Kiteboarder Level 2 (4 hours) (opens in a new tab) Learn to assess your location, set up your equipment, utilize safety systems, pilot the kite on land, and explore the wind window, and more. Note: progression times may vary significantly from student to student.ĭiscovery: Kiteboarder Level 1 (2 hours) (opens in a new tab) Your Kiteboarder Card is recognized with instructors and schools around the world, serving to validate your ability level and ensure consistent instruction wherever you go. Upon completion of your lesson, you can receive an IKO Kiteboarder Card, certifying the progress you have made. The IKO learning program is ideal for students’ quick skills progression, with a continual emphasis on safety. We are the only International Kiteboarding Organization Exclusively-Affiliated Center on O‘ahu and we follow the IKO instructional standards, which have been developed through years of experience teaching and studying the sport. For students under 12, please contact us to learn more. ![]() At a minimum, all students must be of good health, able to swim, and of a minimum physical size. We have worked with students as young as 9, and as old as 70. Just beware of an extremely shallow reef at low tide.Who can learn to kite? Kiteboarding is a great lifetime sport for those of all ages. If the wind drops down south, the local thermal can save a summer’s day. Way out west where the island’s much dryer, Mokuleia has become Oahu’s primary kite venue with wind from the right and a modest wave. They may say “Eddie would go”, but you need total faith in your ability up on the Northshore! If the trades have any northerly component you might even brave the barrelling right-hander of Sunset. ![]() In the middle of the bay 'Phantoms’ holds gigantic waves from enormous swells out of nowhere. Be ready for a sharp shallow reef, an exceptionally powerful wave and seriously hardcore surfers: just parking could spark trouble! Outside on the right the point-break 'Revies’ (short for 'Revelation’) lets huge clean waves through, but there’s a cruel lack of wind on the inside. The Kamehameha Highway reaches the legendary Northshore 30km later, where Backyards awaits. Just beyond Chinaman’s, Rainbows is fun in N-NW winds and NE swell – although it is supposedly sharky. The windward east coast is wetter and greener then the west, and the drive along the coast-road’s a real experience. The wind’s at its best mornings and evenings – to keep the peace between swimmers and kiters, a leash is mandatory and there’s no jumping near the beach. Kailua also has a huge sandy beach, the bay’s mainly for beginners and families although there’s some windswell in summer and winter can bring demanding waves. Beware the electricity pylons when kiting, and don’t leave valuables in the car as the area’s notorious for crime. At Waimanalo is a wonderfully long beach with onshore wind. On the route north-east, the mountains hug the coast and the mood gets more local. Staying upwind is essential to avoid a barefoot walk back across the reef – anyone walking out across the 600m of reef for a session could use some boots. The wind’s fluky during the day but blows through much better in the evening. Finally, 2km upwind, Toes blows cross-offshore to a flawless wave for clean turns. ![]() Nearby Kim’s and Wailupe are both private beaches, so only sailable via a downwinder. The south coast offers four more options: firstly Kahala where a small wave breaks in front of classy villas and beginner windsurfers enjoy shallow water in front of the beach park. There’s also room for freestyle inside the visible yet easygoing reef. Diamond Head is the south coast’s headline break, with reliably relaxed conditions in summer: moderate winds (the more northerly, the gustier) and 1-3m waves, sometimes more on a good swell. The real action starts on the reef that stretches east from Waikiki to 'Koko Head’. Sailing past the commanding scenery of Waikiki isn’t usually on the agenda – it needs elusive Kona winds, and even then with air swirling past the skyscrapers the launch is as tricky as the manoeuvring between shoals of swimmers. ![]()
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