Q. Is Brighton Kitesurfing & SUP Academy recognized by the UK’s governing body?
A. Yes we are a fully insured and recognized BKSA school (British Kite Surfing Association). We use only fully qualified and trained Kitesurfing instructors and have all the latest kit, safety equipment needed to become listed on the BKSA Schools website. We also have permission from Lancing Council to teach in the kite zones at Lancing Beach.
Q. Is equipment provided?
A. All equipment is provided and included in the course cost. Wetsuits, helmets and buoyancy aids are also provided. However, for hygiene reasons, please bring your own wetsuit boots which you can purchase before the course for around £20.
Q. How do I go about booking?
A. Once you have chosen an available date you want to book on the online calendar, you click on the ‘Book Now’ button and either use paypal or click on the ‘don’t have a paypal account’ and you can pay by credit or debit card. We will then send a booking confirmation with times and dates to meet, what to bring and directions to the lesson.
Q) Do I need to train on consecutive days if I book a two day course?
Q. Do you offer gift vouchers?
A. Yes we offer gift vouchers for all the courses we run. Please see our Vouchers page.
Q. How many people are there per Kite?
A. There are a maximum of only two students per kite. Keeping the numbers to two per kite means you will progress rapidly on your course.
Q. Do I need to be strong to kitesurf?
A. Short answer – No. It is a myth that you need to be strong, most of the kite’s power is transferred through the harness so arm strength is not an advantage. It helps if you are reasonably fit as we spend a lot of time in the water though. Give us a call if you are unsure of your fitness levels.
Q. If you can snowboard, windsurf or wakeboard, will this help your progression?
A. Any of these sports will definitely help once you are up on the kiteboard. Windsurfing in particular will help with wind awareness.
Q. I can already powerkite, will this help?
A. Yes definitely, it will help with wind awareness and steering the kite through and around the wind window. The kitesurf kites are four line and have power and depower which some powerkites don’t have, so this may be new to you and takes a little time to get to grips with though.
Q. When do you run your courses?
A. We run courses 7 days a week from March through to November.
Q. What do I need to bring?
A. All you need to bring are wetsuit boots ( due to hygiene reasons ) which can be purchased for around £20 from any watersports retailer, a packed lunch, towel, warm clothes, old trainers, sun cream, and any medication you may need. All equipment is provided on the course including wetsuits, harnesses, helmets, kites, bars and boards.
Q. Is there a minimum or maximum age to kitesurf?
A. Lessons start at 18 and we have taught people well into their sixties! As long as there are no medical reasons why you cannot kitesurf, we are happy to teach you at your own pace!
Q. What happens if the lesson is cancelled?
A. If the lesson is cancelled, we will reschedule your lesson for the next suitable date.
Q. If I am slower /faster at learning than the other person on my course, what happens?
A. If you are on a group course (max. 2 students) and you are quicker or slower than the other student, this makes no difference at all to your course. The reason for this is that we share the kite and change person every 10-15 minutes, so when it is your turn using the kite, we concentrate on your needs and the lesson progresses at your level. With such intensive training you can also learn from observing the other student.
Q. If at the end of the course I am still not 100% confident going on the water as an independent kitesurfer, what can I do?
A. If at the end of your course, you feel that a little extra tuition is needed, there are several options available: you can take a few hours one 2 one tuition using our headzone helmets which means you will get tuition from the instructor even out in the deep water. Or you can choose to do another group lesson. The most important thing with kitesurfing is that you feel confident in your own ability and don’t rush into going out unsupervised. We are here to help you and will give you honest feedback at the end of your lessons to help you make decisions on what is best for your progression.
Q. There are three or four of us and we want to learn together, what can we do?
A. Our group lessons are a maximum of two people per group as this aids rapid progression, four in a group is too many and you don’t learn enough in the time period .We can however have groups of three if you all know each other. Or we can do two groups of two learning close to each other so that you can still see how your friends are doing close by and talk to them during breaks.
Q. Is there a kitesurfing club or organisation I can join at the end of my course?
A. Yes, we highly recommend you join and insure yourself through the BKSA (insert link to BKSA website) (the national governing body in the UK). You can also join the Lancing Kitesurfing Club when joining the BKSA for a small fee. The club members are a great network of fellow kitesurfers who all look out for each other down at the beach and regularly get together to party! Their facebook page (insert link to Lancing Kitesurf Crew FB page) is a great way to keep informed, let each other know when it’s windy and who’s out to ride!
Q. Will I get a certificate at the end of my course?
A. Yes, at the end of your course you will receive a BKSA card that states which level you have reached. If you come back to do more lessons we will give you an updated card each time. The card can be shown at centres around the world if you need to hire kit from them so that they know your skill level.