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Kite Boarding in Maui

Kite Boarding off of Maui's Kite Beach

Kite boarding is kinda hard.  Don’t let anyone tell you different.  Its not something most folks will take a couple hours of lessons and immediately pick up. Those who think so are likely to end up crying with their kite in a tree.  These beasties have some serious powerful pull.  I’m even going to say its about the same difficulty as learning how to ski well.

However, at this point in my instruction I can tell its going to be well worth it. I came to Maui determined to devote the time and resources to learn this sport and with the help of Rudy at Maui AquaSports and my very patient instructor Karen I’m succeeding.  Both of you rock!

Below is a quick video of me body dragging from the beach and a bit later setting up and launching.  In the second video I’m practicing quick repeated starts.

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Here I’m body dragging away from the beach and setting up perhaps a 100 yards offshore. I test the wind strength a couple times and than progressively take longer power strokes with the kite till I’m up and launched on a starboard tack.

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Here I’m already 100 yards or so offshore and doing stop and goes. I launch and than immediately depower and than repeat the cycle several times. Each time you see the kite wobble back and forth I’m launching just long enough to pop up and start skimming across the water before I depower.  This is a way to learn how to correctly moderate the kite controls so you don’t overpower and launch yourself into a superman dive 10 yards downwind. Its 80% kite control and finesse.