Kiteboarding Skills Progression Chart

Kitty Hawk Kites Kites(KHK) Kiteboarding Centers/Schools have identified a series of skills that need to be mastered in this order to learn in the fastest and safest manner.

All Courses will follow this skills progression chart. A skill must be totally mastered before moving on to the next level.

Skills Progression Chart

1. Theory - The big picture. Understanding the goals, the process, and the lingo needed to communicate. Use of special tools to explain complicated principles.

2. Setting up the Equipment - How to handle the kite and lines from set-up to launch.

3. Pre-Flight Check - All the tips you will need to never forget to check everything before launch. Includes tuning of the bridle!

4. Assisted Launches - Learn to launch with an assistant and the role of both the pilot and the assistant.

5. Kite Control - Proper methods of using the control bar and steering the kite.

6. Power Intake - Once kite control is established you will learn exact kite placement to either create power or reduce power. Complete understanding of the wind window.

7. Use of all safety systems.

8. Solo Launching of the kite and extremely good edge handling.

9. Dry water starts. Performing the water start on land under powered to see the steps and build muscle memory.

10. Water relaunching the kite. When the kite crashes in the water, learn how to deal with different situations to get the kite back airborn.

11. Body Surfing/Dragging - Execute the motions you would with a board, but use only your body. Visualize how the wind window shifts as your body moves and learn to go across wind with your body.

12. Water Start - Put it all together to get up on the board.

14. Controlling Your Speed - Once planning learn to move the kite and your body and board in harmony to extend your ride.

15. Body Positioning - Learn the proper body positioning and board positioning in harmony with the kite.

16. Maintaining Position - Begin to manage more kite power and ride more aggressively to learn to not go downwind so quickly.

17. Leaning to fly a quad line kite. From line management to flying with the trim loop, this will get you flying bigger kites with more comfort!

18. Going Upwind - Manage even more kite power and learn to load the kite and the board to go upwind.

19. Jumps - Manage even more kite power and learn how to perform controlled lifts off the water.

These are the steps used in the Kitty Hawk Kites Kite Surfing School. Once you have fully mastered one step you will advance to the next level. Everyone learns at different speeds and it may be neccessary to extend your lesson to achieve the goals that you have for yourself.