"We refer all of our kiteboarding lessons to the Kiteboarding School of Maui (KSM). They offer professional, individual instruction at great rates."
Kevin Ozee
President-Neil Pryde Maui
I already kiteboard. Can I rent kites?
No insurance policy in the USA allows kite rentals, at this time. The sport is very new and insufficient accident/loss history has been established with the sport to convince the insurance companies to write a kite rental policy. Of course, there are insurance policies for instructional programs and at KSM we provide all kiteboarding gear during lessons. Clients who provide IKO, PASA or other acceptable proof of kiteboarding skill level and can demonstrate strong intermediate or advanced riding skills have the option to demo kites with supervision and can apply 100% of the cost towards the purchase of a full price, current model-year kite.
We are expecting to have an insurance policy for kite rentals by the end of 2008. To rent kites from KSM, one would need to purchase personal IKO insurance or present an IKO insurance ID number, demonstrate specific intermediate kiteboarding skills to a KSM instructor, and present an IKO certification card. If one doesn't possess or has forgotten the IKO certification card, a card would be issued after an appropriate skills demonstration. Even if one does possess an IKO certification card, a skills demonstration may still be required considering Maui's wind conditions are more extreme than other areas around the world.
Kiteboarding Questions
- What are the terms and names for kiteboarding tricks?
- Are bow kites better than other kite designs?
- Can I use the bow kite with a 5th line?
- What does the bridle on a bow kite do?
- How do the bow kites turn?
- Is the bow kite bridle system complicated?
- What should I look for so I know I have found a safe, quality school?
- What sets KSM apart from other Maui kiteboarding schools?
- How much experience do KSM instructors have?
- How long has KSM been in business?
- Is KSM insured?
- What does the IKO and PASA certification offer students?
- What does FAA have to do with kiteboarding on Maui?
- I already kiteboard. Can I rent kites?
- What can I do to prepare for my lesson ahead of time?
- My son and I would like to take a lesson together. Do we have to each take private lessons or can we take lessons with one instructor?
- What is the best time of day for lessons?
- Will I get on the water on the first day of lessons?
- Will I be riding on a board the first day?
- I have done some trainer kite flying and body draggng. Will I be able to take a class starting with the kiteboard on my first lesson?
- What sort of physical shape do I need to be in?
- How fast will I learn the sport?
- I am a windsurfer, is it hard to convert?
- How hard is it to learn how to kite?
- Is kiteboarding safe?
- When is the best time to come to Maui for lessons?
- Do I need to bring anything with me for the lesson?
- What equipment do I need to kitesurf?
- Will I need a wetsuit on Maui?
- How many kites do I need?
- What is the typical wind range of a kite?
- How big a kiteboard should I choose?
- How much does equipment cost?
- Do I need assistance to launch or land the kite?
- Can I relaunch the kite from the water?
- What is the wind window?
- What is the difference between kitesurfing, kiteboarding, and flysurfing?
- How did kiteboarding start?