"The main reason I enrolled my 15 year old son in Kiteboarding School of Maui was because I knew that Martin's first concern would be his safety. Secondly, I knew that he would be sensitive to the local environment. Finally, I wanted to support someone who was so uncommonly committed to helping make Maui a better place for all of us."
Randolph S. Coon
President-Trilogy Excursions
Kiteboarding Questions
What sets KSM apart from other Maui kiteboarding schools?
KSM, the first Maui County permitted kiteboading school, distinguishes itself from other kitesurfing schools and kiteboarding shops on Maui by having an instructional program coupled with an online retail store. This allows KSM students to try different gear in lessons before purchasing their kiteboarding equipment. Since KSM is the only business on Maui to offer both kiteboarding products and kitesurfing lessons, students have the opportunity to apply 30% of their lesson costs towards the purchase of current year kites.
Another factor that sets KSM apart from other kiteboarding schools on Maui is the fact that KSM has some of the best kiteboarding instructors in the world who are trained and registered with International Kiteboarding Organization and/or Professional Air Sports Association. Two goals of the KSM team are to help reduce the frustration level of learning kitesurfing and to accelerate the learning curve. To help achieve these goals, KSM offers one-on-one instruction for beginner, intermediate, and advanced students. This arrangement, which has proven extremely successful, allows instructors to tailor lessons to individual learning rates and needs. As a result, KSM students become independent kiteboarders more quickly and safely. Another factor that benefits our clients is the fact that KSM teaches on the latest equipment designs from Cabrinha, DaKine, Jimmy Lewis, and Naish. In fact, KSM is the only Cabrinha-authorized kiteboarding school on Maui.
KSM has been at the forefront of the sport, promoting teaching standards and safety. In 2001, KSM co-developed the student and instructor training curriculum that was adopted by Professional Air Sports Association (PASA) kiteboarding and presented the course to Lloyds' insurance agents in London. From that presentation, Lloyds produced a general liability insurance policy for USA kiteboarding schools that would become affiliated with PASA and have its instructors certified by PASA. KSM later became the first International Kiteboarding Organization (IKO) certified and affiliated kiteboarding center on Maui and is one of the very first IKO affiliated centers in the USA.
Lastly, KSM is the only kiteboarding school on Maui that contributes training and safety articles to the kiteboarding magazines and has been submitting articles to The Kiteboarder and Kiteboarding magazines regularly since year 2000.
AT KSM, we're here for You!
- What are the terms and names for kiteboarding tricks?
- What is the difference between kitesurfing, kiteboarding, and flysurfing?
- What is the wind window?
- Can I relaunch the kite from the water?
- Do I need assistance to launch or land the kite?
- How much does equipment cost?
- How big a kiteboard should I choose?
- What is the typical wind range of a kite?
- How many kites do I need?
- Will I need a wetsuit on Maui?
- What equipment do I need to kitesurf?
- Do I need to bring anything with me for the lesson?
- When is the best time to come to Maui for lessons?
- Is kiteboarding safe?
- How hard is it to learn how to kite?
- I am a windsurfer, is it hard to convert?
- How fast will I learn the sport?
- What sort of physical shape do I need to be in?
- 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?
- Will I be riding on a board the first day?
- Will I get on the water on the first day of lessons?
- What is the best time of day for lessons?
- 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 can I do to prepare for my lesson ahead of time?
- I already kiteboard. Can I rent kites?
- What does FAA have to do with kiteboarding on Maui?
- What does the IKO and PASA certification offer students?
- Is KSM insured?
- How long has KSM been in business?
- How much experience do KSM instructors have?
- What sets KSM apart from other Maui kiteboarding schools?
- What should I look for so I know I have found a safe, quality school?
- Will the 2009 Cabrinha IDS control bar work with 2008 Cabinha kites?
- Is the bow kite bridle system complicated?
- How do the bow kites turn?
- What does the bridle on a bow kite do?
- Can I use the bow kite with a 5th line?
- Are bow kites better than other kite designs?
- How did kiteboarding start?



