Frequently Asked Questions KITESURF

I AM A BEGINNER KITESURFER. How long do I need to stay on the beach before I go in the water?

If you are a beginner who has never done any kind of kite-related sports such as 2-line kite flying, paragliding, or kite buggy you will need 3 to 6 hours of Beach training until you gain complete control of the kite and you are familiar with all the safety systems.

If you are a beginner who has already practiced 2-line kite flying or paragliding, then with with 3 hours (1 day) of beach training probably you will be ready to go into the water.

Our water lessons take place in open waters from a boat where it’s fundamental to have perfect kite control. This is important because you will be practicing in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, where you may encounter waves and currents. You will be ready to go into the water when you are able to launch, land and fully control a kite being completely independent.

For how long will I be on a lesson?

The duration of each beach session is 3 hours in groups of maximum 3 students / instructor. If there are 4 students/ instructor the duration of the course will be 1 hour longer (4 hours in total). If you are lucky and you happen to be the only one in the group, the duration of the lesson will be 1 hour shorter as you will have the instructor and all the equipment just for you. (Total of 2 hours for 1 student).

At what time do the lessons take place?

In general, the beach lessons take place during the morning, between 10 and 2 pm, when the wind is not that strong yet. Boat lessons usually take place between 2 and 6pm when wind tends to be more reliable, constant and stable. Please consider that the final schedule will always be subject to the weather conditions as we need to adapt to the wind direction and strength. Please note that usually you will need to add 1 more hour before the boat sessions to for transfers and preparation. Beach sessions will start once we reach the spot and boat sessions will start once the boat leaves the harbour.

Do I need to share the equipment with somebody else?

If you booked a group lesson, then YES... You will be sharing the equipment. It is part of the learning process to learn also by observing your partner ́s mistakes as it ́s very common to repeat the same issues among the initial stages of your learning curve.

BOAT LESSON - Will I be practicing for 3 hours with my own kite? How do boat lessons work?

The boat will be out for a total of 3 hours. The boat ́s crew is made up by 1 captain, 2 instructors and a maximum of 6 students. There might be 3 to 4 students in the water at the same time. This means we work on a rotation system. During 1 boat lesson you will have 2 rounds to go in the water for about 20-30 minutes per round. During your round you will practice the required skills according to your own personal level considering the local weather conditions.

What about private lesson?

We recommend all beginner riders to join our group lessons as its better and more effective to learn among other fellow students. If you are already an advanced/expert rider and you want to learn something specific or want to get familiar with wave kiting, or maybe you want to get that extra confidence to eventually ride from the shore/beach without an instructor´s supervision, then a private lesson is a good idea. Please note that private lessons will always take place from the beach and not from our boat.

Is it possible to do a PRIVATE BOAT LESSON?

If you would like to kite in the open sea, along with your own personal instructor and without sharing the equipment with other students, then you can hire a private boat. You will be able to hire the boat including all the required equipment and 1 instructor for a minimum of 2 hours up to 4 hours. A 2 hour private boat session will be 320€ including the boat with his captain, 1 instructor and the equipment... All for your own enjoyment and pleasure.

I ALREADY DID A KITE COURSE SOMEWHERE and just want to go into the water. Which course should I book?

You need to book the INTERMEDIATE COURSE which starts with a 2 hour preparation class on the beach. During this class you need to set up a kite by yourself and be able to launch and land it independently. We will define your goals for the boat lesson and will provide the specific beach exercises for a confortable and safe water session. We will also make sure that you know all the kitesurfing ́s safety and security systems and how to relaunch your kite in deep waters to make sure you are going to have a good time once you are in the middle of the ocean.

INTERMEDIATE COURSE. Could I skip the preparation lesson and go straight in the boat?

Yes, as long as you have previously done at least a 5-day course with a certified instructor no more than 3 months ago. However it is highly recommended to join our Preparation Lesson as afterwards, when you get into deep waters, you will feel more confident with your own skills that eventually will lead you to learn more effectively.

What about if I USE MY OWN EQUPMENT?

Yes, bring it with you. Surely you will be able to use your harness, board and wetsuit. The use of your own kite will depend on the actual weather conditions according to your kite ́s size and model. If you use your own full equipment, you will get a 20 % off discount. Please note that complete beginners cannot use their own equipment.

Where do the lessons take place?

As we are fully dependent on the wind direction, lessons may take place in different locations. With North and North-West winds our beach sessions will take place in FlagBeach and boat sessions will depart from Corralejo ́s harbour. With North or North-East winds we will move to the opposite coast to El Cotillo. Anyway the meeting point will always be in Correlajo at our Redshark Shop & School.

Which languages does the instructors speak?

Our staff speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French, Dutch and German.

What happens when there is no wind and you can't complete the course?

If the weather conditions are not suitable to finish your course, you will get a VOUCHER for SURF or SUP lessons or for rental and shopping products at the Redshark shop. *The voucher can be transferred to another person and can be used during the next 2 years.

For whom is kitesurfing suitable?

Anyone can practice kitesurfing with us! We admit children from 12 years old or even younger as long as their MINIMMUN weight is over 40kg.

Do I need to be fit or very strong?

Kitesurfing does not require any particular previous training, neither a lot of strength. It’s more of a game of power balance with the wind with subtle and gentle movements. That is why women and children learn this sport very fast.

At the end of my kitesurfing course do I get a certificate?

All of our kite instructor have their own certifications, but some even have additional European countries sail federation certifications. At the end of your course you will get our RedShark certificate which will detail exactly all the skills you went through during your lessons as well as the final achieved riding level.

Frequently asked questions SUP/SURF:

How many people will come on my SURFING GROUP LESSON?

Our surfing lessons are organized in very small groups, of maximum 4 students / instructor.

Who can learn Stand Up Paddle ?

This is a sport for everyone! From children (12 years +) to mature grown up adults, it is very easy to take your first paddles on a SUP. Stand up Paddle will improve your body balance while providing a great exercise for all of your body muscles. The best thing is that you will be able to take it wherever you want: from simple cruises, to more extensive and extenuating paddling exercises or even catch all types of waves.

What is the LOBOS SUP ADVENTURE?

This is a 3 hour excursion that combines 1) Visiting Lobos Island 2) Doing Stand Up Paddeling within Lobo´s lagoons and around the island surroundings 3) Snorkeling. The perfect excursion to live a special and unforgettable day with family and friends.

WING FOIL FAQ

DO I HAVE TO HAVE ANY LEVEL IN WATER SPORTS PRIOR TO THE COURSE?

No level or experience is required prior to taking wingfoil courses, our courses are focused on beginners, Any previous level you have will help you in learning by doing it faster.

ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS ON AGE?

No, there are no restrictions, but it should be taken into account that children under 12 years old may have problems manipulating the equipment and for older students to know that the better physical condition the better results will be obtained.

WHAT IS WINGFOIL?

The wingfoil: the last frontier in water sports, consists of moving on the surface of the sea with the help of a wing (WING.) that propelled by the wind and with a certain technique generates enough speed so that the keel that goes under the board(FOIL.) begins to rise thanks to the lift (LIFT .) that this keel generates underwater, when lifting the foil we will need to keep it in a certain position to generate an effective and constant glide.
What is achieved by detaching from the surface of the sea is to save all the imperfections generated by the wind (CHOP.) and in this way we get this magical and unique sensation of floating on the surface of the sea.

IS THERE DANGER IN THE PRACTICE OF WINGFOIL?

While using the safety elements, helmet, impact vest, long neoprene and booties, however we have to take into account that we are practicing a sport that involves elements that can cause damage if they hit us or are incorrectly used.

WHAT LEARNING GROUP AM I IN?

Total beginner: you have never practiced any water sport and the wing foil caught your attention.
Beginner: you already have control and a lot of experience in surfing, kitesurfing, sup or windsurfing but you never tried the foil.
Pre-foiler: you have previously tried some of the modalities of the fiol such as kite-foil, wind-foil, surf-foil or wake-foil pro never the wing.
Fóil-adict: you have tried wingfoil and you know it is your passion you are ready for the next level.