MACkite Kiteboarding Lessons and Camps

Welcome to the Midwest's first and largest Kiteboarding School and Kitesurf Shop. We at MACkite are thrilled to teach you, your family, and your friends one of the greatest new sports on earth. Our lessons and camps run all year long to give you the best opportunity to learn this incredible sport.

Our lessons fill up fast so we strongly suggest that you reserve your spot early. While it may be possible to get a last minute lesson, we cannot guarantee instructor availability without prior reservations. Also, in order to receive your instructional DVD and pamphlet ahead of time, you must reserve the lesson at least 2 weeks in advance.

Read a Student Testimonial

2012 2-Day Camp Dates Month Thurs/Fri dates Sat/Sun dates June May 31 & June 1 FULL 7 & 8 FULL 14 & 15 16 & 17 21 & 22 FULL 28 & 29 30 & July 1 July 5 & 6 7 & 8 12 & 13 14 & 15 19 & 20 21 & 22 26 & 27 28 & 29 August 2 &3 4 & 5 9 & 10 11 & 12 16 & 17 18 & 19 23 & 24 25 & 26 30 & 31 - September - 1 & 2 6 & 7 8 & 9 13 & 14 15 & 16 20 & 21 22 & 23 27 & 28 29 & 30 Book your lesson online!

The MACkite school house Instructors:    Our certified instructors are well-qualified to teach both new and experienced riders.

All lessons originate from our Pere Marquette beach site in Muskegon, MI unless other arrangements have been made with the students. Our school is set up with brand new 2012 kites to allow you to learn the sport with the safest and fastest methods possible. These revolutionary bow kites will dramatically cut your learning time. Not only are they much safer because you can easily de-power the kite by simply pushing the control bar away from your body, but they are also much easier to relaunch once the kite hits the water. All the gear you will need is provided, from trainer kites, harnesses, and wetsuits to kites, boards, and demo gear. The kiteboard day lesson and 2-day camp start at 10:00 am.

Beginner Lessons

2-Day Camp $549 per student - The fastest way to learn to ride!
The best way to turn new students into kiteboarders is with direct immersion into the sport through our 2-day camps. These camps are held Thursday/Friday and Saturday/Sunday throughout the spring, summer and fall. This is the ideal way to become a safe and self-sufficient kiteboarder. We will cover all the aspects of kiteboarding as we build your knowledge and skill set needed to get you riding. With the 2-day camp, you will be spending more time in the water than with the day lesson. If time allows and you are doing exceptionally well, we'll even send you on a down winder (we'll follow and coach you from our Sea Doo as you start at one beach and end up miles down the lakeshore). Classes start at 10:00am.
Book a Thursday/Friday camp and save $50!

Make the most of your instruction time!
Turn your lesson into a Deluxe Package with one of our trainer kites.

Add a Trainer Kite Package:

Symphony TR 1.8 Trainer and DVD$110 – Great way to start

Rush 300 and DVD$200 - Get the feel of power

Hydra 300 Water Relaunchable Trainer and DVD$266 – Power up and body drag in the water

After years of teaching people to kiteboard, we have found a common link among those that progress quickly. That common link is "they have done their homework". This has prompted us to introduce the new Deluxe Package. When you book your lesson, we will provide you with a a choice of trainer kites and instructional DVD that are yours to keep. This will allow you to view the video and get practice time on the trainer kite before your lesson. That way we can breeze through some of the basics and get in and on the water much more quickly.
Once you have mastered the trainer kite, you'll enjoy sharing its power with your family and friends.

Lodging options

Day Lesson $349 per student
We will get you through all the kite knowledge and start building your skills. If you are a seasoned waterman and kite flyer, it is very possible that you will be attempting to get rides on a board by the end of the day. This class is excellent for anyone who wants to really see if this sport is right for them. Classes start at 10:00am.

Trainer flying is almost a must for anyone thinking of just a day lesson. You do not want to spend a lot of time and energy learning to fly a kite during a day lesson. You will get much further if you can fly a trainer without looking at it, as well as having done some body dragging prior to the lesson. As long as you practice these things before the lesson, a day lesson can be a great start to kiteboarding.

Day Lessons are held daily Monday through Wednesday starting mid-May through late October. Some last minute weekend lessons may be available based upon instructor availability. Call the store to book your lessons in advance at 1-800-622-4655.

What To expect from a lesson

Knowledge & skills.
Since becoming a PASA certified school in 2000, we have taught thousands of students to kiteboard. During that time we have learned many things and answered thousands of questions. The most common question is "What will I learn during a camp?"
Here is a basic answer consisting of 2 areas of kiteboarding: Knowledge and Skill

Knowledge:
Gear
-Types of kites, boards, harnesses and wetsuits.
- Setup, breakdown, maintenance
- How to chose, manage and safely use your gear
Riding Rules
- Safety: buffer zones, weather, hazards, emergency situations
- Launch sites, wind window and conditions, water conditions
- Kiting Etiquette - being a safe, responsible kiter.
-Signals -standard hand and voice signals

All Knowledge components will be covered completely in a camp or full day lesson. How far along you will get in your lesson will depend on you and your skills (read Making the Most of Your Lesson). If you're in a 2-day camp, you will have an extra day (compared to the day lesson) to learn and progress further in this sport.

Skills:
Kite skills
-gear setup, breakdown, basic maintenance
-two and one handed flying, figure 8's, water start patterns, depower, quick release, safety
-assisted launching and landing your kite
-solo launching and landing your kite.
-water launching your kite
-body dragging in the water, upwind body dragging
-self-rescue techniques
Riding skills
-water starts
-transitions
-upwind riding

All of the above skills will be needed to become a self-sufficient kiteboarder. You will need to start with the first skills and move through the list. If you've done your homework by watching the instructional DVD and spent a good amount of time with a trainer kite, you should be able to progress faster through the lesson. If not, you may be spending more time on land going over basic kite skills, rather than in the water. Our instructors will do their best to assist you in your quick progression. Many skills can be learned prior to taking a camp or lesson by spending time flying a trainer kite for several hours - see our helpful section: Using a trainer.

Items to bring to a camp or lesson:
- Water - Dehydration can come on quickly.
- Sunscreen, lots of it.
- Towel
- An extra set of clothes.
(the lakeshore can get cooler instantly so bring warm clothes)
- A big floppy hat to keep the sun off your face and body
- Don't forget the energy bars or granola bars to help keep your energy up
- Your own gear if you have it.
(If time allows at the end of your lesson, we will go over it with you to make sure you are safe and ready to ride)
- Video Camera or camera

Another important thing to remember is we are in the Eastern Time Zone. So if you are driving from Chicago we will be an hour ahead of you (when it's 8:00 am there, it is 9:00 am here).

Make the most of your camp or lesson
The more homework (reading our booklets, watching the DVD, or flying a trainer kite) that you do will greatly increase your success during the lessons. This sport is fairly complex to learn in 1 or 2 days. That is why we urge you to buy or rent a trainer kite to get familiar with flying a kite with a control bar. If you come to the lesson eager and willing to learn, your lesson will be great. Nothing goes farther than a positive and willing attitude. We want you to feel the stoke and excitement that this sport can offer. After all, that is why we all love this sport. Take some time before your lesson to learn the real basics and you will be much more successful.

Also sign up for our E-Newsletter in the left menu bar of any page on our site. We will let you know when we will be having gear demos specifically for kiteboarding gear along with upcoming kiteboard events.

Check out our FAQ page for more information and also the Using a Trainer page for more information on what you can do prior to your camp.

Why our lessons are such a great value

• More students have passed through our doors than any other kiteboarding school in the Midwest - well over 1000 different students in the last 12 years!
• We fly on this year's gear. The latest innovations get you riding sooner and safer.
• We are the only school to offer lessons right on our own permitted beach next to our School House.
• We are certified and insured. Make sure to ask any school if they can show instructor certification from IKO or PASA kiteboarding associations. Also ask for their proof of insurance. If they don't have insurance – they are not legit and you are at risk.
• MACkite is the only school in the Midwest to have its own stock of student wetsuits so you don't have to buy one just to check out a lesson.
• Our knowledgeable staff will get you on the right gear the first time.
• Our Staff Rocks!
• We are the only store in the Midwest to stock 5 major brands: Naish, Cabrinha, North, Liquid Force and Best. We also carry Spleene boards along with Dakine, Mystic, O'Neil and Rip Curl. We are stocked with wetsuits, clothing, and accessories for all your kiteboarding needs. Stop by and check us out!