Latest News, Blog & Videos

I used to profess this simple concept back when I was a kiteboarding instructor and I know it to be true today. Kiteboarders are simple creatures. We like windy days, good people to share the stoke with, and a good feast afterward. Easy enough.         Hey, new guy—just show up with some pizza, introduce your self, and be humble—it'll be all good!" Seriously though—here's how you break into your local kiteboarding scene and be welcomed into the fold. Dec …

Many years ago, pro rider Chris Bobryk and I were kiteboard instructors here at MACkite. Our lesson center was right on the sugar-sand beach of Pere Marquette Park, in Muskegon, Michigan. We would ride as much as we possibly could before and after our lessons and I can remember Chris just hucking himself constantly. He was sending it on every tack. He was absolutely consumed with progressing his kiteboarding ability and it paid off for him in his pro career. I, on the other hand, did not have p …

As any dedicated wind-chaser knows, it can be challenging to balance work, life and kiteboarding. Sometimes, we just can't get enough time on the water. Here are 3 simple tips to help you out! Subscribe to Wind Alerts via iKitesurf.com. Keep your gear with you at all times. Communicate with your significant other.   The Alert iKitesurf.com is one of the most important sites/apps for kiteboarders who want real-time wind data from around the world. Not only can you access wind speed, di …

Step One: Catch someone’s attention on the beach by tapping your head. Make sure that as you are coming in you have gotten the attention of someone before starting to put your kite down. Make sure the person knows that you want them to land you before putting your kite down low at the edge of the wind window. If they are not there in time and your kite crashes it can launch back in the air and take you with it. This will not only be bad for you but for your kite and everyone on the beach. …

Dear kitesurfers: have you ever paddled into a wave on a surfboard?  If yes—you already get it. If not, however, please read on. Surfers have been "out there" for much longer than kiteboarders and kitesurfers have. Since the 18th century in Tahiti and Hawaii, surfers have been paddling out, catching waves and enjoying the stoke. Eventually, it hit mainland USA and became a subculture. Boards went from long to short, and back again. Shortboarders feud with longboarders, who now get sna …

The front roll is a must have basic for any kiteboarder. It looks awesome on its own but it does lead to more advanced tricks and rotations. Today you were going to learn this basic in three sessions. I'm going to do this one a little different as this video is for beginners. It's all about muscle memory and slowly building confidence. I'll be recommending a certain number of times you should practice each movement for each session. Let’s get started. Session number one: Do a flat 3 …

Kiteboarding is for kids. No, wait—your kids will be heading back to school soon, so that means kiteboarding lessons are for YOU, lucky one! Seriously though—have you been watching and waiting for the right time to get into kiteboarding? Late summer and early fall conditions are awesome around here. Winds are better, water is warm, and the crowds have gone home. What are you waiting for? Give us a call today and we’ll answer your questions and walk you through the lesson proce …

Beginner Kiteboarding Lesson: Crash and Relaunch Your Kite In critical situations, it can be necessary to use the quick release on your kite. In doing so, your kite will remain connected to your harness via one line, and most of the kite’s power will be lost. To open the release, let go of the bar and push the quick-release mechanism away from you. In doing so, your kite will fall into the water and waiver in the wind. Once you're ready, you'll need to prepare your gear for relaunch. Hold …

Beginner Kiteboarding Lesson: Relaunching Your 5th Line Kite The 5th-line makes it easy to relaunch your kite, especially in low wind, when it is relied on to get your kite into the air. If you lose hold of your bar when riding unhooked, hold on your safety line and hook back into your chicken loop. Now pull the fifth line until the kite starts to flip over. Before it flips completely, grab the bar floater on the upper side and pull it towards you. As you do this, the kite will start to mov …

Beginner Kiteboarding Lesson: Relaunch a 4-Line Kite Learn how to relaunch your kite in shallow water first, as this will make it easy when you're swimming in deeper waters. When your kite drops into the water, let go of the bar, untwist the lines, and check that your bar is the correct way around by using the color code. Now you're ready to relaunch. Pull gently on the floater to initiate the kites movement to the edge of the wind window. Once the kite is there, grab the bar and pull on th …

The Chris Bobryk interview, Today, we are flying over to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and heading over to Miami. Palm trees, sunshine, and blue skies... what's not to love?! We're going to check in with Chris Bobryk and get some tips on how to stay fit and in good shape as a kiter! He'll tell us a bit about how to stay healthy, prevent injury, and recover if you do find yourself injured. But first, it's time to slow down and relax. It was a hectic week in Las Vegas and LA, and a day of downtime, a …

Five steps to better kite control. Hey guys, today I want to talk about five things you can do to dramatically improve your kite skills. After all, kiteboarding is mostly about flying a kite. I mean, kites have been around for thousands of years. Most people can have fun flying a small kite on a string. We have these amazing highly engineered tools that propel us across the water and into the sky. So it goes with out saying you need to spend a lot of time flying your kite and frankly just have …

The relaunch is one of the most important steps in learning how to kiteboard. After all, if you can't get your kite out of the water you're not going to get very far in the sport. One of the biggest concerns people face in the early stages is the fear of the unknown.  What happens if I crash?  How do I get back in if I drop my kite? Will the kite keep pulling me if I drop it?  To counter these fears, I recommend starting small. You need to practice your relaunch on the beach, …

How to Jump Higher Kiteboarding - Ride with Blake: Vlog 17 So you can jump, that's great! Now, you're wondering how to get more air. In this episode, Blake has 5 tips that will take you to the moon and back! So here it is, five steps for you on how to jump higher with your kiteboard. Step one: Have good board speed, a lot of people think that being overpowered will make the jump higher but that’s a common misconception. If you have to much power, you will get a lot of lateral jumps but no …

How to Ride Upwind in Light Wind - Ride with Blake: Vlog 16 For some, riding in light winds can be a little challenging. How can you ride upwind? Blake goes through the "Blake Necessities" on how to ride in lighter winds. 1. Get a big board or a foil Look for something flatter with little rocker. Good suggestions are the North Spike, Cabrinha Stylus, or Liquid Force Overdrive. 2. Shorten the wind window in strong winds - keep within the power zone 3. Perform S-turns with the kit …