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NEKitesurfing Courses: Frequently Asked Questions 1) Why do I need lessons in Kitesurfing / Powerkiting? Kitesurfing and powerkiting are extreme sports and can therefore be very dangerous if you don't follow and respect the safety rules at all times and learn the basic techniques from an IKO qualified instructor. A Kitesurf / Powerkite course taught buy a qualified instructor will greatly increase the rate at which you will learn the sport. The equipment for powerkiting and kitesurfing is also very expensive and can easily be damaged while you are learning - this is a major advantage of learning kitesurfing with an instructor who will provide all the equipment during the course. 2) When are NEKitesurfing Courses run? Kitesurfing courses are run from April to the end of October each year due to temperature restrictions. Powerkite courses are run all year round. All courses are run at weekend only although evening sessions may be possible during the peak of summer. Please enquire for availability. Please be aware that all courses are weather dependent and we only teach a few weekends a month so can get booked up very far in advance. 3) How do I book a course? To book a course with NEKitesurfing simply get in contact and let us know what course you are interested and when you are free. NEKitesurfing will then let you know what dates are available. You will then need to pay for the course (see the question below for more details on payment). We will then send you a booking form and a waiver form which must be completed and sent back to NEKitesurfing prior to starting the course. This form outlines the booking conditions of the course. The booking form can be downloaded by clicking HERE The waiver form can be downloaded by clicking HERE 4) How do I pay for a course? Courses can be paid for by cheque or by cash or via Paypal. If paying by cheque please make sure to send it 14 days in advance of the course date. If paying by cash, a deposit of 20% will be required during booking of the course and the rest will be required at the start of the course. No course booking is confirmed until NEKitesurfing has received full payment (if paying by cheque) or a 20% deposit (if paying by cash). 5) Where will I be taught? The location in which the course is run is very much dependant on the weather, particularly wind strengths, wind directions and tide states for that day. Possible locations are: Druridge Bay, Beadnell Bay, Redcar, Bamburgh, Budle Bay, North Berwick and Allonby. NEKitesurfing will update all students on the location on the evening prior to the course. We cannot update any earlier as weather forecasts can change dramatically on a day to day basis. Wherever possible, lessons will be planned to suit the students but students must be aware of the winds unpredictable nature at all times so they must be prepared to travel for their lesson. 6) What happens if my course has to be cancelled due to bad weather conditions? NEKitesurfing will monitor the weather conditions prior to the course date. If, on the morning of the course date the forecast is too poor for the course we will contact each student individually to cancel the course. If the course has been unable to start, the course will be re-booked. If the course has been started and then has to be abandoned because of changing weather conditions, students will be offered where possible, the following: 1
day Taster: The theory part of the course will be covered and a half day voucher
offered to complete the practical part at a later
day. 7) How many other people will there be on my course? Powerkite
course: Maximum of 6 people. A minimum of 2 people is required for the
course to run. 8) What level will I reach at the end of the course? Will I get a recognised level of achievement? The levels reached will vary according to the ability of each student. The 2 day kitesurfing course will follow the IKO syllabus and card reward scheme whereby each student will receive and IKO card which indicates the level they have reached. 9) How do I know if my instructor is fully qualified to teach? You can find all IKO qualified centers by clicking HERE. 10) Why learn with an IKO qualified Instructor? The IKO courses are standardized, and this means that instructors in over 22 countries use the same methods that are internationally recognized and proved to work. The organization is mostly concerned with the safety of the students and the affiliated instructors follow the norms and standards set by IKO rigorously. When you finish your course you will receive your Kiteboarder Card, establishing the level that you achieved, so that you can keep learning in any other IKO school around the world, without loosing time and right from where you finished your last lesson 11) What pre-requisites are there to take a course? For the kitesurfing courses you must be 18 years or over. If you are under 18 years old, you can still attend a course, however you must be supervised by a guardian at all times. You must also be able to swim at least 25 metres and be confident in the water. If you are booking a kitesurfing course and you have no previous kite flying experience, I would strongly recommend you either purchase a 2-3m 2/4 line traction kite and become competant at kite flying or book the 1/2 day powerkiting course with NEKitesurfing. Not doing this will limit your progress on the kitesurfing course. There are no pre-requisites for the powerkiting course. 12) What do I need to bring for my course? Kitesurfing: You are advised to bring your own wetsuit if you own one. NEKitesurfing only has a limited supply of wetsuits. If you do not own your own wetsuit, please check with us to ensure we have one that will fit you. In addition, please come with warm clothing for the land based activities. NEKitesurfing will provide tuition all safety equipment (harnesses, helmets, buoyancy aids, kites and boards) in order for you to undertake the course effectively and safely. 13) Should I buy my equipment before taking the lesson? It is better to buy the equipment after taking the classes, and with the help of your instructor, determine which kite and board are better for your weight and the conditions of where you plan to sail. We may also be able to get you a good deal, saving some of those much needed pennies! 14) How do I cancel a course I've booked? All courses must be cancelled 10 days prior to the course start date. NEKitesurfing will then offer an alternative date. We do not offer refunds and the course cannot be transferred. 15) How do I get further information? Please feel free to contact NEKitesurfing on any of the below methods: Email:
nekitesurfing@yahoo.co.uk
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