The "ISAF Beginners Guide to Kiteboarding" is a complete wind riding manual for starters, with launching, safety, self-rescue and pack down lessons.
Aspiring kiteboarders can enjoy numerous experiences, setting personal goals at every level. Learning well is part of the process of becoming a good rider.
The sport combines the best elements of windsurfing, sailing and wakeboarding all in one and not only offers the fastest performance but has the highest and longest 'airtime' potential.
Kiteboarding cannot simply be learned in a book, on a simulator or taught by a friend alone. There are some fundamental principles that need to be mastered in a structured order to avoid issues with your personal equipment impacting on other people or injuring yourself.
"As with most of the learning experiences in life, if we are having fun then there is a greater chance that we will learn more", explains Andy Gratwick, author of the ISAF Beginners Guide to Kiteboarding and Head of Training at the British Kitesurfing Association (BKSA).
"We try to make sure that all of our activities result in the rider enjoying his/her experience and this is at the heart of what we set out in the ISAF Beginner Guide to Kiteboarding. No matter what your level, there is fun to be had."
As well as a vital tool to reference before, during and after flying a kite, the aspects that make kiteboarding a fun and attractive form of sailing are highlighted throughout the book. Get it online at ISAF.
An early activity when learning to kiteboard is body dragging. With four types, including single drag, board retrieval/upwind drag, balance drag and body drag with board all outlined in the book these progressive steps allow participants fast and fun progression.