Water Sports
Featured Articles:
Water Sports For Physical And Mental Health
by: Dakota Caudilla
Sailing or boating may seem a little overwhelming, what with the
high level of technical elements involved in the sport. For example,
there are things like "charts", "mainsails" and "tillers" to learn
about. Whether you choose a small boat or a catamaran, whether you
choose lake or ocean sailing, there are a number of things you need
to master before you can start enjoying the pure pleasure of being
on the water.
Getting the sailing skills you need to start sailing your own boat
is easy if you just sign up with a sailing school. You can learn to
sail at any age. There are no restrictions. The best schools and
instructors will teach you all you need to know about sailing in a
friendly and non-threatening manner.
As with all sports, sailing will get you into contact with new
friends. There's a closeness that develops out at sea, however, that
not many other sports have. You really get the feel of being one
against the awesome power of the natural world and being with
friends and family out there on the water serves to strengthen
bonds.
Being on the water in any capacity demands a healthy outlook and way
of life. Sailing and boating are two sports that demand all our
senses to be at their peak. Sailing calls upon physical strength,
intelligence and intuition. It is one sport that allows you to leave
all your daily concerns and habits back on the land and to be off
with only your bare self.
About The Author
Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla
lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of
http://www.water-sports-world.com on which you will find a longer,
more detailed version of this article.
Big Air Equals Big Thrills With This New Extreme Water
Sport
by: Captain Jeff Hoxtell
Kite boarding or kite surfing, if you don't already know, is like
snowboarding on water. This, behind a boat, is called wakeboarding.
OK, now forget the boat and add a giant kite for the power source.
The kite is controlled or steered using a control bar in the hands
of the rider. The kite can be flown is specific patterns to generate
greater power, or can be used to jump or fly through the air. We are
not talking about little hops either; you can really get up and
float for some serious air time. The power is directed to a harness
by "hooking in"; this takes the load off the arms which helps reduce
fatigue.
Kite boarding is the fastest growing water sport in the world, and
for good reasons.
The freedom of jumping 10, 20, 30ft off the water, without the
necessity of a wave for a ramp, means that people who live near
lakes can still fly through the air. Snowboarders love it as a
summer alternative to riding on snow, not to mention there's no lift
ticket to buy. Windsurfers love it because you can kiteboard in less
wind, and the gear fits in a economy car, instead of the truck, or
trailer. Surfers can get out on the water when the surf is too low
or blown out. Wake boarders are forced to rethink what big air
really is, plus saving all the gas money they were putting into
their boats every weekend. People who have never tried a board sport
at all are getting into kite boarding.
Ideal learning conditions include warm, flat and shallow water
coupled with consistent wind. Being able to stand up after a gulp of
water or a head first plunge is not only convenient but comforting.
Having a boat right there where you need it saves time, as the
beginner will end the kite surfing lesson far down wind from where
he or she started.
Taking lessons with a qualified instructor is a must. The best thing
to do first is to buy or rent a trainer kite, and watch an
instructional video to get the basics down. Next, is the first three
hour kite boarding lesson, in which you will learn the safety issues
and systems, setup of the kite, launching and landing, the wind
window and power stokes, water re-launching and body dragging. From
there you can continue with lessons or go practice on your own. The
cost of equipment has come down over the years; a beginner setup
will run $1000-$1500 for everything. Unlike many sports, such as
snow
Skiing, kite boarding is not something you should expect to be able
to learn in an afternoon. Once you get it, you'll be hooked.
About The Author
Captain Jeff Hoxtell
Air Padre Kiteboarding
5709 A Padre Blvd.
South Padre Island
956-299-9463
www.airpadrekiteboarding.com
info@airpadrekiteboarding.com