Messagepar Sgallian » ven. 30 janv. 2015 12:20
Well, I have to say I had a different experience with Massiliakiteschool...
At the time I booked a session with him, I could ride by myself, and had my own equipment.
I was in Marsilia for 1 week, and had just a 12m kite with me... I had to use it, even though I just received it brand new, because he did not have enough kites for everybody (but I got a TT from him).
There was like 20 knots this day, and I do not exaggerate, sometimes 2 meter deep unbroken waves (I know because the top of the wave was above my head when I was in the deep zone)... At the end of the session, I think there was like 25-30 knots, needless to say I was completely overpowered by then...
It was scary just to get to the middle of the bay with the boat bouncing high on the waves, I just could not believe he would drop us in such conditions.. but he did.
It was my first experience also out of a lagoon with flat water, so yeah, that was a hell of a maiden ride onto deep unruly water.
Now, I do not regret it: it was exhausting, even down right dangerous with such high winds and an over-sized kite for these conditions, but it was the first time I got the feeling that kiting can also be a transportation mode: you get to ride along yachts, shuttles to the chateau D'If, and also you have the great scenery, which was awesome for me, as I used to live in Marseille for 5 years... I would do it again, but next time with proper kite size and smaller waves.
But, I could not comprehend how the less experienced riders could put up with that: you're just dropped in the middle of the bay, and I don't see how you could understand the instructions from the boat... Also, when you are a beginner, you just go in the direction you feel most comfortable, so everyone was far one from another, which is good in case of incident, but bad because it would take him so long to get to you, with the waves and everything.
One of the straps came unscrewed near the beginning, and I had to wait half an hour before he finished launching the others, notice my kite at 12 o clock, and drive to me to fix that...
At the end of the session, I could not go upwind, and so tired I could barely hold on to the boat on the VERY bumpy way back...
Just wanted to say that he should not have taken people out this day, I think I was the second most experienced in the group, and I was clearly at my limit...
So I would not recommend this school for beginners: your progress will be slow, and you can get scared. Driving 1-2 hours to a safer spot, where you have waist high flat water will allow a much quicker and safer learning... The only time this method with boat is OK is at the waterstarting time, when anyway you will be thrown around, so better to have deep water and nothing nearby...
So maybe voodoo13 is right: up until the waterstart step and if there are not too many others students, he might be a good teacher, but after that, don't bother until you're much more experienced, or really if the conditions are way better than what I got.
I saw some kiters in Marseille at Prado beach but as I have found out there is no kite school directly in Marseille. I would like to find somebody in Marseille who could teach me, I would of course pay for it. Anybody here who is capable and interested?
).
But riders are pretty cool and riding in town is just amazing (I used to go riding there with my scooter, just 10 minutes from my home or my office, some of my friends are still doing it). 
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