The friend teaching dilemma
It always starts the same. A friend watches you come out of the water glowing like a sea creature powered by serotonin and wind. Then they say the sentence every kitesurfer both loves and fears: I want to try this too. At that moment you have two choices. You can become their self appointed instructor, stress manager, and potential rescue operator. Or you can do what I do, which is smile and say: amazing, I will help you book a lesson with someone who is actually paid to keep you alive.
Why I do not teach friends
You can be the best rider at your spot and still be a terrible instructor. Teaching requires structure, patience, and the ability to stay calm when someone steers the kite directly into the power zone because they forgot which hand is left again. If you are not a licensed instructor, you simply do not have the training to manage those moments safely.
There is also the friendship factor. Friends listen differently. They question you more. They get embarrassed faster. They feel judged even when you are literally just trying to stop them from getting dragged into the Atlantic. And they will absolutely take any tension personally. The dynamic shifts from fun beach day to weird power struggle. No one wins.
The real talk I always give is this: kitesurfing is not the sport where you wing it together. It is a sport that can hospitalize you before you finish explaining the wind window. That is why instructors exist. They know what to correct, when to intervene, and how to do it without emotional chaos.
I send friends to a certified school not because I do not care, but because I care enough to not let them risk a serious incident while learning from someone who is basically improvising.
Should licensed instructors teach their own friends
Even if you are licensed, the friend dynamic still makes things tricky. You can do everything by the book and your friend might still ignore instructions, blame you, or treat the lesson as a casual beach play date instead of a serious learning environment. The instructor hat and friendship hat do not always fit together.
If you are a licensed instructor, you can choose to teach them, but I still recommend setting rules:
Treat the session as a real lesson with clear structure.
No shortcuts because you know them.
No emotional negotiations about fear or frustration.
Make sure they sign the same safety forms any other student signs.
Consider the lesson for free or a discount only if you feel good about it.
If they do not follow instructions, the lesson ends.
Teaching friends only works if both of you respect the boundaries of a real learning environment. If not, the risk is the same: you lose patience, they lose confidence, and the wind takes both your moods on a ride.
How to support them without teaching
Just because you are not the instructor does not mean you cannot be part of their journey. You can do a lot without touching a kite together.
The best things you can offer:
Help them book lessons at a good school.
Explain what gear to rent or buy later, not now.
Share your favourite Berito blogs on wind basics or safety.
Join them during their lesson to cheer, film, or help carry gear.
Celebrate every tiny win, even the ones instructors pretend not to care about.
Your job is not to teach technique. Your job is to make the world of kitesurfing feel welcoming and fun. Friends do not remember who did the technical explanation of edging. They remember who made their first kite steps feel exciting instead of terrifying.
If they want to nerd out between lessons, point them to weather fundamentals. Our wind reading guide is a perfect start.
When they start riding with you
This is where things get fun and slightly awkward. You have been riding for years. They have been riding for six lessons and two of those were in ten knots. Suddenly they want to join you for a session and you have to figure out how to share the water without babysitting.
The reality is simple. The first two years of kitesurfing progression are slow and inconsistent. They will feel stuck often. They will crash more. They will lose their board at least once a session. You cannot expect them to ride at your level and they cannot expect you to downsize your skill level just to match them. But the stoke can still be the same, and that is the part that matters.
Here is how to make mixed level sessions work:
Pick a safe and forgiving spot. No offshore wind, no heavy waves, no strong current.
Stay within visual distance but not right next to each other. You are not a rescue drone.
Agree on a meet up point on land if someone gets tired or struggles.
Let them warm up alone first so they do not feel watched.
Do not correct every mistake. Wait until they ask.
Give positive feedback before technical feedback.
Your presence should make them feel supported, not judged. When they want advice, keep it short and practical. People absorb exactly one piece of information at a time.
Helping them progress without pressure
The most important thing you can teach your friend is not technique. It is patience. Kitesurfing growth does not follow a straight line. Some weeks they will ride better than you expect. Other weeks they will question all their life choices, including befriending you.
Help them understand that progression comes from repetition, not perfection. Encourage them to spend time on simple things: body drags, relaunch, controlled power strokes, stable edging. Every beginner wants to jump on day two, but the strongest foundation is built from boring skills.
Eventually they will ride well enough that you can session together without adjusting your style or your route. But until then, enjoy the mentoring phase. It is rewarding to watch someone you care about fall in love with the same sport that changed your life.
Before you grab your new buddy
If your friend wants to get into kitesurfing, be the guide, not the instructor. Help them find proper lessons, support their wins, keep sessions realistic, and remember that the best way to keep the friendship intact is to avoid becoming their personal kite teacher. When they are finally up and riding, you will both enjoy sessions far more than if you had tried to teach everything yourself.
Now go share the wind responsibly, and may your friend never ask you to relaunch their kite from the water at the exact moment you line up for a jump.
xox Berito