The Northwest of Ireland is one of the best areas in Europe for watersports.
Long known for the amazing surf breaks in areas such as Bundoran, Easky and Strandhill, the Leitrim/Sligo/Donegal region has also become a hotspot for the sport of Kitesurfing.
Because of the amazing selection of beaches and great wind conditions, the Sligo area is the best place in Ireland to get kitesurfing lessons. We are the only kitesurfing centre in the north west and we teach every suitable windy day. We also supply and sell some of the best equipment on the market, and are always available to give advice or help you demo some new gear.
Irish weather is so messed up these days and we're having some really nice conditions for some fun on the beach. The water is still too cold to do the full kiteboarding lessons, but we are re-opening for beach based Power Kite sessions.
The beach session is the start of every kitesurf course, and it's also a great option if you are interested in kite landboarding or kite buggying.
The Power Kite sessions are run using the same curriculum as our Kitesurfing courses, so if you decide you like the sport you can easily move onto a water based course once the weather warms up further.
We supply all the kiting gear you'll need for a great day on the beach.
You'll need to bring warm, waterproof clothes, including gloves, a hat and waterproof shoes. You should also bring a pair of sunglasses – sounds crazy but you never know!
This session is perfect for the whole family and an ideal way to beat the winter blues!
Our Winter Power Kite sessions are available at a special winter price of €60 per person for a two hour course, and include a complimentary cup of tea to warm up after the session!
To book a course, contact us by phone on 0868051390 or by email:info@lsdkiteboarding.com
We have just got a shipment of the latest gear from Ocean Rodeo. It all looks great - really well thought out and extremly high quality stuff.
We have a new 8m Rise to try, it looks good and we're really looking forward to trying it out.
Our new team rider Sean has just got the new Zen board. It should be available to demo from him down in Mayo. This kid is super keen so it could be tricky getting him off the water to get a shot on the board!
We will also deliver the second Mako King in the country at the weekend, down to Galway again. It comes highly recommended, and is selling fast.
I also have a new Pyro Pro drysuit, tried it on in the house today and it was super comfortable. Had a bit of trouble getting out of it though! We also have a Pyro Pro in stock, size Large.
If you'd like to try any of this gear, or any of the other equipment we do, just drop us a line at info@lsdkiteboarding.com
I have added paypal payments to some items in our online kiteshop. You can now use PayPal or credit card to buy our range of powerkites and accessories, just click on the link and follow the instructions.
If you'd like to purchase anything else using PayPal, just let us know and we can sort that out too.
Happy shopping!
Winter is coming, the days are getting shorter, sea temperatures are dropping and the wind chill factor is kicking in. Unfortunatly, the winter often has the best winds too, so staying off the water is not an option! Kiting when cold is dangerous, your hands freeze up and it can be difficult to pull safety devices and a bad ice cream headache can make you loose control of the situation.
Here are a few tips to help you get through the winter, and just click above to see a range of gear that will help you make the most of it.
This is the most important thing you can do to make the most of the session. A good 5/4 wetsuit that has been blind stitched and glued and taped is a different story to the cheaper suits. The neoprene will be softer, more flexible and warmer, but the fact that the seams are properly sealed will make all the difference. A suit with a shiny layer outside will help keep the wind chill down.
Another option is a Drysuit - if you stay dry it's easier to stay warm. You can change the fleece layers underneath to suit different days, and it eliminates the worst part of kiting - getting into a wet wetsuit! A normal dinghy or diving drysuit won't work for kitesurfing - the seals and shape of the suit wont work great.
Click on the link above, ie the title of this post, for more details on the range of Ocean Rodeo kitesurfing drysuits.
Hands, feet and head, by keeping them warm you'll reduce the pain of windchill and the icy water. Boots and gloves can help, but many surf designs won't work well. You need boots that are designed for use with footstraps and gloves that are designed for holding a bar to get the most comfort out on the water. Pro-limit do a full range.
Around 70% of your heat goes out your head so it's really important to keep it warm. We always recommend wearing a helmet, for warmth and safety, but if you're too cool for that, a neoprene beanie can work wonders. We often wear both helmet and beanie!
Apart from protecting you from impacts and keeping you afloat, these will also help to keep you warm. It's an inch of padding around your core body and it will als help keep the wind off.
Racer jackets or Battle jackets really help to keep you warm when you're standing around on the beach. We always wear them teaching, makes you look stupid but we couldn't do it without them!
One of the most important things to bring with you is a flask of tea, preferablly Barry's Gold Blend! IT cures what ails ya! A nip of whiskey or similar might make you feel warmer, but actually cools down your body. It's no good.
We are selling off some of our gear including the Wainman gypsy 6.5m and the Flexifoil Neutron 7m.
The Wainman Gypsy is an amazing kite, really powerful for it's size and great fun to ride.
The Neutron again is a lovely kite. nice and smooth.
The gypsy is €630, including a brand new bar and lines that has never been used. There's a few minor repairs on this kite that were done by Eamon. nothing structural at all.
The Neutron is €630 including a bar and lines that have been used about 4 times.
Many of you may have used these kites in lessons so you are probably familiar with them.
Drop us a mail to info@lsdkiteboarding.com if interested.
Wainman Gypsy Flexifoil Neutron
The Irish Kitesurfing Association exists to safeguard the sport of kitesurfing as the number of people participating in it increases by liaising with councils and other local and national bodies as well as providing comprehensive insurance cover for all members.
As kitesurfing is an extreme sport that is often practiced on busy beaches, insurance cover is essential for safe riding.
Check out www.iksa.ie
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