Kite 415 – Kiteboarding School

I’ve taken several lessons from Ovi and his instructors. Lately I’ve taken lessons with Brian (from Australia) and had great progress, he is really patient, explains things with detail and some times he jumped in the water to help. 5 stars for him
I’m definitely recommending taking lessons with him, or Ovi, I even bought the gear from him and I got a pretty good deal for the entire thing (board, kite, bar, harness).
Oyster point is a great place to learn, don’t have to worry about shore, people or anything, just pay attention to the indications and keep trying, it’s definitely a new set of skills so it gets frustrating from time to time.
Hope it helps
S

Kite 415 is a great Kiteboarding school.
It was my first time with any boardsport, and was able to get up on the board during my first water lesson with Dalan, which was invigorating. He taught me kite theory with the big kite (I already practiced with a trainer kite, which I recommend), then we jumped in the water where I learned technique and how to control the kite.
Then, for my second water lesson I came down with a bug and was not able to make it. Ovi let me know that their cancellation policy was that the lesson would be lost if they are notified under 24 hours prior to the lesson, which is understandable. However, Ovi was able to find me a replacement within minutes and did not add any additional fee to my account.
Excited for my next water lesson!

My experience was not a nice one. I didn’t have any helmet with a microphone so the instructor was always yelling at me. I said to him that I was a little worried to do it in this deep water. It was really difficult to hear him and he was saying that I never understand. One time, he wanted to be closer with his jetski to tell me something, I was looking at him. He passed in front of me with his machine and the kite began to go down on him. I bumped into the jetski. After that he yelled again at me that I have to be careful. I am learning! I am trying but it is not easy at it seems. It was really difficult. I was exhausted. After a while I couldn’t control my muscles. When I told him that I was, he was saying: «what, already!».Apparently, I didn’t something wrong at the end, and he was mad at me, saying me that I don’t listen, etc etc…
At the end I asked him how much I had to pay, he told me $ 250 for 2 hours (I did less because of the bad experience)!! I knew it was not the price…
I don’t want to come back ever again…
09/​22/​2014
Ovi, the owner, called me to understand what happened. He offered me a new session free of charge. I went yesterday with my friend. We split the two hours lesson between both of us. It was perfect. Ovi asked me to put my feet into the strap before launching the kite. It was so much better. I was able to go on the board. I still have a lot of progress to do but the lesson was much more enjoyable and encouraging. Thank you.

Kite415 was amazing! Meticulous, professional, encouraging and effective. I took the FastTrack 415 package which includes 3 lessons: land, body dragging and riding. Following the lessons I was able to ride long distances in both directions on my own and even go upwind. I’m now learning more advanced techniques. I can’t believe I debated for years whether to take up this sport. Roch and Ovi are fantastic instructors. I should have taken this lesson years ago. I highly recommend Kite415.

Ovi and his crew are great. My wife and I just took three lessons each and are psyched about our progress. We’re off to Turkey to do some kiting.
The good:
Ovi takes teaching and your time very seriously.
Jet ski makes it very easy to get you where you need to be.
The great:
The wind is very consistent at Oyster Point, when it isn’t great you’ll get rescheduled.
The instructors, Ovi is super direct (and I love this). Alex is very patient, and helped me think through theory very well.
The bad:
The wind. But when it sucks, you’ll work it out.
Get ‘er done, and get out there with Ovi and crew.

Ovi and Rock were both great instructors. Both taking the time to explain how to fly the kite, safety considerations, and eventually getting up on the board. I went with the 3 lesson package and got up on my last lesson! Now I’m hooked. Thanks Kite 415!

the pros. worked with rock. nice guy, very knowledgable and pleasant
cons. 90% of what he said to me i could not hear, by mouth or with radio helmet, told him throughout the lesson but no changes made. Even made it clear i am color deficient and all you have to tell me is light or dark side of bar but no go. I truly may be a spaz but then to discuss my previous instruction in a negative way was unprofessional at minimal. They, I feel were as good if not better at conveying there points in the water and making it a blast. Just my opinion but would not take another lesson or reccomend to any of a number of friends in bay area who wanted to hear about my experience. Still i hope i learned something for the price and drive and i will take away whatever positive i can. thanks Jim sobiek

I recently took the fast track beginner lesson with Kite 415, and I was quiet happy with the program with every single aspect that I can think of. For that reason I am pretty comfortable in giving them ⁵⁄₅
I have had prior attempts to learn kiteboarding but those resulted with frustration either because I was not making enough progress due to instructor not being able to give me the right feedback or the equipment and the conditions were not adequate.
With Kite415 I felt different. First of all, team is very organized which makes you feel that they take their lessons serious. During the lessons, they don’t only show you how to do things, but they also show you what not to do and common mistakes. On the sea they use radio helmets, which makes the sea lessons very effective, enabling them to provide you continuous feedback as they watch you from the jet ski.
The fast track package consisted of 1 land and 2 sea lessons where I had the opportunity to get fairly comfortable with my kite control skills as well as other key things such as upwind body dragging, self rescue and ultimately riding the board. Making progress is pretty dependent on each persons ability to adopt to the sports that requires board riding and good understanding of sea and wind. In my case, it worked pretty well, and by the end of the fast track package I was able to stand up, and have a good experience of what it fees to ride the kiteboard for a couple of times which made me make the call for getting my own gear and taking the next step in this sport.
Another difference maker during my experience, was the progression kiteboarding dvd. I felt like it was a very good supplementary, which recaps what you learned in the lessons, and what you will be doing next. I highly recommend that to anyone who will be following a similar path. (At first I was not a huge believer of this dvd, but now I think that it contributed a lot to me being able to stand up and ride during my second sea session)
Last but not least, the team is great. Ovi is a great mentor, pretty good at providing a timely response to any question you have for him. They also help you out with finding a gear that would fit your style and support your progress which I found to be priceless as it is pretty difficult to find the right gear for someone who is new to the sport.
Thanks big time to kite415 for bringing me up to speed with Kiteboarding!

On a recent trip to San Francisco, I took two days of lessons at Kite415 at their Oyster Point location. I had taken some intro lessons on the East Coast, but I was impressed with the efficiency of the teaching methods here, and felt like I progressed more quickly, even in the short time I was able to be there. My instructor, Evan, was incredibly patient – my kite control is inconsistent at best – and was able to explain things in such a way that I left feeling ready to practice on my own. I would definitely have taken a couple more lessons if I had had the time, though, and I would recommend them to anyone looking for lessons in the Bay Area.

I have completed 5 water courses with Kite415. With their education, guidance and assistance have achieved my goal of gaining the skills and experience necessary to become an independent kiter. In my first lesson, I went out with Ovi, who instilled critical safety knowledge, body dragging techniques and the physics of the sport. I appreciated his direct style of teaching, as it helped me understand how important it is to respect the elements, kiting equipment and the learning curve in order to stay safe and make quick progress. Although Ovi’s direct style may not be for everyone, I greatly appreciated it as I could tell he truly wanted to instill wisdom and ensure that I was comprehending his lessons. In my second lesson I went out with Evan, who helped me progress and stay excited about the sport. He taught me the basics regarding getting up on the board and planning. My last three lessons have been with Clay, which have been incredibly productive, insightful and fun.
Clay is an excellent kiteboarding instructor — I fully endorse him and recommend him to any beginner to intermediate kiters! He is a passionate and positive teacher who is incredibly knowledgeable and articulate in his instruction. He has taught me so much about the sport — history, kiting spots, types of equipment, strategies etc. Most importantly he has taught me how to get up consistently, travel upwind, transition from side to side and JUMP! I am now in the process of acquiring my own equipment and am confident enough to enter the kiting scene independently (but always with a friend!) Thanks Kite415!

I learned kitesurfing with Ovi at Kite 415, and had a great experience.
As for other reviewers, this is a well-​run operation. You call, easily find a convenient time, get a Google calendar invite, get there, and go on the water exactly on time.
I took three 2-​hour private lessons, the first one was a land lesson, very safety-​oriented, the second one was body-​dragging and trying to get up, the third one was getting up, staying up and trying to go upwind. The details of the lesson (jetski, radio headset) have already been described, and it works great.
What I can add, 3 months and some sessions after the lessons, is that Ovi’s advice from these 3 lessons really allowed to make progress on my own afterwards. For my first sessions alone I had to self-​rescue a lot, and I was able to do it with confidence thanks to these lessons. When I had trouble going upwind, or when I was not riding steadily, I was able to identify what I was doing wrong based on what Ovi had told me. Even simpler: when my kite backstalled on the beach, having my hand on the quick-​release –another takeaway from the lessons– prevented me from getting slammed on the hard sand.

Enjoyed my lesson at Kite 415. They had quality gear and a cove nearby with the ski. Told them what I wanted to focus on and they did a good job guiding the way.

My fiancé and I both completed the Beginner Fast Track course (3 separate lessons; 1 land 2 water — 6 hours total) and were extremely happy with our lessons. Ovi was very easy to contact and we were very satisfied with the level of service we were provided and how easy it was to get started.
Our instructor Brandon was fantastic. Very patient, easy going, and a great guy to learn from. In one instance, there was a misunderstanding with my girlfriend regarding the lesson location and she could only make it to the lesson almost an hour late. Brandon, after having been out on the water for at least 4 hours earlier, still conducted her full two hour lesson, staying out on the water until 8PM to ensure she got the instruction that she paid for.
Overall, I was very impressed and happy with the lessons provided by Kite 415 and both my fiancé and I were very comfortable in the water and riding some by the end of our last water lesson. We had a great time and definitely feel like the combination of our instructor and the jet ski /​radio method allowed us to get most out of our lessons. We have certainly caught the kiteboarding bug and are planning to get our own gear (likely from Kite 415 as well) after an additional lesson or two.

Did a 2-​hour lesson with 415, definitely going back for more.
The wind is great. The jet skis make your time in the water super efficient. And 3^rd Avenue is a cool place to learn.
I’d recommend this place to anyone wanting to learn to kite.
I gave Ovi a pretty hard time about taking my credit card up front and he was a good sport about it.

I was extremely impressed and satisfied with the 2 hour private water lesson I received from Kite 415. This was my third kiteboarding lesson, and my first with Kite 415.
There was no comparison to the instruction and attention received from Kite 415 to the other school that I attended. I don’t feel the need to list the name of that school, it’s not my goal to drive customers away from other schools but direct potential customers to a great kiteboarding and all-​around business, which is Kite 415.
My experience started off Ovi (the owner) responding promptly to my email, answering my phone call (s), and issuing a receipt, and meeting confirmation immediately after my payment. In my experience, this type of service from a kiteboarding school is a rarity to say the least.
Daniel was my instructor for the session. His style fit my personality very well, and he was watching my kite position, body position, and board stance the entire 2 hours. He was patient but also pushed me hard enough to improve my skills and leave the lesson feeling that I got my money’s worth (with exhaustion to prove it).
At my request, I used my own kite/​equipment for the session but the quality of Kite 415’s instructional equipment was second to none. I was taken out on a jet ski away from the crowded area off the main 3^rd Avenue launch site, and was quick to get started on my lesson. I appreciated the helmet radio that was used. Yes, the high wind makes and chop make it difficult to hear sometimes, but that is part of the sport! They gauged my experience level well and gave me instruction accordingly; it had been 8 months since I had been on the water had limited kiteboarding experience but they started me at the right stage for me.
After my lesson, I felt that I had improved my skills and kite control immensely. Ovi chatted with me for about 10 – 15 minutes after the lesson. Ovi does have a thin accent but I could hear every word he said crystal clear (you will see once you give him a call and he actually answers the phone or calls you back). I hope to do business with this company in the future.

Took a lesson with Ovi at 3^rd Ave.
Pros: Ovi stresses safety, seems like a competent instructor and has good gear (when it works).
Cons: Ovi has a big ego, a thick accent and can be difficult to understand. He also demonstrated some disorganization during the lesson.
During my land lesson, Ovi looked around and said «I used to be the only one using short lines. Now look… everyone’s using them». Obviously… that had nothing to do with my lesson, and everything to do with Ovi!
The ego, accent and disorganization all became issues during the water session, when the radio headset didn’t work (apparently, because the batteries were not charged). This resulted in Ovi hovering over me on the jet ski in two foot chop, yelling instructions over the motor noise, with the wind whistling in my helmet. I would have had difficulty hearing anyone, but found it almost impossible with Ovi’s accent. When I told Ovi «I can’t hear you, we need the radio», Ovi barked back; «It happens. It’s not about the radio». When a student is telling the instructor «I can’t hear you» the instructor needs to listen, and do something about it. Instead, we proceeded with the lesson, resulting in frustration for both of us; me inhaling a LOT of exhaust fumes; and being hit with the jet ski (Ovi: «I’m going to bump you with the ski. Its OK»… OK for whom?).
This is my second attempt at kite school (see my Unilocal review for KGB). I told Ovi this, and asked him to read the KGB review before I signed up for lessons (he apparently didn’t read the part about ego). He proceeded to take every opportunity to rag on KGB during my lesson. Again, this doesn’t reflect well on him, and is of no relevance in teaching me to kite.
I had particular difficulty with one part of the water lesson. This may have been my fault, as I can be slow to learn physical activities until I get them into muscle memory. Having said that, this was one of the most unpleasant experiences I’ve had on the water (and I’ve spent a LOT of time in the water, doing tough sports). It didn’t have to be that way.
I’ve purchased a good training kite, and a DVD from
(Chris is very helpful!). Hopefully, I’ll lock in the muscle memory on land and then get lessons on the water from someone I can hear!
Having just read Ovi’s response, I have to wonder — What part of this review does he feel was «dishonest»? Yes, I left out the fact that Ovi’s instructor trainee almost capsized the ski getting on (only avoided because I launched myself back into the water). Nor did I mention that after bouncing over the chop on my knees with THREE of us on the ski (I’m a big guy), I couldn’t feel my feet when I got in the water for the lesson. I could go on. However, Ovi… If you can’t be heard (or understood) by your student, you can’t teach. It’s as simple as that!
BTW…The four line trainer kite and DVD made all the difference. I should have done that prior to ANY lessons!

These guys are Professionals. I called 3 other kiteboarding schools in the bay, and tried to get a lesson set up. Kite415 was the only one that routinely returned my calls and got a lesson scheduled on our first phone chat. I’ve been back for my second lesson, and I’m LOVING it.
Great location, great equipment (radio helmet, jetskiis), great instructors. And the icing on the cake: A hot shower when you’re done.
Go with kite415, you’ll love it. I can’t wait for my third lesson.

I don’t write many reviews, but Ovi Banuta’s Kite415 operation is well deserving of 5 stars in my book. Kiteboarding is a sport with a steep learning curve, definitely not for the casual enthusiast. Ovi is all about teaching you the fundamentals, especially safety first. He is super detailed oriented (what you want from a good teacher) and thoroughly and repeatedly explains the progressions. You out on a jet ski to an area just off SFO where there is practically no one else but you, your kite, board and instructor. It makes for a comfortable environment to hone your skills without navigating through a crowded beach lineup. I was a slow learner and thus took 9 lesson before staking out on my own. It was worth every penny! Thanks to Ovi and Erik, I’m now confidently going out to 3^rd Ave. Last but no least, he’s a damn cool dude. You cannot go wrong with choosing Kite415!

I’ve been amazed by how quickly I’ve learned to kiteboard from Kite 415. I would recommend Kite 415 to anyone interested in the sport.
Ovi (the owner) is incredibly nice and organized. He’s made the entire process enjoyable.
Erik (my instructor) is very thorough, encouraging, and fun to be around. The first lesson covered the basics — gear, flying the kite, safety. The second lesson we actually got on the water and I was able to get up on the board. We took the jet ski out to a place where we had the entire area to our selves, then Erik gave instructions and feedback through the headphones in my helmet. It was great.
If you want to learn to kiteboard, check these guys out.

Hands down the place to take kiteboarding lessons in the Bay Area. In looking for a school, I called all the places, TALKED to each of them, and asked for references. It turns out lessons are a bigger purchase than you think, because if you chose wrong and they don’t go well, you end up going somewhere else for a do-​over. Also, if lessons are just so-​so, you’ll make very slow and frustrating progress once you go out by yourself. Don’t go for the bottom dollar on this one, you will pay through the nose later (and anyway, kite415 was super-​competitive in pricing)
Their methods of teaching really showed lots of experience, and having the jet-​ski right next to me, offering feedback made my life so easy. Once I start getting up on the board, I was surprised of how good it was to get directions through the radio helmet, being able to make adjustments in real time making my learning experience a fun play. The water lessons were taught in nice flat water, key when you are first riding the board. Not to mention that their location is reliably windy, without a long ride out on a jet-​ski.