What’s it like taking a kiteboarding lesson with Tyler at Stoke Riders?
Most people hear about Tyler the same way Kate did, through another kiter. In Kate’s case, she was standing on the beach in Grand Haven talking about buying her first board when a kiter named Tom overheard the conversation.
He jumped in with a recommendation:
“Take your lessons with Tyler. He’s patient, he loves the sport, and he’s the best guy to learn from.”
That moment says everything about Tyler’s presence in the West Michigan kiteboarding community. His reputation comes from riders who have taken lessons with him then continued to kite with him throughout the years. People have experienced and have seen how he sends students back to shore smiling, tired, and hooked.
Kate had taken lessons before, including in Melbourne’s St. Kilda Bay, but wanted a fresh start on Lake Michigan. She looked up Stoke Riders on Instagram, checked the website, and liked that everything felt inviting, local, and real. The nine-hour progression package stood out immediately. Three hours wouldn’t cut it for someone who wanted to actually ride, not restart from zero every session.
The fact that Stoke Riders also offers surf lessons, surf rentals, and other water lessons made it even easier. One company, one community, one lake. Easy. Learning to kiteboard on Lake Michigan is not a mystery. What it takes is the right coach, the right wind, and a learning environment that is built around real safety and real advancement.
Kate went in hoping for a clean reset: safety, body dragging, and her first controlled water start. She got much more than that, because Tyler builds lessons around the rider, the conditions, and the actual wind, not a preset “meet at the parking lot regardless of weather” routine.
How does booking a kiteboarding lesson work?
In Kate’s experience, she didn’t purchase a package upfront. Tyler sent the pre-lesson questionnaire before she paid for anything, making sure she understood her gear needs, experience level, and goals ahead of time. She paid after her first session and then continued lesson by lesson, which she said felt low-pressure and personal. Riders can also book online through the Stoke Riders website if they prefer.
Kate said the questionnaire alone made her feel like he already understood what she needed before she ever hit the water.
The scheduling process was just as personal. Instead of picking a random time slot, Tyler checked the wind forecasts daily, a huge advantage for beginners coming from Grand Haven, Holland, Muskegon, or St. Joseph, where conditions shift fast along Lake Michigan. If St. Joe had cleaner wind while Muskegon was blown out, he’d say so. If the bay in Muskegon was glassy while the outer lake was messy, he shared that too.
Kate said it best:
“Tyler did all the work to line up the wind conditions. He’d check with my schedule and basically say, ‘Here’s the best window, does this work for you?’”
This is what makes Stoke Riders different. You don’t pick a time and hope the wind cooperates. You book a coach who tracks the weather for you and chooses the safest, most productive session for your skill level.
Where does Tyler teach on Lake Michigan and how are locations chosen
One of the biggest questions beginners ask is “Where do kiteboarding lessons happen on Lake Michigan?” The honest answer is the one that separates Stoke Riders from everyone else: Tyler chooses the location based on the safest and most productive conditions for that day.
Kate’s lessons are the perfect example.
Her first session was in Muskegon, but not just anywhere along the shoreline. Tyler sent her a dropped pin with exact GPS precision so she knew where to park and meet him then they walked down to walk down to the water. When she arrived, they checked the conditions together. One side of the bay was choppy. The other was sheltered, offering smoother water that would make her first body drags easier.
Kate said it plainly:
“He cared about the experience I wanted. He looked at the water and said, ‘This spot isn’t great for your first water start. Let’s head over here instead.’”
That flexibility matters in West Michigan, where conditions can shift fast.
Her second lesson happened in St. Joseph, where they ventured into deeper water and cleaner wind made it ideal for practicing power dives and advancing toward water starts. Conditions in Muskegon gave her the stability she needed in the early stages. St. Joe gave her the space to progress.
This is how Tyler runs every lesson. He checks wind speed, direction, water state, and the student’s goals for the session. Then he sends a message that sounds something like:
“Muskegon is clean today. St. Joe has better wind but messier water. Here’s what I recommend. Does this work for you?”
When conditions are perfect for learning, he makes sure you know. When they are not, he never forces a session. That alone saves beginners hours of frustration. It also means each lesson is safer and more productive.
Beginners should know one thing: you’re never stuck learning in the wrong wind or in a crowded launch zone.
What happens during your first kiteboarding lesson
Most beginners want to know exactly what the first hour feels like. Is it overwhelming? Is it technical? Is it fun? Kate’s experience with Tyler shows what a real beginner lesson on Lake Michigan looks like when it is taught with patience, safety, and clear progression.
The first 15 -30 minutes are simple and designed to get you grounded. You pump and set up the kite, check the lines, fit the harness, review safety releases, assess wind direction, and talk through the goals of the session.
Kate had taken lessons before, but she immediately noticed something different. Tyler handed her a waterproof headset so he could coach her in real time while she was in the water.
“The headset is a complete game changer,” she said. “In my second lesson I got scared for a moment, and hearing him calmly talk me through it kept me grounded.”
Once the kite was up, Tyler walked her through the basics. He showed her how to identify the wind window, how to keep the kite steady, how to position her body, and how to read the pull. He drew diagrams in the sand, used the landscape as reference points, and pointed out upwind versus downwind landmarks so she always knew her orientation.
If you want to study these basics before your lesson, the Indiana Dunes guide offers a helpful look at how Stoke Riders teaches beginners using the same condition-first mindset.
By the time she stepped into the water, she already understood the rhythm of the kite. Once she waded into the calm bay on the inside of Muskegon, Tyler guided her through foundational skills: one-handed kite control, parking the kite, controlled body drags, turning the kite, and switching directions while body dragging.
By the end of her first session, Kate felt safe, supported, and exhilarated. Tyler built the entire lesson around her confidence, her pace, and the conditions on the water. That is the difference when your coach watches the lake, chooses the right beach, and builds the day around your success.
What skills do beginners learn first in kiteboarding
Beginner kiteboarding follows a clear sequence, and Tyler teaches it in a way that feels steady and digestible. Kate said she understood why each step mattered because the skills were introduced in a way that made sense on Lake Michigan.
The first stage is always safety and awareness. Tyler showed her how to check lines, identify safe launch angles, and understand exactly when to pull the safety. This is the foundation of every Stoke Riders lesson and gives beginners the confidence to focus on learning instead of worrying about what comes next.
If you want a deeper look at how Stoke Riders explains conditions across West Michigan, their St. Joseph guide is a great reference.
Once Kate felt stable, Tyler moved into wind awareness and kite control. He showed her how the kite reacts in different parts of the wind window and how to keep it steady without overcorrecting. She could feel the kite hold tension, relax, and pull again. That rhythm builds the muscle memory riders depend on.
The next phase was controlled body dragging. This is where beginners use the kite to move through the water without a board. Kate practiced short drags, switched directions, and learned how to turn the kite smoothly. This step is more important than most people realize. Body dragging helps new riders understand pull, retrieve their board after a fall, and stay safe when conditions change.
After Kate felt comfortable body dragging in both directions, Tyler introduced power strokes. This prepared her for her first water start. It was challenging at first because there are more moving parts. She had to coordinate kite pull, stance, direction, and speed all at once. Tyler walked her through each step slowly, then let her try it, then refined the timing through the headset.
This is also when Tyler introduced the board. He explained how to angle it, how to position her legs, and how to let the kite pull her up instead of forcing the movement. Seeing the demonstration, then hearing his cues in her ear, allowed everything to click.
By the end of her early lessons, she had the foundational skills every rider needs before going out on their own: safe setup, stable kite control, smooth turns, controlled body drags, light power dives, and correct board positioning.
➥ If you want to explore the gear that supports these early steps, the Kite Gear Collection is a helpful place to start.
How does Tyler keep beginners safe and confident
Kiteboarding can feel intimidating the first time you stand on the shoreline and see the size of a powered kite. From the start, Tyler checks the wind, the water, talks through the plan, and makes sure the rider understands why they are doing each step. Kate said that even when the lake looked big and unpredictable, Tyler had a way of breaking things down so she knew what was happening and what to expect next.
In her second lesson, there was a moment where the wind shifted, her kite crashed, lost her board, and she wasn’t able to relaunch causing her to implement her safety release. Kate felt that rush of being in the weeds. After overcoming the obstacle with Tyler's guidance, she realized she needed to take a break. Tyler encouraged her to sit down on the sand and take deep breaths. She described it as the moment she realized he wasn’t just teaching skills. He was teaching her how to stay grounded when her body reacted to something unfamiliar.
When Kate got back in the water, after Tyler’s encouragement and support, she nailed her water start. He talked her through every motion. Instead of yelling from the shoreline, the headset allowed him to speak calmly, clearly, and consistently. That steady communication kept her from shutting down or tensing up. She said she never had that type of support in previous lessons. Also having a POV from the beach to see the full picture and make recommendations based on what he sees in real time. Tyler also is very hands on in his teaching, so depending on what stage of learning your lessons are - he might be right there with you in the water too!
Kate said:
“Having him in my ear, no matter how far away made her feel much safer.”
Safety also shows up in the way he sets up each exercise. When Kate struggled with a power stroke, Tyler helped depower the kite before resetting. When she fell or drifted too far, he stepped in at exactly the right moments. And when she needed to feel the pull of the kite again, he created enough space to let her try it without feeling rushed.
Kate used Tyler’s Core XR8 8 meter in her first lesson and her own Cabrinha Switchblade 12 meter in her second. Tyler explained exactly why each kite made sense based on wind direction, wind speed, and the day’s goals. That clarity made her feel safer because she understood not just what was happening, but why.
For colder sessions on Lake Michigan, he also made sure her wetsuit and harness fit correctly. If you are just starting out and want to know what riders wear during late fall and early spring lessons, the Waterwear Collection on Stoke Riders is a good resource.
What gear do you use in a Stoke Riders lesson
Every kite for a kiteboarding lesson on Lake Michigan is about matching the water, the wind, and the rider, and Stoke Riders makes sure your gear fits all three. What Kate used during her lessons shows how important the right setup is for comfort, control, and confidence.
For Kate’s first lesson, she used a CORE kite supplied by Tyler. That choice makes sense. According to the Stoke Riders gear guide, CORE kites are known for their stability and predictable handling in Lake Michigan’s variable wind.
Later, as her skills improved, she switched to her own gear: a Cabrinha Switchblade 12 m and a Cabrinha Nomad 7 (m). Neither of those worked for her first lesson conditions, but with Tyler’s guidance she learned why. He matched the kite size, board, and settings to the day’s wind, her weight, and the goal of the session.
Wetsuit and water-wear matter just as much here on the Great Lakes. Cold-water sessions, even in late summer or fall, or early spring, require gear that keeps you warm without sacrificing mobility. Stoke Riders’ water-wear collection offers all the layers you need for Michigan’s unpredictable temperatures.
Beyond just the kite and wetsuit:
- Tyler advises riders on harness fit, kite line setup, and board type.
- He often lets beginners borrow or rent his gear first, which removes one more barrier to getting on the water. He advised Kate to use a seat harness for her lessons instead of a waist harness so it wouldn't ride up on her.
- He encourages trying a stable setup instead of pushing for performance gear too early.
That’s why Kate felt confident the first time she entered the water. Her gear was chosen not for style, but for success.
Is kiteboarding in West Michigan a supportive community for beginners
One of the things beginners worry about is whether they will feel out of place showing up at the beach with little experience. What she found instead was a community that actually looks out for each other.
Her first connection happened before she ever booked a lesson. A kiter from Chicago, in town for the Kiting for Cancer fundraiser, overheard her talking about getting into the sport. He immediately pointed her toward Tyler. Kiteboarders tend to pay attention and offer guidance because the sport depends on shared awareness.
Once Kate started taking lessons, Tyler kept that momentum going. He mentioned riders who would be out on the water in various places on upcoming wind days and encouraged her to join if she wanted more time in the water with experienced kiters nearby. That one invitation made the sport feel less intimidating. It also showed that learning kiting is not something you have to do alone.
After she finally hit her first water start, she received messages from riders she had met only briefly. One congratulated her with, “Heard you got up. That’s huge. Can’t wait to see you out there again.” That kind of encouragement carries weight when you are still new.
Kate also noticed the mix of people at each beach. In her words, she saw more male riders than female riders in Michigan, but that was already changing. In Australia, where she first learned, she said it felt close to even. In West Michigan she met women who wanted to get into the sport but had questions about how to get started and were waiting for the right guidance. That is where an instructor like Tyler makes a difference. He removes the guesswork and opens the door for more people to feel comfortable trying something new.
As Kate put it, the whole community has been welcoming. People were quick to share tips, offer encouragement, and help her feel like she belonged on the water. That atmosphere can be a big part of whether someone sticks with kiting long enough to catch their first real ride.
Should you take a kiteboarding lesson with Stoke Riders
If you are thinking about learning kiteboarding on Lake Michigan, the biggest decision you make is choosing the right instructor. Kate had already taken several lessons before she found Tyler, including a multi-session program in Australia, but she said her experience with Stoke Riders was the first time she felt the sport was truly within reach.
The difference was simple. Tyler paid attention to the details that matter when you are new. He gave clear instruction without rushing. He adjusted the gear based on the weather and the goal of the day. He used the headset so she always felt supported in the water. And he kept her calm in moments where her body reacted faster than her mind. Tyler is also relatable and makes learning difficult things fun.
For someone who is brand new, the nine-hour lesson package is the most realistic path. It gives you enough time to learn the core skills without feeling rushed. It also lets Tyler plan each session around reliable wind and different wind conditions, instead of squeezing everything into a single day.
Kate said it best.
“Once I felt the water start in my body, I knew I could do it again. That moment made everything worth it.”
For anyone considering a first lesson, the answer is straightforward. If you want to learn in a way that feels safe, personal, and paced around your real progress, Stoke Riders is the right place to start.
➥ If you want to see the full lesson offerings, the collection is here.