I think the people having the massive knee jerk reactions here are probably not confident kiters. If you can barely ride a push bike solo you wouldn't go and double someone would you? Stay in the shallows and away from crowds and I reckon most water confident kids would have a blast.
awesome, maybe a PFD for the youngest though if your making it a habit
get em a trainer kite for xmas
If i had kids id be keen for them to come for a quick ride. Im sure he doesnt do anything stupid with them. Just in and out. A lifejacket wouldnt hurt, but looks like shes having fun to me. Unlike her friends watching Sesame Street or some show.
i think marvins choice of words are a little inflammatory.
i am assuming he is a father, but regardless of which a good kitesurfer should be able to give kids rides with total safety if he so desires without you bunch of derogatory, skill doubting, sensationalists whooping it up like sunday gospel fire and brimstone sh1z.
advice
marvin, stick a buoyancy vest on em and dont mention boosting, mention safety.
OMG!! Yeah, really cute, but maaaate what are you doing?? No, PDF, no helmet (but I see that you have yours on). The most amazingly stupid thing I've seen for a long time. The testosterone has pickled your brain. Who is going to save this little girl when her Daddy gets lofted, or dragged down the beach, or hit by another kiter or a stray board, or............
It reminds me of the young Dad I met, while skiing in France ages ago, who took his child up the top of Meribel in a back pack and skiied all the way down to the village with him. I was in hospital after a car crash and I heard a child screaming all night. Turned out he (3 years old) had lost all his fingers and toes to frost bite.
Daddy thought that was cute too.
Whoever took that photo also needs their head read.
I know Mr kite-with-kid probably feels comfortable and safe, but stuff does go wrong. All the time, with experienced kiters. Saying he's never been wrapped in his lines for instance....or even known anyone who has. I mean, come on....it's not just a surf thing.
For instance, even if you think you are safe there are other people out there kiting who aren't always in control. What if one of them goes through your lines? Kids aren't like adults - they can't hold out water as easily as adults - their throats are simply not strong enough. One drag upside down might be fine but it might also lead to a dry drowning later on.
I'm not a safety nut, and I do believe that this guy is probably a safe kiter (although someone said he's an IKO instructor and they aren't always the picture of safety....) but seriously, if you are thinking about doing this with your kids, you have to think more about the things that could go wrong. Because you, as the adult, are responsible for them.
I feel really confident kiting, but there are some instances where I listen to my brain, rather than my 'feelings'. I just don't think, in this case, that it's worth the risk.
OK, why does the public think they have a right to tell someone not to do these things?
When I was 3, a family friend designed the first tandem parasailing harness, which is now comercially available. I was strapped into the harness, then clipped to the adult rider under a parachute! People said the same thing about this. How could you? What an idiot, ect, until they realised it was just as safe as any oother watersport, then they started selling it. It is the parents right to do what they want, and I for one am hellishly gratefull to have been the test pilot. I could swim, as should any kid near water.
Maybe we should ban waterskiing to (risk of impact injuries, drownings) ? How about kids learning to sail (god, not only impact injuries, but rope tangles after capsizing, how did i survive) ? Swimming at the beach (spinal injuries, rips, etc)?
The world is full of wowsers and do gooders. If you think its dangerous, then dont do it. He's not making you do it, just showing people that might have been trying to work out there own way to do exactly this, which it sounds like others have tried.
PS, just a bit of info, it takes around 2 seconds to release one of those harnesses. Was a simple clip release on the one I owned
C'mon guys. Looks about as dangerous as taking the little ones for a walk along the wharf.
Sorry I had to compare it to that, but you have to evaluate the consequences vs the risk and expect the unexpected. I understand there is low risk, but you perhaps have to understand the enormously, ridiculously, life wreckingly high consequences. Is it worth it?
To everyone apposing this guys decision to take his kids kiting with him have no right to complain on how the sport is in danger if this guy takes his kids kiting, most the time people here are very negative.
I have found over a period of time on these forums most the people here just come to biatch about everything and anything, stick on you gath helmets and seat harnesses get out on the water and then come back and complain about how crappy bows are or 5th line systems, this is the thing that pisses me off about some users on these forums (not all) SO NEGATIVE, if you dont have something good to say dont say it at all.
somebody please lock this thread, so that the over weight guys flying there 12 and 14 meter kites can go some where else.
for god sake the sport is about one word FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN!!
sometimes i think some people are in it for the crappy politics that come along with it!
maybe these who appose this guys decision to take his kids kiting with him should take up cycling or some other sport if u take this so personally and think its the end of the world its simple PICK ANOTHER SPORT YOU KOOKS!
I have recently been educated in the way of the kite 
and have to admit I have come around to Spacemonkeys way of thinking 
.(Apologies for trolling Monkey and other WA kiters over the years)
Kites aren't dangerous people are, therefore, I am no longer anti kites, just anti &**&^heads.
Although at first it looks bad, and some might be upset, let's have a reality check.
Moderate conditons, experienced kiter, onshore, uncrowded. I don't see a problem.
I might even get my kids to try this !!
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Very positive dude.
i wasn't being negative..... maybe i was got a point there but i wa angry about how people can judge so much.
yep it looks cool and a great photo
i gave my feral newphews a double last summer 12 and 13 years old - one at a time
not only did they choke the crap out of me when i did it, the kite itself became under a massive strain ,i'm 90kg they're about 50 kg each. i could actually see it straining under the load. no problem that day.tacked back and forth 2 or 3 times each.
guess what next time i rode the kite the leading edge blew out when a guy caught it on the beach, $80 later fixed it up.
next time i pumped it the leading blew up on the beach. both time at the very spot where one of the lines were connected. the kite fixer upper guy gave the sad news my kite was well and truly rooted for good.
so i gave it to mate who needed a bladder, and eventually i bought it from him once he got his next kite.
equipment failure and kites go hand in hand and if on the water can end in disaster
This is the dumbest thing i have ever seen and some of the responses agreing wtih this instuctor(surely not?)beggar belief.
Live a little, you are obviously not experienced, he is a really good kitesurfer just like me.... hip hip hooray we are all heroes, snap there goes my kids neck, oh well they lived!
Of the drownings i saw whilst working as a surf lifesaver, MOST were close in to show and were in very shallow water in situations that happen once in a blue moon. Survival rate of less than 50% for resuscitation, cramp, hidden objects and changing conditions all occur and affect even the experienced swimmers, yes EVEN the experienced swimmers(read:kites) are also affected, wow!
And that, quite frankly, is the point. Something will eventually go wrong. Equipment failure, unforseen weather condition, out of control beginner blah de blah blah.
Yes its more dangerous driving there, but hey i am a very experienced driver maybe i should strap my kid to the roof racks and live a little.
There are countless other water and wind sports you could be doing that are just as enjoyable and do not place your child in such danger.
